Through the current inventory market correction, I made a decision to purchase the dip. However this time, I didn’t simply purchase my standard dip-buying quantity of $25,000 to $100,000. I went a lot larger. All informed, I spent over $1 million shopping for the S&P 500 and varied tech shares like Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon.
Spending over $1 million shopping for shares was probably the most I had ever invested in a 50-day interval. The final time I got here near this stage of inventory market funding was in late 2017 after I invested about $600,000 in shares. Again then, I had simply bought my largest rental property in San Francisco and walked away with about $1,780,000 after taxes and charges.
This time, the inventory market had already began dipping after I skilled one other liquidity occasion, forcing a troublesome resolution on how one can reinvest the proceeds. The method was harrowing and disturbing, particularly because the unique funding had been secure for therefore a few years.
Nonetheless, to outperform the lots, you will need to take dangers. I need to share the psychological journey of investing a big sum throughout unsure instances—and how one can overcome your personal worry of shopping for the dip. Let me present you the way.
Why Shopping for The Dip Is So Onerous
I’m truly not afraid of shopping for the dip. I have been doing so since 1997, after I noticed my puny inventory portfolio decline throughout the Asian Monetary Disaster.
What I worry, although, is shopping for the dip with much more cash than I am used to investing. If I’ve much more cash to take a position, it often means I am already shedding some huge cash in my present inventory portfolio.
Though shares have traditionally supplied a median annual return of round 10%, there are many instances after they appropriate by 20% or extra. Simply in March 2020, the S&P 500 corrected by 32%.
The worst inventory market correction in our lifetime was the 2008-2009 World Monetary Disaster, the place the S&P 500 corrected by about 50%. That occasion was so extreme it made me query whether or not I needed to remain in finance for the remainder of my life.
Given the volatility of shares, I’ve at all times tried to dollar-cost common extra aggressively throughout downturns. DCAing is prime to dip shopping for. However while you’re already shedding a boatload of cash out of your present inventory portfolio, it may be terrifying to take a position much more of your protected money.
How To Overcome Your Worry Of Shopping for The Inventory Market Dip
In case you’re afraid of shopping for the dip, you are not alone. Listed here are the steps I took to beat that worry—they may show you how to too. For context, I’ve been shopping for market dips with work earnings ever since I landed my first job on Wall Road in 1999. Through the years, there have been loads of corrections, and every one has felt horrible within the second.
It’s additionally necessary to acknowledge the distinction between shopping for the dip with common earnings or money circulate and shopping for the dip after a serious liquidity occasion—like when a non-public actual property funding pays out. Reinvesting a big lump sum might be a lot tougher, particularly when the unique capital carried out properly. The psychological stress to not “mess it up” might be intense.
However if you wish to construct outsized wealth, you will need to take extra calculated dangers. In any other case, you will find yourself like all people else, or worse. Let’s get began.
1) Give A few of Your Cash To Your Household First
Unfold luck when it comes your manner. The extra folks round you who profit, the higher. And in the event you ever end up down in your luck, perhaps these you’ve got helped will return the favor.
After a liquidity occasion, I transferred $50,000 to my spouse’s checking account and $25,000 every to my two children’ custodial funding accounts, Roth IRAs, and 529 plans. Whereas it’s all a part of the identical household pot, I took consolation in figuring out that if I made poor funding selections with the remaining funds, no less than I unfold $100,000 of the winnings to the three folks I care about probably the most.
My spouse, who’s extra risk-averse, invested in a mixture of shares and Treasury bonds. For my children, I stored issues easy with vanilla S&P 500 ETFs and target-date funds.
By redistributing cash to my family members first, I felt a deeper sense of safety and objective. It was just like the thought of paying your self first—saving and investing a portion of your earnings earlier than spending—however seen via the lens of long-term household planning.
Though my very own portfolios have been getting hammered by the correction, the least I might do was shield my youngsters’s. So I purchased the dip in each their custodial accounts. This can be a man’s Supplier’s Clock in motion. Their portfolios have been sufficiently small that each correction could possibly be countered with money infusions. Psychologically, this gave me the braveness to maintain investing.
