So, in my last piece of writing I talked about having conversations (and saving for a rainy day). So it was appropriate that at dinner the other day, I mentioned that one of my teenage boys must have saved enough to invest in a Vanguard ETF.

I should also disclose that this is not a "normal" dinner time conversation in our house – most nights we are talking about results from the weekend past, next week's football games, what's happening in cricket and occasionally, school work. There is also sibling banter, which I mostly try to ignore.

But tonight the conversation went from who was working this week, to spending, to saving, to investing.

It is something we have encouraged each of the boys to do once they get their first job. Not in individual shares (at least at first) – rather a low-cost index fund.

I remember when my eldest son set up his and saw his first monthly statement "Mum, I made more doing nothing then I did the whole month working".

It wasn't the same story for my second: he set his account up in late 2019… and it wasn't long before his holdings were less than his original deposit. 

2020 was a good learning experience for both of them as they saw their investments drop. But neither were worried. Mostly because they have been shown "the chart" (yes, the one Scott bangs on about) and know that time is on their side… Now neither of them regularly check what is happening, they just know they have an investment that will almost certainly grow (meaningfully) over time.

But what is this chart I'm talking about? For those of you new here, Scott refers to it often. I'd even go far to say it's his favourite tool for illustrating the power of investing and how following a long-term diversified investment plan will help grow your wealth over time. I remember when I first started at the Fool, he suggested I print it out and keep it on my wall – I didn't do that, but I did save it (and more importantly I have shown it to my children).

It's not a secret, and if you aren't familiar with the Vanguard Index Chart, you can read all about it here. Please, take a look…

I won't lie. I often look at it with regret – regret that I didn't start sooner. I could say it's "because I didn't know". I could also say I found other "opportunities" (I have a penchant for boots and handbags). Both would be true. As I've gotten older, I like to think of myself as just a little wiser (I really do only have two feet), a little more balanced and a little more focused on where I want to be (financially). We all learn, we all move forward – it doesn't matter if we take baby steps or big leaps – just that we move forward.

So now it's son number three's turn to "get started" – before he uses all his savings to buy a car (we're trying to hold him off as long as possible – with two older brothers, and friends visiting, the street is beginning to look like a car yard).

And while we were talking about what we needed to do to set-up his account, it was son number four who showed the most interest in the conversation.

He's only just started work, and although he's been putting most of his weekly pay away he's not quite ready to move his savings from his bank account.

"Mum, can't you and dad just put in the difference and I pay you back?" He was very quick to understand how compounding works, so I get why he asked.

And while we probably could, that's not the lesson we want to teach and his time will come. If he is going to be an investor, he needs to be patient and understand it's a long game.

(It's also a good "carrot" to dangle when he asks (again) to use his savings to purchase the e-bike everyone has).

Fool on!

The post The lesson I'm trying to teach my boys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Erin Bouwmeester has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Women talk. But are we talking about the right things? Growing up in the 80s (I'm showing my age) my family didn't talk about finance, budgets or mortgages – I wish we had. 

I finished school with no responsibilities. I had no outgoings except for the $25 a week my parents asked me to pay as "board" (I remember thinking at the time it was daylight robbery!).

I remember my first "big" paycheque – I spent it all on one outfit and told mum and dad I would pay them the following week. I was young (but old enough to know better). As I said, I had no responsibilities… no debt, but no savings. That pattern continued for quite some time. And then I moved out of home and across the country with a one-way ticket. I had to find a job, a place to live and work out how I was going to survive. And although the safety net was gone it was the best thing that happened to me.

I maxed out a credit card… and had to work two jobs to pay it off.

Then I did it again!

And then… I got rid of it.

I started trying to put away the extra money I had been using to pay the debt. I didn't want to get into a situation where something would happen, and I didn't have the funds to deal with it because I knew that I would look for a credit card…again.

I was reminded of all this earlier today when I met a friend for our morning run. Neither of us had much energy and we ended up walking (and talking). We were talking about how our boys were both living week to week and have so little care for tomorrow. It's a point of frustration in my house, especially because I've been there…

I don't have all the answers – I really wish I did. But we have the conversations – we talk about debt, we talk about saving, we talk about a lot of things really…

But here's something they (and you!) can do, today – and it's quite simple really.

