Investing Magazines

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Liberty1100
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Investing Magazines

Post by Liberty1100 »

I am thinking of subscribing to some more investment magazines. What investment or money magazines do you subscribe to and find the most interesting/useful?
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Ged
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Ged »

In my experience they have negative value. They cost you money to subscribe to and if you follow their advice they cost you money again.
Laura
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Laura »

There aren't any worth paying for in my opinion. If you want to subscribe to something, sign up for the premium service at Morningstar.com but I wouldn't even do that.

Laura
The views presented are my own and not necessarily those of the Department of State or the U.S. Government.
Iorek
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Iorek »

I think the core problem is that you can probably learn what you need to know in one, or maybe two, issues of a magazine, but of course they need to publish many more so the possibilities are that they tell the useful stuff they've already told you, or they tell you stuff that is not helpful (either is irrelevant or actually harmful).
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JMacDonald
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by JMacDonald »

Save your money. This website and the recommended books are all that you need. The magazines will tell the latest 100 hot stocks and mutual funds where to invest your money. They are what we call around here "financial porn."
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gwrvmd
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Post by gwrvmd »

I would recommend the AAII Journal, the Journal of the American Association of Individual Investors, an investor education group. A group quite like the Bogleheads actually. Non-biased, Journal doesn't even accept advertising. Cost is $29.00/year
and that includes Journal. The Jan issue features doing your income taxes for the year, excellent issue
Website is: AAII.com....Gordon
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ny_rn
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by ny_rn »

Liberty1100 wrote:I am thinking of subscribing to some more investment magazines. What investment or money magazines do you subscribe to and find the most interesting/useful?
What magazines are you already subscribed to?
Caduceus
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Caduceus »

I haven't come across any good investing magazines on a retail shelf. The problem is index investing isn't particularly sexy. There is only so much you can write about it. Jonathan Clements (of the Wall Street Journal) did a good job, but his columns got pretty repetitive (not his fault!)

If you just want reading material, why not The Economist? Not exactly investing, but a good read.
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jfn111
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by jfn111 »

I still like to watch and read about what's going on in the world. I subscribe to WSJ, Forbes, Fortune and Money. I get most of them with expiring Airline miles. :happy
jdb
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Post by jdb »

I used to subscribe to golf magazines and investment magazines. My golf game slowly deteriorated (and wasn't good to begin with) since every month would have several new golf tips to try out. My investments were on same trajectory since was getting lousy investment tips each month. Finally cancelled both sets of subscriptions and better off, my golf game still mediocre but not getting worse and between this site and books recommended here may not be breaking par on investments but vastly improved. So my suggestion is save the money and buy some of books recommended on this site. And skip golf unless you want to spend money on a humbling experience.
Last edited by jdb on Sun Dec 07, 2014 5:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
dbr
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by dbr »

None, but I think the suggestion for a legitimate journal in the field could be an alternative.
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BolderBoy
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by BolderBoy »

JMacDonald wrote:Save your money. This website and the recommended books are all that you need. The magazines will tell the latest 100 hot stocks and mutual funds where to invest your money. They are what we call around here "financial porn."
+1. I subscribed to Money Mag for 30 years and dropped it a year after finding this forum. Between the two, hands-down, this forum/web site have taught me vastly more of usefulness.
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midareff
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by midareff »

Liberty1100 wrote:I am thinking of subscribing to some more investment magazines. What investment or money magazines do you subscribe to and find the most interesting/useful?
How skilled are you at ignoring what you read? It seems every columnist has a better idea and the natural enemy of a good plan is the thought of a better one. Having said that; I have subscribed to a few of them and still get Money magazine, from which I have discovered a few interesting websites. I'll also turn on the financial channel and catch some Kramer for laughs and do enjoy Joe and Becky cross examining some guy who just doesn't come across right without crossing the line on conduct.

If you want to read about investing read Bogle, Swedroe, Ferri, Otar, Bernstein (Wm), Easterling and other names and titles from the wiki. Other than that maybe Conde Nast Traveler is a better subscription.
tim1999
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by tim1999 »

I subscribe to Barrons. It's more orientated towards stock pickers, but they do often have a lot of interesting articles on things like finances of states, CEO profiles, etc. I enjoy reading all of the market statistics and it sometimes gives me ideas for my play money portfolio. Unfortunately in recent times they seem to be running a lot of "top 100 advisors" type articles which just seem like advertising fluff.

Barrons seems to target "old rich guys" and I enjoy feeling like one while reading it. :P
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SpaceCommander
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by SpaceCommander »

If you want specific investment advice, a magazine probably isn't what you're looking for. Perhaps a newsletter will fit the bill, but outsized returns by following advice from investment newsletters probably isn't going to happen.

