Retirement Shavings

"Stay the course", "Invest with discipline", " You're in this for the long term" .

I believed that which I was told.
I bought that which I was sold.

There now is nothing upon which to draw.
for all my gold has turned to straw.

I am entering my life's winter,
with no wood for fuel.
I blame no one but myself ,for trusting like a fool.

I don't think mutual funds are the best way to save for retirement, hugely promoted by all financial institutions, most people, myself included, are heavily invested in them. Roughly 90 percent of my retirement savings are in mutual funds. Now we have a financial meltdown and peoples' portfolios are slashed in half. All this is not without precedent. The last century has been host to a number of these downward events. If I had followed two simple rules, I would be much wealthier.

1: Save ten percent of my income.

2: Invest only in what I truly understand.

Oh well maybe in my next life.