Lies, Damn Lies and Mutual Fund Returns How many times has this happened to you? You're at a social function and the conversation turns to investing. Pretty soon, people are comparing how well their investments are doing. As you might imagine, being an investment advisor this happens to me a lot. However, I recently had an experience with it that startled me. [More] Do Lifestyle Funds Provide Greater Security? The other Wall Street bright idea is the fund of funds (FOF). It sounds good, but it actually creates a double layer of costs; the cost of purchasing the fund itself, and then the expenses of the mutual funds the FOF purchases. Take for example, the Enterprise Group of Funds. It shows an expense ratio of almost 2% plus a sales charge of 4.75% according to Morningstar. Tack on the underlying expenses and you're paying out more than 3% a year in investment expenses. [More] Make Your Money Work Year-Round Regular investment plans can also help you manage your monthly cash flow. You will know exactly how much will be withdrawn and on what day of the month. You can also increase or decrease your contributions, at no cost, should the need or opportunity arise. Contributing on a regular basis also allows you to benefit from what experts call "dollar cost averaging". This means your regular contribution buys more mutual fund units when the price is low, and fewer when the price is high, helping to reduce the average price you pay per unit over the long term. [More] Stock Categories Based on Performance Stocks are influenced by several different factors. One of the most important factors, for many companies, is the time of year. The season will often influence how well a particular company does, based on the product or service it sells.. "You will be astounded by what your children are being taught in school!" You will be astounded by what your children are being taught in school!