Investing Basics: Bonds, Stocks, Mutual Funds, and ETFS

Investing can be an intimidating prospect for beginners, with a wide variety of asset classes to choose from. But even experienced investors tie themselves up in knots over which assets to add to their portfolios as if there’s somehow a way to predict the future.

To be sure, the investment landscape is ever-evolving. But if you take the time to understand basic investment principles and the different asset classes, you stand to gain significantly in the long term.

In today’s episode, Dylan discusses bonds, stocks, and the vehicles that bundle them together: mutual funds and exchange-traded funds.

Show Highlights

• [04:37] What are stocks and how do they work?

• [08:01] Four factors to consider when buying individual stocks

• [14:39] What are bonds and how do they work?

• [18:00] Three factors to consider when buying a bond

• [19:47] Why neither stocks nor bonds are ideal

• [21:15] What are mutual funds and how do they work?

• [23:46] Actively versus passively managed funds

• [28:04] The difference between mutual funds and exchange-traded funds

• [29:14] Example that illustrates the role that luck and skill play in investment success

Links and Resources

🟢 401(k) vs. 403(b) vs. IRA: Which Is Better for Retirement → https://tinyurl.com/s01ep64

🟢 Fiscally Savage → FiscallySavage.com

🟢 Fiscally Savage Tools → FiscallySavage.com/tools

🟢 Instagram → Instagram.com/fiscallysavage

🟢 Facebook → Facebook.com/fiscallysavage

🟢 Twitter → Twitter.com/FiscallySavage