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💰 Money and investing · Beginner · 8 min read · Lesson 37 of 42 · Free with an account

Financial literacy essentials: compound interest, inflation, debt and risk

A few ideas explain most of personal finance. Learn them once and you will make better decisions about saving, borrowing, investing and trading for the rest of your life.

Compound interest

Compounding means earning returns on your returns. Over long periods it becomes very powerful.

The rule of 72
  • Divide 72 by the yearly return to estimate how many years it takes to double.
  • At 8% a year: 72 ÷ 8 = about 9 years to double.
  • It works against you too: debt at 24% a year doubles in about 3 years.
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Questions people ask

What is diversification in simple words?

Not keeping all your eggs in one basket: spreading money so one bad outcome cannot ruin you.

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Educational content only, not financial, investment or tax advice. Trading forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money. Look up any term in the trading glossary.