Re: saving passé?
Originally Posted by
Bruce
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We've discussed this elsewhere - interest rates never give you a return on your investment even when they are (say) 17% they are only slightly above the inflation rate. If you want a return on your money you have to make it 'work' and that involves some level of risk.
Absolutely. I have kept very little money in a traditional savings account or CD. Just the amount I would want to be able to get at immediately for an emergency.
I have always invested in the market. Even when it tanked in 2008 and the Dow went down to six... I kept investing. The object being to buy LOW.. So now with the Dow way up over 17.. Well... do the math, as they say. When you invest in the market.. you are buying shares.. So picking up hundreds of shares at a very low price really adds up when the market almost triples.
That said... As for risk.. the closer one gets to retirement, the less risk one should take on. I have moved funds into guarranteed annuities which shifts the risk to the company rather than to me. In otherwords.. no matter what the market does.. I am guarranteed to get a certain amount.. that amount only goes up.. never down, and locks in every year until I retire and start collecting. I also am more highly invested in the traditional Blue Chips.. and less in the more risky emerging markets.. The return may be higher but so is the risk, and my concern now is not so much growing it... but keeping it.