On the other hand, personal finance magazines often have useful information on credit, insurance, debt, taxes, etc. In that vein, Money Magazine and Kiplingers are often helpful.
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DonCamillo
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Post by DonCamillo »

I look at the covers on the newsstand as a measurement of popular sentiment. My favorite example was when pump and dumper Robert E. Brennan of First Jersey Securities was on the cover of Fortune and Forbes in the same week. Fortune was praising him. Forbes was calling him a fraud. I have since felt that the only sure thing in investing was to take Forbes side when they disagreed with Fortune or Business Week.

I read the Economist regularly. I used to subscribe to Forbes, but a Boglehead really does not need investing ideas, and Forbes is not what it used to be.
Les vieillards aiment à donner de bons préceptes, pour se consoler de n'être plus en état de donner de mauvais exemples. | (François, duc de La Rochefoucauld, maxim 93)
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Higman
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Post by Higman »

I too would recommend AAII (American Association of Individual Investors) as mentioned by gwrvmd above. They are small cap oriented and do provide various techniques for stock picking – all of which I ignore. The real value is all the other articles they print like tax strategies, portfolio tracking, insurance, annuities, behavioral finance etc. Great articles in 2014 with interviews with William Sharpe, Robert Arnott, Jeremy Siegel, John Bogle (June and July issues), Wade Pfau and Michael Kitces just to name a few people some on this site would recognize.
livesoft
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by livesoft »

I like to read the Journal of Financial Planning when I can find the articles for free.
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JW-Retired
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by JW-Retired »

Higman wrote:I too would recommend AAII (American Association of Individual Investors) as mentioned by gwrvmd above. They are small cap oriented and do provide various techniques for stock picking – all of which I ignore. The real value is all the other articles they print like tax strategies, portfolio tracking, insurance, annuities, behavioral finance etc. Great articles in 2014 with interviews with William Sharpe, Robert Arnott, Jeremy Siegel, John Bogle (June and July issues), Wade Pfau and Michael Kitces just to name a few people some on this site would recognize.
Is this the 30-something page monthly "AAII Journal" you are talking about? It doesn't sound like the same thing it was when I dropped it a couple of years ago.
JW
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cowboyinasia
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by cowboyinasia »

Money is my favorite. Over the years I learned a lot, was inspired by some of the stories, and was spurred by some of the ideas. After nearly a decade I find that each issue has limited 'new' ideas and insights for me. But I can get it for $1 per issue I like getting it in the mail and perusing it over an hour or so, so I still subscribe. .

Kiplingers I subscribed to for a couple years, but it was too much about 'buy this stock' or 'buy this fund'.

I like parts of the WSJ from time to time, when I can look at a copy for free. Used to look at Barron's, but when you focus on Index Investing there is only so much you use it for.
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Higman
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Post by Higman »

JW Nearly Retired wrote:
Higman wrote:I too would recommend AAII (American Association of Individual Investors) as mentioned by gwrvmd above. They are small cap oriented and do provide various techniques for stock picking – all of which I ignore. The real value is all the other articles they print like tax strategies, portfolio tracking, insurance, annuities, behavioral finance etc. Great articles in 2014 with interviews with William Sharpe, Robert Arnott, Jeremy Siegel, John Bogle (June and July issues), Wade Pfau and Michael Kitces just to name a few people some on this site would recognize.
Is this the 30-something page monthly "AAII Journal" you are talking about? It doesn't sound like the same thing it was when I dropped it a couple of years ago.
JW
Yes, the monthly AAII Journal. And their web site also has good information.
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tennisplyr
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Post by tennisplyr »

I enjoyed reading Money Magaine and Kiplingers, they are light reading.
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Toons
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Toons »

Pre-Internet days I subscribed to Money Magazine and the Wall Street Journal.
Cancelled both subscriptions in the nineties.Haven't looked back in that whatever info you are looking for is on the web.The Bogleheads site is number one on my list :happy
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stan1
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Post by stan1 »

I suspect the writers for Money and Kiplinger's come to this website to get story ideas.
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peppers
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by peppers »

On these cold and blustery winter nights, I like to make a nice hot cup of hazelnut coffee, get a warm blanket and snuggle up on the couch and peruse the latest IRS publications. 'Tis the season....
"..the cavalry ain't comin' kid, you're on your own..."
ericinvest
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by ericinvest »

I still read investment related magazines and newspapers, for different contents,
1. Money, Kiplinger, (there's used to be Smart Money but it's discontinued): tips about credit, insurance, saving, personal finance etc.
2. WSJ, Barron: finance and world related news.
3. Forbes, Fortune: company and people profiles, startups.
4. IBD: quickly browse occasionally to kill time.
Goblue97
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Post by Goblue97 »

