Sunday, January 6, 2008

Why Invest in the Stock Market?

With all the information and potent tools at our disposal, a boring 12% growth stock can return five times that value.
Why invest in the Stock Market? If you are reading this you have your hands on the best reason of all financial times!

The Computer

With all the information and potent tools at our disposal, a boring 12% growth stock can return five times that value.

Point: Delta Airlines rose from $21 to over $70 in 20 years. That's a return of almost 12% each year.

Because of the inherent volatility of the market, Delta didn't make this rise smoothly, but rose and fell on its way up. Had we bought Delta each time near the bottom of its channel and sold each time near the top, the annualized return would have been near 60%.

Peter Lynch, former manager of the gigantic Fidelity Magellan mutual fund, averaging over 26% a year for 15 years, has suggested that the amateur investor has built-in advantages, that should result in outperforming the experts and the market in general. Why? Here are five important reasons:

When institutional investors find a stock they like, they buy huge blocks of shares, not the few hundred shares we might buy in an average trade. They must acquire those shares patiently and slowly to avoid driving up the price before they reach their goal. The same is true when they want to sell. They must dispose of their shares gradually to keep the price up before they unload their fund's shares of the stock. You and I can sell our few hundred shares the minute we smell a change.

Professional money managers look for value in their stock picks. A company that is undervalued is a good candidate since its value is likely to go up. Over valued companies represent the opposite, with odds that its stock price is more likely to go down. Identifying such prime candidates is as easy as a click of the mouse with today's sophisticated investment software.

Another advantage the computer provides lies in patterns created as the institutions favor specific industries. Since institutional investors account for 70% of all trading, their impact has created the concept of industrial group rotation. As large amounts of institutional money flows into segments of the market, those market sectors respond with rising prices. Similarly, falling prices result as these same institutions move out of an industry group. Computer tools highlight this ebb and flow which if taken advantage of can turn an ordinary group of stocks into an exciting portfolio.

Insider trading has always signaled movements in stock prices. When insiders buy their own stock it means one thing; those close to the action think the price will eventually go up. This type of trading is a matter of public record today, and is another ready bit of information off the computer links to strengthen our position as investors.

On-line brokers have given us the opportunity to invest and deal from the comfort of our home. There are over 70 different on-line brokers we can chose from with a variety of services available and transaction costs.

This is a fiercly competitive arena with prices between $5 and $50 a trade. This will surely change as new faces make their entry. Some may even offer free trades (read the fine print). Discount trading prices make computer investing even more attractive.

There are three fundamental reasons to invest:

1) Cash Flow
2) Tax Protection
3) Growth. Each reason has its place in an investor's portfolio.

However, the mission of Pro-fundity is limited to one; Cash Flow. Investments in the market should be treated as a business, a way to conduct the affairs of our own personal business life. Cash flow is what we need to do this, to buy a home and pay the mortgage, to get the kids through college, to build a portfolio of strong growth stocks for retirement, and all the rest of the needs we face in today's market place. This web page, Pro-Fundity.com, is devoted to that purpose, providing the tools we need for financial success!

When borrowing money is profitable

If you save money, the money will save you

The problem with most people's finances today is that they are not getting enough income to satisfy there needs and wants. People are naturally going to buy things they want even if it means spending more than they have (credit cards), and they know in the back of their minds that they cant afford it, but they will get it anyway. I think people will develop their own budgeting scheme when their income meets their wants then they will be budgeting masters, all by their selves. But till then there will ALWAYS be people in debt no matter how much you preach!

I think a solution to some people money problem is to teach them how to make extra money first, and then teach them how to budget and save it. Americans really don't want that much; it is the hobbies that get people in trouble, bills, spending too much on golf clubs, car parts, computers, things around the house etc.

I don't know about you but this is how I feel about life. Right now, I am working a 9 to 5 job making $3200 monthly. I don't want to be stuck knowing that I will be 'working' for the rest of my life, taking orders from bosses, putting up with BS and other peoples attitude, having to get up in the morning when I want to sleep in and that fear of getting fired. Currently, I am in this situation but will not be soon. There are people right now making well over $20,000/monthly working for their selves and they are everyday people that you see walking their dog, in supermarkets or even that person arguing with the McDonalds cashier. If these people ever do go back to work for someone else they can do it "stress free" even if the job is stressful (think about that).



