I transferred most of my holdings (Vanguard 500 Index Fund) into a money market fund until this fiscal cliff deal gets done. Am i overreacting?

Probably. It's mostly a media creation, kind of like Y2k. The market may go down, but it's not going to crash, unless come March, they still haven't got a deal done.

Yes, you shouldn't do stuff like that. Just be completely passive and don't market time.

I'm sorry, i haven't touched it or even looked at it for 6 months per you advice, I just feel that it's not going to hurt to be a little cautious right now. Once a deal is in place, i'll put it back.

And you will either save a few percent or lose a few percent as a result. In the end; if it makes you feel better go for it.

I like to think I work pretty hard to save money and only buy things I need (well, except for records). I currently have about 40k in savings and no debt. I'm happy about not being the typical American drowning in debt and living beyond his means, but reading this thread reminds me of how clueless I am as to how to put my hard earned cash to work.

#cluelessworkingstiff