Comments on: 10 Activities for the Bear Market

By: bob

bob — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:13:53 +0000

Great tips here! And still relevant, as the economy and stock market continue to struggle.

Avoiding the news is great advice for anyone who wants to preserve mental health!

In addition to many of those you listed, I use stock market downturns as an opportunity to continue scanning for names that appear to be outperforming the general market, in terms of fundamentals and technicals. It’s a great strategy (hehe — I didn’t invent it, though! It’s been used by a number of the best investors historically!)

But that method worked, helping me spot stocks like JCrew and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, as they emerged from the bear market last year.

By: marathonrunner

marathonrunner — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:20:44 +0000

These are great tips while in a bear market. I especially like your first tip; If you are in a bear market it only makes sense to invest because I do believe that you should invest when the market is low and sell when it is high.

By: Jon Kepler

Jon Kepler — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 02:11:36 +0000

I understand how viewing losses as “unrealized” can be comforting, but they’re just as good as real if you’re trying to borrow against your assets or prove your net worth (which is to say, very bad).

By: Flakjacket

Flakjacket — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:01:48 +0000

I agree with Marci. Investment losses or gains are not real,”UNTIL” you cash in.The selling frenzy worldwide has seen a lot of chickens go to slaughter. This bear market has all the connotations of “herd mentality”. A lot of fund managers are getting hedge calls, forcing them to sell.
Individual investors with a diversified portfolio(NOT HEDGED),now have the opportunity to get some real bargain basement prices and wait for the bull to return,which it will eventually.I’m buying and going long.

By: Jon Kepler

Jon Kepler — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:18:23 +0000

Here’s my simple two-part strategy:

1) get new credit lines while you still can
2) cut spending until it approaches zero

Seriously. My plans for a new car and second home are on hold. To be honest, I’m not sure it will really get THAT bad, but if it ever did, the real objective would be outlasting everyone else.

By: Dividend Growth Investor

Dividend Growth Investor — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:47:20 +0000

I sleep well as well. My dividends are still rolling in. I even got some dividend increases recently.

By: marci

marci — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 23:49:45 +0000

I guess I’m just naive, but I don’t think I’ve lost anything (real) until/and if/when I cash out – which I’m not doing anytime soon. What’s in there is all on paper, was bought mostly a long long time ago, and it will be back up sooner or later. In other words, I don’t worry about it unless I need to sell it, which I don’t.

I did buy more!

I sleep well at night – diversified and pretty conservative so I can sleep well.
No TV so no news blaring at me I just get the weather.

My usual workplace is just me – so I am happy! The rest of the business is not worried as we are in recycling…things tend to do well when the economy turns sour. I’ve been super busy buying junk cars this week – more so than normal. And the boss had a run on buying scrap metal, until that price fell.

I’m ok And if I smile a lot, others will catch it too!

By: CD Rates

CD Rates — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:10:44 +0000

I think 3,4,5 are the best ways to cope. We especially all use a brain freeze right now.

But, get out with the family. Play some soccer, basketball, chase each other around.

Get your mind off the turmoil.