The Conservative Cave

Current Events => Economics => Topic started by: rich_t on November 27, 2008, 09:20:01 PM

Title: 401k pain
Post by: rich_t on November 27, 2008, 09:20:01 PM
Ok be honest.... how well has your 401k investments fared in the last 12 months?

Mine is down 34.9% as of today.

I blame me.  I failed to get out of the higher risk options early enough.




Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: Lacarnut on November 27, 2008, 10:08:50 PM
Mine is down around 25%. Been in cash for the last 2 months earning a measly 4.5%. That's better than losing; I think the stock market will be in a funk most of next year.
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: rich_t on November 27, 2008, 10:12:16 PM
Mine is down around 25%. Been in cash for the last 2 months earning a measly 4.5%. That's better than losing; I think the stock market will be in a funk most of next year.

I agree.  We do live in interesting times.
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: Miss Mia on November 27, 2008, 10:16:51 PM
I'm not sure.  I'm not looking.  LOL!

I really don't worry much, because I'm only 28.  I just keep a positive outlook and think "hey, I'm buying cheap right now."


My mom lost a lot.  She had been planning on retiring in May, but that'll have to be put on hold for a little while.
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: djones520 on November 27, 2008, 10:59:30 PM
I have a TSP, which is the equivalent of a 401K for Federal Employees.  I've kept all of mine in the lowest growth fund so I'm hoping that it hasn't been hit to hard.  Luckily though, I wasn't planning on touching it for another 30-40 years so I've got plenty of time to rebuild whatever may have been lost with this current economic situation.
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: NHSparky on November 28, 2008, 09:13:54 AM
About 30 percent.  But then again, I lost nearly that percentage in 2000-01, and saw it shoot right back.

Unless you're retiring in the next 4 years, it's all good.
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: Chris_ on November 28, 2008, 09:55:21 AM
I have a TSP, which is the equivalent of a 401K for Federal Employees.  I've kept all of mine in the lowest growth fund so I'm hoping that it hasn't been hit to hard.  Luckily though, I wasn't planning on touching it for another 30-40 years so I've got plenty of time to rebuild whatever may have been lost with this current economic situation.
Well, I lost $70,000 in the last 6 months.  But, like you, I am in it for the long haul.  It hurts but it will come back.  That won't happen until we kick out the incoming fuhrer, though.
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: Strider on November 28, 2008, 08:50:04 PM
Well, I lost $70,000 in the last 6 months.  But, like you, I am in it for the long haul.  It hurts but it will come back.  That won't happen until we kick out the incoming fuhrer, though.
Yep...
Let er ride....
I was down at the bottom to the tune of 80%...all my friends were panic selling and thought I was crazy for staying in, but the damage had been done and a sell would have been a for sure loss....as of today I am back up 30%.....
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: Rick on November 28, 2008, 08:55:47 PM

I am down "only" 20%. I too have stayed and have upped my contribution to $500 a month.
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: djones520 on November 28, 2008, 08:57:18 PM
God I'm afraid to see how much mine dropped now.  The fund that I have mine in hasn't lost money on a yearly average since the TSP was created (not knowing what this years effects are), so I'm hoping it wasn't much.
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: Strider on November 29, 2008, 12:24:03 PM
Mine is up 3.5%
But I sold every stock I had when the Dow was around 13400 and put it into safe interest bearing bonds.
Smart move...wish I had...but the thing that escapes me is why so many sold at the bottom,I know fear of the unknown was a driving factor but at some point common sense has to prevail...
imho the short sellers were the driving force for the massive drop in the dow (wish I had been smart enough to jump on board with them) but at some point they had to release thier grip on the market and I am thinking that is what has happened. Shorting at the levels we have seen in the past few months carries alot of risk, buying long has a bottom, short selling doesn't
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: JohnnyReb on November 30, 2008, 06:30:58 AM
Don't know what I've lost because I ain't sold nothing. My attitude is, "It's all on paper until you sell."
Title: Re: 401k pain
Post by: Baruch Menachem on December 02, 2008, 07:45:34 AM
totally blown.   I don't even look anymore.  Of course most of it was blown when I had my troubles last year.  What is left over isn't even worth ignoring.