Before, you can work for yourself you have to decide one thing: If you really want that responsibility. If you said yes, you have gotten over the biggest hurdle and you will not be limited to the income your employer is giving you. I know what I am about to say will be over simplistic but I will save the details for you to research on your own. Here is a breakdown

1st: determine if you really want self-employment

2nd: decide what area of business you want or good at.

3rd: If step 2 requires money, their are program out there that can help you get started in internet business, selling or something else before you start in what you want to do. For example, "I want to own a photography shop but it costs $10,000 to get started. Well, if I sell product A for a year I can do it". You never know, whatever you get into before your dream business may make you $50,000 a month and you may forget all about that photography shop. I can help you here too.

4th: Research, research and do more research. Find out what you competition is. Find out how much money they are making. Find out where they are advertising. Find out what it takes to get started. Find out where your customer are etc, etc, etc..research

5th: EXECUTE!! I mean once you
have confidence go do it.

They say that 90% of home businesses fail for the first time. And you may fail, but all you have to do is try and try again, please don't give up. Believe me, you will get it right and when you do, you will be very successful. The percentage of people who fail for the second and third time is much lower than the first timers.

-------------------------------------------------------------- ------------

They say the best investment is buying a house (real estate). You are borrowing money to invest! Every year that property should go up 7%. So lets look at some figures. You buy a house for $250,000

year 0: $250,000

year 1: $267,500--------profit $17,500

year 2: $286,225--------profit $18,725

year 3: $306,260--------profit $20,035

year 4: $327,699--------profit $21,438

year 5: $350,637--------profit $22,938

------------------------Total profit: $100,637

Your profit after 5 years is $100,637 + tax benefits - repairs - local taxes - interest - your time

As we all know maintaining a house is hard work. You borrow money to invest in real estate, well why not borrow money to invest in other things such as mutual funds, hedge funds or even invest in yourself and learn how to trade money or stocks. Here is an alternate scenario. Lets say you borrowed $250,000 to invest in 5 hedge funds or managed forex account receiving 35% annually. You are charged by the bank 10% apy. So, you will receive 25% in profit a year.

year 0: $250,000

year 1: $312,500-------year1 profit: $62,500

year 2: $390,625-------year2 profit: $78,125

year 3: $488,281-------year3 profit: $97,656

year 4: $610,351-------year4 profit: $122,070

year 5: $762,939-------year5 profit: $152,587

-----------------------Your profit after 5 years is $512,939 - management fee (around 5-10% per session)



Of course, you can make more money depending on how much you borrow and the return you get. Now you see how those rich people make a living without lifting a hand. They are the ones who live the longest and have the best life!

There are risks involved with this. What if one of the trusty (SEC approved) funds you invested in suddenly runs with your money. You may be able to recover from this if you invested among many funds or programs or you are receiving high interest on other investment portfolios.

A house or real estate is your safest investment---No one can steal your house. Well sorry to talk yall half to death, I can go on and on about this stuff.

Tips for investing

Many people want to take advantage of the opportunity to invest as a way to supplement their income, but few people have the knowledge or the time to monitor stocks and they are reluctant to pay the high fees associated with full-service brokers.

As well, most people know that a diversified portfolio is the best-performing portfolio, but few people have the huge capital it takes to properly diversify a portfolio made up only of stocks.

One option for those people is to purchase mutual funds.

A mutual fund is a pool of money from a number of investors and it is given to a mutual fund manager to go out and buy a good selection of diversified, well-performing investments.

There are many different types of mutual funds, so there is something out there for everyone. If you like bonds, for example, you can buy a mutual fund made up just of bonds and its return is probably better than most bonds available on the market today because they use a laddering concept to buy and sell bonds strategically. The income from this fund comes from the interest paid on the bonds. These are called fixed income mutual funds.

If you like stocks, there are many mutual funds available for you to consider, from riskier ones to safer ones to funds that trade primarily in overseas marketplaces. You will likely find a mutual fund that matches your risk tolerance, gives you a good return, and provides you with some diversification. The income from this fund comes from buying it the stocks low and selling them high. These are growth mutual funds.

Some of the consistently best-performing mutual funds are funds that are a combination of fixed income and growth. These are called growth and income mutual funds and they combine bonds, dividend paying stocks, and growth stocks altogether in a diversified fund. The income from this fund comes from a combination of bond interest, dividend payments, and growth-style selling. It is an excellent choice for putting in your portfolio. If you can only afford one mutual fund, this is probably the fund to purchase.

Whether you are trying to avoid the fees of a full-service broker, or are trying to invest wisely with a brief amount of time you have in the week, or are simply trying to diversify your portfolio, a mutual fund is an excellent choice. And a growth and income mutual fund, is usually the best choice.

