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After a decade of stellar performance, followed by a sudden massive decline in stock prices, and then another stellar rise in recent months, the stock market has become an unpredictable and risky proposition. This fact-filled course explores high and low-risk alternatives for saving and investing wisely. In-depth lessons delve into the pros and cons of conventional savings accounts, CDs, money market accounts, bonds, mutual funds, and other popular investment strategies. Practical tips for saving money and how to establish long-term savings goals will also be explored. Take the first step to achieving financial security and independence in this intensive workshop.

Upon successful completion of the course, you should be able to:

Locate low-risk investments and chart a course through the erratic market gyrations currently in play on Wall Street and around the world

Identify popular investment alternatives to traditional equity stocks

See why "diversification" is so important to any investor's portfolio

Understand the differences between savings accounts, NOW accounts, money market accounts, and other bank deposit products

Distinguish between FDIC-insured products such as checking and savings accounts and CDs, and uninsured products such as mutual funds and annuities

Gain a thorough understanding of how FDIC insurance works and the limits on various types of accounts

Know why terms like Annual Percentage Yield, compounding interest and tiered rates are important to your bottom line

Gain valuable insights into Certificates of Deposit, how they work, pros and cons, and whether they are right for you

Determine which investment products are right for you based on your desired level of return and risk-tolerance

Recognize the difference between Series EE, HH and I government savings bonds, and the pros and cons of owning them

Discover how Treasury Bills, Notes, and Bonds can provide a safe haven for principal you can't afford to lose

Know how to buy Treasury Securities and how to track your holdings

Understand how Zero Coupon Treasury Securities and STRIPS work

Effectively research municipal bond yields, market risk, taxable munis, and bonds with special features

Know the "lingo" of municipal bonds and what is meant by commonly used terms such as redemption, non-callable bonds, original issue discount, par value, premium, swaps, and yield to call

Find and use online tools to research the ratings and risk-reward levels for any municipal bond

Learn more about hybrid munis, including tax-exempt mutual bond funds, zero coupon municipal bonds, Unit Investment Trusts, Daily Investment Funds, and Industrial Revenue Bonds

Gain a glimpse inside the world of always popular, usually lucrative, but highly risky Real Estate Investments trusts or REITs

Learn how mutual funds operate, and why they may be an attractive addition to your portfolio

Familiarize yourself with commonly used mutual fund terms such as Net Asset Value, sales load, no-load fund, growth fund, and derivatives

Understand how sales commissions and other management fees can reduce your rate of return on mutual funds

Gain insights into foreign stock markets, international investments, and foreign currency fluctuations

Explore the strategy of investing in American Depositary Receipts and understand the pros and cons of owning ADRs

Take control of your finances and save for retirement

Familiarize yourself with various types of retirement accounts such as IRAs, 401(k) plans, 403(b) Annuities, and Keogh plans

Understand why Social Security should be an important part of your retirement planning strategy

Delve into various types of insurance and why these products may be important to you

Learn sixty-six powerful ways to save money in your everyday living

Chuck Weinstein, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF, has been a financial advisor since 1984. Working with individuals and businesses, he has designed retirement and estate plans involving insurance and investment products for a wide variety of people. He is licensed to sell all types of insurance and securities products in New York and California. He has been a trainer of insurance agents for over 15 years and has taught university courses for the general public on personal financial planning and business continuation planning.

Mr. Weinstein says he teaches because he enjoys sharing the knowledge with anyone who is interested in learning more about financial matters. He says he has the ability to break down complicated subjects into easy to understand bites.

In his personal life, Chuck is a family history researcher and has spoken before many groups on the subject of genealogy. He has documented his own family back to the 17th century in eastern Europe, and helped many others find their pasts. In addition to genealogy,, he enjoys outdoors activities, reading, and surfing news and science-related sites on the Web. A native of Los Angeles, CA, and long time resident of the San Francisco Bay area, he currently lives in Deer Park, NY, in the heart of Long Island.

Unit 1:  Investor's Roadmap to the 21st Century

Unit 2:  Deposits, Investments - What's the Difference?

Unit 3:  Making Sense of Savings

Unit 4:  Certificates of Deposit: Tips for Investors

Unit 5:  Your Insured Deposit: Questions and Answers

Unit 6:  Introduction to Government Securities

Unit 7:  Investing in U.S. Savings Bonds

Unit 8:  The I-Bond: A Better Savings Bond

Unit 9:  The Basics of Treasury Securities

Unit 10:  Investing in Municipal Bonds

Unit 11:  Invest Wisely: An Introduction to Mutual Funds

Unit 12:  International Investing

Unit 13:  66 Ways to Save Money

Unit 14:  Planning Financial Security

Unit 15:  Investor's Glossary

The course curriculum will include tutorial lessons, suggested readings, and homework activities. If you are taking the course for personal enjoyment or self-enrichment, homework is optional but you are encouraged to take part in suggested class activities to derive optimum benefit from the course. Homework projects, if completed satisfactorily, will earn Extra Credit points. These points will be added to your Final Exam score and may increase the overall grade you earn in the course.

There are no formal class meetings, so you do not have to be online at any set time. You can study and complete assignments at your convenience.

Plan to devote 3-5 hours a week to class assignments and study. The benefit that you will receive from this online class will be proportionate to the time and effort you invest. Students who approach online learning as an adventure, make an effort to keep up with the curriculum and interact with classmates on the discussion forum will enjoy the greatest opportunity for knowledge and personal growth.

The Student Handbook provides useful information on how to make the most of your online learning experience at Webversity. Refer to this guide for helpful tips on how to access your classrooms, posting homework, and answers to most frequently asked questions.

• Tips for Online Learning
• Classroom Bulletin Boards
• Discussion Forum Netiquette
• How to Post Homework Papers
• Final Exams
• Transcripts and CEUs