I would recommend Bloomberg Businessweek but only for news (not investing). In my opinion, Money, Fortune, and Kiplingers all have regressed in the last 5 years. My 2 cents.
bondsr4me
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Post by bondsr4me »

I like WSJ, Barrons, and Investors Business Daily.
Also, the AAII is good for indivudual stock investors.
I enjoy reading about business, companies, the economy.
Not too much interested in individual stock picking, but that doesn't mean I won't either.
All of the above are good reading.
Don
Steven28
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Steven28 »

i have been getting the wall st journal for more than 30 years - lots of good information. also get money magazine and kiplingers magazine. while both magazines are of limited value to me, the cost is low, and often learn something of interest or usefulness. Plus I often mark several articles to show my wife to educate her. She is a reluctant reader of investing articles. I also share key articles with my young adult kids. so for me worth the small investment

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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Stonebr »

One of the few regrets I have from my 35 years of investing is the amount of time and money I wasted on these magazines. If you must read this trash, do it for free at your public library or your dentist office.
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Fieldsy1024
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Post by Fieldsy1024 »

Money Mag, somehow I got it for free with a coupon. It is up in August. By then I will see how much it cost and go from there.
lawman3966
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by lawman3966 »

I would have to agree with some posters above in saying that most of those magazines are a waste of time and money.

Before subscribing to any publication, you'd have to ask whether you intend to act on any of the advice you see in it. If so, then you'd have to determine whether you plan to change your investment policy statement and your allocations every month, based on the latest article(s) in the publication at issue. Such an approach to investing runs directly counter to the view that individual investors will not be successful picking individual stocks, market sectors, or at timing the market.

Another query to resolve before following the advice in these publications is exactly what the columnists know and don't know. I would bet that many posters here know more than many of the columnists at the mass market financial publications mentioned in this thread. I would moreover add that many of financial columnists have begun to (reluctantly I assume) parrot what J. Bogle has been saying for forty years. This begs the question as to why you'd want to pay to read a regurgitation of Bogleheadism in a mass market publication when you can read the unadulterated version on this site.

That said, I have found some of the more academic publications to be interesting at times, though not the for the purpose any short-term reallocation decisions. I have, for instance, enjoyed reading detailed comparisons of the benefits of immediate annuities to standard stock and bond investing.
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Fat-Tailed Contagion
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Fat-Tailed Contagion »

Forbes has some informative articles.
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fortyofforty
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by fortyofforty »

Money. Kiplinger's. Forbes. Business Week. Mutual Funds. Wall Street Journal. Barron's. Fortune. Morningstar Premium. As a young investor I subscribed, at various times, to each of them. However, I haven't read any of them in decades. Save your money, and donate it to a charity. That's a win-win. By the way, Money magazine did save me from investing with a horrible "junk bond" fund company, thirty years ago or so. I suppose that paid off. Since then, though, I don't really miss any of them. Money did also introduce me to Vanguard, and Morningstar's (in)famous Vanguard Diehards led to Bogleheads.
BV3273
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by BV3273 »

I too thought about subscribing several times, but I didn't really see the value in it. The knowledge on websites as this one blows away any content that can be found in all of these magazines combined. If I am flying somewhere I usually pick up Forbes or Money and skim through it in the store.
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Taylor Larimore
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by Taylor Larimore »

Liberty1100 wrote:I am thinking of subscribing to some more investment magazines. What investment or money magazines do you subscribe to and find the most interesting/useful?
Liberty1100:

At one time or another, I have subscribed to all the magazines and newspapers mentioned above. I probably learned something (good and bad) from each of them. In my opinion, one good book about investing is better than all the periodicals put together.

I have read hundreds of financial BOOKS over the years. Fortunately, I started saving the best ideas from the best authors. I call them INVESTMENT GEMS.

In my opinion, these GEMS are the best and quickest way to learn how to invest successfully.

Best wishes.
Taylor
"Simplicity is the master key to financial success." -- Jack Bogle
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sunnywindy
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Re: Investing Magazines

Post by sunnywindy »

I think most (all?) of the national financial magazines are garbage, but I would recommend Morningstar's ETF Investor http://etf.morningstar.com/Purchase.asp ... id=EETBKST (the other Morningstar newsletters are good, too, but ETFs relate more to indexing, so I prefer the ETF newsletter). Yes, it costs more, but it has interesting worthwhile information.

My second choice is ETF Report http://www.etf.com/publications/etfr.html which you can get for free (but delivery doesn't always seem to happen).

My favorite publication was the Journal of Indexing (or something like that), but it has been discontinued.
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