They need to start thinking about putting aside some funds for a rainy day (the car will break down; the washing machine will stop working – both of which happened to me in the past three years – and don't get me started on the dental bill from when the then-13 year old's front teeth collided with a snooker ball).

As we all know, sometimes life can take an unexpected path… and I hope they are prepared for if (when) that happens.

Of course, 18 year old me probably wouldn't have listened if my parents tried to warn me of the dangers of credit cards. Which is why I have those conversations with my boys. They will make their mistakes but I hope they can learn from mine…

As for saving for a rainy day, I wish I'd started early, but I started.  And, I'm glad I did because it was the first step in my journey to financial freedom… believe me, I'm not there… not even close if I'm being honest, but I'm on the way.

That journey to financial freedom is a life-long one (I can't stress this enough!) and it would be impossible to give you all the tools in one email because there is a lot to learn.

But I'm hopeful that, over time, I can help. 

Fool on!

The post When $25 for board was daylight robbery appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Erin Bouwmeester has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Full disclosure… I am not a member of The Motley Fool's investment team, nor would I consider myself an expert in finance. I am a forty-plus woman who is also a wife, mother, a full-time Fool and an investor. My first share purchase was many years ago when I took the advice of someone I'd just met at a barbeque – it was going to be a sure thing. It wasn't.

Just over 11 years ago I started working for The Motley Fool. I now lead The Motley Fool's product team here in Australia. In what feels like another life I used to work as an accountant and taught secondary students Business and Economics – over the years I have seen things change in the world of investing.

But one thing that hasn't changed (enough in my opinion), though, is the number of women investors. Don't get me wrong, there are women out there investing (and doing quite well for themselves) or who are wanting to invest, but the male voice is dominant in this area. This was highlighted in a conversation I had at a recent member event when I was talking to a guest who pointed out that it would be great to hear a "female" voice and more recently when Scott wrote "Where are the women investors" (hence the title of my article!).

And that's the reason why I came out from "behind the wall" today (and believe me when I say, this is really out of my comfort zone but hopefully there's a lesson in that alone!).

So while all the data shows that there is a lack of women investors  – amateur and professional – when compared to our male counterparts, the question is why?

Because what we don't read very often is that multiple studies have found that women outperform men when investing as we take on less risk, we don't tend to invest in fads and our temperament sees us better able to handle volatility.

Women talk. But are we talking about the right things? Growing up in the 80s (I'm showing my age) my family didn't talk about finance, budgets or mortgages – I wish we had.

So, it's up to us. You, actually.

Now think about what's stopping you?

Is it that you don't know "how" or "where" to start?

Is it that you think you don't have enough funds to put away? What if I told you with a little bit of a mind shift you would be surprised with how you can make it work… for you?

Does it seem overwhelming and you don't feel you have the knowledge?

No, this isn't a sales pitch. I'm not going to ask for anything. I want more women to be investors (actually, I really want everyone to!). And, if you're a woman reading this, I do want to help you take the first – or next – step in your investing journey.

I know when I first started with The Fool my investing knowledge was limited – and I had studied finance! But in the years since, I have read more, listened (even more) and I have been patient.

Now, let's be honest. I'm not expecting we are going to solve the mystery of investing by writing one small piece… just like I wouldn't be able to complete a marathon after going for my first 5 kilometre run… but both can start by taking some small steps and building onto them.

It just starts with making a plan and setting your own goal.

For me, that's two words: financial freedom.

You will often hear us talk about financial freedom, but what is it? I think this is a really personal question and will differ depending on who you ask. For me, it all comes down to my family and the opportunities I hope to provide them. For you, it might be an early retirement, being able to buy the designer handbag (Scott and I will agree to disagree on this), or to travel the world. We are all different, with different goals. But take a moment and think… What's your goal and how can you get there?

You might not know that answer… and what you think it is today, may change tomorrow (mine likely will!). I'll return regularly in this space (it's a nice little surprise for Scott!) but in the meantime if you have thoughts or questions, please drop us a line at info@fool.com.au.

Fool on!

The post The answer to 'Where are the women investors?' appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

Motley Fool contributor Erin Bouwmeester has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

I love the start of something new. A new book. A blank sheet of paper. An unopened packet of Tim Tams.

I like the idea of starting something fresh. A new financial year. A time to take stock of my income and expenses over the past twelve months in preparation of my tax return (my return is pretty simple and normally lodged before the end of July).

