Just one last thing about that lost decade... it wasn't bonds that carried the day for the PP. It was gold. Even after the rout after 2011, gold beat out VTI.
Even as far back as 2001 to today, the leader is gold. Strange, isn't it, that you won't find virtually any broker recommending holding even a tiny % in gold.
But we're the ones that believe our own group speak. Rich. He couldn't quite understand that some people have different investing philosophies for valid reasons. He gave it lip service, but didn't really believe it.
1. Terrific charts! So much for the notion that gold has been "dragging down" the HBPP.
2. I can identify with your feelings about living through the crash of 2008. I "stayed the course" while my stock heavy portfolio fell by 41%. I did not sell during that equity depression, but it did dawn on me that I would want a different portfolio with more diversification and less volatility by the time I retired. The past 5 years have certainly been a much smoother ride thanks to the HBPP.
“Groucho Marx wrote:
A stock trader asked him, "Groucho, where do you put all your money?" Groucho was said to have replied, "In Treasury bonds", and the trader said, "You can't make much money on those." Groucho said, "You can if you have enough of them!"