Why I’m Not Buying Stocks Right Now (And What You Should Consider Instead)
Let’s get straight to it.
If you’re wondering how much I have in the stock market right now I’ll save you the suspense.
Zero. Zip. Nada.
And I’m not planning to buy in any time soon.
Now, before you go thinking I’m just another guy on a soapbox bashing the market, let me tell you something: I used to love the stock market. I was a financial advisor. I taught others how to actively trade. I knew the patterns, the strategies, the “buy low, sell high” rhetoric. But here’s the kicker…
I still wasn’t free. And neither were my clients.
The Big Lie: Stock Market = Freedom?
We’ve all heard it.
“Just keep saving. Let it compound. Set it and forget it.”
Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve even heard the quote often attributed to Einstein:
“Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world…”
Guess what? Einstein never said that. And even if he did, that doesn’t mean the system we’ve built around that quote works for you or me.
I sat through a financial event recently one I was actually speaking at and watched a financial advisor step on stage right after me and start parroting the same myths I had just debunked. He even used the Einstein quote I’d just proven was bogus.
And here’s the problem: most of the audience ate it up.
Not because it was true. But because it’s what they’ve always been told.
The Truth About Retirement Accounts (They Don’t Work)
Let’s talk real numbers.
According to recent surveys, the median retirement account balance for people between 65–74 is just $200,000.
That’s not the average that’s the median, meaning half the people have less. And even the “lucky” ones with $1 million? At a 3% withdrawal rate, that’s just $30,000 a year before taxes.
You really think $30K a year is financial freedom?
That’s not “work optional,” that’s barely surviving.
The truth is, even among those who’ve been faithfully saving for decades, the math just doesn’t add up. That 12% return they promise? Doesn’t happen. If you’re lucky, you might get 7%–8%, and even that gets eaten up by fees, taxes, and inflation.
Why I’m Not Buying Stocks (And What I’m Doing Instead)
I’ve chosen a different path one that’s based on real assets, real cash flow, and real freedom.
While others were dumping their money into index funds and hoping the market gods would smile on them, I was building up passive income. And I’m not the only one.
Take Dan, one of our clients. Came to us with $1 million in a retirement account, worried sick about having to live on $30K a year. We helped him shift his strategy to cash-flowing investments. Within a short time, Dan was making over $100K a year and that’s before he passed away recently. His family still benefits from the legacy he left behind.
That’s the kind of wealth you can build when you stop chasing accumulation and start creating cash flow.
Forget Your Friends (Seriously)
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my friends. But when it comes to financial advice?
Forget what they’re doing.
Most of them are following the herd. Putting money into 401(k)s, IRAs, hoping for 40 years that “it’ll all work out.”
The problem? It’s not working out.
Less than 5% of Americans have $1 million or more in retirement. And even fewer have enough to truly live free.
So when your friends look at you sideways because you’re investing in real estate, private lending, or alternative assets instead of stocks just smile and keep going.
Because the herd is headed off a cliff.
The Passive Income Difference
When I talk about financial freedom, I’m not talking about some fluffy idea. I’m talking about passive income that covers your life now, not 40 years from now.
I’m talking about options.
- Working because you want to, not because you have to.
- Spending time with your family instead of stressing over market volatility.
- Living a purpose-driven life, not a paycheck-to-paycheck life.
And guess what? That doesn’t happen by throwing more money at mutual funds and hoping they perform.
It happens when you take control.
So, What Now?
If you’re still holding onto hope that the stock market will save you, I get it. I was there. I did the same thing. I preached it. Sold it. Lived it.
But now?
I’ve seen what actually works. I’ve watched people break free in 3–5 years not 40. I’ve watched folks with less money generate more income than someone with a million bucks in a retirement fund.
So the question isn’t, “Should I stay in stocks?”
The question is: Are you ready to do something that actually works?
Your Next Step
If this is your first time hearing this, go binge some more episodes. Open your mind. Challenge everything you’ve been told. And if you’re ready to explore real options, reach out to us at moneyripples.com.
You don’t have to settle for average returns and mediocre results.
You were meant for more.
Let’s make this your most prosperous season yet.