I thought that might be the case. I recently retired and went through a lot of struggles to get where I am I now. It is real hard to save enough to live off your savings for the next 30 years. It was real scary. Only by the miracle of God am I semi-secure now. I went through some fearsome times of bailing out of the market too. Eventually I learned that only investors willing to take risks are rewarded. One has to have the discipline to plow money in there and let it grow for decades and save at 20% a year. It is impossible to time the market. That is for fools. Best to diversify into index funds
While the US has problems the questions is — compared to what? Greece? China? In spite of lousy politicians the US is still the best place to be and invest (with some also diversified into international). This will continue for a long time .. even with the mounting debt because the rest of the world is even worse off. Although a correction or crash could come at any time & one has to be prepared for it.
Stocks pay almost as much in dividends or more as bonds. With interest rates so low it is hard to make much on bonds. One could invest in blue-chips that have been paying dividends solidly for decades. So one has to have some monies invested in stocks or they will get hammered by inflation.
I have learned a lot from sites by bogleheads forum. Good luck
Good luck to you, as well. One puts their resources into things that prepare for the future you expect. I have neighbors who are libtards and take second mortgage to put in a pool and take vacations in Mexico. In this economy to go further into debt for luxuries seems irresponsible but they are libtards so it is to be expected. Sort of like “Great Gatsby” lifestyles then wonder why they were taken so much by surprise by the depression. I have put my efforts into minimizing our needs, learning how to harvest rainwater, laying in three cords of wood for emergency energy, how to grow food. They say one can feed one person for a year with 100 sq. ft. I am not that efficient yet but getting better, improving my soil, making better compost. If I am wrong about the future and the plans of The Fed somehow miraculously work and those who have taken 2nd mortgages to pay for BMWs and vacations in Mexico don’t get burned for it I am not hurt. I have learned a great deal that can’t be confiscated, taxed or stolen. If the SHTF I will hardly notice, I will go on growing my own barley, hops, and tobacco. Brewing my own beer.
Putting resources into a crony capitalism market is silly if you ain’t a crony. While they can crow about the Dow all they want it is as phony as an 0bama $3 dollar bill. The invested money has all been Fed money given to banks to buy the stocks needed at the recommendation of the Plunge Protection Team. This economy is like the South Platte, a mile wide and half an inch deep. Did you notice even the WSJ quit publishing volume traded when 0bama took office?