Whether you are a seasoned stock market pro, or just getting started, experts say now is the time to make money through smart investing.
With a drastic dip in prices in the past month, now is the time to buy.

It’s as simple as this: if you own stock, your glass is half empty. The market is falling and so is the value of your investments.

At the same time, for new investors or even the more experienced, the same glass is for you too. It’s also half full.

Half full of promising stocks that you can now buy at lower prices. 

When it comes to the stock market these days – it’s still as simple as buying low and selling high.

“Well the stock market as a whole has been down 12% as a whole from the middle of December until now”

So now it’s low. But red numbers, could soon turn green.

“if you are young, like yourself, 38 and 40 years old, putting money away in your 401k – your actually putting new money in that’s low right now – so that shouldn’t be a huge concern.

Gloria Niemier is with Voya Financial Advisors. She says it’s only one group of folks in Michiana that should be concerned.

“People who are 5-10 years away from retirement and/or in retirement.”

Let’s make our glass bigger---pretend it’s a pool.

Should you jump in the deep end right now?

“Absolutely,” says Niemier.

So where do you start? How about a tech company?

“Apple is strong financially, 4 billion dollars in cash, they’re not going anywhere.”

And neither is oil.

Niemier goes on to say that “you should be looking at oil stocks, like BP, Exxon, Chevron – those stocks are on sale!”

The price plunge at the pump is putting more money in our pockets to spend elsewhere - but not necessarily a good thing, long term for our 401k’s. 

Niemier says regardless of the daily up and downs we may see in our portfolios, if the company you work for matches the amount you put in, then she says this is still – a no brainer.

“If a company, you’re putting in 3% and the company matches 3% - that’s 3% percent free money that you’re getting and that’s free money that your getting and that’s 100% return. And if the money goes down because you’re in the 401k, I would not worry.”

The key to longevity in the stock market is to  not drink your water to fast. Most sound investments are not quick, they take long to develop.