Since we now know and agree that bankers, for incompetency or greed, don't mind losing our money, destroying portfolios and getting commissions and bonuses in the process, we need to stop crying and start helping ourselves.

Let's start with the idea that you do whatever you do for a living, save your hard earned money and then give it to someone else so they "manage" the funds who usually end up losing the majority.

We will have to start learning and taking care of our funds ourselves.  There is no other way.  Every single one of us will have to learn how to invest.

It really is not that complicated.  You don't have to spend all your time reading newspapers or watching finance shows either.

There are 3 simple golden rules to keep in mind and that's it.

Golden rule 1:  If an investment idea or financial offer does not make sense, is not simple enough and requires long explanations, than you have to stay away from them.

Golden rule 2:  Never forget that everything you hear or read is a pure sales pitch.

Golden rule 3:  You have to be flexible, keep some cash reserves and be ready to change course if you are on the wrong side.

Honestly that's all there is for successful investing.  Let's open the ideas a little:

Investments and money management are really not that hard or complicated.  The only thing bankers do, is to collect large sums of money and take advantage of wholesale rates that are not available to us.  If wherever they are placing the funds are too complicated or hard to understand than STAY AWAY!!!  If you don't understand it, chances are the ones trying to sell the idea to you, don't understand either and they probably are pushing it for a hefty commission.

Stay with simple and understandable and I promise you will do just fine.

Do you ever read the business, or finance section of newspapers or watch financial news?  All those "experts" in fancy suites using big words to explain what has happened or will happen….I have news for you.... They are trying to sell you the positions that they already are in.  If somebody is pushing that the market will go up, then chances are he or she already has a huge position and needs the market to go up.  He has to convince you, so that you come to market, push the prices up so they can sell you their positions.

How do you otherwise explain that at a given moment half of the "experts" think that the market will go up and the other half think that it will go down?  Don't believe what they say.  Listen to them if you like but don't assume that they know anything.  These bankers bankrupted their own institutions for heavens sake!!!!

You have to be flexible in your investments; you have to come to terms that you will be making mistakes.  What's important is not to be stuck in the wrong path.  Just keep some cash as reserves at all times so you can balance your positions if needed.  If you bought or sold a stock and its going the other way, you need reserves to either save it or to restart a new position.

That's it, play by these 3 rules and you will do all right.  Heck even if you don't at least you are in charge and don't pay a slick banker to lose your money.. 

You are and will always be better than bankers in managing you own money…..