Quote from MustPlayOptions:
Before you flame please understand that I'm really curious. I'm thinking of getting completely out of the market and don't know if I should pull the trigger or not.
.....
Any insights are appreciated. I just don't want to see my savings fall 50% again like a few years ago.
Thanks,
MPO
I don't understand why you think you have to get "completely out of the market". Why would you want to make such an all-or-nothing decision? With interest rates at 2%, cash is not exactly a good long-term return asset class.
You need to stop thinking in terms of putting all your money in stocks or all out of stocks based on short-term timing decisions. Instead, build a diversified long-term investment portfolio spread across multiple asset classes: US stocks, international stocks, emerging market stocks, real estate, bonds, TIPS, and commodities. Forget timing and just keep your preferred allocations over the long-haul, minimising costs, taxes, and stress.
Here's a balanced ETF portfolio for you, that would have held up pretty well in both 2007-08 and 2000-2003:
15% SPY
10% IWM
15% EFA
5% VWO
15% RWR
15% TIP
15% IEF
5% DBC
5% GSG
That gives you only 25% exposure to US stocks, another 20% to World & Emerging Markets stocks, and the rest in a mix of real estate, bonds, TIPS and commodities. Your chance of losing 50% on that portfolio is almost zero, even in a next great depression.
Read this thread for more info:
http://elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=125840