Question: How Can I Get Started in Investing? Part 1

Well let's start with a basic lesson -- never turn down free money! Sounds logical, right? Well if your company offers a 401k with partial or full match and you're NOT investing in it, you are leaving free money on the table! Even if you have no idea about investing, you should be contributing to your 401k at work. There should be easy plans to invest in, perhaps like a life target fund. These funds will typically be named after the target date of your retirement. For instance, there could be a 2010 fund, a 2020 fund, a 2030 fund, and a 2040 fund to choose from. If you plan on retiring in 20 years, go for the 2030 plan. It's a no brainer and you're money is rather safe. It will be made up of a portfolio of different funds and investments suitable in risk for your target retirement date!

Click on the label of this post to find the other parts in this series.