Reddit reviews The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need

I've been sponsoring a child in (Nepal, India, Peru, Equador as each child grew up at some point) at Save The Children. You learn a lot from the children's/site leader's letters about different cultures and makes it less of a faceless exercise.

I read Andrew Tobias's book, Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need's chapter on Charity in college and it made me decide right then to make charity a part of my investment plan. I have to say it is something I am proud to have done for every 30 years through good times and bad.

> You are unlikely to happen upon an investment strategy by sheer luck as effective as those your advisor would use EVERY DAY.

That's why professionals beat the odds. Oh, that's right. They don't. They frequently lose to dart boards. That's because no one (except Buffett, apparently) can actually beat the market.

What on earth could a financial advisor do with $200K that she couldn't do herself for cheaper? If she sticks it into the S&P500 and leaves it, she's going to beat 95% of the professionals out there. What is an advisor going to do for her, other than charge fees to do what she can do at Vanguard.com for free?

Edit: OP, here are some books to read: 1, 2

It's a misleading title: http://www.amazon.com/Only-Investment-Guide-Youll-Ever/dp/0156029634/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266369902&sr=8-1

However, it covers a lot of topics, is only $10, and is easy reading.

I paid the fee and took the insurance class. It was worth the fee to get the class, even though I never sold a nickel of insurance and walked away from them soon after. Their products are expensive and overpriced. I basically decided that I couldn't sell something I wouldn't buy. They had some really crappy biweekly mortgages too.

Read this: http://www.amazon.com/Only-Investment-Guide-Youll-Ever/dp/0156029634 It's not the be-all end-all (and the author is somewhat embarrassed about the title, but his publisher came up with it), but it is a good start. Also read the Millionaire Next Door.

Then go to a low cost broker (tiaa cref, vanguard, schwab), and start a Roth IRA, throw some money into a 401K. If you are married get some term life insurance. Stay out of debt, and save up some money to buy cars with cash and a down payment on a house.

the only investment guide you'll need is one that's floated around (have a copy but haven't gotten around to reading it)

warren buffet's annual letter probably wouldn't hurt either

Wow this is a great list - thanks everybody
I want to recommend a book that absolutely changed my life.
'The only investment guide you'll ever need' by Andrew Tobias. I knew little about finance, and this book, which is maybe a hundred fifty pages long, covers everything you need to know. I read it fifteen years ago in an afternoon and last year I retired early (at 50) as a result of following what he recommended. He writes for the layman and updates it regularly. Wish I'd read it at 18. I know you'll probably ignore this post because finance is boring, but do yourself a favour, check out the reviews on amazon and spend a couple of hours reading it.
http://www.amazon.com/Only-Investment-Guide-Youll-Ever/dp/0156029634