Just came across this fascinating old theory from Samuel Benner back in 1875 about economic cycles, and honestly it's wild how people have been trying to crack the code on periods when to make money for over 150 years.

So the theory breaks down into three main phases. First, there are the panic years – those financial crisis moments when everything collapses. Historically these showed up around 1927, 1945, 1965, 1981, 1999, 2019, and the pattern suggests 2035 next. The advice here is straightforward: don't panic sell during these periods. Just sit tight.

Then you've got the boom years, which are basically the opposite. Markets recover, prices spike, and this is when you're supposed to sell high and take profits. We've seen this play out in years like 1928, 1960, 1989, 2000, 2007, 2016, 2020, and according to the cycle, 2026 and 2034 should see similar conditions. These are the golden periods when to make money if you're selling into strength.

The third category is the recession and decline years – think 1924, 1931, 1942, 1958, 1978, 1985, 2005, 2012, 2023. Prices are depressed, economy's struggling, and this is supposedly when you load up on stocks, land, commodities, whatever. Buy low, wait for the boom, then sell high.

The whole framework essentially tells you to identify these periods when to make money: accumulate during recessions when everything's cheap, hold through the panic, then unload during booms when prices are elevated. It's the classic buy low, sell high strategy dressed up in historical cycles.

Now, here's the thing – and I think this matters – Benner's cycle is based on historical patterns, not some immutable law of nature. Markets today are influenced by so many variables: geopolitical events, technological disruption, policy shifts, wars, whatever. So while the cycle gives you a useful mental framework for thinking about long-term market timing, it's definitely not a guarantee.

Still, there's something compelling about recognizing that these periods when to make money do tend to follow patterns. Whether you use this theory as a guide or just a reference point, the core principle holds: patience during downturns, discipline during rallies. That's timeless.