You do not need to pick stocks to build wealth. This one-page primer covers the handful of ideas that matter most for new investors: how stocks and bonds differ, what an index fund is, and how risk and time work together.
What it covers
- Stocks versus bonds, and what each does in a portfolio
- Why low-cost index funds beat most active funds over time
- How diversification lowers risk without lowering expected return
- The role of time and compounding for long-term investors
How to use it
- Open the cheatsheet from the link below.
- Read it once front to back to get the big picture.
- Use it as a reference before you open or fund an account.
- Revisit it whenever a headline tempts you to tinker.
The one habit that matters most
Invest regularly into a diversified, low-cost portfolio and leave it alone. Trying to time the market costs most people more than it earns. Boring and consistent wins, and this page is meant to make boring feel reassuring rather than dull.