recommended online reading about bonds?

[toddzilla]

anyone have a good resource for learning about bond investing? i'm a total newbie so i want to start from nothing.

thanks.

[Sirveri]

1. I-bonds are suppossed to be good.

They're inflation adjusted bonds which means your money is basically protected.

Though honestly, I would simply stay away from well... all bonds. The government is in debt up to our eyeballs, and if the foreign nationals who hold our debt strings decide to let go you could see a massive spike in inflation (which wouldn't actually hurt the I-bond at all, in fact you're likely to be better off in the long run).

Only problem with I-bonds is that you can only buy so many of them every year.

[justa]

3. I read where the inflation numbers are fudged...

so they didn't give a true inflation adjustment. As in not using oil to figure the rate of inflation when oil prices go up to much. anyone know anything about this.

[oldhat]

2. Here are a few good primers...

http://biz.yahoo.com/edu/ed_bond.html

http://bonds.yahoo.com/

http://www.fool.com/

The Fool website has good discussion forums, too. You have to register to read their articles but it's worth it.

Oh, and start listening to "The Motley Fool" radio show on NPR:

http://www.npr.org/programs/fool/

It's a good show that offers general advice on investing in plain English. They've been talking a lot about bonds lately, for obvious reasons.

After you've read up on bonds and started reading the Business section of the New York Times like the savvy investor you are, I'd recommend talking to a professional. If you're a "total newbie," I'd advise you to be very cautious about investing your money on your own. If you read about something that's too good to be true on the Internet, it is. Stay away from any and all Internet brokers.

TD Waterhouse and Charles Schwab are two pretty reputable, pretty low-cost investment firms. Set up an appointment with one of their brokers and see what they have to say.

Also, try going into your bank's branch and ask to speak with the financial consultant -- odds are your bank has someone who can offer you financial products in-house.

Don't let anyone pressure you into investing with them right away. Do your homework, get a second opinion, etc.

Take this very slowly. Slow and steady wins the race in the markets. Remember the mantra:

A broadly diversified portfolio invested over the long term is the safest way to make the most money in the market.

[toddzilla]

4. thanks

i'm at least a year away from investing anything, but want to get informed for when i do.

[ooglymoogly]

5. in one year the investment climate will be 100 degrees from

where it is today, however you can learn a lot by watching closely what happens between now and when you are ready to invest.