stupid, stupid STUPID economy!

By the way, he lost nothing if he didn't sell. About the only way you can lose money in the stock market is if you sell for less than you paid. So don't do that.

It will go up again, eventually. You may have to wait. Rule #1, do not invest anything that you can not afford to lose; it is gambling. Although rare, some stocks in the past have not rebounded, even became worthless. And also remember Rule #1, Never sell for less than you paid for a stock.

Remember and Stick To both Rules #1 and you'll do well.

If you've lost $ on paper, you have Only lost it on paper and Only for the time being. It may even be time to "double down" or at least buy more of the same stock at the new lower "sale" price. It's funny how people buy and sell stocks based on emotion instead of common sense. Think about it; do you buy things at the store when they are at their highest price or when the price comes down? So why would someone buy a stock when the price is higher rather than lower? Buy low, sell high. THAT is how you make money. In other words, NOW is the time to buy! Not necessarily right NOW for every stock. But Lowe's was just over $16 last week and I got in at $18. I always buy Lowe's when I see it below $19. I sold it early, not trying to be greedy, made a couple hundred, but should have waited longer. In just a few days it went to $23! I'd have made over a thousand on a few days investment of less than $5k! Anyway, it's hovering around $22 lately but next time you see it drop to 19 or 18, it's a steal! Molson-Coors is fun too. It's just fun to buy $5k of beer LOL! Wait for it to go below $40 again. It was just rated as the TOP stock to buy and so it's a little more now. I mentioned it right here on Pet Peeves about a month or two ago. I was right on that one too. Top stock now. I didn't have a crystal ball either. I just watch 'em. Look around, you'll find some bargains out there. Think about what you buy and use like Warren Buffet says to do. I don't drink Molsen or Coors but I do like beer, know personal indulgences do well during bad times (did VERY well during the Great Depression) and I saw Motley Fool mention TAP. Well, now it's rated #1 stock to buy by others and so it goes up even higher. Too bad I got out after earning only a hundred on it a few days ago before that announcement. But that's the 3rd time I bought and sold it and each other time actually did better than twice as well on it.

In a bank CD you'd get maybe $50 per thousand over a year. I get that much on a thousand in a week on average by day trading. It's not hard. I could do so much better too if I were greedy. I have a stinker in my portfolio right now too. I don't worry about it. It'll go up again, eventually. Until then I simply don't panic and sell. That would be like robbing myself. Stick to the solid stocks that are going for fire sale prices is what I learned. And FORGET those damned mutual funds and any other "loaded" funds where they charge you fees all the time. There are only two times you should ever pay a fee and that is when you buy and when you sell. Those costs, regardless of the volume of shares, should never be more than about $10 to buy and $10 to sell - otherwise, all you're doing is enriching some useless broker and I have never known one to not be 100% useless unless you already have millions, then they'll risk their license to cheat for you but that's not where were at nor is it where I ever would want to be. If I had millions (and I plan to one day) I would still never pay a broker and instead will always handle my own transactions using online services like Ameritrade, e-Trade, Scotttrade. Remember too, all of your transaction fees are tax deductible as are any losses, but don't lose. Don't sell for less than you pay. It really is that simple.

My 401K by the way? I don't even look at it but since the company matches my contributions up to a certain percent of my pay that I choose to put in it, that makes it worth buying. I think the last time I looked I had got something like a thousand free dollars from the company by putting in very little over a short period of time and the stock isn't doing well but it will go up. That's a long term investment anyway. I also stopped contributing since I do better on my own but may actually get back into it since so many stocks are on sale these days, dirt cheap, and will go back up, that makes most any investment in the market a good one if you stay away from the loaded funds. Why worry about losing on paper when if you hold then in a few years when things do turn back around you'll be riding high?