I'm watching the world money situations deteriorate

[swamp]

We Didnt Start THe Fire. It's All Been Burning Since The Worlds Been Turning.

--Billy Joel.

[movingforward]

If I were retired or close to retirement I would probably be moving some money.  At my age though it will stay where it is and I will just keep adding to it.

[gacpa]

You are focusing on the money side of the problems, I am concerned this could lead to civil unrest and/or military action.  I have a feeling this is how wars get started-over money.

[Ombud]

I'm buying (limit orders) & bought yesterday   

[Value Buy]

pat, I thought the two of you were 100% in "safe investments" meaning no stocks and bond funds.

How did your 401-k become unsafe?

And for the record, your husband has worked a long life in the real world. If his job disappears, it is not the end of the world for the two of you.

Just enjoy the years you have left with each other and your daughter.

[Value Buy]

And do not worry about a meltdown. It is not happening now.

[resolution]

I am still buying. I am far enough away from retirement that I think I can survive another downturn. I keep dumping money into international funds trying to keep my asset allocation, and sometimes it feels like it's going into a black hole. But I need to build value for the future so I am trying to buy when it is on sale.

[gooddecisions]

Isn't he almost 70 years old? Let the poor man retire already. Don't you guys have well over $1MM net worth? I also thought you moved your investments to stable funds a long time ago.

[Deleted]

I have been thinking there is a correction coming, but I haven't been worried about it.  I am not thinking a crash in the US market. 

[movingforward]

Pat, I thought you were already in safe investments?

[ArchietheDragon]

Pat's safe investment was rubles. 

[Deleted]

To quote Mr Buffett I feel like this:

Be greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy.

[souldoubt]

Recently the biggest hit to some currencies is due to the decline in the price of oil.  My biggest concern regarding all of this is the headlines I've seen in the last few days about how with the decline of oil prices alternative energy industries will struggle.  I think we're in line for a correction but nothing going on now comes close to reminding me of the sentiment during 2008.  If saying the sky is falling makes you feel better so be it but I've heard that more than once in my somewhat short lifetime while I know older posters have heard it multiple times over their investing lifetime.  

[Lizard Queen]

I don't know anything about China, but I have a tinfoil hat theory about oil prices and Russia.  The only worry that I have about this drop in oil prices, is that it will encourage people to use it up more quickly.  Well, that and Russia may declare war, but that goes back to my tinfoil hat theory.  They're already making war-like claims to parts of the Ukraine, and that started everything in the first place.

[lynnerself]

Dec 17, 2014 12:13:59 GMT -5 resolution said:

I am still buying. I am far enough away from retirement that I think I can survive another downturn. I keep dumping money into international funds trying to keep my asset allocation, and sometimes it feels like it's going into a black hole. But I need to build value for the future so I am trying to buy when it is on sale.

I am 6 months from retirement and still buying. And I am still about 90% in equities.
I also think (hope) this is just a correction.

I do wonder about the theory that OPEC is deliberately driving down oil prices to mess with US oil production in the long term

[ken a.k.a OMK]

I retired in 2010 and I know I should move my portfolio into more conservative things, but I'm making too much money to change. Doubled since 2010. I could take a big hit and not be hurting.

[cronewitch]

I have the Alfred E Newman mindset of "What me worry" I am retired and 100% in equities. Markets go up and down all the time, oil prices go up and down. I trust that in 20 years a person is usually better invested than sitting on cash. Cash isn't worth more later so if you had it in the bank or under the mattress inflation and spending would both erode it.  Mom tried retiring without investing and the first few years CDs paid high amount then it got to were they were giving her so little she started investing for the first time at 80 something. If she had started even 20 years sooner she would have had real growth instead of shrinkage.

[Bonny]

The Dow is up 275 points and you're worried about a declining economic situation? OK

We're in it for the long haul; I think this is just part of the rock n' roll of the market.

[Value Buy]

Dec 17, 2014 14:37:37 GMT -5 Bonny said:

The Dow is up 275 points and you're worried about a declining economic situation? OK

We're in it for the long haul; I think this is just part of the rock n' roll of the market.

scratch the 250 points

now 210 points.

It is hopping all over the place today.

There is a chance it could be even on the day or up 300 points today.