What's more, mutual funds are professionally managed, which means you don't have to spend your day watching stock prices go up and down. The mutual fund manager does that for you. He or she watches the individual stock prices, makes adjustments, and sends you a report on a regular basis.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Trump Your Investing Fears

3 Sure Ways To Trump Your Investing Fears

Often times when people here the word "invest" they become frightened. It is probably one of the most misunderstood words on our planet. As a result, many employees as well as other individuals refuse to invest their money in anything other than a passbook savings or money market account. That includes those who have retirement accounts available through their employer.

So, what is stopping you from starting to invest? Three of the most common reasons are I found after taking a poll are:

1. I don't have enough money to invest.

2. I have to pay off my bills first.

3. I have money to invest, but I am afraid.

What can you do to alleviate your fear of investing? There are many inexpensive ways to start investing. You can open an investment account with a broker that sells shares or partial shares of stocks, this type of broker is usually found online.

You can open a mutual fund account with a mutual fund company, that will allow you to start with a small amount of money. You can start investing with your company employee retirement plan. And finally, you will have to shed some old baggage about investing, for example, "I will start investing when I get my bills paid off," or "I am afraid to invest." The main questions being, how do you shed this baggage and allay all fears?

1. The first most common reason many people don't start investing is because they think it is too expensive. They feel a lot of money is needed to start investing in stocks or mutual funds. There are mutual fund companies that will allow you to start an investment account for as little as one hundred dollars, and add as little as twenty-five dollars a month. You can do a search for mutual funds in any internet search engine or research them in your local library. There are many companies that will allow you to invest in a few shares or partial shares of stock, starting with as little as eight dollars a month, and adding eight dollars a month to your account to purchase additional shares or partial shares. Using your company retirement account is another way to invest with ease. In most cases, you will have the option to pick among investments already chosen by your company. The money is taken out of your check, your employer matches a
percentage your total, and your investment has tax advantages.

2. The second most common reason is that many people are told to pay off bills before they start to invest.

It is a good idea to have your debt well under control before you start to invest. The interest rates on outstanding debts are sometimes in excess of the interest rates on investments, coupled with compounded interest, debt payments can be excessive. There is an easy way to invest after you have your bills under control, that is to treat your investment savings as "just another bill," before you know it, you will have a significant amount of money in your savings account, that you can invest.

3. Fear is probably the third most common reason people don't invest. This fear can be easily conquered with education and detailed information about investing.

Do you have plenty of money to invest, but you are simply afraid? I think the term for that is, "fear of the unknown". That is probably the easiest investment stop addressed in this article. The Internet has brought learning to our fingertips, there are thousands of websites that teach investing from a consumers perspective. Brokerage sites and web portals provide research with detailed information about stocks, mutual funds and other investments to protect your interest and your money. If you are not Internet savvy, take a trip to your local library, the librarian will show you how to use investment research catalogs such as the stock reports for stocks research, and the Mutual Fund Reports for Mutual Funds research. Doing your own research will teach you how to choose low risk, low cost investments. Investment research will also teach you how to analyze the investments that your advisor chooses for you.

Know About The Stock Market

5 Things To Know About The Stock Market

50% Of U.S. Households Invest In The Stock Market

Individuals invest in the stock market directly, through mutual funds, their pension plans, profit sharing plans, 401k's, IRA's, etc.

Mutual Funds Dominate The Market

It is mainly the mutual funds, buying and selling, who move the market and cause individual stocks to go up and down. Mutual funds are the 800-pound gorillas of the stock market; at the end of 2003, mutual funds held more than $3 trillion dollars worth of stocks.

The Dow Jones Average Is Not The Stock Market

The Dow Jones Industrial Average is comprised of only 30 selected stocks. In reality, there are more than 7,000 different stocks listed on the 3 major U.S. stock exchanges. That makes it quite possible that, in a given time frame, the Dow Jones Average may be flat or down but many individual stocks may actually be up.

Most Individual Investors Fail

Over time, most individual investors fail to achieve the stock market success they would love to have. This is due to many factors, including lack of knowledge, lack of time and effort, lack of a good strategy that works, and emotional decision making.

Can You Beat The Market?

Investing in stocks can be a very rewarding experience, financially and emotionally. If you do it right. With the right effort, the right knowledge, and the right strategy, an individual investor can do extremely well in today's stock market, and, as a result, realize a brighter and richer financial future.

