The world is filled with verbal expressions. Some have been around for centuries. Others have revolved around current trends and technologies.

My parents often said "the only thing out after midnight is trouble". Or, "if you can't afford to pay cash for it, don't buy it. "It" was anything you were considering buying, from a watch to a car.  Those expressions may still hold true today, although it could be argued that neither is actually embraced by the younger generation.

There are many financial expressions utilized by those in the investments industry. For example, one of the most regularly used words is "TINA". That stands for "there is no alternative". That means with interest rates so low, making bond and CD investments low return propositions, there is no alternative to investing in the stock market.

You may have heard the expression "black swan". That is an event causing a major stock market decline that no one expected. 9-11 was a "black swan" event.

Wall Street is awaiting the "Bond Vigilantes". Those are the bond investors that will begin selling bonds, forcing prices lower and yields higher, regardless of actions by the Federal Reserve.

"Too Big To Fail" is the situation that still exits today, where large investment banks would need government assistance should they experience a crisis such as the one in 2008-2009.

A "Roach Motel" is an investment, such as some banks in Europe, where you can put money in but may never be able to get it out.

"Dodd-Frank" was the massive financial reform legislation that was named after 2 US Representatives that was hundreds of pages long and with questionable success, since "Too Big To Fail" still exists.

"Be careful what you wish for" is an expression that will live forever. Those investors hoping for the Federal Reserve to get out of the fixed income markets, maintaining low interest rates, may find that expression still very true.