I write this as a "heads up" to the new investor, especially those who intend to start investing money in the stock market in 2015 or 2016. We're all a new investor sometime and all subject to the same misconceptions, illusions and mistakes when we start investing money in the stock market. Here's a simple guide to investing money as the market unfolds in 2015 and 2016.

If you start investing money in the stock market before you have a handle on such things as P-E ratios, dividend yields and past market cycles consider yourself a new investor. Ditto, if you don't feel that you really understand the big picture - even if you have been an investor for several years (like millions of other folks). I write this as a former financial planner who worked with many uninformed (new) investors... because most people who start investing money in the stock market do it uninformed.

Many new investors get excited when the market makes new highs. If you were excited by the new highs in the market in 2014, take a deep breath and push your emotions (like greed) aside before investing money in the stock market in 2015 and beyond. Don't be afraid of "missing out" because stocks are NOT cheap (P-E ratios are not low) while dividend yields ARE low. There are few bargains around. After more than five consecutive good years the "herd instinct" has taken over on Wall Street. If you became a new investor since the financial crisis ended in early 2009, you have probably been misled by what you've seen.

Investing In Diamonds

9 Things Successful Investors Avoid at All Cost

• Build your retirement account without panic
• Create wealth to secure your dreams
• Take advantage of time being on your side
• Formulate your goals and plans for a debt-free future
• Prepare to retire early

Over the past few months I have watched bitcoin's value rise exponentially. I had no idea what bitcoin was and never even heard of crypto currency a few months ago. But with the recent government and media attention crypto currencies have received, they have gotten everyone's attention.

Crypto currency or more simply digital money is gaining acceptance quickly all over the world as it makes transactions quicker and cheaper. These transactions are secured by cryptography and each transaction has its own signature or private key. With its rise in value and popularity everyone wants a piece of the action. There are two main ways to make money with bitcoin. The first is a pretty straightforward method of purchasing the coin as an investment and hope that its value increases. The second is the process of "mining" bitcoins. Once a transaction has occurred they are then verified over the network by "miners" using complicated algorithms. As a reward for their work they receive transaction fees and/or freshly minted bitcoins!