Fears of a major and long-lasting crash in the stock market have been replaced — for now — by news about the Ebola virus. Nonetheless, the recent turbulent run has some people concerned about their investment holdings.

“There was more market volatility last week than there had been in almost three years,” Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell wrote .

Despite the down Dow, she says, other data indicate that the economy is doing fairly well.

“Explaining or predicting market movements is a fool’s errand,” Rampell wrote. “Animal spirits, ‘thought viruses’ and other voodoo can dissuade markets from behaving in ways that reflect the underlying health of the economy. Which is why I suggest not getting too spooked by the stock ticker.”

Still, last week’s Color of Money Question was: Have the recent gyrations in the stock market got you worried?

Sandy in northern New Mexico said that, nope, she’s not scared. In fact, she considers this a good opportunity to buy: “I moved up my next monthly IRA contribution to take advantage of the downturn, my small version of market timing. LOL. Normally I just make monthly contributions without worrying about it.”

Jason Stevens of Owings Mills, Md. did the same. He wrote: “For long-term investors, market corrections (and even volatile days) represent buying opportunities. It’s like a sale at Nordstrom, only better because instead of buying stuff, you’re investing in your future.”

Another reader, Fred. had a different take on recent stock market events and the media’s characterization of investors. He wrote: “I very much dislike stock market articles that basically have the word ‘panic’ in their headlines and then go on and imply that those of us who see our nest eggs (that we have contributed to for decades) reduced by double-digits are scared, greedy nitwits who are the cause of all this doom and gloom. I am 55, and for me it is both discouraging and depressing that even blue chip stocks . . . are literally reducing my retirement funds by thousands. You preach to us that we should scrimp and save, but what good is it to clip coupons to save a dollar on detergent or a can of soup, when it is dwarfed by losses that could have at least gone for something useful, like replacing my 12-year-old car. Sure, we can say the market will rebound, it always has, but that doesn’t do anything for the pit in my stomach and the feeling, ‘Well, here’s another year I’ll have to put off retiring.’ ”

Color of Money Question of the Week

Let’s keep the conversation going about investing. Aside from inflation, why do you think it’s important to invest? Send your comments to colorofmoney@washpost.com. Please include your full name, city and state. Put “Stock Market” in the subject line.

Live chat today

Join me at noon Eastern time today for my weekly Q&A about money.

A guest will be joining me. Robert Maurer, author of “One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way ,” this month’s Color of Money Book Club pick, will be available to take your questions. Maurer hopes to break down the barriers that keep people from achieving the things they want. As I wrote in my review of his book, Maurer’s strategies — part clinical, part psychological — help people move past their regrets and frustrations so that they can improve their finances, health, careers and other areas of their lives.

You can join the conversation by clicking this link .

What good is it to invest?

I wanted to pick up on Fred’s comment about the purpose of investing. It’s a good question.

Frequently when I speak to groups during a financial workshop, I’ll ask: Why do you need to invest? The answers range from people wanting to retire or make their money work for them or so they can live comfortably.

All fine answers. But when I dig a little deeper, I find they really don’t know the No. 1 reason.

You need to invest to keep pace with inflation. And because banks are paying a paltry amount on savings,that means taking some investment risk so your money can grow.

John Sweeney, Fidelity Investments’ executive vice president of retirement and investing strategies, recently told USA Today’s Nanci Hellmich: “If you are five to 10 years from retirement, that’s a long period of time over which your portfolio can grow, so you should be thinking about an equity portfolio that will outpace inflation.”

To Fred’s point, Sweeney noted: “Equities are higher risk but have higher expected returns over the long term and enable investors to earn returns that exceed inflation. Your other choices are money markets or bonds. In today’s environment, bonds are not allowing your portfolio to grow at a rate that exceeds inflation.”

Super simple ways to become rich

You can achieve a good life.

Don’t believe me? Then read these tips on becoming a millionaire from Daily Finance’s Jeff Rose. They may seem super simple, but for many people it’s possible.

Here are a few:

Learn from your mistakes: “Some people, when faced with their own inadequacies, beat themselves up,” Ross writes. “And you know what that does? It paralyzes them from making the decisions they need to make to achieve success.”

Don’t be afraid to invest (that’s my theme this week): “Just start somewhere,” Ross urges. “It’s okay if you don’t have a lot of money to invest right away. Also, once you start investing, don’t abandon the ship. The stock market has its ups and downs. Just ride the wave. Think long-term.”

Readers may write to Michelle Singletary at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071, or michelle.singletary@washpost.com. Personal responses may not be possible, and comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer’s name, unless otherwise requested. To read previous Color of Money columns, go to www.postbusiness.com.