Financing For Your Home Business

7 Ways To Get Financing For Your Home Business

Thinking about starting a home business? Do you already own a home business but need cash? Perhaps you can qualify for a small business loan. However, before you attempt to borrow any money, you first have to figure out how much money you need. The easiest way to do this is by putting together a business plan. A good business plan is critical to your business success.

It can be a simple one page outline or it can be many pages, but it should spell out exactly how much money is needed and what it will be used for; your potential market and customers and potential for growth; what makes your business unique from others; and a rational and conservative projection of your business's cash flow.

Your plan will also help you set business goals and define the steps necessary to help you reach those goals. It is a guide for you to refer to on a regular basis to help evaluate your business progress and help keep you focused on your priorities. Besides, a business plan is almost always required when applying for a bank loan. If you need assistance in writing a business plan, your local library should have several books on the subject. You can also try Amazon.com. In addition, you should be able to get help on writing a business plan from one or more of the sources listed below:

1. The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers numerous loan programs to assist small businesses. It is important to note, however, that the SBA is primarily a guarantor of loans made by private and other institutions.

2. The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) is a volunteer management assistance program of the SBA that provides one-on-one counseling, workshops, and seminars. SCORE has chapters throughout the country. Many work in conjunction with local Chambers of Commerce. SCORE and Visa have also joined forces to help home-based and small business owners.

3. Talk to your local bank. Find out what they require for a business loan application and also if they are participants in the SBA loan programs. Be diligent and shop around for the best loan packages, and make sure you fully understand the terms.

4. You may be able to borrow from insurance policies, IRAs, 401k's, stocks and securities, etc. Check with your insurance agent. Also, investigate what the policies are regarding borrowing from your mutual funds or retirement account. Before borrowing, make sure you fully understand the pay-back terms and any potential penalties.

5. Apply for a home equity loan. Borrowing against the equity on your home is permitted in all states except Texas. Just make sure you're diligent about paying back the loan or you could end up losing your home.

6. If you're a woman, you may be eligible for a Specialty Loan. These types of loans are now being offered by local banks. Who knows? Filling out a one-page application just might get you an unsecured credit line or loan ranging from $2500 to $50,000.

7. Try borrowing from family members and/or relatives. If you have a good relationship with your family, perhaps you can make a persuasive argument for them to loan you money for your home business. Just remember, borrowing from family or relatives shouldn't be treated any differently than borrowing from a bank. It's just as important to pay them back on time as well.

10 tips for stock market

10 tips for creating wealth from the stock market:

1. Do not spread your money too thin.

My friend has a little over $200,000 invested in the stock market through 27 different Mutual funds. In my opinion, 27 Mutual funds is 27 too many collecting load fees, management fees, commission fees, operating and advertising fees. Diversity is important, but just as important is over-diversification. Also, in my opinion, $200,000 should not be put into more than 12 stocks, let alone 27 different Mutual funds.

2. Do not pay commission fees to purchase a stock.

If you are going to invest your hard earned dollars into a company, the least the company could do is provide you a way to invest in their company commission free – and they do!

3.Only purchase those companies that pay a dividend.

The same company that you invest in commission free should also offer you another incentive for you to invest – a dividend for the use of your money.

4. Only purchase those companies that have a history of raising their dividend every year.

The same company should continue rewarding you for your faith in their company by increasing the amount of their dividend every year. Rising dividends are also the proof that the company is doing something right.

5. Dollar-cost average into each stock position.

By dollar-cost averaging (buying the same stock at different prices through the years) you’ll never pay too much for the company’s stock, even if the initial purchase is at a 52 week high. Have all the dividends from each company rolled back into more shares of each company, until retirement. The companies you invest in should do this for you, automatically, commission free.

6. Forget making a profit; instead focus on the income provided from your stock portfolio.

That’s right! Forget making a profit. The burden is now lifted - no more pressure on making a buck in the stock market (Instead of trying to bend the spoon, that is impossible, instead just think of the spoon as – omigosh! - I’m in the Matrix). When you focus on the amount of money your holdings are providing in dividends – and when those companies selected have a history of raising their dividends each year – a lower stock price allows the dividends that are being rolled back into the stock to accelerate your income. The total value of your portfolio may go lower, but your income from the lower priced portfolio would increase dramatically. Profit by income!

7. Make every stock purchase with the intent that the purchase will be a long-term investment.

Do not trade in and out of your holdings. There have been many up and downs in the stock market. The down markets only accelerate your income. GE has raised their dividend for 28 years in a row. Why sell it? 100 shares of GE ten years ago has turned into 1200 shares today due to stock splits, and that is not counting how many shares you would have now if the dividends were being rolled back into more shares of the stock through those years.

