Back in 2016, fresh out of college and stepping into the real world, I cracked open “The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing” for the first time. I remember reading it on an Amtrack going to & from Washington D.C. Fast forward seven years, with a bit more life and financial experience under my belt, I found myself revisiting the pages of this wonderful book. The difference? This time around, the theoretical morphed into the practical.

Initially, my financial knowledge was as slim as my just-starting-out bank account, but I knew one thing for sure: I had to get savvy about handling any money I’d earn at my new job out of college. That’s how I ended up on the Bogleheads wiki and forum, a pathway that led me to their book. Their investment strategy resonated with my personality; it was simple, low-cost, and played the long game—perfect for someone who prefers to avoid unnecessary risks and doesn’t mind keeping things boring.

The book was more than a manual; it was a conversation, breaking down complex financial instruments and strategies into something I could digest and, more importantly, act upon. Now with hands-on experience with many of the financial instruments it discussed, the advice was no longer abstract; it was actionable and relevant. I understood, at least enough to have in my portfolio, index funds and etfs, stocks vs bonds, tax implications of various accounts and investments, and many other things that are rudimentary but necessary for the average investor.

There’s a lot of value in this book. Here were my favorite topics, ordered by when I came across them in the book:

1. Saving Rate > Income, Live below means
2. Rule of 72. Invest early for compounding
3. Used car vs new cost of ownership
4. Diversify your income streams for more security.
5. Benefits of mutual/index funds.
6. Inflation is negative compounding
7. Quote: “You can’t borrow for retirement”
8. Expected return by asset class, Average inflation (3%)
9. How much to save charts, by year to retirement.
10. Advantages of index funds vs active funds & stock picking
11. Modern Portfolio Theory. Relationship of risk & return
12. Asset Allocation & “The Sleep Test”
13. Intl stock allocation, Japan & Nikkei 225
14. Tax efficient asset placement & qualified dividends
15. Short term vs long term capital gains
16. Tax efficiency tier list for assets.
17. Tax Loss Harvesting basics
18. Retirement Accounts (401k, 403b, IRA, etc)
19. Benefits of Portfolio Diversification
20. Unpredictability of interest rates, just like stock market
21. Methods of saving for college
22. Rebalancing
23. Market trends consistently upwards.
24. Social security withdrawal strategies.
25. Insurance mistakes & proper insurance usage
26. Don’t mix insurance and investing
27. Health insurance & HSAs
28. Insurance requirements and what to insure
29. Insurance agents / sales people
30. Estate planning

Adopting the Boglehead tenets is less about striking gold with every investment and more about cultivating habits that breed long-term success. It’s the financial equivalent of eating your veggies—maybe not exciting, but undeniably good for you. And even if the market doesn’t always favor your choices, you’ll have built a solid foundation that can weather the ups and downs.