learn about the stock market and investing

So I was supposed to diversify my “portfolio” (do mutual funds even count as a “portfolio”? Can one diversify when one doesn’t have any money?). Anyway, this spring I passed on investing in a more American-centric mutual fund and stuck with Canada, again. And I felt really dumb for doing that because there was not as much growth as the previous quarter. But then this sub-prime mortgage thingy happened and I didn’t feel quite so dumb. However, the Canadian economy is inextricably tied to the US so we’ll probably feel some of that too. Especially since our dollar has almost reached parity with the US dollar, which is bad. And I still think we pay way too much for books here. Rambling done.

I should diversify my portfolio outside of my country. I should be investing in Japan and Britain and the US apparently because those are the big markets. I still know almost nothing but I’m learning. Oh and the markets are still cautiously bullish (just add “it” and that’s how I’m feeling about all of this). I was watching the Suze Ormand show but it’s not really applicable to me when she starts talking about 401K or whatever. And I tried watching that crazy Mad Money guy, but he jabbers. Maybe I’ll get “investing for dummies”.

It is fine to buy into a retirement savings thingy every year, but one really should wait until companies have released their year end statements before investing said retirement savings thingies into mutual funds. Day before sailing along fine…Friday DOW does a nose dive to a three year low. I hate the stock market.