8. Understand that a lower stock price, after your initial purchase may be a blessing in disguise.

The income from your stock holdings should grow every quarter, no matter what the total amount of your stock portfolio is worth. (If your Mutual fund declines in price from one year to the next and if your income is not increasing (accelerating) from that fund, why are you in that fund?) A company pays their dividend not on how much their stock is worth in the market place. For example, a company pays a quarterly dividend of 50 cents a share. A company has little control on how much its stock price is worth in the market place on any given day. You will receive 50 cents a share per quarter whether the stock price is at 50 dollars a share, or drops to $40 a share or goes up to $70. While the stock is down at $40 a share your dividend reinvestment is loading up on more shares.

9. Develop a savings plan to add to your holdings each quarter to help your dividend reinvestments to accumulate more shares on a dollar-cost averaging basis.The savings could be as little as $5.00 a week. Why put that savings in a savings account at 1.2 percent, when there are so many companies out there that are paying a 4 to 5% dividend yield and increasing their dividend every year? And since none of the companies you are investing in charge a commission fee, all of that $60.00 a quarter you saved and invested would help your dividend reinvestments to dollar-cost average into your holdings. Every cent you save and invest would work toward your ROI (Return on Investment).

10. Read my book ‘The Stockopoly Plan’ soon to be released by American Book Publishing.

I believe it will profit you and your family for the rest of your lives.

A Guide To Investing

Everyone seems to have their own secret or strategy or trick to making money in the stock market. Here are two strategies that have helped many people.

1. It's your time, how do you want to spend it?

Some people suggest high risk investments and watch them all day. Others say that simply buying good quality mutual funds and hanging onto them for a long time is the best option. One of the deciding factors for you in developing your investment strategy should be the amount of time that you are willing to spend on monitoring your investments. There is nothing wrong with investing in high-risk investments if you have the time to spend researching, analyzing, and monitoring the price movement. There's also nothing wrong with the "buy and hold" method, if you do not have the time to spend on watching your investments. The people who have been very successful in investing are able to match their investment style with the amount of time they can spend on investing.

2. It's your money, how much can you risk?

The people who have lost everything on the stock market were not careful at managing their money. The stock market is not a gamble, if you're careful. But you need to be careful in what you buy and how much you buy. You can decide what is right to buy based on the amount of time you want to spend in the market. Knowing how much to buy is another issue. Don't put more into your higher risk stocks than you're willing to lose! You may find greater safety in buying mutual funds or bonds and if you have money you don't want to see disappear, those are probably good options for you. If you are sitting on your children's education fund, you probably do not want to be sinking that in stocks that could potentially gain or lose as much as 50% in a day!

Knowing how much time you have to spend on your portfolio and how much you are willing to risk are two strategies that can help you make wise financial decisions when it comes to investing.

Right Financial Planner

CHOOSING THE RIGHT FINANCIAL PLANNER

Choosing a financial planner is a very important decision. Who will you trust to handle your life savings and plan your financial future? The fact that someone claims to be a financial planner does not qualify him or her to handle your money.

They must have the proper certification, experience and knowledge.

The Four Cs of choosing a financial planner

1. Credentials
·What certifications, college /university degrees and experience does he/she have?
·How many clients or how much money does he/she handle?
·Make sure the planner is registered with the Investment Dealers Association in your area or Certified by a Government body

2. Compensation
·How are you compensated? Flat fees, salary or commission? (Beware of those who earn big commissions for placing you in high risk funds)
·Are there any hidden underwriting fees with my investment fund?
·Will you explain all the cost involved with each investment?
·What is the cost of liquidating or canceling my account with your firm? (Good to know, if you decide to switch funds or investment companies)

3. Characteristics
·What is your investment philosophy?
·Do you focus on domestic markets, foreign market or both? (Answer should be both)
·What is your specialty? Your strongest area? (Global portfolio management, no load mutual funds, stocks, bonds etc)
·How do you view risk and how does your philosophy fit my risk tolerance?

4. Customer service
·What services does your firm offer?
·How accessible will you (the agent) be?
·Will you review the funds last 5 to 10year performance in the prospectus?
·What has been your year-to-year investment performance?
·What was you worst year? Best year? And why? (Look for defensiveness or humility after raising this question, it reveals personality type)
·Do you offer financial planning, money management or both?

