I lost $10 today but only have $1000 invested so far, is that right?

[Outdoorsygal]

So it's been going up then I login today and it lost $10.

I only have $1000 in there but just started a request to have have 90% of ONE OF MY PAYCHECKS going to those two funds now so I cannot afford to keep loosing $$

50% Vanguard S&P 500 Admiral
50% Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares

I looked up the funds and their numbers are in the red. Negative. Does that mean it went into the red by about $10 because it used to say, just yesterday, I had $1005 and some cents. What about tomorrow??? how much this month do you think that one day will make a difference? When I login, it says 2.83% personal rate of return thru Feb 28th

[Jluke]

Recommend that you check your balance quarterly. Not daily.



.

[Outdoorsygal]

So this is normal?

[disneysteve]

Investments go up and down by the day, even by the hour. It is vital not to get hung up on watching every gyration of your holdings. I'm assuming this is a retirement account. Is that correct? If so, how many years until you anticipate retiring? These are LONG TERM investments. What is important is not what they return in a day or a month or a year but what they return over the next couple of decades (assuming your timeline is that long).

The S&P fund's best year was up 29.68%. The worst year was down 38.52%
The bond fund's best year was up 8.97%. The worst year was down 10.48%.

There can be sharp swings either way. What matters is the long term trend.
10 year average annual return for the S&P fund is 7.61% and for the bond fund is 4.14%. There is no guarantee that the funds will always go up. In fact, you're pretty much guaranteed that they won't. There will be down years. Focus on the long term, not the short term.

[Jluke]

So this is normal?

Yep. I can lose a thousand in a day if the market goes down. Similar if market goes up.

You'll get used to it. The key is to not panic sell.

[disneysteve]

Yep. I can lose a thousand in a day if the market goes down. Similar if market goes up.

The $10 change in your $1,000 investment is 1%.
We currently have a portfolio approaching $900,000.
The same 1% drop for us would mean a $9,000 decrease in our accounts.
Did our portfolio drop by $9,000 today? I haven't got the slightest idea. I haven't looked and don't plan to. I'm not retiring for another 10 years probably. What happened yesterday or today or what happens tomorrow isn't even a blip in the grand scheme of things.

[cologero]

So it's been going up then I login today and it lost $10.

I only have $1000 in there but just started a request to have have 90% of ONE OF MY PAYCHECKS going to those two funds now so I cannot afford to keep loosing $$

50% Vanguard S&P 500 Admiral
50% Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares

On an unrelated note, how do you have admiral shares with only $1000 invested? Isn't the minimum $10K?

[Jluke]

On an unrelated note, how do you have admiral shares with only $1000 invested? Isn't the minimum $10K?

My guess is it is part of an employer plan (401k??) so they can get the admiral shares.

[cologero]

My guess is it is part of an employer plan (401k??) so they can get the admiral shares.

I see. Thanks

[TexasHusker]

Investments don't always go up in value.

A few years ago, I invested $50,000 in China Northeast Petrouem. Today it is worth $0.

[Outdoorsygal]

Investments go up and down by the day, even by the hour. It is vital not to get hung up on watching every gyration of your holdings. I'm assuming this is a retirement account. Is that correct? If so, how many years until you anticipate retiring? These are LONG TERM investments. What is important is not what they return in a day or a month or a year but what they return over the next couple of decades (assuming your timeline is that long).

The S&P fund's best year was up 29.68%. The worst year was down 38.52%
The bond fund's best year was up 8.97%. The worst year was down 10.48%.

There can be sharp swings either way. What matters is the long term trend.
10 year average annual return for the S&P fund is 7.61% and for the bond fund is 4.14%. There is no guarantee that the funds will always go up. In fact, you're pretty much guaranteed that they won't. There will be down years. Focus on the long term, not the short term.

My plan is to take it out at age 54, (in 6 yrs) but it's not set in stone.
It mainly depends how long this one client lives who I am with 50% of my shift, the remainder I supervise many Clients.
But don't want to do this job that much longer. We might open a Security Company down the line

If not, then pull it out age 59.5

It's going into a safe, built in a hidden place in the house

I knew it would flexuate but wasn't ready for a whole $10 change in one day in a good economy.
Loosing a dollar here or there I expected. If I need to wait longer to withdraw, that's fine. I'll quit watching it so often!
They send out a quarterly statement anyhow

[Outdoorsygal]

My guess is it is part of an employer plan (401k??) so they can get the admiral shares.

correct

[Outdoorsygal]

Investments don't always go up in value.

A few years ago, I invested $50,000 in China Northeast Petrouem. Today it is worth $0.

I didn't read this...
I didn't read this...

[disneysteve]

My plan is to take it out at age 54

You can't take withdrawals from a 401k at 54. I believe you need to be at least 59.5 to start drawing from that money.

If you actually need this money in 6 years, you need to look into other options besides the 401k.

[bjl584]

You can't take withdrawals from a 401k at 54. I believe you need to be at least 59.5 to start drawing from that money.

If you actually need this money in 6 years, you need to look into other options besides the 401k.

That is correct.
If OP needs money at 54, then they need to invest it someplace that they can access it penalty free.