It has been said that the articles that I write are more like homework, very good reads, they'll say (guess not to hurt my feelings), interesting, factual, but often to be put aside to be mulled over later. My co-columnist, Roger, generates more comments in a day than I do in several months and that is as it should be as he is the 'real' writer with a financial sense of humour. I express my thanks to every reader and truly appreciate your interest

Stepping out of the box. The holiday season is upon us, with the accompanying self-imposed stress and guilt over trying to make everyone happy, in a year when many simply won't be happy. It is ok, just do your best with everyone; then, be sure if at all possible to take a little time just for you "away from the maddening crowds".

Here is the annual review of some of my favourite websites and books: educational, illuminating, and fun. Yes, I'll still be slipping in some facts about managing your finances (I can't help it), but you can peruse them at your leisure over a glass of wine or a beer, after the crowds of relatives have left for the day.

Investopedia: For the most detailed, comprehensive website for the layman and even those further advanced investors, this is still one of the best. Investopedia is one of the Internet's largest sites devoted entirely to investing education. The site was started by Cory Janssen and Cory Wagner in June 1999 at the height of the Internet stock boom as an unbiased source to learn about investing.

Forbes Inc. bought the site in 2007, so you will have to tolerate those annoying flashing investment ads; however, the trade-off is that the site is still free, and the content is just excellent.

Investopedia features many different offerings: How to trade currencies: Using a stock trading simulator to understand investment markets: a retirement section; tutorials and many more.

Investing Basics contains the following subjects: Investing 101, Index Investing, Stock Basics, Basic Financial Concepts, Bond & Debt Basics, Reading Financial Tables, Mutual Fund Basics, IPO Basics, Economics Basics, Brokers and Online Trading, Exploring Real Estate Investments, Online Investment Scams, All About Inflation, Understanding the P/E Ratio, Financial Ratios, Mortgage Basics, Economic Indicators.

If you are further along, consider More Advanced Topics including Exchange-Traded Funds, The Basics of Mergers and Acquisitions, ADR Basics, Understanding Economic Value Added, Risk and Diversification, Stock Picking, The Money Market, Advanced Bond Analysis, Fundamental Analysis, Buying on Margin, Technical Analysis, Short Selling, Ratio Analysis, Option Basics, The Federal Reserve, Futures Fundamentals, The Forex Market, Moving Averages, Analyzing Chart Patterns, Behavioural Finance, Option Volatility, Exploring Oscillators and Indicators, Options Greeks, Choosing Quality Mutual Funds.

Another excellent section is called ASK US. The answers are intelligent and free from product pushing such as the one below: A lot of retirement projections seem to assume an eight percent rate of return. Is this realistic?

Many financial advisors would feel that an eight percent rate of return is too high, and are more likely to work with four to five percent estimated return, depending on the dollar amount that is assumed will be invested.

The eight percent (or more) rate of return became the norm for financial advisors when doing projections during the 1990s and 2000s because the portfolios that they managed were producing eight percent returns, and in some cases, even higher returns. By 2008, however, things had begun to change as advisors became less optimistic about the likelihood that these high returns would be possible going forward on a constant basis.

Unfortunately, Investopedia does not know of a nice safe place for one's nest egg that pays eight percent, and it is unlikely that anyone else does either. That said, take financial articles for what they are worth: general education to increase awareness. If you are looking for projections that apply to you, visit a professional. Your best bet would be to contact a financial planner and create a plan that best suits your needs for today and your golden years.

Financial literacy made easy for the Young among your guests and you, by the way: RICH BY THIRTY - the book Do you want to be rich? A fabulous gift for anyone from age 17 upward interested in managing their own financial future, the legitimate way. Lesley Scorgie is the author of Rich by Thirty: A Young Adult's Guide To Financial Success, a national bestselling personal finance book geared towards young people.

According to her website since childhood, Lesley's been a saver, purchasing her first savings bond at 10 years old and securing her first job (at a public library) at 14. She soon moved on to savings bonds and started investing in stocks. Then, at 17, she received an invite to The Oprah Winfrey Show after the staff ran across a local newspaper article about Scorgie indicating that she was on track to be a millionaire by 25 and where she discussed financial strategies for young people and revealed her goal of becoming rich by thirty. www.richbythirty.com was started shortly afterwards and it's designed to help you achieve financial success.

You may not have time to order this before Christmas, but you can join her blog and receive her financial and motivational tips. She is an old 25 now.

Her quote on Finding your Financial Freedom. Money is important because it builds a path to freedom. Without it, your choices can be limited. With it, you can pursue your dreams. Wealth is no longer just about money. It is about freedom. The sooner you start making money work for you, the more financial freedom you'll have.

Proving once again, that you are never too young (or too old) to learn to control your financial destiny.

Happiness in this World www.happinessinthisworld.com is a different, very uplifting site with essays on life and living, written by a practicing physician. He truly lives the tenets of his profession.

Great Books:

Freakonomics is still a great reference and an interesting read, but at the end of the day, only a few pages at a time. The authors also write an opinion column for the New York Times that is topical and timely.

Deona Leon is my new favourite mystery writer who lives and writes about the Italian city, Venice, that she loves - in English. Her books have never been translated into Italian. She was first published in 1992, Death at La Fenice introduced Commissario Guido Brunetti, the melancholy Venetian policeman who would go on to star in a series of witty, intelligently plotted, and critically acclaimed detective novels. He has an opinionated free spirited wife, and he as long suffering husband tries to perform his primary mission, that of bringing criminals to justice, while keeping the peace at work with a Prima Dona boss and at home. These are great bedtime mystery reads without the gore and descriptive descent into twisted criminal minds.

Love by Leo Buscaglia. The author passed away more than ten years ago, but the message and the book has not changed. We all need to love and be loved in return.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. Leo Buscaglia

Merry Christmas, Dear Readers

Martha Harris Myron, CPA, CFP(US) TEP(UK) JP - Bermuda is an international Certified Financial Planner™ practitioner. She specialises in independent fee-only cross-border tax, estate, investment, and strategic retirement planning services for Bermuda residents with cross-border and multi-national connections, internationally mobile people and US citizens living abroad. For more information, contact martha.myrongmail.com or 735-4720.