Investing in Scary Times

Talking Real Money - Investing Talk

Don McDonald

Business, Education, Investing, How To

4.2 • 680 Ratings

🗓️ 12 May 2025

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, Don and Tom tackle the investor's most persistent foe—fear—especially during volatile markets. They draw on insights from Vanguard and others to reinforce the value of long-term investing, explain why missing a few key days in the market can devastate returns, and stress the importance of rebalancing over reacting. The duo also takes on political distractions, market timing myths, asset location dilemmas, and the emotional turbulence that causes people (including Don’s wife!) to question their portfolios. It all wraps with a cheeky new market jingle courtesy of ChatGPT and a shirt that reached Everest. Yeah, literally. 0:04 Welcome, podcast humor, and the pain of being downloaded1:10 The recurring fear-driven urge to “do something” with your portfolio1:33 Set it and forget it? Vanguard and others weigh in2:44 Remember AOL? The danger of investing with confidence in the wrong thing3:35 Volatility is the cost of real returns—don’t try to dodge it4:50 Presidential influence and personal political biases in investing5:50 Real portfolios with too few stocks and too much risk6:55 Missing just 10 good days in the market could cut your returns in half7:59 Buy and hold ≠ do nothing: how disciplined rebalancing works9:17 Should you be buying international now? Maybe… but only if rebalancing10:21 Feelings ≠ facts: don’t let emotions dictate portfolio moves11:31 “Tune Out the Noise”—free advice and a free YouTube documentary13:06 A musical market mantra written by ChatGPT14:47 When even your spouse doubts your strategy: the advisor's personal dilemma16:57 T-shirt spotted at Everest Base Camp—financial fame ascends18:14 Can you contribute to a Roth IRA using last year’s wages?19:54 Why young investors should love down markets20:11 Asset location dilemma: comparing AVUV vs FISVX in 401(k) plans23:54 Bedford, TX and a lesson in regional geography24:31 Don’t chase performance—get help and rebalance smart25:05 One more round of “Clueless is Smart”—market timing parody jingle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Reality Radio for a really great future.
0:08.0	We're talking real money.
0:10.2	Well, we're here to talk about money.
0:13.1	Thanks for joining us in our little money chat.
0:15.7	I'm Don.
0:16.9	That's Tom over there, and this is the Talking Real Money podcast.
0:21.5	So glad you decided to download us.
0:26.0	Have you enjoyed being downloaded, Tom?
0:28.0	Yeah, it feels so much better when it's done.
0:30.6	It's validating in so many ways.
0:33.0	It's just, you know, the initial process is a little painful, but you get used to it.
0:37.6	I shiver.
0:38.2	I shake at the end.
0:39.6	I've got to tell you, it's the audio compression that hurts.
0:42.4	Oh, my God.
0:43.2	What a relief.
0:44.1	Yeah.
0:44.4	Anyway, hi.
0:45.4	My age, I just, that's amazing.
0:48.2	Welcome to our little get together.
0:49.7	We're so, so, so glad you're there.
0:51.8	We're going to talk about money today surprise surprise but what are we
	...

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