Help! My 401K is going down!

**rooskers** · 02-29-2008, 10:04 PM

Keep Investing and stop worrying about the balance.

**sweeps** · 03-01-2008, 03:49 AM

Are you retiring next year? Then don't sweat it, take the opportunity to invest more while prices are lower.

**disneysteve** · 03-01-2008, 05:57 AM

When I saw the title of the thread, my thought was , "Duh! Everybody's 401k is going down."

Be glad you are going through this correction now, while you only have 6k in the account. Just think how folks in their 50s feel who are experiencing the same correction with mid or high 6-figure balances.

Keep on investing. Enjoy buying in at lower prices and getting more shares for your money. Eventually, you'll see the benefit of this when the market turns around.

**rob62521** · 03-01-2008, 07:02 AM

I was with you Steve, when I originally read the title. My 403b has taken a beating the past few months, but I figure when things go up, I will be ahead. And I'm not old enough to retire yet, so I'm justing riding it out.

**jc3900** · 03-01-2008, 09:50 AM

KEEP INVESTING. The thing about the stock market is that in the short term it is very risky, however, in the long term it is a fairly safe bet. Just keep contributing and in the long run you will average a decent return. That -6% this month could be a net gain of 15% 8 months from now. Just stay cool and you will be fine.

**project15** · 03-01-2008, 11:36 AM

mine's at -7.1% for the year so everyone's probably in the same boat right now. Just keep investing. Remember, last year you were probably up 15% or more. You win some years, you lose others. That's the nature of the market.

**Taribor** · 03-01-2008, 01:26 PM

The concept of "Buy low sell high" is a easy to read, easy to understand, but for many people, impossible to follow.

Leave your investments alone!

Look at it this way, everytime the market goes lower, and you contribute more, you should be excited that you just found more shares on sale.

**Snave** · 03-01-2008, 05:46 PM

Keep socking it away. And, if you can, increase your contributions. What is down will at sometime go up.

**disneysteve** · 03-01-2008, 05:48 PM

While I don't advocate market timing, if it helps you sleep better at night for the next few months, direct new contributions into a money market or stable value fund. Once the market starts to recover, you can always transfer that money back into stock funds.

**sweeps** · 03-01-2008, 07:21 PM

Originally posted by gekkoplus View Post

Change In Market Value -$334.93

I lost $5,000 yesterday alone, so don't feel bad.

**Scanner** · 03-01-2008, 09:20 PM

You got too many funds for $6000.00 (8 funds? Sheesh!) and it didn't even insulate you in a down market so I'd be bitching too.

Pick one fund.

I know the Fidelty ContraFund is/was 5 star Morningstar rated - stick it all in there.

When you reach $20,000, pick another fund. When you reach $50,000 pick another. . .you can decide on what marks you feel comfortable with.

In fact, after mulling it over in public here at the forum, that's where and when I add positions - on account balances.

Fidelity Investments:

Here you go. . .YTD performance is -9%. . .however, if you had it all in there for 1 year. . .you'd be up 8%. So. . .you had your money "overdiversified" IMO.

If you keep this all spread out like you are. . .you aren't going to be able to take advantage of bull runs.

**maat55** · 03-02-2008, 05:52 AM

The market is a rollercoaster that trends upward. Picture a rollercoaster moving up and down in an upward slant. I also agree with scanner, you have too many funds at this time. Find one with the best performance and ride it awhile.

**lucasrd** · 03-02-2008, 06:56 AM

Unless you didn't realze your 401K money was invested in the stock market this should not be a shock, nor should you be panicking...

Just because it's a 401K doesn't mean it's protected from market ups and downs...it just means you don't have to pay taxes until you retire...you're still subject to the same market risk..just with a tax advantage.

**lucasrd** · 03-02-2008, 07:00 AM

Originally posted by Scanner View Post

You got too many funds for $6000.00 (8 funds? Sheesh!) and it didn't even insulate you in a down market so I'd be bitching too.

Pick one fund.

I know the Fidelty ContraFund is/was 5 star Morningstar rated - stick it all in there.

When you reach $20,000, pick another fund. When you reach $50,000 pick another. . .you can decide on what marks you feel comfortable with.

In fact, after mulling it over in public here at the forum, that's where and when I add positions - on account balances.

Fidelity Investments:

Here you go. . .YTD performance is -9%. . .however, if you had it all in there for 1 year. . .you'd be up 8%. So. . .you had your money "overdiversified" IMO.

If you keep this all spread out like you are. . .you aren't going to be able to take advantage of bull runs.

In my opinion this is not good advice...sticking it all in one fund??? and adding more funds when you get 20K in the first fund???? What ever happened to diversification? As far as your quote of being overdiversified...if the fund categories double up...maybe...but Diversification is the only FREE lunch out there...and unless you're investing in some sort of target-date fund...i wouldn't stick it all on just ONE fund.

Help! My 401K is going down!