Thanks in advance for the free advice.Here is some info about me that may help you answer:

- I am a 37-year-old public school teacher - job security is very high, but rumors for the last several months have been that our pension fund is shaky.
- I am single and have no kids.
- I've never invested in the stock market before.
- l own a modest house with a reasonable 15-year fixed rate mortgage.
- l have about $21,000 in savings (a combo on money market accounts and short- and long-term CDs).
- I am only interested in funds with initial investments of $5,000 or less - like maybe VFINX, VTSMX, oe VTHRX 2030.

Once again, thanks so much for the free advice!The financial advisors the school system where l work uses seem very pushy and l do not necessarily trust what they tell me.

LOL l just picked up some VFINX on Friday. l am not usually one for Index funds but the situation with the broad market sell off dictates that it is a good move.

That is because the financial advisers at your school are not financial advisers. They are salesmen.

WHEN MARKET CRASHES,DUE TO PANIC SELLING BY FINANCIALLY UNEDUCATED SHORT SIGHTED SPECULATERES, stocks of many great companies r selling below thire intrinsc value.for a long term sophisticated invester it is a golden buying oppurtunity as per warren buffett the richest & most intelligent value invester in the history of this century,a know nothing invester will do better by investing in a index exchange traded fund,as it is low cost,low turn over ,no manager to pay salary,low or no taxes ,you r on auto pilot as the fund automaticALLY BUY ALL THE TOP 50 IN NIFTY INDEX STOCKS IN THAT PARTICULAR INDEX,IT IS GOOD FOR LONG TERM INVESTERES AND EVEN PENSION FUNDS,AS ONLY STOCKES CAN SAVE YOU AGAINST INFLATION, AS STOCKES GROW IN VALUE WITH TIME,WHIE FIXED INCOME SECURITIES LIKE BONDES OR BANK FIXED DEPOSITES WILL ERODE YOUR MONEY WITH TIME.