I am a retiree with an aggressive portfolio. I live off of my pension and social security.  I am down, I do not make moves, distributed across the market including financials.

I am not doing any thing to Portfolio.  I am living under assumption (age 65 years old), that one day it will turn around, in 2010 perhaps, and I will get my 1 bed room shack 1/2 block from the sea, and live happily there after, there and in my paid off condo in Tennessee.

Avinash

I am a recent college graduate with an aggressive portfolio. My Roth is down about 11%. Much of that "loss" is my target retirement fund which I am unhappy with but if I sell now, then I realize that loss. I will wait for it to come back up before I sell it as it mimics the market pretty spot on. Then my 403b that I started back in May is down 7%. Personally, I'm not losing much sleep. Even if the market crashes, I've got 40+ years for it to recover. And if it doesn't recover, I don't have that much of a stake in it at this point in time anyway. I'd be a bit more worried if I were my father, who has his much of his life savings to lose.

I have stopped contributing to the roth; I have about 500 more left to put in for 2008 and think stocks will go even lower toward the end of the year so will wait until then to contribute. I am still contributing 5% per check to the 403b. 

Yes, NO, NO, and sleeping like a baby!

YTD down, dont know, I stopped looking!

Sharky, forget all that realize a loss crap and wait for it to rebound!  Its still a loss!  IF the fund truly sucks (and all target funds are not all created equal) then dump it!  Sell LOW, Buy LOW........whats it matter?  This assumes your not going to cash ofcourse, and will maintain your allocation. 

JMHO, Ofcourse!

Good Luck everyone!

Brian

couldnt agree more with Hurleys "realize a loss crap"---does perhaps a 40% paper loss make one feel better than a 20% real loss??????/----dump the dog if the bottom has fallen out  and put it back in something that may hold up better/ go north and recoup the loss faster----------I can't take much more of this your havent lost money until you sell thinking.

Yes, all of those.

I'm a new investor, didn't get my portfolio put together until this June. When I started, it was just figure out the asset allocation, sit back and watch the money grow. Oh yeah, the right asset allocation would protect against volatility.

Hah! It took about two weeks of watching everything fall together for me to decide that the buy-and-hold model was not going to work, so I gave myself a crash course in trading.

Yikes! It's been a desperate struggle ever since.  I've kept the overall AA balance, but with constant jiggering in and out of hedges, trying to catch some swing trades, etc. so as to not be swallowed up in the suction.  Overall, I'd be better off staying stoned and ignoring it, rather than revisiting the scene of the crime every day, wondering if this downturn is going to be a crash, a rebound, or just noise. Fear and greed, what a combination.

I'm buying. I'm a risk-taker making up for lost time and so far it's served me well. My portfolio was previously a mix of emerging markets, international and leveraged stock funds that made good gains, 30% for 2007. I've been able to hold an overall gain, down for this year, but less than most. I contribute the max to my 403B and have been directing my contributions to Cash Reserves since June. Recently bought FDISX at its low and have a good gain so far. Waiting until the bailout is finalized to slowly build my position there. Also started building a position in FCYIX on the premise that Obama will win and follow through with infrastructure development. This sector was previously overbought, which is why I wasn't in it, but now appears to be oversold. GE, Caterpillar, Cummis & Deere are way off their highs and undoubtly will recover. FCYIX has a good mix of industrials, with transportation, including UPS and rails. Also just started building a position in FCNTX, but am in no hurry because I'm convinced it will flounder with our economy. Look forward to adding to my position in FLVCX at a good discount, knowing when the rebound comes, the profits will be sweet. Also planning to add to FDFAX, which I started buying in January and has held up well. It will be a good cover for the next year as the downturn continues and should be among the first to benefit on the rebound. I only buy on big dip days, 300+. At 3:30 I get quotes for the funds' top 10 holdings on yahoo and if they're down by 4% on average, I place a buy order to be sure to get that day's low price on the fund. Over the next year I'm hoping to better diversify my portfolio by adding in sectors that were previously overbought and by the time things turn around I should be all set.

I'm buying right now.  There are a lot of  stocks that have declined 50-75% in value.  Now is the time for a value investor to pick up some great names at a discount.  I understand that many believe that we have not yet hit the bottom, that is why I plan to average in to many of these stocks.  I am also holding most of what I have already bought before the crisis, no point in selling low.

I'm down about 15% year to date.  The year started out pretty good for me, because energy was counterbalancing my other losses, but now everything is in the red.  With the credit markets roiling my position in LSBDX has taken a solid hit, and even my muni bond fund has ended up with a decent loss, so I am doing a bit worse than I expected. 

All the same the decline hasn't really phased me that much.  It's no fun to lose money, but you know what they say, "easy come, easy go."

For the moment I am keeping my powder dry, but I am looking to add to my positions if the market drops down to the 950s or so.  That might not be the bottom, but it will likely be close enough.  If the market doesn't get down there, then I will also be looking to make some purchases at the beginning of next year. 

I have no need to dip into my portfolio anytime soon, so I try not to think of it as real money.  I have no use for the money anyway, so why not just leave it invested for the long term? 

Nagorak:

All the same the decline hasn't really phased me that much.  It's no fun to lose money, but you know what they say, "easy come, easy go."

...snip...

I have no need to dip into my portfolio anytime soon, so I try not to think of it as real money.  I have no use for the money anyway, so why not just leave it invested for the long term? 

Agree 100% with your comments and approach...  BTW,  when I first read your second comment I thought you must be filthy rich..LOL,    but then it echoes my feelings 100 %,  I have no immediate plans to spend my investment $$$...  I'm willing to help you spend the dollars when it gets to the point of burning a hole in your pants...  I can think of a number of ways to blow a few grand...  Just finishing off the things to do before I die should blow a few K