The single most expensive stock-market deals are those made with emotions, but, of course, you are not an emotional pitbull are you?

Before you bought that stock, mutual fund or Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) you did some research to be sure that what you were said to be purchasing might offer a good return over the long haul. You acquired it and over time you look at it less and less.

Ask yourself: when you plunked down some hard earned greenbacks did you get any idea where you might sell it or where you might exit the deal should the share go downwards instead of upwards? And suppose it has gone upwards have you made any plans to protect those profits?

There seemed to be many geniuses in 1999 who loaded up on tech shares at $20 and saw 'em run to $200 only to come back down to $2 or worse. Those who had an exit methodology no doubt sold it as it dropped like a rock. They kept most of their profits as well as their original investment.

So what kept those BuyNholders in? It was emotion. They fell in love with the instrument because they knew it was worth more and will 'obviously' come back upwards. Speculating is not an I hope, I hope enterprise, but it is a business. Never become emotionally attached to anything you buy. If you were in the buggy whip biz in 1900 and saw the automobile putting the horse outside to pasture you knew it was time to sell beyond. That also applies to any investment you make in the Wall St.

Once each month you should be checking to look if our various financial instruments are advancing as planned. Burn them. Now you must not care anything about that firm. As long as the stock price is advancing you may continue our love affair, but when it starts downwards it is time for a divorce. If you just loaded it ones ties are steady and you know if you sell you can have a mark down. Never fall for that old trade facilitators adage that you do not have a mark down until you sell.

When you acquired that original car you knew as soon as you drove it off the lot it ought to be worth 20% less than you paid for it. Twenty p.c is a lot and more than most folks should be willing to risk when trading. Forget the long haul as you do not want to take the 40% shortfalls that many speculating insiders did in 2000. When you drive that share off the exchange floor our risk should be limited. You decide how much you are willing to lose if it goes downwards instead of upward and as it goes upward carry that risk percentage along to lock in ones return.

If you do sell never look back.

Do not allow an emotional attachment to keep you in any share or fund.
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