Index Funds and ETFs

What They Are and How to Make Them Work for You

By: David Schneider

Narrated by: Satauna Howery

Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Discover how you can make index funds and ETFs work for you without falling into the usual traps.

Are you lured into the index fund game without knowing what you are actually investing in and who really profits from your monthly contributions? Tired of always being on the losing end of the money game while fund providers reap their profits? Torn between hardened critiques and over-jubilant proponents?

With the ever-growing number of index funds and ETFs, it's no wonder that many retail investors are getting lost and confused. They simply don't understand what they are getting into, many times underestimating the real fees they end up paying even with "low cost" index funds and overestimating the returns they hope to achieve.

How have they become so popular?

Index funds and ETFs have seen stratospheric growth since the collapse of 2008 - benefitting from computerized trading, quantitative forms of investment management, and lack of alternatives.

Today, no matter where you look, the gospel of index fund investing has been taken to heart by the media and the masses alike. For the mass consumer, apparently, this form of passive investing is far superior - even revolutionary. But the voices of professional critics get ever louder and more abstruse stopping short of calling them the "devil's work". What is the truth? How exactly do index funds work? Are they really the sure bet they're made out to be or the path to poverty?

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2017 David Schneider (P)2017 David Schneider

detailed information

Excellent history and detailed information about index funds. Allows you to make informed decisions, unlike the gross generalizations and cookie-cutter advice regarding index funds found in other books.

Misleading title

There is little about Index funds and ETFs and much more about the author’s investing strategy and ends with a plug for the podcast and investment program. Maybe I missed it but there was no real detail on the methods of specific index providers or how exactly to find the right one based on your needs or wants.

Not just in favour of Etf. A useful inner view

Not just in favour of Etf. A useful inner view
starts with enthusiasm, critics follows, ends with a good synthesis

Accompanying pdf is not formatted properly

Book is great so far, but am a bit frustrated that the accompanying pdf is not properly formatted. Graphs are not completely visible.

Interesting viewpoint

A little schizophrenic at times going from the stock market is a good thing to it's hopeless, why even bother, you're going to die broke anyway.

The simple premise of diversification is extended to all your asset types, not just the market.

Overall, a good read but be prepared for a depressing middle section of the book.

Good book but does not provide enough strategies to work with

Good book but does not provide enough strategies to work with. One must read Money master the game before reading this one

Covers investing not enough on EFT's

more needed on topic of the title although lots of insights for investors--main issue for me

An insightful exploration of index funds

I have had a simplistic view of index funds, and was convinced I should get an account going, then in the future transfer all my available resources there. Guess what- it's not quite as simple as we have been led to believe. I found the book very informative and listenable, but what impressed me most was the author's independence from any specific way of investing. I was fully convinced that I was getting a more candid overview than I could have heard from a professional investment advisor. The book ends with a clear and very helpful analysis of our best options as private investors. An excellent book.

The reader was very good- smooth, clear, and animated. I dinged her one star for pronouncing the word epitome the way it looks instead of the way it is pronounced ;-)