ETFs debuted in 1993 and their combination of diversification, tax efficiency, and low transaction costs have made them popular since the start. From 1993 to 2015 over $2 trillion USD has been invested in ETFs in the United States alone.

So what is an ETF? How does it work?

ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund. These types of funds are considered marketable securities – they are very liquid and can be converted into cash quickly and at a reasonable price. An ETF fund owns underlying assets such as bonds, stock shares, gold bars, foreign currencies, oil futures, etc. ETFs take a bunch of profitable goodies and put them all into one basket.

You as the shareholder own an indirect portion of the fund, equivalent to your investment. Pretty much you lay claim to a piece of all the ingredients that make up this glorious money pie. You as shareholder are then entitled to a corresponding piece of the profits. Profits appear as earned interest, dividends paid, and/or residual value if the fund is liquidated.

Because ETFs are traded on public stock exchanges, they are easy to buy, sell, or transfer – just like stocks.

Here’s a list of some of the more widely traded ETFs:

string(4501) "
ETFs debuted in 1993 and their combination of diversification, tax efficiency, and low transaction costs have made them popular since the start. From 1993 to 2015 over $2 trillion USD has been invested in ETFs in the United States alone.
So what is an ETF? How does it work?
         ETF stands for Exchange Traded Fund. These types of funds are considered marketable securities - they are very liquid and can be converted into cash quickly and at a reasonable price. An ETF fund owns underlying assets such as bonds, stock shares, gold bars, foreign currencies, oil futures, etc. ETFs take a bunch of profitable goodies and put them all into one basket.
You as the shareholder own an indirect portion of the fund, equivalent to your investment. Pretty much you lay claim to a piece of all the ingredients that make up this glorious money pie. You as shareholder are then entitled to a corresponding piece of the profits. Profits appear as earned interest, dividends paid, and/or residual value if the fund is liquidated.
Because ETFs are traded on public stock exchanges, they are easy to buy, sell, or transfer - just like stocks.
         Here's a list of some of the more widely traded ETFs:
One of the most widely known and traded ETFs tracks the S&P 500 Index, and is called the Spider (SPDR), and trades under the ticker SPY.
The IWM tracks the Russell 2000 Index.
The QQQ tracks the Nasdaq 100, and the DIA tracks the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Sector ETFs exist which track individual industries such as oil companies (OIH), energy companies (XLE), financial companies (XLF), REITs (IYR), the biotech sector (BBH), and so on.
Commodity ETFs exist to track commodity prices including crude oil (USO), gold (GLD), silver (SLV), and natural gas (UNG) among others.
ETFs that track foreign stock market indices exist for most developed and many emerging markets, as well as other ETFs which track currency movements worldwide. - Investopedia
"

The Momager May Be Worth More Than You Think… Kris Jenner is a pop culture icon for many reasons. While you may have watched her meteoric rise to fame on Keeping Up with the Kardashians — which originally debuted on E! — she’s actually been a fascinating figure in the public eye for ages.  As

By Massimo Tornambe Scott Disick, aka “Lord Disick” has gained fame and a devoted following since his appearances on the reality show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Disick is renowned for his expensive taste in clothes, cars, and women. The question that millions of fans are asking is: where did his fortune come from? Scott

Everyone says the economy’s healthier than ever, but some of us still find it necessary to make that paycheck stretch…and stretch…and stretch. The better we understand our spending habits, the better we can manage them. Living frugally can benefit you in many ways. You’ll grow more self-reliant, creative, and resourceful as you learn to make

Spring is in the air — and while you’re clearing out closets and scrubbing the back corners of the kitchen drawers, why not do a deep clean on something that really weighs you down? We’re talking about debt. Yep, those sneaky credit card balances, student loans, Buy Now Pay Later plans, and subscriptions that keep

Attention fellow thrifters! Raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced buyer’s remorse over some of your past secondhand shopping. *Raises both hands, high.*  One of the many benefits when it comes to thrifting vs. shopping high-end retail, is that it saves you a ton. With this in mind, it’s easy to get carried away with

In the 1980s movie Little Shop of Horrors, the protagonist Audrey fantasizes about owning a house of her very own. She doesn’t ask for much: just a simple one-storey place with a washer, dryer, and bedding will do.  And while this moment in the film is intended to satirize the American Dream by underlining how

Tax season can absolutely wreck your life for a few weeks, especially if the very thought of anything math-related makes you break out in a rash. (No? Just me?) But regardless of how overwhelming organizing all your receipts and deductions may seem, the process can be made a million times easier with the help of

Despite the fact that late-stage capitalism is an amoral hellhole driven by a borderline religious belief in the sanctity of brands, we would never, ever suggest that anyone should shoplift from big-box stores, or even imply that doing so is morally okay or a victimless crime. But hypothetically, if we were to give any tidbit

In this month’s Money Journal, Celia is organized and disciplined yet enjoys her life “to the Max” Welcome to Money Journal, a monthly Paypath series that examines how Americans really handle their finances. Our participants keep a journal of their earnings, spending, and savings (if any), then share what it’s like to live in their

Trying to cancel your gym membership can be more tiring than actually attending that kickboxing class you keep skipping. Getting out of your gym contract can be so tough that people are going to great lengths to avoid paying any penalties. After going into debt living a lifestyle she couldn’t afford, this woman forged fake