Dr. Payne speaks on Coding and Cyber as the New Literacy at TEDx 2018.

Imagine a world with a literacy rate of only 3%.

What if, out of every 100 people, only 3 could read and write?

Right now, in America, there are over 320 million people, yet fewer than 9 million of us, less than 3%, can read and write code – the language of technology.

So, what is code? Coding, or programming, is just telling a computer what to do – code is the same thing as software. Or, if you’re younger than 30, code is what apps are made of. Code is what runs a computer, and computers are everywhere today, in all the coolest gadgets, from 3D printers to drones, from self-driving cars to smartphones, fitbits to roomba’s and more. Software, code is a part of every piece of technology you’ll use at home and at work for the rest of your life.

Almost every job that you want, or that you want your kids to have, is touched by computer software – imagine the advantage you can have if you learn to speak the language of code.

As many as 70 million jobs could disappear in the next 10 years due to automation. On the other hand, there are over 6 million job openings unfilled in the US right now. Over a million of those are good-paying technology jobs, with no qualified applicants. No literate applicants.

And you don’t have to go very far to find these jobs – there are literally thousands of coding and cyber-related jobs right here in Atlanta.

Why are you so valuable if you’re a coder? Because we’re problem solvers who can use technology. Are there problems in the world? A few, right? The world needs problem solvers! Your goal in life should be to solve more problems than you create! Coding gives you the power to solve problems using technology, and the world highly rewards problem solvers…

You might have seen a graphic like this one, from code.org: 

https://code.org/images/cs-stats/Slide5_CS_Education.png

A college graduate earns over half a million dollars more in a lifetime than a high-school graduate. A computer science graduate earns over a million dollars more than a high-school graduate. There’s another stack of gold coins that belongs to the right of this – a cybersecurity professional may be able to earn another half million more than the average IT worker.

And the gap is growing wider. That small stack of coins is a grim picture of what technology illiteracy can look like. But this chart is also an illustration of how important coding is to your future, to your children’s future.

In 1910, fewer than 18% of teenagers went to high school, and in 2010, fewer than 18% of teenagers went to a high school that taught coding.

It only took us 30 years to correct that first problem. As farming jobs disappeared in the early 1900’s, the US invested heavily in secondary education, and by 1940, 3/4 of teenagers went to high school. We need to do the same this century for technology education – by 2025, we need more than 3 out of 4 teenagers to go to a high school that teaches coding and cybersecurity.

As parents, as teachers, as citizens, we can’t wait until 2040.

I’m a computer science professor and a cybersecurity expert. I’ve been teaching coding since 1998. I write books, I record videos, I travel, I speak in high schools, elementary schools, middle schools, conferences. But it’s not enough. How many of you have taken a computer programming class? … see,there are some – that’s good, but it’s not enough. I need your help.

All of you. You can learn to code.

Henry Ford once said “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

But, if you think you can’t code, you just haven’t tried yet. If you’re in this audience today, or if you’re watching online – you can learn to code starting now.

Some of you may already feel your defenses kicking in – what if I’m not good at it, what if I don’t like it?  What if I just don’t want to be a coder for the next 20 years? My answer might surprise you…

Coding is not the goal. Coding is the gateway.

Coding is not the goal. Coding is the gateway.

In the same way we learn English not just to become authors or journalists, but to be able to communicate with others. And Math doesn’t just help us become accountants or engineers, it helps us solve problems, manage our finances, and make complex decisions.

People who learn to code can become entrepreneurs, innovators who create new platforms to connect people in new ways. You can become an animator, filmmaker, or you could be like two of my former students who’ve worked at both Riot Games and Blizzard Entertainment, building games like League of Legends and World of Warcraft. You can go into IT or cybersecurity, robotics, artificial intelligence or into any other job with extra skills, extra literacy, that can buffer you from some of the rapid changes that are coming.

My mom – and I am so lucky to have my mom here in the audience today! Thank you, mom – I love you – My mom bought me my first computer, a Commodore 64, in 1983 – I believe we have a picture – look how happy I am, and thinking about that computer still makes me smile 35 years later.