In conclusion, a financial planner works for you, and should be compatible with your personality, risk tolerance and financial goals. Make sure that your hard earn money is in good hands. Interview potential planners, ask for references and call at least 3 of those references.

Different Types of Mutual Funds

Different Types of Mutual Funds

This is a guide to the different types of mutual funds. When it comes to investing in mutual funds, investors have literally thousands of choices. Before you invest in any given fund, decide whether the investment strategy and risks of the fund are a good fit for you. The first step to successful investing is figuring out your financial goals and risk tolerance - either on your own or with the help of a financial professional. Once you know what you're saving for, when you'll need the money, and how much risk you can tolerate, you can more easily narrow your choices.

Most mutual funds fall into one of three main categories - money market funds, bond funds (also called "fixed income" funds), and stock funds (also called "equity" funds). Each type has different features and different risks and rewards. Generally, the higher the potential return, the higher the risk of loss.

Money Market Funds:

Money market funds have relatively low risks, compared to other mutual funds. Investor losses have been rare, but they are possible. Money market funds pay dividends that generally reflect short-term interest rates, and historically the returns for money market funds have been lower than for either bond or stock funds.

Bond Funds:

Bond funds generally have higher risks than money market funds, largely because they typically pursue strategies aimed at producing higher yields. Because there are many different types of bonds, bond funds can vary dramatically in their risks and rewards.

Stock Funds :

Although a stock fund's value can rise and fall quickly (and dramatically) over the short term, historically stocks have performed better over the long term than other types of investments - including corporate bonds and government bonds.You can purchase shares in some mutual funds by contacting the fund directly. Other mutual fund shares are sold mainly through brokers, banks, financial planners, or insurance agents. All mutual funds will redeem (buy back) your shares on any business day.

Making any sort of investment involved a certain amount of risk so it is always wise to seek the advice of a professional before making any decisions.

Fund Names Fool You!

DON’T LET MUTUAL FUND NAMES FOOL YOU OUT OF YOUR RETIREMENT!

Mutual fund managers use fake fund names to part you from your money such that you cannot judge what a fund does by its name. Many funds have names that are outright misleading or even deceptive. In the late 1990’s, for instance, during the technology stock bubble, some portfolio managers took advantage of public’s desire to chase the latest fad by slapping “internet” in front of their fund names.

The chances of that happening now are possibly lower. As of July 2002, the SEC requires funds to have at least 80% of their assets in securities that their fund name implies, up from 65% previously. This new rule is forcing funds that called themselves something like the America’s Government Fund to either dispose of East Asian government debt if it exceeded 20% of fund assets, or to change the fund’s name.

Likewise for funds that call themselves an equity income fund but have 25% of assets in stocks that paid no dividends. More than five hundred funds have had to change their names because they failed the 80% rule. Invesco’s Blue hip Growth fund, for example, is now called just growth fund, since 60% of its holdings are in technology stocks, and many of those can hardly be called blue chips these days.

The 80% rule still allows mutual funds to invest in just about anything up to 20% of holdings. Why don’t you just avoid the entire problem by buying shares of an indexed mutual fund when you only have a selection of mutual funds to select? For this reason I strongly recommend that if you can only buy mutual funds, as in the case of the 401(k), then restrict your purchases to indexed funds such as the Vanguard 500 (VFINX). The best you can do is to learn to select individual stocks in your Roth IRA or individual account.

Don'ts : Student loans

Don'ts : Student loans

--Don't neglect saving for retirement. Planning for your child's education should not sidetrack you from making regular contributions to your own 401(k), IRA or similar tax-deferred retirement account. You simply don't want to miss the chance to make the most of the tax-deferred gains available in such accounts. And retirement assets won't affect your eligibility for federal need-based college financial aid.

--Don't invest in esoterica. From time to time, you may encounter sales pitches encouraging you to save for college with investments such as annuities or cash-value life insurance. Both defer taxes on your investment earnings but at the price of costly withdrawal rules. Many deferred annuities, for example, charge penalties of 7% or more if you need to take out money within seven years of making your investment. Tempted to buy zero-coupon Treasury bonds, which recently yielded 6.6%? They can be fine investments--as long as you buy ones that will be redeemed when you need the money. If you have to sell a zero before maturity, you may lose principal if interest rates have risen since you bought it. Prepaid-tuition plans, another way of building up college savings, can make sense if you're too nervous to invest in stocks (see the box opposite).

