HUGE NEWS: I am happy to announce that moneymainst.com has brought the website under its banner and we will be merging over the next 20-45 days.
Hi! My name is Marvin.

I am on a path toward financial freedom. On this blog, I share thoughts and ideas on Personal & Financial Freedom.
After all, money is just a means to an end: to be free to spend your time as you wish, to maximize your positive impact in the world.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
― Mark Twain
Recommended Tools
Finance Tools
Some tools have really inspired and accelerated my journey toward financial freedom. Here are my favorites!
Brokers
A good broker with low fees is key to long-term investment success. The ones listed here are time-tested and reliable.
Real Estate
Tired of the ups and downs of the stock market? Put your money into real assets and watch the checks fly in.
Crypto
For the enterprising investor, crypto is the opportunity of a lifetime. Take a look at some of my top picks for low fees and high returns.
Latest Posts
IVV vs SCHD: Which ETF is Better for Your Portfolio?
If you’re considering investing in the stock market, two popular exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that may pique your interest are iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). IVV vs SCHD: However, there are some key differences between the two that you should be aware of before making a decision. IVV…
Continue Reading IVV vs SCHD: Which ETF is Better for Your Portfolio?
SPY vs. IVV – What’s The Difference?
One of the most popular index funds to invest in is the S&P 500 as it’s relatively low-risk, with stable returns in the long run. However, investing in the S&P 500 might be slightly confusing at first as there are several different S&P 500 ETFs to choose from. This article focuses on two of the…
SPY vs. QQQ – What’s The Difference?
SPY and QQQ are two of the biggest ETF out there. Both are in the top 100 most traded funds and have net assets of several billion dollars. But what’s the difference between SPY vs. QQQ and which fund actually performs better? SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while QQQ’s is significantly higher at…
Does VTI Have International Exposure?
Vanguard’s VTI fund is known for its inclusion of top U.S. stocks. Some may be wondering if VTI offers international exposure as well. VTI does not have international exposure. It only includes securities from the U.S. stock market. However, there are other Vanguard funds that do offer international exposure for those looking to diversify their…
Should ETFs be held long term?
An ETF is simply a bundle of securities that you purchase. The fund issues shares that are traded throughout the day and track an index or a hypothetical bunch of holdings that represent part of the market. But should ETFs be held long term? Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, can often be a good choice for…
VTI vs. MSCI World
If you are looking to invest for the long-term, you probably have come across VTI, a Vanguard ETF, along with ETFs that track the MSCI World index. So, naturally, you may wonder what the differences are as they will determine which one you should go with. For conservative investors, both VTI and an MSCI World…