Earlier quoted context omitted.
Have you even read the book? It sounds as if you either didn’t read it or simply didn’t get it.
Which specific point in my comment do you take issue with?
Ask HN: How can I use money to make money?
51–53 of 53 posts
Re: Ask HN: How can I use money to make money?
#52By far the best investment you can make is to upgrade your earning potential. I run a software consultancy and I could easily employ someone who specialized in writing software tests or a release engineer at 7x your current wage (these are unglamorous but ultimately not had things). Making 7x per hour changes the income and wealth equation dramatically. You could literally self teach both of those areas in 6 months.…
Re: Ask HN: How can I use money to make money?
#53Read "Simple Path to Wealth" by J L Collins. Set it and forget it.
My takeaway was: 1) Beating the market is much more difficult than mainstream information would lead you to believe. I've been investing my money for over thirty years and couldn't agree more.
2) Matching the market is as simple as purchasing a total market index fund. Collins suggests Vanguard Total Market Index Fund (VTSAX). But that isn't available everywhere, so in my 401K I had to find the closest thing. I switched over to this about five years ago and spend almost no time thinking about it.
3) If total market exposure is too risky for ones tolerance or circumstance (I am creeping up on retirement), Collins recommends mixing in a percentage Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund (VBLTX).
4) Concerned about international diversification, Collins explains that is already covered through the larger US companies investing in overseas as part of their business. This comes with an advantage of a filter for the currency exchange, and the kinds of unpredictable business practices you don't expect as a US investor.
5) I have no conflict of interest in this book. I share it with anybody interested and most new grads I meet. In my experience it is sound advice for anybody that isn't investing as a profession. Even then... well, I'll let Collins describe it.
6) Lastly, this seems to be an accepted philosophy of the FIRE community. FIRE is another strategy I wish I'd had known about 30 years ago.
Hope this helps