Investment articles blanket the internet these days, but finding where to look isn’t always easy. It can be frustrating digging through search engines, trying keyword after keyword, unsure of exactly what it is you are looking for. Many people choose to pay a financial adviser $100/hour to have their questions answered, rather than try to find free retirement planning resources online. Whether you’re watching your current investments or learning about new ones, you needn’t spend your nest egg on some fast-talking, persuasive salesman. Instead, carefully contemplate these important decisions that will affect the rest of your life.

Forbes is a fantastic place to discover your inner economist. It may look like a regular news site at first, but if you type “retirement investment” into the website’s search engine, you’ll find a plethora of engaging, easy-to-follow articles with aesthetically-pleasing arrangements. The letters are bold and colorful, with complimentary charts and pictures that make learning and understanding second nature. You might want to stream video presentations or look at the “lists” section where you can find the 100 best mid-cap stocks or an international investment guide. The “personal finance” tab is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for investment articles. From guru insights and investing ideas to taxes and mutual funds — finance has never been so much fun! Forbes.com is simply a “must” for anyone considering saving for their financial future.

As you near retirement, you’ve probably considered that the AARP is the largest lobby group in the country and is also focused on your needs as a soon-to-be-retiree. On the AARP website, you will find countless beginner’s tools to planning, executing and enjoying a responsible retirement plan. Investment articles include topics like: all the latest investment scams, automatic 401k savings plans, social security issues and the different roth IRA options available.

Surely you’ve heard of Fortune or Money Magazine. Part of the CNN family, you can find an article about what to do with your 401k and read an interview with the richest man in the world at http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune. You probably recall their annual “top 100 companies to work for” list and the “highest paid CEOs” list, making this magazine great for research, more than a dummy’s guide to investment articles. You won’t find so many cut-and-dry explanations, but for the moderately educated and perpetually curious mid-lifer, Fortune and Money covers the hot button issues on Wall Street.

Bloomberg.com is a practical site that features not only investment articles, but also investment tools. Register and use the portfolio tracker and market monitor to easily keep tabs on your stocks, compare your funds with other top-ranked funds or use the personal calculator to keep your spending under control. With a quick click, you’ll get Bloomberg radio and TV reports delivered instantly to your computer. Quickly view an economic calendar or check the top stocks, read current news or refer to the glossary to understand unfamiliar terms. This is not for beginners, but rather intermediates.

There are many scams out there involving your hard-earned dollars. Yet for the cautious and curious, there are even more investment articles about these potential pitfalls. By spending a few hours each week educating yourself, exploring options and finding a genuine interest in finances you can embolden your opportunities and pave a bright path to your golden years!