Today I saw diversified investing in action. I own two tech stocks that have been fairly strong over the years. Well, today one of them had bad news and one had great earnings news beyond what was expected.

A friend of mine wrote to ask me why the value of his stock mutual fund is higher than the simple difference between what he paid for it a few weeks ago and the current price that he sees listed now. So I said the difference is the dividend. He wrote back “I am so […]

First let’s be clear. The stock market really IS unreliable. At least at any given moment. And for some people that alone is enough reason to stay far away from investing in stocks. Or anything other than tucking it away

You may be thinking new investors? But I want tips for trading stocks like the pros! And I get that. But the thing is, when new investors first start trading stocks, it’s best to play in the wading pool — and stay away from the sharks. And there are plenty of sharks in the stock […]

It can be really scary to see stock market averages taking a roller coaster ride just as you’re about to retire. So I’m adding this very short post to help bring you comfort. Not that anyone can guarantee anything or make the numbers do what you and most of us would wish for. And not […]

If you’re thinking that you don’t understand stocks join the club. Many people feel that way. And for some the confusion is enough to keeps them from ever investing. But that can also keep them from ever finding a comfortable balanced investment strategy to help grow their money and protect against inflation. A friend of […]

A friend of mine sent me a link to some online stock tips. Looking to invest in stocks for the first time, she did some googling. And she was excited to show me what she found — suggestions for stocks in a growing industry she was especially interested in. The stock tip sites that she […]

When I went online to check on the new CD I just opened, I noticed something interesting. The bank listed the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) as 1.50%. But the Interest Rate says 1.49%. So why is my APY higher than the interest rate? The simple answer is that it’s a math thing. And the power […]

If you’re thinking about buying some stocks, it helps to arm yourself with some facts. First thing you need to know about owning stocks is that they are investments that you can buy, sell, or hold. And they come in shares. And they let you own a piece of the company that issues them, even […]

Seems like a simple enough question: “How do I make money from the stock market?” Well, the answer depends on things that are not so simple, including your own personal tolerance for financial risk. You can make money from stocks and related market products in a number of ways. But there are also lots of […]

You probably never imagined you’d care about bond coupon vs bond yield, but if you’re thinking of investing in bonds, you should care. When you invest in bonds, there are a few key things you need to know. Your broker should be able to give you that information, including the “CUSIP” number so you can […]

I grew up in a relatively poor family where no one talked about the stock market. And when I went to college, I majored in Theater. So what finally gave this small-town girl the courage for my first time buying stock? You might be surprised, but it was because the market was sliding ever downward. […]

Well, the real question is how to handle a stock market downturn and still stay sane! As much as we love to see the value of our investments continue to climb, markets do come down. And, they go up again. Eventually. But when they do take a downturn, it can feel like forever waiting for […]