Unhappy Four Years, Gee my portfolio is exactly the same

[Chicago Democrat]

as it was four years ago.

I hate you GEORGE! You have cost me plenty!!!!

[amazona]

1. wish mine was exactly the same

WorldCom anyone? Once a respected southern company. Sigh...!

[Chicago Democrat]

5. Yeah I had that one too..

Grumble..

I quit stock picking after that one went. Funds arent as fun. Dontcha feel robbed. I want that World Com guy tarrrd and feathered.

[lpbk2713]

10. Yep. I lost on WCOM too.

A couple of other turkeys that really set me back were Lucent, Nortel and Sun Microsystems. Bush has done so much harm in the last four years I hope that Kerry can make up the loss.

[tcfrogs]

2. Mine has improved a ton

But that was more me putting my $ in better places, nothing to do with Bu$h - Real Estate funds, International Funds. Actually, my portfolio has only really improved since 2002.

[prolesunited]

6. Actually, I had a bunch

in an international fund and it was doing pretty well and I had recovered some of my losses. Now that's tanking as well.

At this point, I'm just trying to preserve my initial contributions. It sucks! :-(

I remember how excited I was during the Clinton era. It was when I first took an active interest and got serious about it. As I watched the bottom line grow, I wondered why everyone wasn't doing it. It was sooo easy. I guess I learned.

[patrice]

3. I've been living out of mine.

Un-employed for nearly 2 years now, and so is my husband (Sprint layoffs both of us).

I hope you all are ready to take care of us after I spend all of the money I have before I "retire".

[tcfrogs]

4. My sympathies - been there

I was "laid off" twice in two years from good jobs. I've been just moving my money that I wisely put away when I was in my early-mid 20's.

[patrice]

7. Thanks. One thing they aren't saying about how "Good it is to export

American jobs" (some of which might have been my tech job) is: It's a pyramid. We're supposed to move up (believe it or not lower levels won't hire you either), so we're supposed to move up into better jobs, but there are fewer, and I would say WAY FEWER of those upper jobs relative to the SEVERAL LEVELS under them that got wiped out. Not happening.

[tcfrogs]

8. Yep - I was always over or underqualified for jobs

There's nothing worse than not getting hired because you're too qualified.

[sleipnir]

9. Gw

Life will be as it island.

[SW FL Dem]

11. I wish mine was where it was 4 years ago

We're basically even, but only based on new contributions. Still down over $50K not to mention the loss of earnings on what we kept.

[brokensymmetry]

12. I hate to say this...but...

Expect this pattern to last for another decade or so. The PE ratio is at historically high levels right now, and over the past century, the ratio has always reverted to the norm. Not one exception.

You might wish to get a copy of Bullseye Investing....