Colorado Springs Financial Briefs: February 15, 2008

Investors want to know what to do when the stock market loses its upward momentum -- especially when downward movement is as sharp and volatile as it has been recently.

"The proliferation of information has hurt more people than it's ever helped," said Rollyn L. Wild, president of Colorado Springs- based Advisers Investment Management Inc. "Fear is ruling a lot of decision making. Of course, emotional or tax-driven decisions are not good when it comes to investing."

Excessive media exposure to information about the stock market and financial world keeps people acting like speculators and doing something different each week.

"People should not confuse information with knowledge -- they are two different things," Wild said.

Savers and speculators are primarily motivated by fear or greed - - and have a poor understanding about stock and bond markets, Wild said. Investors make fewer emotional decisions, and thus tend to realize their financial objectives.

Things that investors do, include:

Take a measured level of risk and expect a rate of return commensurate with that level of risk.

Put their money to work using a disciplined investment process.

Experience more consistent returns.

Know that stock market corrections are healthy and create opportunities.

Ignore market noise and media hype.

Don't over-react with emotional decisions that sabotage their financial future.

Focus on the long-term and thus tolerate fluctuations in the value of their investment portfolio.

Springs' fraud examiner association

Residents of the Pikes Peak region who are interested in the prevention and detection of fraud now have a local source for help.

The Colorado Springs Chapter Association of Certified Fraud Examiners meets monthly and the meetings are open to nonmembers.

"We welcome anyone who wants to attend," said Robert D. "Bob" Johnson, chapter president. "Our mission is to educate and help prevent fraud -- against businesses and against the elderly. Preventing fraud saves the entire community money."

For a list of meeting sites and topics, visit www.csacfe.org or call 590-9555.

SBDC workshop

The Small Business Development Center is offering a workshop, "The Power of E-mail Marketing," from 1 to 4 p.m. March 6 at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Direct Marketing Association conducted an economic impact study which showed that e-mail returned $57.25 for every dollar spent during 2005. By contrast, print catalogs generated $7.09, and non- email Internet marketing generated $22.52.

The workshop will include an overview about permission-based e- mail marketing strategies and tactics.

For more information call 262-3844 or visit www.cssbdc.org and click "Workshops."

'Smart Money' week

Ent Federal Credit Union is hosting a series of seminars that will teach participants how to reach budget goals, what comprises a credit score and why to teach your children to be good money managers as part of "Smart Money" week.

"Crack the Credit Code" is scheduled for Feb. 26 and includes information for anyone who is building a credit history and for folks with enviable credit scores. The topic for Feb. 27 is "Building a Better Budget," which includes steps to building realistic spending plans. "Raising Money-Smart Kids" is the topic for Feb. 28.

All seminars are from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 7350 Campus Drive, in the second-floor conference room. To register, visit Ent.com/seminars or call 550-6095.

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