The Reading Desk
Read a money book with a question beside every claim
A persuasive chapter is a starting point for research. Keep track of its assumptions, the evidence behind it and the decisions it cannot make for you.
Three places to begin
READ / UNDERSTAND / REFLECT
Concepts in Focus
Diversification is more than a long list of holdings
Different labels can hide similar exposures. Learn why the contents of a portfolio matter more than the number of names on a statement.
Everyday Money
A monthly total can hide a difficult week
Income and expenses have dates as well as totals. A simple fictional example shows why a cash-flow calendar can reveal a gap a monthly sum misses.
Concepts in Focus
A small percentage fee deserves a plain-money question
Translate a percentage fee into a simple money example, then check the charging basis, frequency and additional costs before comparing products.
Concepts in Focus
Compound interest: follow two years before projecting twenty
Understand compounding through a small two-year example and see why a calculator result depends on assumptions rather than guaranteeing an outcome.
Concepts in Focus
More money, less buying power: a small inflation example
Separate a change in your money balance from a change in what it can buy, using a simple hypothetical basket of goods.