{"id":8073,"date":"2022-09-17T23:56:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-17T15:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/?p=8073"},"modified":"2025-11-15T14:55:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-15T06:55:41","slug":"buy-regularly-or-arbitraly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/","title":{"rendered":"Should ETF Investors buy regularly or arbitraly? Which one is better?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #ffffff;color:#ffffff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #ffffff;color:#ffffff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Regularly_or_not\" >Regularly or not?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Dollar_cost_averaging\" >Dollar cost averaging<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Investors_friend\" >Investors&#8217; friend<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Brainless_investing_for_everyone\" >Brainless investing, for everyone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Do_not_stop_under_any_market_conditions\" >Do not stop under any market conditions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Focus_on_long-term_rewards\" >Focus on long-term rewards<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Time_to_buy\" >Time to buy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Barrier_is_high\" >Barrier is high<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Same_as_active_stock_picking\" >Same as active stock picking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Impossible_to_pick_the_right_moment\" >Impossible to pick the right moment<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/09\/17\/buy-regularly-or-arbitraly\/#Related_articles\" >Related articles<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Regularly_or_not\"><\/span>Regularly or not?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In case the stock market fall really meets the market lows observed above, or really meets the entry criteria you set yourself; even when the stock market is usually flat. Then what should be the way to enter the procurement?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me start with my conclusion: it is most important to conform to your own personal situation; because each person&#8217;s capital, ability circle, loss tolerance, investment preferences, investment principles and other considerations are very complicated and cannot be generalized. Other people&#8217;s suggestions or opinions can be used as a reference, don&#8217;t blindly accept them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dollar_cost_averaging\"><\/span>Dollar cost averaging<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Investors_friend\"><\/span>Investors&#8217; friend<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dollar-cost averaging involves investing the same dollar amount at some set interval, such as monthly or quarterly. Dollar-cost averaging your way into your full position (or better yet, indefinitely, if possible) will prevent you from buying your entire stake in a stock right before a significant drop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brainless_investing_for_everyone\"><\/span>Brainless investing, for everyone<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Dollar cost average&#8221; is more suitable for those who do not study at all, do not intend to study, really have no time to study, or even do not want to study, and who do not know how to study. It is called no-brainer investment in English. It&#8217;s very good, and there is no derogatory taste in it at all (the American colloquialism is very direct). Therefore, for active investors (I&#8217;m not wrong, ETFs tracking broader market are suitable for everyone, including active stock-pickers), those who have closely studied the dynamics of the stock market, and are highly confident, can also choose to buy when the stock market falls deeply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_not_stop_under_any_market_conditions\"><\/span>Do not stop under any market conditions <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Dollar cost average investors need hold for long laul. Don\u2019t start shrinking or stop deducting investment funds because of the sharp decline of stock market fall, or you will definitely miss the best buying opportunity when the market is at the bottom. When you see market conditions pick up, you resume deductions on a whim, but at this point the returns are really low because you may have missed out on the big payoffs of the once-in-a-decade strong trough rally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you stop in the middle, you lose the benefits of long-term compounding. And it will also become the investment method of choosing the time mentioned below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Focus_on_long-term_rewards\"><\/span>Focus on long-term rewards<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t be fooled by the <a href=\"https:\/\/investor.vanguard.com\/etf\/profile\/performance\/voo\/cumulative-returns\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">market&#8217;s average return of more than 20% per year for the past three years<\/a> (2019 to 2021), because the past three years have been an anomaly in the 100-year history of global stock markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Time_to_buy\"><\/span>Time to buy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Barrier_is_high\"><\/span>Barrier is high<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This method seems to be good, but I personally do not recommend most people to adopt it, because the difficulty is too high. This method takes some time to pay close attention to the dynamics of the stock market (and therefore requires considerable time and effort), because it is necessary to choose the time point to buy. Furthermore, adopting this approach requires a high level of self-confidence and overcoming many of the struggles of human nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Same_as_active_stock_picking\"><\/span>Same as active stock picking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another point is that it took so much time and effort to find buying lows for the broader market ETFs. Such research and effort are no less than the effort of active stock selection. It is better to invest in individual stocks that you have observed for a long time in your watch list, because the effort and pressure to be endured by the two are actually the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wrote an article about ETFs tracking broader market: <span style=\"font-size: revert;\">&#8220;<\/span><a style=\"font-size: revert;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2021\/12\/04\/most-investors-should-invest-etfs\/\">Most investors should invest ETFs tracking broader market<\/a><span style=\"font-size: revert;\">&#8220;<\/span>. Interested readers, please read this article first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"224\" height=\"146\" src=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/09\/Rodnae-Productions-1.jpg\" alt=\"regularly\" class=\"wp-image-13423\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">credit: Rodnae Productions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Impossible_to_pick_the_right_moment\"><\/span>Impossible to pick the right moment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For this method, I just want to remind you: no one can guess the exact point in time, neither in the past nor in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_articles\"><\/span>Related articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2025\/11\/14\/power-of-index-etf\/\">The power of index ETFs underestimated<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2025\/07\/10\/etf-regulations\/\">Consequences of Index Fund and ETF Regulations and Restrictions<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2021\/12\/04\/u-should-invest-etfs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Most investors should invest ETFs tracking broader market<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2025\/05\/29\/turn-to-passive-investment\/\">Investors turn to passive investment funds ETF and abandoning active investment funds<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/07\/25\/stock-worth-holding-forever\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">S&amp;P 500 index, the only stock worth holding forever<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/02\/08\/etfs-tracking-us-market\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">US issued ETFs tracking US market is your best bet<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2021\/12\/13\/top-10-etfs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Top 10 ETFs and important major US stock market index<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/03\/26\/disadvantages-of-etf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Disadvantages of ETF investment<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/12\/09\/non-broader-market-etfs\/\">Strong reasons not to invest in non-broad market ETFs<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/2022\/01\/06\/any-reason-to-buy-mutual-fund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Any strong reason to buy mutual fund?<\/a>&#8220;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Disclaimer<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>The content of this site is the author\u2019s personal opinions and is for reference only. I am not responsible for the correctness, opinions, and immediacy of the content and information of the article. Readers must make their own judgments.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>I shall not be liable for any damages or other legal liabilities for the direct or indirect losses caused by the readers&#8217; direct or indirect reliance on and reference to the information on this site, or all the responsibilities arising therefrom, as a result of any investment behavior.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Should ETF Investors buy regularly or arbitraly? In case the stock market fall really meets the market lows observed above, or really meets the entry criteria you set yourself; even when the stock market is usually flat. Then what should be the way to enter the procurement?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13423,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,13,16,35,67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8073","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-etf","category-investing-behavior","category-investing-skills","category-long-term-investing","category-perseverance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8073","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8073"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8073\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39999,"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8073\/revisions\/39999"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8073"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8073"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.granitefirm.com\/blog\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8073"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}