I am Software Engineer in tech company have been $300k for last 10 years on an average, but never learnt that investing is necessary to preserve wealth. I felt I would quit job in first few years and open a business but never materialized, so I kept living life on autopilot, just doing 9-5. In covid, i started taking interest watching lot of news about stock rocketing. I opened brokerage account and started investing, in doing so sold my employer RSU feeling it'll drop but it only double after I sold. Then to catch up for time lost, I taking big bets, invested 700k in various stocks and SPUS, but in August 2024 when trump announced tarriffs, lost 10% and panicked and sold losing 70k in cash. Then again mustered courage, and invested in Feb 2025, again tarriffs were announced, lost 20k. Then have been away from market ever since.
I also bought house all cash in 2023, as felt i have so much cash why should I do mortgage (also am against borrowing money on interest), but sadly house didn't appreciated, I bought in Austin, rather price dropped from price I bought. I feel as much I chase for parking money watching everyone multiply their savings, more I'm losing money. Till date not only I have lost appreciation by not investing in SP500 over years but have lot 90k in cash value of money and some 10ks of dollars in house. I am not complaining as I'm lucky to earn this but also wish to earn passive income or see appreciation so can save money for my family. I see people who don't have passive income or savings invested have to work till late age in life even if they don't like it.
How do I start now, SP500 has been breaking record every other week for last few months. But with global events unfolding every week, if I put my entire life savings into them, how do I navigate if a recession hits?
How to begin investing at the peak, quite a bit of global unrest
byu/madniv786 ininvesting
Posted by madniv786
6 Comments
I have been investing for a few years now, so I am by no means a seasoned pro. However, the lessons I have learned are 1. Don’t chase your losses. 2. Time in the market over timing the market. Also, don’t panic and sell when there is a dip. Instead, have a reserve to buy more, if you can.
Diversify your investments!! Seems like you panick and pull out of things before they can stabilize back. If you’re selling things when they’re dropping your accepting a guaranteed loss rather than waiting to see if they’ll correct themselves again.
First thing to note is, if you sell any time there’s a drop then you’re almost guaranteeing losses.
You’ll never know when it’s a good time to invest, at nearly any point in the last 10 years you could look at the price of the market and say “it’s at all time high”.
Bro just stay in cash and give me 50k every year. It’ll atleast take the emotional toll of thinking you’ll be making money somehow. Jk. Go to personal finance and read the wiki. Follow it.
Based on your post history and your post, you seem to ask this question whenever there’s headline news and take the bait every time
Delete your financial news apps, buy index funds, and forget about it
You’ve done really well building income and savings the challenge now is shifting from just “parking cash” to finding vehicles that give you growth and peace of mind. I have a few thoughts based on what you’ve laid out.
A good concept to keep in mind that my mentor first taught me was “timing the market vs. time in the market” and nobody nails the highs and lows consistently. This is why long term discipline usually beats chasing hot stocks in the news.
Brokerage and S&P exposure is fine, but having everything in one place can make downturns stressful. Balancing between risk assets, real estate, and safer growth vehicles helps smooth the ride. You gotta diversify your buckets.
If you don’t learn anything else, protection, is by far the most important thing to implement.
Especially when you’ve already built significant wealth. There are strategies that grow tax advantaged, give you access to cash value along the way, and also protect you from market downturns. Not talked about much, but they’re worth learning about if stability is as important as growth.
If I were in your position, focus less on trying to “catch the market at the right time” and more on setting up a plan that grows consistently while insulating you from the next shock. That way you can stop worrying about whether the next headline wipes out 10% of your net worth lol