![John Oliver on Last Week Tonight.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/p/g/i/u/image.related.wideLandscape.460x259.gtdqrq.png/1482095385594.jpg)
Investing
![John Oliver on Last Week Tonight.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/p/g/i/u/image.related.wideLandscape.460x259.gtdqrq.png/1482095385594.jpg)
Five biggest mistakes people make saving for retirement
![ETFs give you exposure to a market, without high fees.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/l/i/u/n/image.related.landscape.120x80.gtdp3h.png/1482095166013.jpg)
Saving for retirement is a multi-decade investing venture, even for those approaching retirement.
2016: A year of surprises
![Investors turned on former market darlings such as Bellamy's Organic.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/b/4/k/2/image.related.landscape.120x80.gtb4c6.png/1482364473597.jpg)
Things that are always clear in hindsight are never clear at the time. But 2016 has really outdone itself.
HotCopper is too hot
![The HotCopper site is a sharemarket forum perhaps better known for spruiking and rampant speculation, rather than ...](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/a/y/f/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gtay97.png/1481703760215.jpg)
There is as much hot air in HotCopper's share price as there is in its forums.
Rich is a state of mind, not a bank balance
![Charles Dickens' Ebenezer Scrooge (played here by Jim Carrey) is the fictional archetype of the miserable rich person.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/a/x/k/x/image.related.landscape.120x80.gtaxcz.png/1481859309836.jpg)
Look no further than the hordes of rich but miserable celebrities and Lotto winners.
How some millennials are buying property without family help
![Kirti Mahraj, 23 and Adil Mohiuddin, 25 bought a house in Sydney without family money.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/d/9/v/d/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt9lej.png/1482381020706.jpg)
The reality of buying a house without family money seems increasingly far-fetched, but these three young men beat the odds.
The investment lies we tell ourselves
![The lies we tell ourselves are the most dangerous of all.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/9/d/s/n/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt9do6.png/1481575795183.jpg)
The hardest part of investing is not the balance sheet analysis or ratio calculations. It's the way we use that information.
The hidden danger of investing in aged care
![Aged care is destined to have increasing demand, but there may be oversupply.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/2/9/y/z/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt9e28.png/1482186413304.jpg)
Favourable demand forecasts aren't enough to make money in aged care. Focus on supply.
Galaxy Resources up 46pc, while Cre8tek nearly doubles
![A Panasonic lithium-ion flexible battery that's just 0.55 millimetres thick.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/1/k/8/a/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt7gr2.png/1481359916546.jpg)
Galaxy Resources, a mining company focused on lithium, has emerged as one of the strongest performers in the final Shares Race for 2016.
Bad Santa and Banqer ā teaching school kids about money
![The kids were assigned assets, such as shares in Blackmores or Facebook, or a commercial property and asked to research them.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/b/v/9/1/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt73wk.png/1481233998401.jpg)
There is little doubt that fostering financial literacy in young people leads to more confident decision making in adulthood which in turn leads to lower stress and better outcomes.
The outlook for investors in 2017
![The Australian economy will face global challenges, especially if the US changes trade policies.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/j/i/d/q/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt739k.png/1481627943101.jpg)
Despite historic low interest rates, super funds and investors generally have fared well in 2016.
Monopolies beware, tech is out to get you
![Walmart might be many times the size of the next largest retailer in the US, but it still has well under half of the ...](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/4/q/2/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt4q30.png/1480980313678.jpg)
Complacent investors may feel the pain.
The truth about the sharemarket
![There's no Smart Money, there's just competent and different levels of dumb, just like in the Jim Carrey movie Dumb and ...](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/4/2/z/b/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt42ut.png/1480905222522.jpg)
There are a few things that you won't read in the text books about investment that you probably need to know.
Reshuffling of the ranks as editor widens lead
![Myer chief executive Richard Umbers.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/h/h/7/q/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt2hih.png/1480639057637.jpg)
Money editor Caitlin Fitzsimmons has widened her lead in the three-week Shares Race, with her top pick now worth $16,829.
Motley Fool: Beware the Trump share rally
![President-elect Donald Trump has inspired a share market rally, but has it gone too far?](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/y/s/x/k/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsz8kh.png/1480770002934.jpg)
Investors are excited about President Trump. But is the market getting ahead of itself?
