When the market seems to be dropping precipitously every other day, it can sometimes be hard to keep perspective. By my rough calculations, the Freedom Portfolio is down around 15% in this month alone, so I can certainly sympathize with the pain some people are feeling.

But I think it’s important to keep perspective. For example: Netflix (NFLX) reported their third quarter earnings last week and by almost every measure crushed it. At certain points after hours it was up 15%. At that point, if I had told you I had a time machine which would’ve let you buy shares of Netflix before they released their earnings, would you take me up on my offer? I suspect most people would’ve jumped at the chance. Well, you’re in luck, because not only can you buy shares of Netflix at the price before that 15% jump, it’s actually at a significant discount to where it was before their earnings release. After a wild week and a half, the net result of Netflix’s amazing third quarter earnings report is that it is down around 10%.

It’s a similar story with Amazon (AMZN). Just a few months ago it was the second US company to hit a $1 trillion market cap with a stock price over $2,000. If I told you then that you could buy shares for 20% cheaper at around $1600 a share, would you have been interested? If so, then you’re in luck, because there just so happens to be a sale going on.

I’m not saying to go out and buy these companies now, nor am I saying that they won’t go down more. I’m just saying that perspective matters a lot in tumultuous times like these. Just a few months ago, I imagine many people were wishing they could’ve purchased these companies at these prices. But  now that they have the opportunity they’re scared. It’s natural. There’s a lot of fear going around right now. But as Warren Buffet famously says, “Be greedy when others are fearful”. A little bit of greed right now might pay off big time over the long term.