Regular investment plans can also help you manage your monthly cash flow. You will know exactly how much will be withdrawn and on what day of the month. You can also increase or decrease your contributions, at no cost, should the need or opportunity arise.
Contributing on a regular basis also allows you to benefit from what experts call "dollar cost averaging". This means your regular contribution buys more mutual fund units when the price is low, and fewer when the price is high, helping to reduce the average price you pay per unit over the long term.
However, I believe the majority of people dread having to deal with investment matters, and tend to jump into purchases and then hold their breath hoping for the best. After a long day at work and taking care of the family, it's hard to get excited about reading up on your 401(k) options, Morningstar ratings and fund performances.
STEP #2. Now throw a little reality into the picture. Specifically, you need to realize that nobody can consistently predict the turning point of a rapidly moving market. People who pay attention to value (which is always a wise move) can tell you when things are out of whack with the market, but they cannot tell you if the market will turn in a week, a year, or a decade! Warren Buffet correctly predicted that the stock market was way over valued LONG before it actually corrected. Since Warren is a value-type investor, it made perfect sense to stay on the sidelines. In contrast, many active traders became multiple millionaires during that period and then rapidly adapted to the market downturn. Both were "correct" for the type of style that they employed.