Tipster backs husband to take race lead in a positive sharemarket week
![Catriona Wallace is founder and CEO of Flamingo, which was recently acquired by Cre8tek.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/m/5/t/x/h/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsxdlu.png/1480165606758.jpg)
What a difference a week can make. After battling the head winds of market turbulanceĀ our tipsters have hit an early purple patch.
Dodge the pitfalls of buying off the plan
![SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 24: Graham Hand and his wife, Deborah Solomon, bought one of the Harbour Mill apartments ...](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/w/t/d/n/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsw9ab.png/1480035274004.jpg)
It's easy to be seduced by slick marketing but there are some things you need to know before you sign on the dotted line.
What elite cycling teaches us about money success
![Doing many small things better paved the way for Chris Froome and Team Sky to win the Tour de France. The same strategy ...](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/c/f/6/j/image.related.landscape.120x80.gswk6p.png/1479963350835.jpg)
How would you feel if you had set yourself a huge goal and not only achieved it, but smashed it, doing twice as well as you had planned?
Rising interest rates make bonds less attractive
![The US Federal Reserve is expected to lift official interest rates in the US.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/w/e/6/v/image.related.landscape.120x80.gswe4x.png/1479951720573.jpg)
US official rates could soon rise, so now's the time to review the merits of bond and other fixed interest fund investments.
Buying into a retirement village? Beware these traps
![Pam Graudenz, resident of a retirement village and vice president and village liaison officer from the Retirement ...](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/t/u/n/k/image.related.landscape.120x80.gstued.png/1479771947464.jpg)
Don't let the sales hype and glossy marketing blind you to the financial reality of buying into a retirement village.
Why I own a property but rent my home
![Renting can make more financial sense than buying in some circumstances.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/g/5/s/t/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsu0lh.png/1479812218386.jpg)
Rent may be dead money, but it beats being a slave to the mortgage.
Time to sell 'safe income' stocks
![Many investors turn to stocks such as Telstra for the income.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/2/v/3/d/image.related.landscape.120x80.gstsqt.png/1479690701733.jpg)
Interest rates are rising globally and it's time for retirees to think about their investment strategy.
Why bonds are not really 'safer' than shares
![Will 2017 be a good year for the ASX?](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/8/8/2/v/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsrjp9.png/1483356697434.jpg)
While bonds generally guarantee return of capital, you can still take a capital loss if inflation rises.
Six-week shares race ends with all but Dartboard underwater
![Investors are expecting continuing volatility in wake of the Trump victory.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/m/t/g/a/image.related.landscape.120x80.gss48h.png/1480403379130.jpg)
The US presidential race that saw Hillary Clinton ahead in the pollsĀ and Donald Trump's surprise victory created havoc onĀ markets.
Getting the measure of Trump is a short-term game
![Donald Trump will take over as US president on January 20.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/q/9/6/o/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsrhd6.png/1479828457260.jpg)
Don't rush a decision or change a plan just because there's a new US president.
Home buyers forking out fees to unqualified building inspectors
![Houng Lau bought the fourth property on which she had a building report.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/i/o/m/w/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsom7q.png/1480912591303.jpg)
House hunters seeking to avoid nasty surprises should know that not all building inspections are equal.
What the new world order means for your hip pocket
![As the world waits to see the new face of America, so far so good for Australian investors.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/t/y/d/k/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsmzdz.png/1479102094422.jpg)
The victory of the billionaire maverick Donald Trump to become 45th President of the United States may well lead to a period of political uncertainty.
The five things stopping you investing
![Beginner investors need to be willing to "skin their knee" just like novice bike riders.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/l/4/7/5/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsn1os.png/1478823491909.jpg)
They're decent reasons, but don't let them stop you.
Tipsters finish the week ahead on positives of Trump victory
![Investors see positives, such as President-elect Donald Trump's plan to spend big on US infrastructure.](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/m/t/i/g/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsmwnt.png/1479255034885.jpg)
The Australian sharemarket seesawed this week in response to the US presidential election, before leaving our tipsters generally better off as investors viewed a Trump presidency favourably.
Ride the Trump rollercoaster of money and emotions
![A man holds an American flag upside down as he stands with others in San Diego, to protest Donald Trump's presidential ...](/web/20170102171643im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/m/s/d/w/image.related.landscape.120x80.gsmsc1.png/1478898877412.jpg)
Australian investors and super fund members should prepare for volatility.