The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing

Choose a sound financial lifestyle. Start early and invest regularly. Know what you’re buying. Preserve your buying power. Keep costs and taxes low. Diversify your stock portfolio [and diversify your stock risk with a bond portfolio].” Investors who follow these simple tenets will earn their fair share of whatever returns the financial markets are kind enough to deliver in the years ahead

Start early and invest regularly. Know what you’re buying. Preserve your buying power. Keep costs and taxes low. Diversify your stock portfolio [and diversify your stock risk with a bond portfolio].”

As a group, we investors are inevitably average, so beating the market is a zero-sum game. (After our investment costs are deducted, of course, it becomes a loser’s game.)