Across the nation, the see-sawing stock market has everyone on edge, but financial adviser have some simple advice: don't panic.

A sampling of the things people told ABC 7/NewsChannel 8's Caroline Lyders Tuesday:

"I am very concerned."

"I have a 401k. I'm not sure what that's going to do."

Miriam Masullo was visiting her son at George Washington University, but thinking about her money.

"I have everything I own in the stock market: my 401k, my savings, everything," she said.

Charles Masten said he blurted out a few choice words the last time he checked his portfolio.

"Let me put it this way, I lost more money in Freddie Mac than some people make in a year," he said.

With banks failing, and stock prices going down and sometimes up, even then most steadfast are finding themselves shaken. That has financial advisers shaking their heads.

"Jumping out of a frying pan only leaves you in a fire," said Ric Edelman of Edelman Financial.

The Fairfax-based, top-ranked adviser says now is the time to stay in the market. And that goes for investors of any age, he says, if your money is diversified.

Edelman's advice: "If you are looking at your portfolio and it's scaring you, wondering whether you'll become a bag lady one day, then you should quit looking at your portfolio. Go watch football."

But for retiree Ernie Gafford, it's easier said than done.

"We planned for this time of our life for 40 years," he said. Gafford said he can do little but ride out the ups and downs.