I keep pretty good records and know where most of my money is headed before it even comes into my account. I like to stay on top of things and I don't like outstanding bills. How do I do this?

Well for a long time I didn't. Money would come in. Money would go out. I lived week to week. I was not saving anything and really had no idea where my pay was going. It was a reality check one year when I sat down to do my tax return, saw my annual income and realised that I had nothing to show for it.

Something clicked. I knew I wanted to get control of my money I just wasn't sure how to go about it.

So I sat down with my bank and credit card statements and entered all the transactions into a spreadsheet. What I didn't know then is that I was on my way to creating the very first stages of… are you ready for it…a budget.

Now I am the sort of person who doesn't like to be ruled by anything, let alone a piece of paper. But there it was right in front of me… I could see that I had to make some changes. It was time to stop living pay to pay and plan. Time to stop worrying when the big bills come in because with a plan the funds would be available. I knew it all in theory, but I wasn't very good at making it happen.  

There were a lot of areas that I could fine tune that would make a difference to my bottom line and perhaps I could even begin to save! Now it has become an annual process.

Every July I take a look at my fixed costs. I know what these are each month. I also know that with a few phone calls I could potentially reduce some of these expenses. Health insurance, house insurance, motor vehicle insurance. My phone and internet accounts are on contract but I have made a note in my diary to follow this up when the contracts expire.

Then I look into my variable costs. This includes how much I spend on groceries, entertainment, the children's sporting commitments, clothing, holidays, pets, motor vehicle running costs.

This is the area I can be smart and if I'm honest the area I have made the most changes. Don't get me wrong: there are very few things as a family we miss out on, but because when I know what is coming, I plan for it. For example in September we have cricket fees due for four children – because I knew this was coming I started planning (saving!) in June so by the time registration is due I am ready and it is not going to put a stress on other areas of the budget.

Which brings me to savings. As I have already mentioned, there was a time when I lived pay to pay – the mortgage was being paid, the bills were covered, the leftover was treated as that "leftovers". Should it happen (and touch wood it didn't) I was not prepared for a rainy day. My past ignorance now astounds me.

When I first started to budget part of my fixed expenses involved a column for savings. This was not negotiable. Slowly this started to build up and now if a situation arises I don't have to stress financially (at least in the short-term!).

So this weekend, after a hike through the hinterland, I plan on sitting down with my folders, statements and laptop to take stock of my 2017 financial plan and prepare another year's budget.

The post How I mastered my family budget appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Each morning I make a list (actually I make two – one for work, and one for home) of what I need to do for the day. I list most things and the more important tasks are noted in capital letters. It's a manual process and the list is always in my line of vision. It helps me focus and there is something satisfying about crossing off each item.

Many years ago I mentioned to a friend of mine that I wanted to start investing. I knew he had a background in such things and would be the person to help get me started. Instead of giving me his top tips or any personal advice, he gave me a link to a web address that, in his words, "Would help make investing easy".

That web address took me to a 13 Step process – I don't know if he knew then how much this one page would stay in my mind. A list of guidelines that would help me change my spending habits, pay off the credit card, save enough to cover my fixed expenses for a reasonable amount of time in the event of emergency and path the way to having some left over to invest. He gave me the foundation of getting started. And just like that, a new list was printed off and put on my whiteboard, in my line of vision.

With every new list I create, the process is the same. Cross off each item, in order, until the list is complete.

Steps 1 and 2 were easy ones. I read a little bit of theory that quickly lulled me into a false sense of "I'm going to get through this no worries".

And then I read the words Step 3 "Get Control Of Your Money" and knew this is where I was going to come unstuck.

Seriously what self-confessed shopper wants to read the words "Get Control Of Your Money"?

All of a sudden there was a practical application that I needed to be accountable for?

They were five little words that caused me to reassess — and continually reassess — my (and my family's) everyday habits: I buy a coffee and bring my lunch, I changed mobile phone carriers, I updated our insurance, I buy less on impulse and more on sale. I buy less! As a family, we've changed our lifestyle – we do less "paid entertainment" and more "free activities". It's not only been positive for our financial situation but also our family unit.

It's important to note that since I started this little journey there have been times I (and the family) have well and truly fallen off the savings horse. The trick was to acknowledge it and get right back on. I didn't beat myself up about it, I just went back to my desk, looked at my wall and reset my priorities.

