The investing world is full of advice. Some good. Most bad. Stocks, bonds, cash, 401(k), IRA, etc. Up is down. Left is right. And if you only follow the right sage advice you can become an instant millionaire. It’s all too complicated isn’t it? Well, the fact is that investing can be easy and profitable if you avoid the major pitfalls that stalk every investor.

When I first started investing I was drawn into the circus of the stock markets. Educated analysts, sophisticated computer models and wise money managers were advertised as the keys to success. The brochures showed retired couples walking on a sunny beach into the sunset (presumably after they just got off their yacht). Marketers trumped up the past returns of their funds and how much money you would have made if you were smart enough to have invested back then. Yet, the results just weren’t there. Sure, there were some mutual funds that did fine from time to time but it was never consistent. Money would be made, and then unmade, just as fast. 

Like many, I invested through the tech boom of the late 90′s only to see much of what I earned evaporate. Remember those days of analysts hocking the IPO of companies like furniture.com? How could that fail! When you want a sofa everyone knows the best way to get it is to order it off the web and have UPS drop it off on your doorstep, right? 

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