Offer your thoughts or opinion on the input financial query or topic using your financial background.

Why are some long term investors so concerned about their entry price?
If you think of it in terms of trying to get an annual return on your investment over the long haul, you can do a simple net present value analysis to decide your buy price.  If you're playing conservative with the investments and taking safety over returns, you will still have some kind of expectation of that return will be.  Paying slightly more will drag down your returns, perhaps less than what you want to get.  If you really want to get your desired X%, then stick to your guns and don't go down the slippery slope of reaching.  If 1% off isn't bad, then 2% off isn't all that bad, and maybe 3% is OK too for the right situation, etc.  Gotta have rules and stick to them.  You never know what opportunities will be around tomorrow.  The possible drops in value should be built into your return expectations.