Step 4 said to "Dump My Debt". Done – check and flick! The first time my credit card hit a zero balance I celebrated by buying a new handbag – talk about falling off the horse! I looked at my list and reset (and I did end up returning the bag). My mother laughs at how much I use my credit card (who carries cash?) but she still goes into the bank to withdraw cash. The resetting happens each and every month – it's the first thing I do when I am paid. I cannot stress how much satisfaction I get seeing the balance outstanding at $0 each payday.

Withdrawing cash from the bank is a habit that our generation got out of, and as a result, most of us are in debt. These days, I use my credit card for convenience, but I don't carry a balance. The best of both worlds!

Now I am in saving mode and preparing for Investing Take Off (Step 5). My funds are accumulating and there has been a definite shift in my spending habits. We still go out, we still spend a small fortune on extra-curricular activities. The difference is that without the conversation with my friend, I would probably still be stuck on Step 3.

And as for the checklist on my board – it's a constant work in progress. I have come to realise this is one list that isn't going to be be checked off. Instead of putting a big line through "Step 3 "Get Control Of Your Money", I have highlighted and put a box around it. It helps keeps me focused.

The post How I got control of my money appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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The Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW) share price has been on a tear over the last twelve months, but that is nothing compared to the in-store frenzy.

The staff at Coles, owned by Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), must be wondering where their customers have gone. For the past month supermarket giant Woolies has been turning kids against their parents… I mean offering customers a "free" collector's disc for every $20 they spend in store.

On each disc is a Marvel Super Hero that belongs to a team. There are seven teams; each a different colour. Each team has six characters giving a total of 42 discs to collect. How do I know all this? Oh God, I wish I didn't…

These discs can be found everywhere — the school yard, the soccer field, parents making trades on behalf of their children on Facebook. Unfortunately for those pint sized collectors, Woolworths have released "limited edition" characters (Green 42 Hulk and Black 18 Loki still missing from our collection…) and these are not so easy to find.

Sure, they are available on eBay and I can assure you people are paying a premium (last I saw was $89 for Hulk!) for those "rare" discs. And while I could hit bid and get into a price war to finish "my" set, I am choosing to teach my children some basic lessons in economics.

We started with the laws of supply and demand and have moved towards a discussion on opportunity cost. Tonight we will talk about price ceilings.

Woolworths have one customer returning tomorrow to fill her shopping basket with the hope of getting some more discs (no names, no pack drill). And while everyone else is getting into a frenzy over finding the elusive Hulk and Loki, we will sit back, wait and watch what the "disc trading" market decides.

Meanwhile, although I can appreciate the marketing genius behind the disc-induced madness, I won't be buying shares of Woolworths. Instead I have my eye on this 'under the radar' consumer favourite that is both a hot growth stock AND our expert's #1 dividend pick for 2017.

The post Will This Power Woolworths Limited Even Higher? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

3 companies to buy now  December 11, 2013

Companies mentioned: S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO),  Telstra (ASX: TLS), Coca-Cola Amatil (ASX: CCL), Woolworths (ASX: WOW) and Wesfarmers (ASX: WES).

Your instant 5 share dividend portfolio  December 11, 2013

Companies mentioned:   S&P/ASX200 (ASX: XJO) (^AXJO),  Telstra(ASX: TLS), Woodside (ASX: WPL),  BWP Trust (ASX: BWP), Westfield Group (ASX: WDC) and Cash Converters (ASX: CCV)

Will these 4 stocks bounce back in 2014  December 11, 2013

Companies mentioned:  Qantas (ASX: QAN), Imdex (ASX: IMD), Incitec Pivot (ASX: IPL) and Ausenco (ASX: AAX)

The post Best of the Fool: Top 3 articles of the day (11 December, 2013) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Lovisa vs Baby Bunting: Which ASX retailer is the better buy today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Yancoal shares in focus after Hunter Valley mine approval
• 54,543 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

Here are yesterday's most popular stories on Fool.com.au  December 10, 2013

Companies mentioned: S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) (^AXJO), Coca-Cola Amatil (ASX: CCL), Cochlear (ASX: COH), Leighton Holdings(ASX: LEI) and Telstra (ASX: TLS)