I started coding as a teenager, but I have a lot of students who take their first programming class as young adults. They didn’t know that instead of just playing Minecraft all these years, they could have been coding in it!

Let me give you three reasons to start coding now:

#1) Code for you.

It’s not just about the money, although you’ll make a lot… If you go on to learn about cybersecurity, you can protect yourself from cyber criminals and online predators. If you learn how to build web and mobile apps, you can create your own business model like Uber or AirBnB.

You can start by finding a technology that you enjoy. Go to a library and use a 3D printer to print something cool. Buy a programmable drone for under $100.

A lot of people like to start coding with a block-based programming language like Scratch or Blockly – this is the Tickle app, that uses a block-based programming language to tell drones and robots what to do.

The commands look like lego bricks – you pick the blocks that you want the drone to run, and the blocks snap together in the order you decide. When you’re the programmer, you get to choose how things work!

Let’s run this block of code on this actual drone and see what the code does…

Find the apps that are fun or fascinating to you, and try those things first. Even before you understand every line of code, run it, change it, move things around. Learn to code, for yourself first.

#2) Do it for others.

Bring value to your future employer, provide for your family, impact your community. When you learn to protect yourself online, you can better protect your kids and family members from online threats. You can build apps to help people in your hometown: One of my students this semester is building an app for the City of Dahlonega that allows residents to report problems like potholes in the road and street lights that are out. In addition to giving the exact GPS location of problems, it tracks when and how many people have reported an issue, and the problems that get reported by more people get higher priority in being repaired.

You can build a future for your family, and make your neighborhood a better, safer place – that’s the kind of lasting impact you can make when you learn to use technology to solve problems.

#3) Do it for the world.

Charity Water is a global clean water initiative that revolutionized transparency in both the dire need for clean water in poorer countries and in the ability to track where your donation is being used, down to the precise GPS coordinates of the drinking well you sponsor. A web application, code, is helping bring much-needed attention, and relief to people that need it the most.

At my house, my wife is able to track the remaining 3,800 tigers left in the wild through a similar app from an animal rescue organization. The thought of big cats becoming extinct before our kids grow up is heartbreaking to her. If there’s something that breaks your heart, or something that makes you really mad, coding can help you harness the power of technology to reach thousands or even millions of people who care about the same cause, and create a positive chain reaction to make people aware, and get them involved.

If you’re passionate about protecting your country, every branch of the US military now recognizes cyber as a domain equal to land, sea, air and space.

Today, billions of people go online every day, sharing skills and resources, creating new businesses, new charities, new games, new apps, new ways of seeing the world.

4 Billion of the world’s 7-1/2  Billion people have access to the Internet: spies and soldiers, terrorists and activists, hackers, doctors, musicians and bloggers are logging on every day, and it’s all possible because of code.

People say the world is changing – the world has already changed. Don’t get left behind. Step out of your comfort zone, and become literate in the language of technology.

Learn to code. What you do with it from there… is limitless.

Watch the full video of Dr. Payne’s TEDx Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoEqyswsFvs 

I just learned that both of my new courses, Real-World Ethical Hacking: Hands-on Cybersecurity  and Learn Java the Easy Way: Build Desktop & Android Mobile Apps  are rated in the top 10% of all courses on Udemy! These courses join my best-selling Teach Your Kids to Code (Python)  to give you a complete path from beginning coder to advanced coder to ethical hacker!

To celebrate, you can enroll in all three courses (or share with a friend, so you can learn together) for just $10 each! Just enroll using the coupon code CYBERHERO10 !

• https://www.udemy.com/real-world-ethical-hacking/?couponCode=CYBERHERO10 – Includes FREE Kali Linux, Metasploit, and links to free, legal copies of Windows 10 and more!
• https://www.udemy.com/java-the-easy-way/?couponCode=CYBERHERO10 – Includes FREE Java, Eclipse, and Android Studio download and installational videos!
• https://www.udemy.com/teach-your-kids-to-code/?couponCode=CYBERHERO10 – Includes FREE Python 3.6 download and setup instructions, step-by-step!

Here are some recent 5-star reviews from students:

★★★★★  “Greatest course on Java for the beginner student I have ever seen on Udemy and/or other platforms. Instructor is quick to respond to my questions. Will be looking for any and all course he crafts in the future.”

★★★★★ “This is a great introduction to ethical hacking, as well as working with different hacking tools in order to protect your own network.”

You’ll learn through short, step-by-step videos:

• Protect yourself from viruses, ransomware, and other attacks by learning the tricks the bad guys use, and how to stop them.
• Quickly master the hottest new job skills in Windows, Linux and Android hacking & cybersecurity– with over 1 Million job openings 
• Set up your own safe, FREE virtual network and VM (virtual machine) lab for Ethical Hacking on your desktop or laptop (PC, Mac, and Linux).
• Learn to fix vulnerabilities, and how to stop 99% of attacks by doing just four things.

You can use the Coupon Code CYBERHERO10 in any of my courses this month!

★★★★★ Join over 25,000 students from 150 countries in my top-ranked and best-selling courses!

Forward this to friends, colleagues, and family members who could become coders and cyber heroes! The $10 price won’t last forever, but once you enroll, it’s yours to keep. And, if you refer a friend and they win the $25 Amazon Gift Card, I’ll give you one, too! Enroll now with the coupon code CYBERHERO10!

I look forward to seeing you in class!

Sincerely,

​

Dr. Bryson Payne, Computer Science Professor and Author
Teach Your Kids to Code (2015)
Learn Java the Easy Way (2017)
Real-World Ethical Hacking  (2018)

Enroll Online:  Ethical Hacking  |  Python  |  Java

 
Buy both books on Amazon today!

Join over 3,000 students learning Java the quick, fun, and easy way with my new course at https://www.udemy.com/learn-java-like-a-kid/?couponCode=10REASONS

You can celebrate the new year by joining over 6,000 students in my brand new Java programming course, “Learn Java Like a Kid: Build Three Desktop and Mobile Apps!” on Udemy – and, thanks to the Udemy New Year’s Promotion, you can enroll for just $10 by using the coupon code 10REASONS!

I would love to have you as a student in “Learn Java Like a Kid”, the perfect next course to add to your programming skills, and you get 90% off at just $10 through January 31, 2016 with this special offer from Udemy!

Over 12 hours of video in short, 2-10 minute lessons you can watch at your own pace, with full source code downloads so you can get started right away

A screenshot from the interactive, multi-touch Android app, BubbleDraw, you’ll learn to program in my new Java course!

You’ll build three complete desktop apps (Guessing Game, Secret Message Encoder, and BubbleDraw), and then develop the same apps for Android mobile devices to extend your Java programming skills (see a screenshot, left)! Learn Java by building quick, easy, fun apps you’ll actually enjoy and be able to share with your friends!

The course went live on New Year’s Eve, was featured in Udemy’s $10 New Year’s promotion, and gained over 2,900 students in the first four days, a new personal record!

Master a powerful new skill in 2016: Programming in Java, one of the highest-paying and most popular programming languages in the world today. Join me in “Learn Java Like a Kid” – you’ll be glad you did!

Happy New Year, and I hope you make the most of 2016!

p.s. The Udemy promotion ended Monday, January 11, but I’m leaving the coupon code 10REASONS active for at least another 1,000 students or through January 31, whichever comes first, to give you every reason to sign up to learn Java the fun, quick and easy way. Enroll today!

Register for my FREE O’Reilly Webcast, TOMORROW (Thu, 8/13) from 1-2ET (10-11PT).

There’s still time! Register now for my FREE O’Reilly Webinar, “Teach Your Kids to Code: Basic concepts with Turtle graphics in Python”, LIVE tomorrow, Thursday, August 13, 2015, from 10-11am Pacific Time (1-2pm Eastern).

You can register for free at http://www.oreilly.com/pub/e/3422 – I’ll be demonstrating how you can teach (and learn) basic programming concepts likes variables, loops and functions using Turtle graphics in Python, with examples straight from my book and Udemy course, with a few bonuses added in.

Turtle graphics have been teaching kids basic coding concepts since the late 1960’s. The Turtle module in Python carries the turtle tradition into the 21st century and makes turtle programming easy and accessible on Windows, Mac, Linux and more.

Turtle graphics in Python are a great way to introduce kids to coding, staring with short programs of just five to ten lines of code that draw beautiful, colorful shapes that kids can create and modify as they learn. I’ll be sharing some of the turtle basics I began teaching my own sons when they were two and four years old, all the way through fully interactive elements I teach in freshman-level college courses.

In this webcast, you will learn:

• How to code turtle graphics in Python
• How to engage children from pre-K through college with short, interactive, visual programs for every age level
• How to build on more advanced programming concepts using turtle graphics as a foundation

Register at http://www.oreilly.com/pub/e/3422, then tune in LIVE tomorrow from 1-2 Eastern (10-11 am Pacific)! Happy coding!

Join over 1,100 students and growing in my Udemy course, “Teach Your Kids to Code”!

We launched “Teach Your Kids to Code” as a Udemy online course in mid-July, and over 1,100 students have enrolled in less than a month! If you’re one of my students, thank you for taking the course – if you haven’t signed up yet, you can still use the coupon code FRIENDS27 to get $30 off and start coding today for just $27 (the original coupon code has expired, but FRIENDS27 will work from now on). Over six hours of total content, in short, easy two-to-six-minute videos will have kids and adults age 5 to 95 coding in minutes!

This week is also my FREE O’Reilly Media Webcast, “Teach Your Kids to Code: Basic concepts with Turtle graphics in Python” on Thursday, August 13 from 1-2pm ET (10-11am PT). You can register for free at http://www.oreilly.com/pub/e/3422 – I’ll be demonstrating how you can teach (and learn) basic programming concepts likes variables, loops and functions using Turtle graphics in Python, with examples straight from my book and Udemy course, with a few bonuses added in.

The book is back up in the Top 5 Children’s Programming Books on Amazon this week – we’ve stayed in and around the top 10 since its release in May, but the O’Reilly webcast buzz has pushed us as high as #3 the last few days.

Alex just filmed a video (the 100th lesson in the Udemy course) with me this past week, right before he and Max started back to school. Max says he’s willing to do a video next month, so we’ll keep adding to the Udemy course and keep spreading the word about teaching kids to code!

It’s an awesome time in the Payne household! Hope you and your family are doing well, and happy coding!

** Use the Coupon Code KIDSCODE27 to save $30 NOW! **

Teach your kids (and yourself) to code fun, colorful apps and games in Python, the powerful programming language used at tech companies and in colleges worldwide. Learn coding step-by-step from Computer Science Professor Dr. Bryson Payne, author of the Amazon #1 New Release and Top 10 Best Seller in Children’s Programming Books, Teach Your Kids to Code (2015, No Starch Press).

Give Your Kids a Huge Advantage in a High-Tech World

• Quickly master new problem-solving skills in Python with colorful, fun examples
• Teach younger kids to code using Turtle graphics, with text-based games and apps for older learners
• Develop a new creative outlet, building playable games and creating beautiful graphics
• Learn the basics of coding, from variables to loops and functions, with interactive, visually engaging apps

This is the kind of course you can enjoy with your kids!

Packed with fun examples, colorful graphics, and easy-to-follow plain English instruction, Teach Your Kids to Code is the course parents and kids, teachers and students can enjoy together, as they build one of the top job skills of the 21st century! Python is a great first language for beginners, but it’s powerful enough to be used in companies from Google to IBM.

I designed this programming course to be easily understood by absolute beginners, with example code I used with my own pre-schoolers all the way through the apps I teach to college freshmen.

Quick, two- to eight-minute lessons will get you coding your own apps from scratch in minutes. Over 80 lectures and 6 hours of content will give you the practice you need to master the powerful new skill of coding.

Everything you need to get started right away

Complete with working code downloads and high-definition videos, you’ll be able to work alongside a professor with 17 years’ teaching experience and over 30 years of programming knowledge. You’ll also receive a certificate of completion upon finishing the course.

No Risk: Preview videos from Sections 1, 2, and 4 now for FREE, and enjoy a 30-day money-back guarantee after you enroll – zero risk, unlimited payoff!

Early Praise for Teach Your Kids to Code

“Dr. Bryson Payne is a computer scientist and professor of the highest caliber, and with Teach Your Kids to Code, he brings the power of computers within easy reach for learners young and old.”—Dr. Antonio Sanz Montemayor, Informatics Professor, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain

“The concepts in Teach Your Kids to Code can help any young person enhance their college prospects and expand their career opportunities.”—Dr. Raj Sunderraman, Department Chair of Computer Science, Georgia State University

“Dr. Payne set us on the path that led us to our dream jobs! With Teach Your Kids to Code, he’s providing parents and teachers everywhere the chance to do the same for the next generation of creative problem-solvers.”—Shah and Susan Rahman, Riot Games

What is the target audience?

• Perfect for homeschooling parents or K-12 parents and teachers who want to give their students a HUGE advantage by learning to read and write code.
• Apps and games suitable for kids from Pre-K through College Freshmen.
• Kids can follow the course by themselves from 3rd grade through college age, but you can introduce children as early as preschool. (I started coding with my kids when they were 2 and 4 years old.)
• Includes examples from chapters 1-7 of the book, Teach Your Kids to Code, by Dr. Bryson Payne.
• This course does NOT include animation or game programming in Pygame.
• This course is NOT for experienced Python coders, unless you want to learn to make beautiful Turtle graphics & games, or code with your kids.

Try the free preview at https://www.udemy.com/teach-your-kids-to-code/. Enroll today and get $30 off with the coupon code KIDSCODE27!

Teach Your Kids to Code: Python Programming for All Ages! by Dr. Bryson Payne on Udemy.com

Even with a 15% discount, I pay over $68/month with AT&T, and my iPhone 4 has been out of contract for almost two years. So, compared to me, I calculate that Markus has saved $45 per month for over 5 years, or more than $2,500 – of course, he has an older, non-smart phone. However, Virgin offers iPhone and Android plans from $30/month for 300 minutes and unlimited text/data (on automatic monthly payment, with no contract), or $40/month for a generous 1200 minutes of talk, and unlimited text/data (plans and discounts are linked here). If you don’t want automatic monthly payments, you have to pay the full $35/45, but I like the convenience and love the discount.

Virgin Mobile offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, and they claim 4G LTE service even in Dahlonega, so I’m giving them a try for the next few weeks. I’ll post updates here as this test progresses.

The first course, Gamification, was from Prof. Kevin Werbach at UPenn. I can’t say enough positive things about this course, the content, the professor – everything was exemplary. This is the kind of massively open online course experience that makes traditional universities fear for their very existence, with the obvious irony that this course probably wouldn’t have ever existed without a university like UPenn backing the professor, supporting the course, etc.

Prof. Werbach’s course was perfectly prepared, filmed, staged, supported – I was impressed, even motivated, by the professionalism. I even asked Dr. Werbach what software he was using, and he (or a teaching assistant) replied – ScreenFlow for the Mac. I purchased the software and I’ve produced 4 videos for my own computer science courses (see http://vimeo.com/ungcs for two Java and two JavaScript videos) – let me know if you like them.

The second course, Computational Investing, was from Prof. Tucker Balch at Ga Tech. I learned a great deal about computational investing, from how hedge funds operate to how to actually program my own trading algorithms and test against real data from the stock market for the past several years to see how my portfolio/algorithm would have performed in practice. The exercises were worthwhile, and I completed the course “with distinction”.

The biggest difference was in the delivery of the course. Dr. Balch’s course ran two weeks over, because he fell behind in posting videos and assignments. While he had a student assistant assigned to the course, it was clear that Dr. Balch either under-anticipated the prep time and level of interaction required for a course with several thousand students, or that his combined work load at Tech was higher than even a talented professor could balance while teaching a few thousand online participants.

I got a lot out of both courses, and I’m glad that I took each of these, as I both gained new knowledge and got a chance to experience two different levels of preparation, two different kinds of professor – things I haven’t done in the decade since I completed my Ph.D. coursework. The funny thing is that our students (at UNG) probably have the same varying level of experience between professors, or in my own case, from semester to semester or course to course :). It’s good to remember that, and to learn some valuable content along the way.

A colleague and friend of mine, Dr. Markus Hitz, professor of computer science here at North Georgia, recently forwarded me an outstanding TED talk by Nick Hanauer [click here for the YouTube video, <6 min.] in which the self-made multi-millionaire argues that the members of the middle class are the true “job creators”. Whatever side of that discussion you fall on, you’ll at least likely agree that part of what makes the US the powerhouse it still is, is the presence of a thriving, attainable middle class.

A significant problem the relatively new millennium is that a growing number of Americans don’t know or recognize how to attain middle class status. I’m making the case that there have been four traditional pathways to becoming and staying a member of the middle class in the United States, and that at least three, if not all four, of those paths still exist.

First, the path many of our parents and/or grandparents took: Get a stable, 40-year job with a growing organization. For my dad, that was in the copper mines of southeast Tennessee. For my father-in-law, that was with IBM. For some, that job is in the public sector, as teachers, civil servants, and the like. For others, it’s still possible to get a good job with the big local employer. While this pathway is not as secure as it once was, especially for employees without four-year college degrees whose jobs may be more prone to layoffs, downsizing and outsourcing, it’s still achievable in some parts of the country.

Second: Be a successful entrepreneur and/or investor. Two of my closest friends, James and Craig, have entrepreneurship in spades. James is currently owner or partner in three separate companies and helps run a successful 501(c)3 charity with his wife. Craig is the most laser-focused entrepreneur and real estate investor in his age bracket bar none, having built and sold companies in his early and mid-20’s while I was still figuring out what to major in. The three of us are in a small investment club together, which allows us to exercise our investment muscles together. I’ve never been the entrepreneur James and Craig have been, but I’m always glad to invest in a company I believe in and share in the profits. If you’re not the small-business-job-creator type, or even a sophisticated investor, you can invest through dollar cost averaging in mutual or exchange-traded funds (MDY is my favorite – disclosure: I own shares of MDY) to reach the ranks of the middle class, assuming you have steady income (see #1 above).

Third: Have a valuable, special talent. Basketball superstars, smooth-voiced pop singers, news broadcasters, comedians – they all have something in common: a special talent people will pay them to perform. Raw talent may only be part of the equation – I agree wholeheartedly with Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule (from Outliers: The Story of Success) – but those of you with a talent that can be developed and that others will pay you to use have a third pathway to a lasting place at or above middle-class status. I can’t say I have much advice to offer here, but my respect and best wishes to those special few who reach wealth and success on this ticket.

Finally, the pathway most Americans tend toward these days: Get a relevant four-year or advanced degree from an accredited college or university. There are many antagonists making claims, some justified, that a four-year education isn’t as valuable as it used to be (I think it’s even more critical than ever), that student loan debt is crushing the middle class aspirations of millions of young Americans (they’re right on that one – that’s for another post), and that universities haven’t kept up with the needs of the workplace (again, there’s merit to this charge). My rule for a college degree is similar to the one for pathway #3, though – the degree has to be relevant and valuable; it has to be one that people will pay you to use. This doesn’t mean that only engineers and computer science/IT graduates will be successful (although we need lots more of these to remain competitive globally), it just means that you have to be able to use what you’ve gained in a four-year or higher degree program to build the kind of career, business, investments, or platform for your talent that others will find valuable enough to pay you to do.

As a university professor, in computer science & IT to boot, I try to remind my students of all four pathways – everybody has a slightly different “ticket” to success. I’m grateful to live in a country where we have the freedom to pursue any and all of the paths above. For me, my ticket into a stable position in the middle class was a four-year college degree. I then went on to pursue two graduate degrees, including a Ph.D. in computer science, which secured me the long-term, profitable career at the local big employer, the University where I work. If you’re not ready to be an entrepreneur and don’t have a readily identifiable special talent, a relevant, valuable university degree could be the right ticket to help you “stick” in the middle class.

I’d like to hear your comments – what other pathways are there for becoming and/or remaining a member of the middle class in the U.S. that I left out? A friend pointed out “inheriting a bundle”, and he’s got a good point, but I contend that you need to be able to adeptly manage even an inheritance (see pathway #2, which includes investing). Should I include that one, and are there any others I haven’t thought of?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Everything I Needed to Know about Investing, I Learned from Yogi Berra

© 2002, Bryson R. Payne

I hope these quotes, from the man who claimed, “I really didn’t say everything I said”, can help you get started saving and investing.

1. “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!” – Get started NOW! Every day is a new opportunity to start (or improve) saving and investing. Make the choice to do something – even just saving $25 a month means you’ll have an extra $300 at the end of a year (and invested regularly at 10% will be an extra $56,512 in 30 years, when you just might need it).
2. “If you don’t know where you‘re going, you might not get there.” – Set short term and long term goals, and make a plan to achieve them.  If you want to have at least $225,000 in 30 years, you need to be investing about $1200 per year ($100/month) at about 10% (the S&P Mid-Cap 400’s 15-year average return). If 30 years sounds too long, just realize that those 30 years will pass one way or another. Will you have enough to support yourself without working, or will you wish that you had started saving and investing 30 years ago?
3. “You better cut the pizza in four pieces, because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.” – Divide your money as soon as you get it, and you’ll keep more of it. We sometimes think of investing as “taking away” money from our paycheck, so when we try to “take away” from what’s left at the end of the month, we just don’t see how there can be enough to go around. Instead, try to picture yourself dividing what you have into more pieces. We pay our bills because we “have to” – so, make savings one of your most important monthly bills (possibly even by using direct deposit for investing).
4. “This is like déjà vu all over again.” – Let compound interest work for you. Compound interest has been called “the eighth wonder of the world” and “mankind’s greatest invention”. Your investment earns income, and that income earns more income- it’s like déjà vu. Some stock purchase plans allow you to reinvest dividends (income) into more shares of stock, which in turn earn more dividends. However you choose to invest, let your money earn more money by letting compound interest work for vou.
5. “You can observe a lot just by watchin’.” – Learn as you go, but start now. Most people hesitate to invest out of fear-induced paralysis. Usually, this is from being afraid of making a mistake by investing in the “wrong” thing. Perhaps the worst decision, though, is choosing not to invest at all. It we take a small step, like investing $25 a month by automatic debit or payroll deduction into a Roth IRA, we are opening a whole new world of knowledge and opportunities. And, we are one step closer to financial freedom.
6. “If you can’t imitate him, don’t copy him.” – Choose savings strategies that are right for you. Learn from others when you can, but find the investing style that works for you and invest consistently. lf you need to invest by automatic debit from your checking account or payroll deduction from your salary, do whatever it takes to invest every month, every year. If you don’t feel comfortable choosing good long-term stocks yet, invest in an index mutual fund. Adjust your style as you learn more.
7. “Nobody goes there anymore; it’s too crowded.” – Just because everyone else is doing it, it doesn’t mean it’s right, or wrong. Some people jump on the bandwagon in investing and do what’s popular; some people do the opposite. Whatever choices you make with your money, make sure you understand the investment. If you don’t understand why something is a good investment, you probably shouldn’t put your money into it. There are tons of simple, understandable investments available to choose from. Try one or two now, and more will appear.
8. “I knew I was going to take the wrong train, so I left early.” – Plan on making investment mistakes as you learn, and start now. Not every investment is going to be a perfect choice. If you diversify by investing in four to ten stocks or funds, you can afford for one out of every few choices to be a poor one.
9. “It’s pretty far, but it doesn‘t seem like it.” – Make steady progress toward your goals. Invest regularly over a long period of time, and you will see your goals accomplished. Make a commitment to start now.
10. “It ain’t over till it’s over.” – It’s not too late to start investing. If you are able to earn income, you have a chance to begin the habit of saving and investing. Unfortunately, many Americans reach retirement age with little or no savings.

Start as soon as you can, with whatever amount you can, and you will see the fruits of your labor grow.