DIY Financial Planning by Stein

I just finished Ben Stein's book 'The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing' - Do's and Don'ts to protect your financial life. Easy read, free from library and could not put it down! My take on the Do's and Don'ts from the book that support the recommendations are best summarized by these paraphrased snippets: "Investing is an emotional adventure - buying stocks when they are at their high and selling when they are at their low", "no one can time the market - because the market is efficient", "actively managed funds are just that - actively managed for the benefit of the fund manager/firm", "diversification is critical", "do not forget that inflation is an expense - reducing the value of your portfolio/savings", "buy and hold for the long term", "plan your portfolio based on how much you can lose - and invest accordingly", "keep it simple", "monitor your portfolio", and more. The book is easy to understand, covers key investing principles and is a valuable read for young families and those nearing or just starting retirement. They do provide three (3) investment models worth checking out called Tangent Portfolios. If you are very busy, and cannot grab the book, check out a good synopsis at my recommended site The Simple Dollar. Enjoy!