Is QBE Insurance an opportunity?  December 10, 2013

Companies mentioned:  QBE Insurance (ASX: QBE), Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B), Insurance Australia Group (ASX: IAG) and Leighton Holdings (ASX: LEI)

3 great ASX shares trading at 52-weeks low  December 10, 2013

Companies mentioned:  Kingsgate Consolidated (ASX: KCN), Oroton (ASX: ORL), General Property Trust (ASX: GPT) and Commonwealth Property Office Fund (ASX: CPA)

The post Best of the Fool: Top 3 articles of the day (10 December, 2013) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Lovisa vs Baby Bunting: Which ASX retailer is the better buy today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Yancoal shares in focus after Hunter Valley mine approval
• 54,543 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

3 stocks for 2014  December 09, 2013

Companies mentioned: S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO), Silver Chef (ASX: SIV), Harvey Norman (ASX: HVN). BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP), Amcor (ASX: AMC), Crown (ASX: CWN), Fletcher Building (ASX: FBU), FKP Property (ASX: FKP), GWA Group (ASX: GWA), Sonic Healthcare (ASX: SHL), Select Harvests (ASX: SHV), Super Retail Group (ASX: SUL) and SMS Management (ASX: SMX).

QBE Insurance to report massive loss — what should you do?  December 09, 2013

Companies mentioned:    QBE Insurance (ASX: QBE), National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) and Insurance Australia Group (ASX: IAG)

2 unloved stocks to watch  December 09, 2013

Companies mentioned:  Western Areas (ASX: WSA), BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP) and Cabcharge (ASX: CAB)

The post Best of the Fool: Top 3 articles of the day (09 December, 2013) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Lovisa vs Baby Bunting: Which ASX retailer is the better buy today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Yancoal shares in focus after Hunter Valley mine approval
• 54,543 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

3 stocks to buy and hold for 2014  December 02, 2013

Companies mentioned:  S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO), Telstra (ASX: TLS), Woolworths (ASX: WOW), Wesfarmers (ASX: WES), National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB), ANZ (ASX: ANZ), Westpac (ASX: WBC), Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA), Coca-Cola Amatil (ASX: CCL), Collection House (ASX: CLH) and M2 Telecommunications (ASX: MTU).

2 small biotech firms with big potential  December 02, 2013

Companies mentioned:  Acrux (ASX: ACR) and Prana Biotechnology (ASX PBT)

Why shares in Newcrest Mining are down 9% in five days  December 02, 2013

Companies mentioned:  Newcrest Mining (ASX: NCM), Alacer Gold (ASX: AQG), Northern Star Resources (ASX: NST), while just below the costs of Silver Lake Resources (ASX: SLR).

Are you ready for a market crash?  December 04, 2013

Companies mentioned:   S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO), Telstra (ASX: TLS), Wesfarmers (ASX: WES), Woolworths (ASX: WOW), Twenty-First Century Fox (ASX: FOX), Coca-Cola Amatil (ASX: CCL), Washington H Soul Pattinson (ASX: SOL), ANZ (ASX: ANZ) and Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA).

7 stocks yielding over 7%  December 03, 2013

Companies mentioned:  Tamawood (ASX: TWD), Prime Media (ASX: PRT), Seven West Media (ASX: SWM), SP Ausnet (ASX: SPN), Corum Group (ASX: COO), Korvest (ASX: KOV), Metcash (ASX: MTS), Woolworths (ASX: WOW) and DWS (ASX: DWS)

The post Best of the Fool: Top 5 articles of the past week (02 December to 08 December 2013) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Lovisa vs Baby Bunting: Which ASX retailer is the better buy today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Yancoal shares in focus after Hunter Valley mine approval
• 54,543 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

These 3 miners have smashed the market – should you be buying?  December 05, 2013

Companies mentioned: S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO), Fortescue Metals Group (ASX: FMG), Mount Gibson Iron (ASX: MGX), Atlas Iron (ASX: AGO), BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO)

3 companies to protect you against a market pullback  December 05, 2013

Companies mentioned:   S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO), Telstra (ASX: TLS), Coca-Cola Amatil (ASX: CCL), Woolworths (ASX: WOW), Wesfarmers (ASX: WES), Twenty-First Century Fox (ASX: FOX) and News Corp (ASX: NWS)

