These days, it can feel like the stock market is on a roller coaster ride – one day it’s up, up, up, and the next day it can take a sharp drop. If you’re feeling just a bit nervous about how your investments will fare, you’re not alone. Following are four tips for surviving and thriving in today’s turbulent market environment.
CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN
Depending on your season of life, the stock market can feel like an opportunity – or raise a red flag. A great strategy to take the edge off is to take a look at your personal spending. A significant source of “found” money could be recurring payments for services that you might have forgotten about, no longer use, but are still paying for. You can also look for ways to make your money work smarter for you, such as utilizing your credit card rebates to your advantage. Gas prices might look scary – but paying with a low-interest rate card that offers rebates can offset the cost by providing you with cash back on your regular day-to-day purchases.
BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR END GAME
Building a smart investment plan that takes long-term goals into account can help you see past the current market landscape. Staying the course with things like saving for college, paying off your mortgage, or retirement planning can help keep you grounded when the market is shaky.
DON'T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET
An investment professional can help manage risk by allocating funds and investments across your portfolio. They can also share their experiences in staying the course and help you resist the urge to try to “time the market” by waiting for that elusive perfect time to invest (which, experts say, may never come1).
CONSIDER THE COST OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
It’s a simple truth: Time is the best device in your tool belt when it comes to investing. According to a recent MagnifyMoney survey, 40% of the investors polled who pulled money out of the stock market last year wish they had kept that money invested.2
The stock market has returned an average of 10% per year over the past 50 years3 and despite several crashes, bear markets, and recessions, the S&P 500 is up by more than 850% cumulatively since 1990.4 What really matters is performance over years and decades – not days or months.
Time to speak to a financial professional? Sunward can help. Visit slfcu.org/InvestmentServices for information.
1. investopedia.com/terms/m/markettiming.asp 2. magnifymoney.com/news/stock-market-current-events-survey 3. fool.com/investing/2022/10/05/is-it-safe-to-invest-in-the-stock-market-right-now 4. officialdata.org/us/stocks/s-p-500/1990
