Friday Fire Sale

">what makes the market--when one person thinks it's
I have been traveling so unaware of any local flyersa great time to buy, another will be equally convinced
as to exactly what time the sales will begin the dayit's a great time to sell. So, now in the midst of
after Thanksgiving, but I'm guessing it'll be midnightheavy selling, and some panic selling, I invite you to
this year. I've always thought Black Friday soundedask yourself, are you one who prefers to pay retail
too racist, so I prefer to call it Friday Fire Salesor wholesale prices? Or are you one to take
instead. You see, in addition to the generallyadvantage of a real fire sale?
accepted meaning of fire sales, we've been burnt thisIf you have extra money that you can comfortably
year in the stock and bond markets such thatafford to invest for 3-7 years, there has not been a
retailers are going to HAVE to induce us with sometime like this to buy in many a year. Will the market
pretty special savings. What will it take to rouse yougo lower? Perhaps. Will the market improve such that
out of a deep sleep,haul yourself into your car andyou "feel" more comfortable investing? Perhaps, yet
for those of use living in cold weather states,statistics abound about how much investors lose out
possibly have to clean the frost or snow off thaton by waiting too long to buy, and it's a sizeable
same car, and elbow your way into a store or two?percentage indeed! Remember the age old advice,
Discounts of 30%? Discounts of 40%? How aboutbuy LOW, sell HIGH!
50%? Now THAT'S a real bargain by anyone'sSo, rather than wade in by buying individual stocks, I
standards.recommend the purchase of no-load mutual funds--a
Yet if I invited you to consider buying into somecollection of stocks--to mitigate some single stock
stock mutual funds now, you would probably notrisk. In other words, why "pick" a stock now, when
take the same view, correct? Yet, I've always saidso much changing news could adversely affect your
that investing involves common sense, and commonwhole investment; i.e., single stock--hey who thought
sense would say that a heavy discount of a qualityLehman Brothers would now be dust just 4 months
item is usually an invitation to buy, in anticipation ofago? I mean if this whole financial meltdown caught
gaining terrific value without having to pony up aAlan Greenspan by surprise who are we to wax
retail (or even wholesale in some cases) price.eloquent on matters financial. Nothing saying you can't
They don't ring a bell at the bottom of the stockbuy a little at a time over the next several weeks
market, nor do they ring a bell at the peak. So, unlikeand months either, utilizing dollar cost averaging.
retailers, who advertise their sale days and the exactAs you stand in those long lines then this Friday,
% off (in advance) with glossy mailers, the stockremember that you may make some of your wisest
market doesn't advertise to the masses or event apurchases this holiday season from the comfort of
select few, but rather gallops along, available foryour home, dialing your financial planner or broker, or
purchase at any time. And hint, hint, wink, wink, theplacing the trade(s) into the stock market yourself.
stock market is on a HUGE fire sale right now!HAPPY TURKEY DAY!
Obviously the combination of buyers and sellers is