2) Do One thing Accountable With the Cash Earlier than Investing
As well as redistributing your cash to your loved ones, think about using a few of it for accountable monetary strikes earlier than diving into the market.
- Pay down debt: Begin with high-interest debt, then work your manner down.
- Repair what’s damaged: Use the cash for important repairs—whether or not it’s a leaking roof, a failing water heater, or a crucial automobile restore.
- Put money into your well being: Contemplate spending on issues that enhance your well-being, like train lessons, ergonomic work setups, or higher diet.
For me, I allotted a few of my cash towards fixing my sizzling tub. Then I spent $1,025 changing my automobile’s heater manifold, which cracked. Figuring out I had put my cash to good use in different methods made it simpler to abdomen potential funding losses.
3) Write Out Your Funding Sport Plan and Comply with It
When investing a major amount of cash, it is essential to ascertain an funding sport plan. This plan acts as a guiding framework that can assist you keep disciplined when the inventory market is falling aside.
Your plan ought to define your goal asset allocation, funding time horizon, and a set vary for every dip buy. Moreover, assess whether or not the market is experiencing a correction (-5% to -19.9%) or if it is prone to enter a bear market with a decline of 20% or extra.
In case you imagine it is only a correction, you might be extra aggressive together with your dip shopping for. Nonetheless, in the event you anticipate a bear market, be extra affected person and unfold out your purchases to keep away from depleting your money reserves too shortly. Having money is important for sustaining sufficient confidence to put money into a downturn.
After securing my family members and dealing with crucial bills, I outlined my funding plan. Not solely did I write it down, however I additionally printed it in my submit, A Easy Three-Step Course of To Investing A Lot Of Cash Correctly. The three hours I spent writing and enhancing the article compelled me to assume deeply for my state of affairs and for readers who face the same state of affairs.
As soon as I had my technique in place, I methodically deployed capital, shopping for the dip day by day the market declined. After I hit my preliminary allocation restrict for the day or week, I reassessed.
You needn’t observe your funding sport plan completely, however having one will show you how to keep on monitor. Probably the most widespread errors I see is when folks lose self-discipline and purchase an excessive amount of inventory too early. You will need to at all times have sufficient money to make the most of deeper corrections.
Moved to My Subsequent Funding: Actual Property
After ending my seven-figure funding in varied shares, I shifted my focus to residential business actual property.
I noticed the largest valuation discrepancy between the S&P 500 and business actual property, so I began dollar-cost averaging into Fundrise, which is feasible attributable to its$10 minimal. I imagine the present oversupply in residential business actual property will likely be absorbed by the tip of 2025, resulting in upward stress on rents and property costs in 2026 and past.
Regardless of my desire for worth investing, I didn’t allocate as a lot capital to actual property as I did to shares. Actual property strikes at a a lot slower tempo than shares—anyplace from 3x to 8x slower in my estimate. Whereas inventory costs can appropriate and recuperate inside weeks, actual property cycles typically take years.
This distinction in timing influenced my funding technique: I felt a better sense of urgency with shares, which might rebound shortly. Whereas I might afford to be extra affected person with actual property. In different phrases, the inventory market correction created extra investing FOMO and I did not need to miss out.
4) Undertake the “Go Broke” Mentality To Conquer Your Worry
One of many largest psychological hurdles in shopping for the dip is the worry that the market will maintain dipping. Many individuals anticipate affirmation that the worst is over—however by then, a lot of the rebound might have already occurred.
That’s why I embrace a special mindset: I kiss my cash goodbye the second I make investments it.
As a substitute of viewing the cash as mine, I see it as my contribution to the monetary way forward for my spouse and youngsters. The cash is now within the fingers of the inventory market or actual property market gods to do their factor. Will they punish me or reward me? I hope the latter as my aim is to deal with my household.
After all, losses nonetheless sting. However by shifting my perspective, I scale back the emotional weight of every downturn. The much less private the cash feels, the better it’s to take a position.
And let’s be actual: it is a lot simpler to take a position $10,000 than $1 million. With bigger sums, one improper transfer can set you again years. Having the proper inventory publicity is essential. That is why each dip you purchase can truly show you how to really feel extra comfortable — you’ve gotten much less cash left over to place to work, decreasing the stress of future selections.
In any case, while you’re broke, there’s solely upside!
Keep in mind, scared cash does not generate profits. This saying comes from my time enjoying poker. At any time when I really feel hesitant about going all-in, I calculate the chances, and in the event that they’re in my favor, I press.
5) Lengthen Your Funding Time Horizon To At Least 10 Years
I do not know anyone within the historical past of dip shopping for who has held on and misplaced cash. Nicely, besides for many who obtained margin known as. In case you can lengthen your funding time horizon to no less than 10 years, you doubtless have a 95%+ probability of getting cash. Stretch it to twenty years, and your odds rise to 99.9% based mostly on historic returns.
You probably have younger youngsters, they are often the simplest motivation to purchase the dip. Think about your children of their 20s or 30s, speaking shares, actual property, and different investments. In case you might journey to that future second, you’d in all probability guess all the things you’ve gotten at this time to safe their monetary future.
Earlier than I had children, I used to be much less aggressive shopping for the dips. I already had sufficient cash to be happy, which is why I left work within the first place.
However now, it is a lot simpler as a result of my children’ funding accounts are smaller, and each dip is a shopping for alternative for them. Apart from, if I need to assist them grow to be financially impartial by 25, they/we should be extra aggressive. The robots are coming!
6) Anticipate to Lose — It’s the Value of Investing
Lastly, the worst factor you are able to do when shopping for the dip is assume you may’t lose. Anybody who has ever invested within the inventory market or taken outsized dangers has misplaced cash earlier than—and you’ll too. Losses are inevitable.
Even in the event you’re holding pocket Aces pre-flop in a heads-up sport of Texas No-Restrict Maintain’em, you will nonetheless lose about 15% of the time. The identical goes for investing. That’s why it’s essential to calculate your potential draw back earlier than deploying capital throughout a dip.
For instance, in the event you make investments $100,000 after a ten% correction, perceive that corrections can typically flip into bear markets. An additional 25% drop out of your entry level would imply a complete 35% drawdown—translating right into a $25,000 paper loss.
In case you put together for this chance forward of time, the ache might sting much less if it truly occurs. Plus, you will be in a greater place emotionally and financially to take a position extra at even decrease costs.
Timing The Market Is Powerful, Keep Humble
Nonetheless assume you may time the market? Simply take a look at Mike Wilson, Chief Funding Officer of Morgan Stanley. He was bearish all through 2023 and 2024, and the S&P 500 posted back-to-back beneficial properties of 20%+.
On April 7, 2025, after the S&P 500 had already corrected to five,000, he predicted one other 7%–8% drop to 4,700. Doom was on the horizon! Then, barely a month in a while Could 12, he appeared on CNBC with bullish conviction, claiming his 6,500 goal could be fulfilled. Unbelievable. Being a Wall Road strategist or economist should be the perfect job—you might be improper repeatedly and nonetheless receives a commission handsomely.
However this simply goes to indicate how tough it’s to time the markets appropriately. Simply while you assume you may’t lose, you may lose a boatload. And simply when it feels just like the sky is darkest, the mushy glow of the solar begins to rise. Keep humble.
I absolutely anticipate to expertise losses from my new investments once more. Working example: I purchased ~$50,000 of Nike (NKE) inventory between $68–$73 per share earlier in 2025, considering it was a compelling turnaround story. The inventory was at a five-year low, a brand new CEO was in place, and valuations appeared cheap. Flawed! Nike cratered to $53 simply two months later—a ~30% drop—partly because of the imposition of latest tariffs.
Don’t Run Out of Money – Cardinal Rule Of Dip-Shopping for
One of many hardest elements of shopping for the dip is operating out of money. It is a type of psychological warfare as a result of it is advisable to settle for that your present investments are shedding worth whereas additionally watching your liquidity shrink with every inventory buy.
