What's the best way to invest? Wall St won't tell you the secret, but here it is: don't. Find a good money market fund as your base, and clip coupons by building a high quality relatively short duration bond ladder. It's essentially risk free, and it has beaten the market for over a decade now. Sleep well, save well, focus on your career, and enjoy your life -- and though you may not believe me, I guarantee you'll beat 95% of all investors in the long run, and you won't have to pay any "advisors" a nickel.