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Investing in Stocks & Bonds: Practical Investment Strategies
Rating: 4.9 out of 5(52 ratings)
2,012 students

Investing in Stocks & Bonds: Practical Investment Strategies

Long-term investing principles, stock and bond fundamentals, portfolio building, risk management and financial planning
Created byAl Zailskas
Last updated 5/2026
English

What you'll learn

  • Understand how money loses value over time and how inflation, fees, and taxes impact long-term investments.
  • Plan and calculate realistic investment goals using a practical Excel investing and financial planning tool.
  • Gain a clear understanding of classic investment instruments — including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs.
  • Learn how to build a long-term investing strategy for retirement, children’s education, or other long-term (15+ years) financial goals.
  • Evaluate and choose suitable investment options based on risk, time horizon, and expected returns.

Course content

4 sections20 lectures2h 51m total length
  • How Money Loses Its Value – and Why It Matters6:31
  • Common Asset Classes Worldwide0:46
  • What It Means to Invest in Stocks9:10

    Explore what stocks are, how they fit into the financial system, how shares are issued through IPOs, and why investors buy for growth or dividends, along with risks like bankruptcy.

  • What It Means to Invest in Fixed-Income Securities3:36
  • Long-Term Return Expectations9:25

    Explore how long-term return expectations are drawn from historical performance across asset classes, including stocks and real estate, before-fees and taxes, with reinvested dividends.

Requirements

  • No prior investing or finance knowledge is required — this course is suitable for complete beginners.
  • Optional but highly recommended: Use the Excel tool to plan your investments — it’s ready to use, simple, and gives instant insights, but you can still follow the course without it

Description

Long-term investing can ultimately change your life.
But before you start, it’s essential to understand how money loses value over time — and how inflation, fees, and taxes can shape your financial future. Many people see large future sums and get excited, but often forget to consider real money value, taxes, and inflation — which can make those amounts much smaller in today’s terms. This course helps you plan your investments in today’s real money value, so you can make smarter, more realistic financial decisions and build long-term wealth with confidence, clarity, and practical strategies.

You’ll get a clear, beginner-friendly introduction to stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs — the classic, time-tested investment instruments that have helped millions of people grow their savings over time. With a downloadable Excel investing and financial planning tool, you’ll learn how to calculate realistic returns, set achievable goals, and understand what really drives sustainable long-term growth — without complex math or financial jargon.

Created for an international audience, this course focuses on universal investing principles — not on any single country’s financial products. No prior investing knowledge is required — just curiosity, motivation, and a willingness to learn step by step at your own pace.

Taught by Al Zailskas, an economist with over 12 years of experience in banking, insurance, and real-estate investments, including working with institutional portfolios totaling around €700 million.

Who this course is for:

  • Anyone who wants to start long-term investing (15 years or more) using classic, time-tested financial instruments like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs — what most people use to grow wealth
  • Learners with long-term financial goals of any kind: retirement, children’s education, major future purchases, or building general wealth.
  • Beginners who want practical, easy-to-follow guidance without needing prior investing experience.