The best free resource for learning about the stock market

My Journey in Personal Finance

I spend a lot of time thinking about personal finance. It's all around us. From my early teen years I thought about how having a lot or too little money can impact one's life.

Although life is not all about having money, money seems to be all over our lives. So for the past twenty years, I've spent a considerable amount of time studying personal finance. I learned basic principles like "spend less than you earn, invest the rest," or "avoid debt like the plague," or "a penny saved is a penny earned."

These axioms are inherently valuable when it comes to getting to the basics. However, they are only the start of a life-long journey of seeking to steward your personal finances well.

From the first personal finance book I ever read to today, I have gleaned many more principles and resources to add to my arsenal of knowledge on personal finances.

JL Collins and the Stock Series

I first came across JL Collins nearly ten years ago when I was researching resources for learning about the stock market.

Of the available resources at the time, this was one I considered the best free resource to get a deep dive into the stock market, investing strategies, simplification, and long-term mindsets. Collins eventually published the material from the stock series and other material into the book The Simple Path to Wealth.

The gist of Collins' series is that market crashes are part of a long-term investment strategy. But that is okay because the market always goes up. Investing in the stock market is necessary if you want to eventually become wealthy.

(this is the Dow Jones Industrial chart from Feb 1915 to Feb 2025)

Collins advocates for a simple investment strategy opting for a Vanguard account with VTSAX as the sole fund. In part six, Collins explains the various strategies a person might employ for building and keeping their wealth in tact.

Collins himself is transparent about his current holdings, which allows readers to come to their own conclusions.

There are 36 parts to the stock series, and he covers several aspects of the investment life cycle:

Part 1: There’s a major market crash coming!!!! and Dr. Lo can’t save you

Time Machine and the Future Return for Stocks

Part II: The Market Always Goes Up

Part III: Most people lose money in the market

Part IV: The Big Ugly Event

Part V: Keeping it simple, considerations and tools

Part VI: Portfolio ideas to build and keep your wealth

Part VII: Can everyone really retire a millionaire?

Part VIII: The 401(k), 403(b), TSP, IRA & Roth Buckets

Part VIII-b: Should you avoid your company’s 401k?