--Don't put your money in your child's name if you hope to get financial aid. College financial aid formulas generally require a child to contribute 35% of his or her assets toward costs, but parents typically need to put up no more than 5.6% of their savings. With those basic dos and don'ts at the heart of your investment strategy, here are moves to make, based on your kid's age: If your child is 13 or younger, you have enough time to weather any short-term stock market squalls. Investment strategists therefore recommend that you put 75% to 100% of your college savings in stock funds, depending on how much risk you can tolerate, and the rest in such fixed-income investments as bonds and bond mutual funds. You might start your savings program with a fund that holds shares of large and mid-size companies with consistent earnings gains and strong growth potential. Financial planner Michael Zabalaoui at Resource Management in Metairie, La. suggests Oakmark (up an average of 25.13% annually for the three years that ended June 30; 800-625-6275). Pearman recommends Vanguard Index Value (up 25.46%; 800-851-4999). Both funds seek out undervalued equities and bear below-average risk, according to fund ranker Morningstar. After you have accumulated $5,000 in your starter portfolio, you can move as much as a third of your holdings into small-company and international stock funds, which offer the prospect of juicier returns but also carry greater risk. For funds specializing in shares of small companies, Zabalaoui favors Berger Small Cap Value (up 22.6%; 800-333-1001). Among international funds, he likes Janus Worldwide (up 24.7%; 800-525-8983).

If your child is 14 or older, reduce risk to safeguard savings. Zabalaoui recommends getting at least 50% of your money out of stocks by the end of your child's freshman year and moving all of your college savings for that child into short-term bonds, fixed income and cash by the end of her sophomore year. To keep risk low, most investment experts prescribe short- and inter- mediate-term bond funds, which will add more pop to your total return than CDs or U.S. Savings Bonds. Pearman likes Vanguard Bond Index Intermediate-Term (up 8.62%; 800-851-4999). The fund shuns high-risk bonds and has an extremely low annual expense ratio of about 0.2% of principal, enabling more savings to go toward your child's college costs.

Dos : Student loans

Dos : Student loans

Parents should begin saving money early for their children's college education because of the high costs and expectations that parents will pay part of the costs associated with the education. Several stock mutual funds are recommended.

Here's a question that's as pleasant to consider as a fraternity hazing: How will you come up with the money to send your child to the campus of his or her choice? If you're like most Americans, your answer is probably loans--unless you start saving and investing more effectively. According to a recent MONEY poll, fully 87% of U.S. moms and dads expect their kids to go to college. But nearly half of them, 47%, have not yet stashed away any money to cover the costs, which currently run an average of $7,118 a year for tuition, fees, room and board at four-year public schools and $18,184 at private universities, according to the College Board. And at the current growth rate of 5% a year, the cost of a four-year degree is projected to rise to $73,834 (public) and $188,620 (private) for a child born in 1997.

The survey of 1,118 adults with children, conducted by ICR of Media, Pa. (margin of error: plus or minus 2.9 percentage points), also provides a wake-up call for parents who say they are saving for their kids' college costs. More than half stash their savings in unwise college investments, such as certificates of deposit. And nearly a quarter of parents who are saving are putting away a paltry $500 or less a year for each child.

Yes, your child can lessen your burden by working part time and by pursuing scholarships. But financial experts say that the average parent should be prepared to pick up at least a third of total college costs.

If your child is in high school and you haven't saved enough, check out our advice on page 138 on borrowing for college. If your children are younger, however, the sooner you start to save, the better. For example, Richard and Deborah Winters of Milford, Conn. began putting away col- lege money for son Kyle, 4, when he was six months old and for daughter Kar- lie, 2, when she was 1 1/2. Oakland registered nurse Iris Winn, a late starter, now stashes a whopping $12,000 of her $70,000 annual salary into college savings for her daughter Monique, 15.

But whenever you start your savings regimen, you can maximize your dollars by planning and investing wisely. Later in this article, we suggest investment strategies for families with college-bound children. But before you get to the specific advice, study these basic rules,

the dos of smart invest- ing for college:

--Do set family goals. You must first figure out how much you need to carve out of today's spending for tomorrow's college costs. To do this, you can use the savings calculators included in popular software such as Quicken, online services like MONEY's college savings calculator or free worksheets offered by brokerages and mutual fund companies. "Parents and children should work together to make sure they are focused on the same goal," says James Pearman of Fee-Only Financial Planning in Roanoke. "That way, you can face tough questions early on--for example, what to do if you are planning to pay for 75% of tuition at an in-state public school and your child wants to go to Harvard."

