Good investment news, fellow frugalers!

**forHISglory** · 04-10-2009, 10:12 PM

We have some investments that kept going south over the past few months. I heard Obama cautiously say today that the economy looks like it might be turning. Then we received our monthly statement for March. Yes! The investments showed gain! And it was a nice decent gain! Maybe things are finally picking up.

Do you see any signs of the economy getting back on its feet? We still have sluggish housing sales (I know; our house is up for sale..... sigh), and still higher than usual unemployment . Still have more than usual number of folks coming to food pantries for help. But I so want to hear that things are looking up. So any good news for us??

**Jilly** · 04-10-2009, 10:15 PM

I am an optimist at heart.. but it's still too early to gauge.

**Sassyclass** · 04-10-2009, 11:16 PM

I did read on AOL that several top financial advisors all agree that the economy will start healing by this September. I sure hope they are right.

Cat

QM · 04-10-2009, 11:21 PM

Maybe if we start telling our friends/neighbours that the economy is starting to pick up they'll start buying things again...and the economy will start getting better.

**Sassyclass** · 04-10-2009, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by Quiltin' Mama

Maybe if we start telling our friends/neighbours that the economy is starting to pick up they'll start buying things again...and the economy will start getting better.

I notice you say friends/neighbors, not we meaning us at FV.

Cat

**monkeywrangler71** · 04-11-2009, 08:22 AM

The markets look healthier this month, fairly steady increases and the volatility index is down - although still too high for my taste. The markets tend to run 6 months ahead of the economy, so if they have bottomed out that should indicate the beginning of an economic recovery around September. I think there are still a few problems that might need to work themselves out of the system though, so my optimism is tempered with a heavy dose of caution.

**forHISglory** · 04-11-2009, 11:07 AM

Yes, I've heard that the markets run ahead of the economy, too. Here's hoping that it is an accurate sign.

**frugalwarrior** · 04-11-2009, 12:05 PM

Well, I guess I hate to be a party pooper but I do not believe it. The economy does flucuate with what the president says but alot of people are still out of work,more to come. All those people on extended unemployment give the economy false movement. A lot of peoples benefits will expire soon if they are not extended again (which in itself is a double edged sword). I don't feel we will ever live the same again and that we need to adjust accordingly.Here, we sit waiting to see what will happento G.M. and associated Co. like Delphi and other suppliers. It's hard to make plans. Many can't hold out anymore. I'm currently trying to figure out if either of the neighbors behind us are still there? (I haven't heard there dog but it was old, and the others are older people and do not come out much). It will take new technologies to renew my area not speeches.

**Linus** · 04-11-2009, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by frugalwarrior

Well, I guess I hate to be a party pooper but I do not believe it. The economy does flucuate with what the president says but alot of people are still out of work,more to come. All those people on extended unemployment give the economy false movement. A lot of peoples benefits will expire soon if they are not extended again (which in itself is a double edged sword). I don't feel we will ever live the same again and that we need to adjust accordingly.Here, we sit waiting to see what will happento G.M. and associated Co. like Delphi and other suppliers. It's hard to make plans. Many can't hold out anymore. I'm currently trying to figure out if either of the neighbors behind us are still there? (I haven't heard there dog but it was old, and the others are older people and do not come out much). It will take new technologies to renew my area not speeches.

It is too early to tell. It may be a temporary blip but sometimes hope is enough to convince people to take a chance and move forward with new ideas and such. I think it'd be unrealistic to assume that if "The Economy" (referring to the general economy in a sense) improves that all areas will.

Michigan has been in the worst slump in years and I suspect a lot of it is because of how much of that economy is strictly tied to only car manufacturers. They really need to push to get other opportunities into that state. Other states with similar issues will probably take longer to recover (I think California may be another similar situation but I'm not positive).

**familyof3** · 04-11-2009, 02:56 PM

Our 401s and 403s are looking a little better too. BUT I'm not feeling very secure.

I don't know if the country will ever be the same, but I know I *won't* be. I have adopted a much more frugal and self sufficient mindset. Regardless of how the economy turns, I look at that as a good thing.

**3tomboys** · 04-11-2009, 04:44 PM

Our investments looked better too. I don't know if it is a sign or not, but I am happy to see them going in a different direction then they have been.

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 04-11-2009, 04:50 PM

I want to be optimistic about it...but, my "gut instinct" says things will still get worse before they get better. I'm thinking a recovery sometime in 2012 (meaning: stock market, housing, jobs, etc.). I know too many people who have had their retirement completely screwed, who have lost their jobs, etc...

**Denvergirlie** · 04-13-2009, 08:36 AM

It's going to get worse a lot worse. The "toxic" assets are still gaining speed and lots of it. The SS fund is bankrupt, most pensions are selling assets to meet current demands, they can not survive if they are selling their nest eggs. The commercial real estate market hasn't even begun it's decline. There are still tons of ARM's that haven't re-set yet.
The wall street markets has basically nothing to do with main street. Real unemployment numbers are nearing 20% (factor back in all the part timers, underemployed, seasonal workers as well as those that have exhausted their benefits).
Sorry, wish I could offer up some good news for you, but everything I read and see that isn't reported on in the MSM points in a completely opposite direction.

**Denvergirlie** · 04-13-2009, 09:50 AM

Here is a good post that doesn't even address SS, Pensions, or real estate. It just looks at markets, job losses and credit decline.

It might be a bit technical for some, but it's a good recap just looking at a few of the issues we as a nation are facing.

http://www.chrismartenson.com/blog/n...c-growth/16271

.....we can see that “the great discounting machine” known as the stock market failed to foresee the current downturn and does not appear to predict anything. With a track record like that, we might want to get ourselves a “second opinion” on where things stand right now.

So let’s turn again to the base data. We know that just over 70% of the economy rests on consumers. How are “the consumers” doing here? One thing we might analyze is how much money and credit consumers have, under the theory that the more they have, the more they’ll spend.

-- snip --

.... have not yet seen any change in this sort of fundamental data that would indicate that a bottom is in, or that the recovery has begun yet.

I cling to the antiquated notion that the economy consists of real people spending either real money or using credit.

The stock market seems to differ with this view and appears to me to be overly anxious to return to “how things used to be,” without taking into account the possibility that things are now different that they used to be.

I would also recommend reading this too:
http://www.dailyreckoning.com/a-rebubble-attempt/