A Motley Fool's Ashes XI/  December 05, 2013

Companies mentioned:  BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP), Fortescue Metals Group (ASX: FMG), Qantas (ASX: QAN), Woolworths (ASX WOW), Macquarie Group (ASX: MQG), Telstra (ASX: TLS), CSL (ASX: CSL), Dominos Pizza (ASX: DMP), Kathmandu (ASX: KMD) and Slater & Gordon (ASX: SGH)

The post Best of the Fool: Top 3 articles of the day (05 December, 2013) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Lovisa vs Baby Bunting: Which ASX retailer is the better buy today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Yancoal shares in focus after Hunter Valley mine approval
• 54,543 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

Are you ready for a market crash?  December 04, 2013

Companies mentioned: S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO), Telstra (ASX: TLS), Wesfarmers (ASX: WES), Woolworths (ASX: WOW), Twenty-First Century Fox (ASX: FOX), Coca-Cola Amatil (ASX: CCL), Washington H Soul Pattinson (ASX: SOL) ANZ (ASX: ANZ) and Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA)

4 stocks with high EPS growth  December 04, 2013

Companies mentioned:   S&P/ASX200 (ASX: XJO) (^AXJO),  Westpac (ASX: WBC), ANZ (ASX: ANZ), Bentham IMF (ASX: IMF),  Gage Roads Brewing (ASX: GRB) and Seek (ASX: SEK)

5 ways to profit from the fibre optic future of telecommunications  December 04, 2013

Companies mentioned:  TPG Telecom (ASX: TPM), Vocus Communications (ASX: VOC), Telstra (ASX: TLS), Amcom Telecommunications (ASX: AMM) and Singapore Telecommunications (ASX: SGT)

The post Best of the Fool: Top 3 articles of the day (04 December, 2013) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Lovisa vs Baby Bunting: Which ASX retailer is the better buy today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Yancoal shares in focus after Hunter Valley mine approval
• 54,543 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

3 small-cap stocks for future growth  December 03, 2013

Companies mentioned: S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO), Telstra (ASX: TLS), Twenty-First Century Fox (ASX: FOX), Yellow Brick Road (ASX: YBR), Webjet (ASX: WEB), Quickflix (ASX:QFX), JB Hi-Fi (ASX: JBH) and Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX)

4 stocks Warren Buffett might buy and hold forever   December 03, 2013

Companies mentioned:   DWS (ASX: DWS),  Cash Converters (ASX: CCV), Newsat (ASX: NWT) and Yellow Brick Road (ASX: YBR)

7 stocks yielding over 7%  December 03, 2013

Companies mentioned:  Tamawood (ASX: TWD), Prime Media (ASX: PRT), Seven West Media (ASX: SWM), SP Ausnet (ASX: SPN), Corum Group (ASX: COO), Korvest (ASX: KOV), Metcash (ASX: MTS) and Woolworths (ASX: WOW)

The post Best of the Fool: Top 3 articles of the day (03 December, 2013) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Lovisa vs Baby Bunting: Which ASX retailer is the better buy today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Yancoal shares in focus after Hunter Valley mine approval
• 54,543 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts

3 stocks to buy and hold for 2014  December 02, 2013

Companies mentioned: S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO), Telstra (ASX: TLS), Woolworths (ASX: WOW), Wesfarmers (ASX: WES), NAB (ASX: NAB), ANZ (ASX: ANZ), Westpac (ASX: WBC), Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA), Coca-Cola Amatil (ASX: CCL), Collection House (ASX: CLH) and M2 Telecommunications (ASX: MTU)

2 small biotech firms with big potential  December 02, 2013

Companies mentioned:   Acrux (ASX: ACR) and Prana Biotechnology (ASX PBT).

Top stock picks for December  December 02, 2013

Companies mentioned:  Cedar Woods (ASX: CWP), Woolworths (ASX: WOW), Wesfarmers (ASX: WES), Senex Energy (ASX: SXY), Coca-Cola Amatil (ASX: CCL), 1300 Smiles (ASX: ONT), Slater & Gordon (ASX: SGH), Myer Holdings (ASX: MYR)

The post Best of the Fool: Top 3 articles of the day (02 December, 2013) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Lovisa vs Baby Bunting: Which ASX retailer is the better buy today?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Yancoal shares in focus after Hunter Valley mine approval
• 54,543 shares of this high-yield ASX dividend stock pay an income equal to the Age Pension
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts