<prompt> Human: My friends and I are all around the same age mid-twenties, we all have jobs some make more than others, a few are married, etc. Every once in a while the topic of 401ks, or mutuals funds, etc. comes up, and I get a little peak into how they are saving for retirement. I dont try to pry into how much people have or anything very personal, or try to find any hot tips.Basically, what I find disturbs me. A lot of them dont have anything saved - period. A lot of them have some money saved in savings accounts, but nothing invested. Some put into their 401ks, but they think of them as just bank accounts, putting enough to receive company matches, but dont actually look to see what funds if any they have bought.So being a good friend, I try to direct them to a few websites like the PF FAQ. I show them the Bogleheads guide to a three-fund lazy-portfolio. I show them tips on avoiding high-fee funds. Etc. Etc. Then a few weeks later I ask them if they ever looked at that stuff and they say no. Ive noticed that while a few might just be lazy, some of them are afraid theyre going to lose everything if they invest in funds that track the stock market during a downturn. Im not quite sure how to correctly respond to that, other than saying yes it is a possibility.Its a bit worrisome. On the other hand, I see now how financial advisors exist! Maybe I should invest for them and take a commission?  <response>: You cannot teach those who do not want to learn. Continue to offer advice when asked or appropriate, otherwise mind your own business. 