Preface

There are many reasons why I have decided to write this book.  But perhaps the most important one relates to the current lack of education about investing. As an educator myself, I am frustrated by the fact that our education system in North America (be it at the high-school, college, or university level) is failing us.  It is failing to provide our youth with the knowledge and skills they need to efficiently manage their money.  We teach our kids Math, Science, English, etc.; but we seldom give them the opportunity to learn about Personal Finance and Investment.  Even at the college or university level, very few students are encouraged to learn about these subjects.  The result is that most people end up not knowing how to efficiently and effectively manage and invest their money.  Many try to educate themselves by buying and reading investment-related books.  While some investment books are quite good, the majority are written in a language that is much too technical and complicated for the average person to understand.  What makes matters worse is the fact that there is an abundance of get-rich-quick books out there that provide readers with false hopes and little background upon which they can build their investment knowledge.  This led me to conclude that it was time for a change.  So, I committed myself to write an investment book using only simple and easy-to-understand terms. 

The main purpose of this book is to provide you with an easy means by which you can educate yourself on investing.  To supplement your learning, I am providing you with hundreds of links to the very best investment-related tools and resources that are currently available on the Internet.  I have spent a significant amount of time carefully selecting only those sites that can provide you with the information and tools needed to make you a knowledgeable and skillful investor.  Today's investor is one that spends a lot of time online.  The Internet is a tremendous learning tool.  It is also the place where you will discover which particular investment products and services are available to you. 

Today's investment market is a global one.  That means that, even though you may be located in North America, you have access to investment opportunities located in many other countries.  There has never been a better time to be an investor. 

I differ from other authors who write on investing in that I maintain a strong focus on the online aspects of investing.  I also felt that it was important to talk about other topics that are seldom included in other investment books.  In the first chapter, I discuss reasons why it is important for you to invest.  I also help you to define your financial and investment goals and objectives.  This is an extremely important step that many new investors often neglect to take.  As I stated earlier, today's investment market is a global one.  Therefore, it is essential that you gain a general understanding about how markets and economies work before getting started with your investments.  This is what I focus on in the second chapter.  The last three chapters cover topics that are often overlooked in traditional investment books: online investing, alternative investment strategies, and investing offshore.  Offshore investing, in particular, is something that is rarely talked about; it remains a mystery to many.  Yet it is perhaps one of the most important investment-related topics for North Americans.

Finally, I wanted to write a book that appeals to and is suitable to both Canadian and American investors.  This was not too difficult to accomplish, since economies, markets, and investment products from both countries are quite similar.  The main difference lies in their respective government-sponsored pension plans and retirement savings plans, both of which are described in the first chapter.  Whether you are Canadian or American (or both), I encourage you to read about the plans offered by the other country, as it will give you additional insight into the advantages and shortcomings of each.

I hope you enjoy The Young Investor: The North American Guide to Investing Online.  Should you have any comments, recommendations, corrections, or complaints, please feel free to contact the author, Dan Fournier, at dan@theyounginvestor.net.  To get updates on weblinks, learn how to obtain an e-book version of this book for your desktop or handheld computer, or learn more about investing, please visit the website for this book at TheYoungInvestor.net.

May all your financial dreams come true.

Dan Fournier