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How to Invest: Investing 101

How to Invest: Investing 101

Learn How to Invest Your Money

Whether you've inherited a windfall or you're socking-away a little bit of money from each paycheck, one thought might be on your mind: How to invest.

Thankfully, learning how to invest is simpler that most folks realize. You don't need to be an active trader to be a successful investor -- in fact, for those new to investing (and even for seasoned investors), it's probably best to keep your "money moves" at a minimum.

While the saying holds true that the best time to start investing was "yesterday," don't feel rushed into making investments that you don't fully understand.

Take some time to read the articles below: They discuss the stock market, bond market, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other financial basics -- all written for beginners. Once you learn to invest, you can act with confidence and set yourself on a path to financial freedom.

Looking for More Advanced Concepts?

If you already have the basics of investing down pat, and you're more interested in actively-trading stocks, we have additional guides for you. For instance, you may enjoy these primers on technical analysis.


Looking for Basic Terms?

If you're having any difficulty following along in these guides, you may want to glance over our dictionary of financial terms. Here, you'll find nearly 200 definitions -- written in plain English -- that explain the most important terms tossed around daily on Wall Street.


Looking for Investment Ideas?

If you've made it through these guides (no cheating, folks) and are looking for some specific investment ideas (remember, skipping ahead is only cheating yourself), then give TheStreet Ratings a look. We rate over 20,000 mutual funds, 5,000 stocks and 1,000 ETFs.

Remember, don't take stock and fund recommendations as gospel -- instead, use them as a starting point for your own research. Successful investors have confidence in their own analysis. Never stop learning and trust in yourself.

Money Basics: Money 101

Investing Basics: Investing 101

Bond Basics: Bonds 101

Stock Market Basics: Stocks 101

Mutual Fund Basics: Funds 101

Hedge Fund Basics: Hedge Funds 101

ETF Basics: ETFs 101

Economic Basics: Economics 101

Commodities Basics: Commodities 101

Business Basics: Business 101

Investment Ideas

Article
These five stocks look like conviction buys in BRK's portfolio right now -- not just position increases.
5/22/13 11:07AM
Article
Dividend-stock ETFs may not be as safe as many shareholders think. A good alternative right now is mega-cap funds.
5/22/13 9:41AM
Article
As the broad market peeks up into overbought territory for the second time in this rally window, we could be due for a correction.
5/21/13 11:00AM
Article
These stocks have both short-term gain catalysts and longer-term growth potential.
5/20/13 10:40AM
Article
Here's a look at how to trade some of the most active stocks on the market today.
5/17/13 2:33PM
Article
Here's a look at how to trade some of the most active names on Wall Street today.
5/17/13 2:27PM
Article
These dividend stocks look ready to boost their dividend payouts to shareholders this quarter.
5/17/13 10:53AM
Article
China has slowed, but the Philippines and Thailand are still growing.
5/16/13 11:17AM
Article
There's still a lot of upside left in this market, creating some serious trading opportunities in Wall Street's biggest stocks.
5/16/13 7:00AM
Article
Short sellers are piled into these stocks right now, making them prime candidates for a short squeeze in 2013.
5/15/13 11:15AM
Article
In spite of a broad market rally that's sent the S&P 500 around 15% higher in 2013, some stocks look toxic right now.
5/14/13 11:10AM
Article
These stocks have both short-term gain catalysts and longer-term growth potential.
5/13/13 10:56AM
Article
Cut taxes and get decent returns with low-cost 529 programs.
5/13/13 10:22AM
Article
These stocks can achieve significant growth but still have a fundamental backstop in their current balance sheet or earnings numbers.
5/10/13 12:30PM
Article
These ETFs beat the S&P 500 while providing rich income.
5/10/13 10:32AM

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