I own stock

[salinen]

Well mutual funds that represent many stocks and bonds. They are probably managed by people who have ties to "K" street lobbyists who bribe legislators with promises of campaign donations. Those legislators then pass laws that give advantages to themselves and disadvantages to us 99%ers. I am not rich.

What can I do to not benefit these leeches and still get some savings?

[meow2u3]

1. Divest now

Sell your stocks and, if you lose some money, cut your losses.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

2. roll it over to a CD

:shrug:

[Better Believe It]

3. Sell !!!!!!!!

[truebrit71]

4. There are a plethora of "socially-responsible" mutual funds available...

..to the investor that is so inclined. Just do a google search.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Unfortunately, my socially responsible stocks lost $1800 over the last 90 days.

[rbnyc]

7. My socially irresponsible stock lost the same amount.

:evilgrin:

[truebrit71]

9. ..as did alot of other stocks....

..

[nykym]

5. Not that I am an expert

but if you can buy individual stocks, make your broker or account manager aware that you don't want to support any companies that are military/defense contractors, nuclear power plant companies or similar, companies that have been charged with abuses, etc.. Make him/her aware of what you do not support. If they are worth their salt they will find investments for you, it's how they make their money and stay employed. But in these uncertain times the Bank of Mattress may be your best bet, at least you'll know where your money is.

[RKP5637]

10. As long as the value of a dollar holds. It's getting to be virtual money now and

could vaporize in value IMO. Nope, I don't know what to do, just saying ...

[Chan790]

11. Yes, this is it.

There are mutual funds set-up to every flavor on Earth from socially-responsible ones to ones heavily into emerging technologies to sin-funds (casinos, liquor, tobacco) to emerging markets...a savvy investor studies and chooses what meets their needs...or hires someone who gets paid to do it for them.

The one issue is that everybody (by which I mean every mutual for the most part) parks their "safe"/"conservative" portion into banks...even if you have a Fidelity account and you're making your own decisions...any money you have not-invested...they put it into an interest bearing account with B of A unless you tell them not to,

[Matariki]

16. Here are a couple links to help with that

Know what you own - find out how companies rate on issues you care about: http://www.calvert.com/sri-kwyo.html

Calvert Social Index: http://www.calvert.com/sri-kwyo.html

[banned from Kos]

8. go from mutuals to an S&P 500 Index Fund copycat (SPY)

there is no decision making, very low fees, and you get a piece of all 500 of the largest companies (very diversified).

Its safe (too safe for some) and no manager is required.

[Fire Walk With Me]

12. Gold, but carefully watch the market please. It's as vulnerable as anything else.

[dmallind]

13. Buy stocks on your own

There are many stocks which pay dividends in the 5-6% range, as opposed to the 1-1.5% CDs. You can buy them, once, at a charge of a few bucks and then nothing more goes to any lobbyist, financial company, etc.

Yes they can decrease in value, but dividend-paying blue chips vary little even in extreme circumstances. ATT pays 6.375% and has varied from between 23.50 and 27.50 for the last five years (that included DJIAs in the 14's and 6's) with one month-long blip to 20.50 at the height of the recent panic. It kept paying the 6.375% the whole time. You can buy it now for the price of a Starbucks to Chuck Schwab and then you're done paying anyone else.

Now even with this I would still diversify, but ATT is not alone. McDonald's, Reynold's, Intel, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca etc all pay high dividends and offer long term stability - and that's from a dilletante's memory. Investigate high dividende stable price stocks on your own, and roll over into an IRA that allows individual trades (Fidelity say) then put your equities investment into this kind of stock.

4-5 times the return of a savings vehicle with minimal risk. If all these companies - just the examples I have listed even, simultaneously, become worthless, then trust me your CD will have done so likewise if you go that route.

[safeinOhio]

19. I agree. no fees.

After years of watching my mutuals go nowhere, I moved to individual dividend paying stocks. Like the ones you have posted, along with some good utilities. I'm averaging a little over 4.5 % income, along with excellent growth of another 5 to 8 %. If I was younger, I'd reinvest, but I'm retired and those dividends are helping me out now.

[msongs]

14. the 1% makes huge profits off your portfolio's collapse - u get screwed coming/going, w/the full

blessings of our government and regulatory agencies.

[Dogtown]

15. Invest in canned goods

& shot-shells.

[lame54]

17. Sell cocaine...

just like in Easy Rider

[customerserviceguy]

18. Grab the next sucker rally, and split

Tomorrow's not a bad time. Sucker rallies are the signal the rich give to each other to get the hell out before they crash the whole damned thing down.