[billscamaros]

Here's a tidbit that I'll toss out ..... it doesn't have anything to do with the overall thread topic - Investing 102 - but it is relative to this thread and it's timing in my world ......

I mentioned in my first post in this thread that the topic has motivated me to look at my retirement accounts. I had an IRA account with some dollars that were sitting in "cash reserve", and so I used the theory of this thread to move that cash into several stocks. Then, I looked at my current 401K and rebalanced those funds so that hopefully this coming year I'll see some growth there, other than my contribution.

Since I was on a roll, I decided to contact two previous employers concerning any pension benefits that I may have. I had rolled my retirement account dollars from one employer to the next as I moved thru my career, but I hadn't thought about much beyond that. So I contacted my employer from the 1989 thru 2000 timeframe and asked about any pension benefits, beyond my 401K. Lo and behold, when I retire at 65, I'll receive a small pension from them! Feeling good, I called my 1983 thru 1989 employer ... yep, pension cash from them also once I retire.

Although I'm only 52 and don't plan to retire until my mid-60's .... I'll pull in close to $800/month more than I had anticipated. All due to the energy around this thread!!!!

Now for that old man I cut grass for when I was in elementary school ......