UNCOMMON CENTS 44

IF I WERE A FACILE, WORD FREAK, MOVIE CRITIC, I COULD EMPLOY PHRASES LIKE " PURBLIND IMPERATIVES", "MONSTROUSLY BEMUSED", "FLAGRANTLY TALENTED," "LACERATING HOSTILITIES," "FORTHRIGHT YET SELF-EFFACING," "PANOPLY OF PUNISHMENT," AND END WITH "ELEGAIC" TO SUMMARIZE MY OPINIONS OF CURRENT FILMS. NO WORDS, HOWEVER, CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR THE VISUAL EXPERIENCE OF A MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL IMMERSION AT A MOVIE THEATER.

SOMETHING SIMILAR CAN BE SAID ABOUT INVESTMENTS. GLORIOUS AND ELEGANT TALK IS STILL CHEAP IF YOU DO NOT IMMERSE YOURSELF INTO THE EXPERIENCE OF SAVING MONEY AND INVESTING IT WISELY OVER THE LONG HAUL. IT IS IN YOUR OWN SELF-INTEREST TO ASSESS YOUR SPENDING HABITS AS A MEANS TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR RETIREMENT.

THAT $20.00 AN OUNCE PERFUME MAY BE AN AFFORDABLE LUXURY TO A YOUNG, SINGLE, EMPLOYED WOMAN, BUT THE HABIT OF LAVISH SPENDING ON ONE'S SELF WILL EVENTUALLY TURN AGAINST HER IF HER CAUSE IS SELF-INTEREST. A NIGHT OUT WITH FRIENDS FOR A YOUNG, SINGLE, EMPLOYED MALE MIGHT COST BLOW $20.00, BUT AGAIN THE HABIT OF SOCIAL INDULGENCE WILL EVENTUALLY TURN AGAINST HIS CAUSE OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY.

SAVE. FIRST, SAVE THE EQUIVALENT OF 2 OR 3 MONTHS EARNINGS. SECOND, ACCUMULATE ENOUGH RESERVES TO BEGIN INVESTING. CHOOSE A CAUTIOUS LONG-TERM STRATEGY. DEPOSITING $3000.00, USUALLY A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT, INTO A TOTAL U.S. STOCK INDEX FUND. THEN FORGET ABOUT IT. ANY DIVIDENDS THAT ACCRUE, RE-INVEST THEM EACH YEAR. BY REGULARLY MAKING DEPOSITS INTO YOUR FUND, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 'DOLLAR COST AVERAGING," WHICH LETS YOU PAY LESS PER SHARE OVER TIME AS YOUR SHARES ACCUMULATE.

DETAILS REGARDING FURTHER FINANCIAL MANEUVERS CAN BE AS OBSCURE AS THE DESCRIPTIONS OF A GIFTED, FILM WRITER. THE INITIAL STEPS ON THE ROAD TO WEALTH, HOWEVER, ARE CLEARLY MARKED.

HINT: READ THE BOOK RATHER THAN VIEW THE MOVIE; IT'S SO COST EFFECTIVE, YOU CAN TAKE THE DIFFERENCE SAVED TO THE BANK.