Interesting article and chart on why NOT to try market timing...

[K Frame]

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/24/this-chart-shows-why-investors-should-never-try-to-time-the-stock-market.html

The only market timing I've ever really tried was last year when I bought several oil stocks on the plunge in worldwide crude prices in the runup to Covidpockolips...

Those have paid off handsomely.

[Ben]

I'm not big on market timing either. The closest I get is when the Dow drops catastrophically, which isn't very often.

I've done okay under that scenario if I carefully research a few stocks. In smaller drops, I've only ever broken even or lost. I've only ever played "time the market" with my individual "gambling stocks". The Vanguard and TSP funds, I'll buy at drops if I have the spare cash, but I've never sold shares of any of them yet.

I will say that covid was my best ever. The profit from my NCLH stocks would buy me a nice new truck if I sold today. Still holding on though, until after June when they start cruising again. I did sell a a few hundred shares of it to get my initial investment back. Everything from here on out is either profit or no loss if I screwed up.

[MillCreek]

In my youth, I subscribed to a market timing service, and they had a dismal record of prediction.  Dollar cost averaging has worked much better for me.

[K Frame]

"Dollar cost averaging has worked much better for me. "

yep, slow and steady has given me the basis for what should be a comfortable retirement.