Jump out of the market after a scary fall, and you risk missing the days it bounces back hardest, because the best days and the worst days often sit close together.
Markets often rebound sharply right in the middle of a crash, while fear is still high. Waiting for things to "feel safe" usually means buying back in after the rebound already happened.
Studies of the S&P 500 find that staying invested the whole time versus missing just the 10 best days over about 20 years roughly halves the final result.
A rule like "get out after a 15% fall" can work in a slow decline. It fails badly in a sharp crash that falls and rebounds within weeks, which is exactly how many of the best days arrive.
Automating monthly buying removes the decision of when to jump back in, so the best days are never deliberately skipped.
The best days often hide beside the worst ones. Staying invested beats guessing when to jump back in.
Automate monthly buys instead of waiting for a dip.