A Better Option- Why Spend The Money When....

I am a faithful SmartMoney reader and think it is one of the more useful financial magazines around. However, rather than spending whatever it costs to subscribe/buy at the book stand, I read SmartMoney online. The information is virtually identical to what you get from the magazine and it is free.

SmartMoney is a great read because they break a difficult subject down to laymen's terms. For instance, the charts and screening methods that they utilize are virtually incomprehensible to those outside of the financial world. However, SmartMoney breaks down the screening devices and tells you what they are looking for and what they found, rather than making you look for it yourself. A nice touch and easier to read than Individual Investor's similar screening tables.

The magazine also does a great job of taking a rather mundane and difficult subject and making it readable for the average person. SmartMoney skips some of the big terms that are so prevalent in finance and instead uses simple language to make points.

A nice feature on the website is the retirement calculator. I know that many sites have them these days, but it is nice to have one nearby to utilize immediately after reading an article on retirement. Too often you will read something and then go to another site to use the calculator, only to find that you have forgotten the numbers you needed. SmartMoney lays it all out in front of you.

I would recommend SmartMoney for anyone interested in learning more about the financial world. However, check out the free website first.