learn more about investing

My CD is coming due again. I am a bit disappointed in how the CD has earned.

So I have done a bit of research. CD’s really do not have very high interest rates any more. But they are better than my savings account.
I found a few sites that rated CD’s for both return on investment and also for safety. This is one: http://simpledebtfreefinance.com/high-yield-cds-fdic-insured-for-march-2010/

and then also looked at Money Blue Book.

There are definitely better deals out there when compared to my local bank.
So. My CD comes due in June, and I think I will liquidate it, and give that money, Plus a little more to another bank.

this did take a little more time, and I did learn that CD’s are not the biggest earners etc, but they are pretty secure and a nice way to put money somewhere and forget about it, while it earns.

With poor Dr. Prabhu about money the other day. I told him Mad Money the show confused me, he said it had helped him to invest well. He then explained the problem with my Roth IRA turns out its everyones problem, not just mine. THen we discussed Vangaurd and a few other funds. very helpful.

not really an investment. I seem to have an issue with mine. For a while it was earning a nice little bit of interest. But I note that in january it went to 0.1% interest. this is pathetic and no better than a savings account. In fact, it may be worse. So. I need to ask the Roth people what happened. And then I will have to find a different Roth that offers slightly more than 35 cents a month on my money!

As I am about 20-30 years from retirement and I really have not a clue about investing. I have done a lot of nice saving, but…not investing. I don’t really understand the different investments, and am a bit intimidated by any risk. I hate to give up money (the scots in me they tell me).
A group of us were chatting about this the other day and we were bemoaning the interest (or lack thereof) that comes from a savings account….and one of the ladies stated that we might do better with buying a few mutual funds instead.
So. THis morning…I read about mutual funds. I now understand that they are a conglomeration of stocks chosen in a group by someone supposedly wiser than myself. Unlike stocks, there is supposedly less risk involved as the risk is spread over a bunch of stocks.
THere are no load funds (lower fees associated) and funds that are loaded in a variety of ways (Pay up front, pay when fund is sold, pay pay pay). Research has now shown us that no load funds perform at about the same rate as the loaded funds.
It seems one does have to be a wee bit careful about which fund to buy into, I just looked at Vanguard’s funds and while I know everything took a hit, they seem to have really taken a hit, only a few of their funds seem to be performing well at all.
As far as I can tell, it may be worth putting a few thousand into a mutual fund. As long as it is a conservative one, I imagine it will earn more than my savings account.