buy and hold

On Monday, Facebook's stock fell from its IPO price of $38 to a low of (as of this writing) $33.60. So what? Nobody who actually paid attention to Facebook's statements before the IPO should be surprised by this latest turn, or even worried. Here's why:

Victoria O'Hara parlayed a relative's gift of one share of stock into a sizable portfolio by investing in a few shares at a time, on a postal worker's salary. Here are her top lessons for any novice investors hoping to emulate her success.

At this time last year, maybe you thought the economy would be a bit more gracious by now. No such luck. But as we reflect on the year that was, here are six financial lessons that 2011 taught us all.

That simple wait-and-see game plan we adopted when we believed recovery was just around the corner? Not cutting it anymore -- if it ever did. It's time for new strategies to win in the New Normal. Here's a rundown of ideas that once worked to which it's time to say goodbye, and the current wisdom for replacing them.

America's urban schools don't do nearly enough to teach kids about personal finance and investing, and the effects permeate through America's minority communities. The ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge changing that, one virtual portfolio and one girl at a time.

No joke: The Oracle of Omaha made his billions by tapping into his feminine side. Author LouAnn Lofton's new book, Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl, explains what women and Warren do right when it comes to the markets, and how you can learn from their temperaments.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Motley Fool analyst Matt Koppenheffer decided to twist that nugget of wisdom a bit and look at what did work in past and figure out how we can repeat it. Doing so, he found five dividend payers that fit the bill today.

If you're nearing retirement, Procter & Gamble (PG) might be a good addition to your stock portfolio. Its personal care focus, its history of creating new products, its near 50% dividend payout and its strong cash flow give it a stable outlook and make it a compelling choice for those looking to buy and hold.

When it comes to investing your hard-earned cash, today's marketplace offers more options than ever for small investors. But the key to success lies in sticking to a few basic principles -- and avoiding the irrational behaviors that plague our financial lives.

The short-term investors may account for most of the daily trading volume in stock markets, but slow and steady usually wins the investment race. The trick is to identify stocks likely to perform well over a period of years -- or even decades. Here are three strong options.