Once you lastly run out of money, it is like operating out of ammunition whereas being surrounded by zombies. You are weak, uncovered, and unable to defend your self financially. Residing paycheck-to-paycheck will snuff out your braveness to take a position.
That is why it is important to remain disciplined in how a lot you purchase with every dip. Your feelings might run rampant.
You Will Really feel Harassed, Present Your self Grace
All the course of of shopping for the dip for six weeks was disturbing, particularly since a part of the time I used to be up in Lake Tahoe attempting to get some ski runs in with my household on trip. However I caught to my funding sport plan and cadence, trusting that my strategy would repay in the long term.
In case you’re the accomplice who does not handle the family funds, take a second to acknowledge the trouble of the accomplice who does. Managing your loved ones’s funds can typically really feel like a full-time job, particularly throughout market downturns when the stress to make the correct selections intensifies. A bit of appreciation can go a good distance in supporting the particular person carrying that weight.
There have been loads of moments when my temper soured because the inventory market stored dropping with every new aggressive authorities coverage initiative. Nonetheless, I did my finest to defend my household from the stress I used to be feeling.
When shopping for the dip and the market retains dipping, it is essential to remind your self that you just’re attempting your finest. No one can time the market completely, however taking motion and making considerate selections already places you forward of those that sit on the sidelines.
One other Market Correction Is Inevitable
Whether or not it is a 10% pullback or a 50% crash, no one can predict it with certainty. Nonetheless, given the sturdy historic monitor report of shopping for the dip, it is a good suggestion to at all times have some idle money able to deploy the following time it occurs.
So the following time a market decline shakes your confidence, bear in mind:
- Safe your family members first.
- Make accountable monetary strikes earlier than investing.
- Write out your funding plan and stick with it.
- Embrace the “go broke” mentality the place each greenback you make investments is now not yours.
- Lengthen your funding horizon.
- Settle for that you’ll lose cash, no less than, briefly as you will not be capable to time the underside.
And most significantly—don’t run out of money. It’s your liquid braveness!
As a result of when the dip comes, you need to be able to take benefit, whereas non-personal finance run for the hills. The one method to construct outsized wealth is to take extra calculated dangers. Better of luck together with your funding selections!
Reader Questions and Recommendations
Do you usually purchase the dip? In that case, how do you determine how a lot to take a position throughout a downturn? How do you deal with the worry of placing considerably extra money to work whereas watching your present portfolio decline?
Decrease Funding Volatility With Actual Property
Inventory market volatility is a worth you pay as an equities investor. If you wish to dampen the volatility, diversify into actual property. Actual property is a extra secure asset class that generates earnings and offers utility.
Try Fundrise, my favourite non-public actual property funding platform open to all buyers. With an funding minimal of solely $10, it is simple to diversify into actual property and earn extra passive earnings.
The actual property platform invests primarily in residential and industrial properties within the Sunbelt, the place valuations are cheaper and yields are larger. The spreading out of America is a long-term demographic pattern. For most individuals, investing in a diversified fund is the best way to go.
I’ve invested ~$1,000,000 in non-public actual property to this point, with over $300,000 in Fundrise, a long-time sponsor. My aim is to diversify my costly SF actual property holdings and earn extra 100% passive earnings. I plan to proceed dollar-cost investing into non-public actual property for the following decade.
About Monetary Samurai
Based in 2009, Monetary Samurai is the main independently-owned private finance website at this time with about 1 million pageviews a month. Each article is grounded in firsthand expertise and real-world data.
I labored within the equities division of Goldman Sachs and Credit score Suisse for 13 years earlier than retiring from banking in 2012 at age 34. I am additionally the writer of the brand new guide, Millionaire Milestones: Easy Steps To Seven Figures.
Be a part of over 60,000 readers and join the free weekly e-newsletter right here. I share real-time funding and financial insights in addition to general private finance subjects.