Scary

[Value Buy]

Dec 17, 2014 13:46:06 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

I don't know anything about China, but I have a tinfoil hat theory about oil prices and Russia.  The only worry that I have about this drop in oil prices, is that it will encourage people to use it up more quickly.  Well, that and Russia may declare war, but that goes back to my tinfoil hat theory.  They're already making war-like claims to parts of the Ukraine, and that started everything in the first place.

The difference right now is the direction of oil is down regardless of Middle East or Ukraine turmoil.

[Lizard Queen]

Dec 17, 2014 14:56:34 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Dec 17, 2014 13:46:06 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

I don't know anything about China, but I have a tinfoil hat theory about oil prices and Russia.  The only worry that I have about this drop in oil prices, is that it will encourage people to use it up more quickly.  Well, that and Russia may declare war, but that goes back to my tinfoil hat theory.  They're already making war-like claims to parts of the Ukraine, and that started everything in the first place.

The difference right now is the direction of oil is down regardless of Middle East or Ukraine turmoil.

I call it a tinfoil hat theory, but I have read similar things proposed on some news website.  Russia's basically taking over parts of the Ukraine, but supplies natural gas to much of Europe, so Europe isn't enthused with imposing sanctions on Russia.  The US has no interest in starting WW3 at the moment, so goes to their friends, the Saudis.  The US asks for a little help with the additional benefit of putting the brakes on the fracking industry--as the environmentalists aren't terribly happy about it.  Saudis get to put the hurt on the competition, and the US puts the hurt on Russia.  I doubt they can keep this up for too terribly long.  I expect oil prices to be back up to healthy levels by summer.

[phil5185]

The countries that buy oil like the low prices - China, Japan, US. And the countries that sell oil hate the low price - Russia hates it the most, revenue from oil sales supports 70% of their economy.

Yesterday, Jack Bogle  (Vanguard) said "Don't do something, just stand there."
Followed by 'markets fluctuate, get used to it'.

[Bob Ross]

Buy high!  Sell low!   Panic Panic Panic!

Trade it all for gold!  No!  Trade it all for food!  No!  Trade it all for guns that shoot golden food!

The commies / liberals / zombies / hipsters / pterodactyls are coming to get us! 

[Ombud]

 Bought yesterday on the down low. Happy. Just need to evaluate exit points on new stocks   
Plus with SPY recovering, there's no way it will cross my options prior to expiration date. So I get to pocket that $1380 -- it's a good week

[cronewitch]

The first CPA I worked for was a investing by buying or selling the opposite of one client. The client would give him great stock tips so he would sell that if he had it and when the client told him another was awful he would buy that one. The client could do precise market timing to find the highs and lows so always bought high and sold low. Look how many people sold stocks in 2008 but will be buying again after a recovery. They if they ever got back in will sell now since they went down a little but buy back at higher prices later. They base it on gut feelings wait until the market is up 20% over last year then buy and when it goes down 20% sell.

[marvholly]

I am guessing the crude oil price thing will be VERY short lived. The middle eastern conglomorate will get together and set production limits to get the price point back to a more reasonable level, say about $70-75/barrel which is still a decent price after the $100+ seen recently.

I also guess late Jan or Feb for this 'correction.'

[Ombud]

Wait a minute --- you're talking about physically removing dollar bills from an FDIC insured bank to stick under your mattress? Am I misinterpreting this?

Breathe, @patstab, you're only 30% invested per the above post. My concern would be that inflation would outpace investments but you're older than me

[movingforward]

I am just stashing some cash right now so I can throw more money in the market if goes down. 

Also, from what I have read it sounds like Russia has a lot of money in reserves and it is doubtful they will default on their loans.

[Ombud]

Only 2 limit orders still out there & they're both indexes: 1000 of SCHD @ 38.72 and 900 of SCHB @ 47.95. Man, am I boring or what?

 Dip please

[ArchietheDragon]

Dec 18, 2014 9:04:44 GMT -5 movingforward said:

I am just stashing some cash right now so I can throw more money in the market if goes down. 

Also, from what I have read it sounds like Russia has a lot of money in reserves and it is doubtful they will default on their loans.

A lot of rubles in reserve does Russia a lot of nothing.