ECONOMY

My opinion, shared by the seasoned:  The law of contrary investing is, in essence, when everybody is running one way, you should be going the other way.  Definitely don't become part of the panic crowd.  Slowly, carefully, and above all, steadily acquire that which is available at a bargain price.  Think about it.

Given the current economic conditions internationally, people should consider these age old words of wisdom:  My humble opinion, learned over many years:

Easy does it.  Have a plan for your future, and stick with it.

Timing is everything.  (While it is important to know that you should buy things when the prices / interest rates are low, and sell them when prices are high, it is also important to know that by putting your comprehensive financial plan into place NOW, the compounding gains in value will go to work for you sooner.)

My learned opinion for all of you youngin's and not-so-youngin's out there:  This stock market / diversified investing, is the stuff of which millionaires are made.  Most average folks are in a panic right now.  Before you sell your investments, do some homework.  You will learn that diversified investments are for long-term investing... 10 years or more.  Right now, disciplined investors are the ones who will win big down the road.  The investments you currently have are re-investing earnings, or buying, at bargain prices.  The investments you should be buying, each and every month or more, are being purchased at bargain prices.  That's called dollar cost averaging, which is an age-old proven technique.  You may not see it now, but the buy low / sell high methodology is in play.  If you are likely to live for 20 years or more, you should be slowly buying stocks (ETF's or mutual funds).

Oh man, what a scary place this has become, when markets are falling apart, our food isn't all safe, the toys we give our kids aren't all safe, and politicians easily get away with just standing up there and flat out lie to us. Flat out bold faced blatant lies. Obama and McCain both. I can't believe that McCain has stooped so low. He's picking up right where Bush left off. I had this image of him as a man of integrity. I mean, how can you not respect the guy? But now I'm scared, because he's doing the same stuff we saw Bush do. Who is pulling the strings behind the curtain? I just can't believe that it was McCain's idea to just make stuff up. He has enough of his own merits, why lie? If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out FactCheck.org. That's the one thing that turns my stomach now. Just saying completely false things, twisting things around. All of washington needs to be hosed down.

As amazing as it seems, this year we will be spending (according to the news on T.V.) an average of $ 850.00 per person for Christmas. In other words we will feed our brain of propaganda, brained washed through commercials and the media,  and we will be spending money that we really don't have. Some of us will even get deeper in debt and later on, we will probably pull our hair (more like in April) when the credit cards statements reality starts slapping us on the face waking us up from this "temporary state of mental stupidity".

Some of us will say "Oh well! At least I made my loved ones happy these Holidays". So true! However, you could have made them happy with less money and more creativity. Christmas had nothing to do with shopping remember? and Santa was created for kids!

With all these names flying around and all the propaganda we hear about the candidates (and not only for president but also for House Representatives and others) sometimes we get brain washed and we do not listen to the warning signs. What exactly are we looking for and who do we really want to be governed by on the next election period? The majority of us are average people that live up to a paycheck and have a family to support. Men and women that sometimes live only with one paycheck and are swamped in debt up to their ears.That's why it is very so important to elect the right people to represent and to govern us, it is a one time shot deal that will last us for 4 long years! And, of course, this could be a disaster if these politicians are only looking up for the small groups interests. The middle class people like you and me is the one who suffers when the wrong person is elected. The people that makes the difference is us with our vote! Let's do things different this time, and let's stop listening only to the paid propaganda. Instead, why not use our experience as voters and our own judgement so we will be prepared for the elections without being  taken off guard again? On these times when our economy is going through a crisis and when the faith in our goverment is fading day by day, we need to use all the common sense we have and give our honest  effort to choose the right people to protect our interests and not the ones who paid for their campaigne. Look for: