3 Dangerous Investing Mistakes to Avoid
Making these blunders with your money can really cost you.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
We all make mistakes. But making mistakes with your money can haunt you for a lifetime. Here are three of the most dangerous mistakes investors make – and how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Holding on too long to winners
Selling a hot investment is difficult, but the price can’t go up forever. On a regular basis, sell some winners and reinvest the profits in other promising investments to diversify and keep your portfolio balanced.
Mistake #2: Waiting too long to sell losers
It’s painful to realize a loss, so you wait (and wait) for a losing investment to bounce back. Bad idea. Set a limit on how far a price can fall before you will sell and stick to it.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Mistake #3: Trying to time the market
The stock market has gone up two out of every three years, on average, over the past century. Trying to outguess the bulls and the bears is futile. Instead, invest at regular intervals whether the market is up or down.
Check out more of the worst mistakes investors make with their money.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
-
Dow Leads in Mixed Session on Amgen Earnings: Stock Market TodayThe rest of Wall Street struggled as Advanced Micro Devices earnings caused a chip-stock sell-off.
-
How to Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics Without OverpayingHere’s how to stream the 2026 Winter Olympics live, including low-cost viewing options, Peacock access and ways to catch your favorite athletes and events from anywhere.
-
Here’s How to Stream the Super Bowl for LessWe'll show you the least expensive ways to stream football's biggest event.
-
The Most Tax-Friendly States for Investing in 2025 (Hint: There Are Two)State Taxes Living in one of these places could lower your 2025 investment taxes — especially if you invest in real estate.
-
Bond Basics: Zero-Coupon Bondsinvesting These investments are attractive only to a select few. Find out if they're right for you.
-
Bond Basics: How to Reduce the Risksinvesting Bonds have risks you won't find in other types of investments. Find out how to spot risky bonds and how to avoid them.
-
What's the Difference Between a Bond's Price and Value?bonds Bonds are complex. Learning about how to trade them is as important as why to trade them.
-
Bond Basics: U.S. Agency Bondsinvesting These investments are close enough to government bonds in terms of safety, but make sure you're aware of the risks.
-
Bond Ratings and What They Meaninvesting Bond ratings measure the creditworthiness of your bond issuer. Understanding bond ratings can help you limit your risk and maximize your yield.
-
Bond Basics: U.S. Savings Bondsinvesting U.S. savings bonds are a tax-advantaged way to save for higher education.
-
Bond Basics: Treasuriesinvesting Understand the different types of U.S. treasuries and how they work.