Investing 101

 In October, when the stock market did a free for all, Jane Bryant Quinn did the practical thing  She panicked.  I think many of us can identify this past October with that feeling.  Traditional investment planning lulls us into a sense of security and creates an illusion of stability. But nothing happens every year exactly as planned.  We do know that life is uncertain, and that uncertainty for most people especially applies to managing their personal financial affairs. It seems that even during normal economic times, some investors find themselves overwhelmed with information and conflicting advice while others don’t have the time or interest to manage their personal assets and liabilities in a disciplined manner. We create the best investment plan we can with the knowledge we have, set it aside with the faith that we are investing enough money and pat ourselves on the back when those investments grow.  Then when the bears take over on Wall Street, we feel overly anxious because all of a sudden, our financial future is staring us in the face.  What was gently tucked into the recesses of our minds now colors every move we make.  Read more »