--Do start saving early. Every year, as your investment principal grows, so do the earnings on your money. The lesson is simple: Don't put off investing.

--Do invest in stock mutual funds. According to the MONEY poll, parents saving for college have plowed 53% of their education investments into low-risk--but low-interest--CDs and savings accounts at banks and money-market mutual funds. The parents have invested only 23% of their money in stocks and stock funds. That's a serious mistake. While stocks carry some risk, they are your best bet for making your money grow over five years or more. Since 1926, stocks have gained an average of about 11% a year, more than any other type of investment. Moreover, you can't count on bank account and CD yields to keep pace with tuition hikes.The safest, easiest and most disciplined way to invest in equities is through mutual funds. Not only do funds offer diversification but many will also waive initial investment minimums if you make automatic deposits every month, typically as little as $50 or $100. To avoid having any money siphoned off in commissions, stick with no-load funds.

Hot tips on Retirement savings

Hot tips on your retirement savings

At the start, safety features were not needed in car design. Neither was it needed in a 401(k) account, but that is no longer true.

Here are some suggestions and things to watch out for:

1. Save automatically

Twenty five percent of eligible workers do not or decline to sign up for a 401(k) plan. Workers who do not sign up are risking their future. Plus, approximately $30 billion are left out in the form of company contributions. If only a few rank-and-file workers participate, the higher-paid workers contributions are limited as stated in the IRS rules. An increasing number of companies have made 401(k) enrollment automatic. Employees can still choose to opt out. Twenty five percent of large companies have employees automatically enrolled in the 401(k). Although, this would mean that many of the new employees are in a very conservative investment that may not be enough to beat inflation. If you're one of those higher-paid employees, you may want to move your money into a stock fund to take advantage of long term growth. You may also want too boost your contributions each year until you max out.

2. Simplify your investment

During the late 90s when the stock market was rising, providing workers with more investment choices was the rage. A few companies introduced new options and some offered 'brokerage windows' letting employees invest their 401(k) savings in an array of funds and stocks. True-blue investors loved the choices and unfortunately drove up costs with the increased amount of trading. Majority of the workers didn't make any choice at all. If you don't want to mess up your 401(k), simply tell your company to add a life-cycle or a target-maturity fund. You can also invest your savings in a balanced-fund option. A 60% stock to 40% fixed-income ratio is still a good choice.

3. Seek a low-cost alternative

Anomalies on mutual funds and awareness of high, hidden fees are making a few employers explore other forms of savings beside mutual funds. A commingled fund is an option that is available wherein the service provider combines small employer contributions to reduce costs.

The problem with commingled funds is that it isn't publicly traded and investors usually have less information about how the money is invested. When your plan is offering mutual fund alternatives, make sure to compare costing for long and short term plans.

7 Success Secrets

Online Trading: 7 Success Secrets

Here are some things to consider in preparing to trade:

1. What technique/vehicle will you use?
A. Options
B. Futures
C. Forex
D. Arbitrage
E. Mutual Funds
F. Stocks
G. Penny Stocks
H. Bonds

2. What is your required level of security?
A. Almost guaranteed success
B. Minimal amount of loss when there is one
C. High risk with high possible returns
D. Moderate risk with moderate rewards

3. Determine your current goals.
A. Steady immediate income stream
B. Find the big up and coming stocks
C. Stable Long term/future growth
D. Instant big profits
E. Slow but consistent increase

4. Determine how much time you will commit.
A. A couple of hours daily.
B. A couple of hours weekly
C. Have someone else manage your trades
D. A combination of your time and someone else managing a portion of your portfolio.

5. How much money will you apply to your online trading?
A. 10% of your gross income
B. 10% of your net income
C. 10% of your investment funds
D. Other

6. How much money will you place in any trade?
A. 2% of your total account
B. 10% of your total account
C. $1,000
D. $10,000
E. $25,000
F. Other

7. How will you manage your profits?
A. Allow all of it to compound?
B. Compound 10% of the profit and use the rest for living?
C. Compound 50% of the profit and use the rest for living?
D. Use all of it for living?
E. Other?

Defining your plan before you begin online trading will make a huge difference in your results. Once you have defined your plan, stick with it. Discipline yourself to do exactly as you said. Set a certain date when you may revise the plan and then stick with the revised version. It's best not to randomly vary your activity off the set plan.

If you want the least risk, learn about options and arbitrage trading. There is fabulous software available these days to make arbitrage trading a cinch. It's a great way to get your feet wet so to speak with the safest form of online trading.