Bulls make money and bears make money, but pigs seldom do. When a stock or mutual fund is up 30%, sell one-quarter of your position.

Invest less at the end of the month. Brokers tend to push stocks at the end of the month in an effort to match or surpass their previous month's sales.

Invest in vanity. Buy stocks in high-profile companies whose products are designed to make you feel good and look good.

Bet on black. Buy low-debt or no-debt companies. When the economy is in trouble, these companies usually have enough cash on hand to stay out of trouble. And they seldom need to borrow when interest rates are high.

Sell before the holidays. Stock prices tend to rise on the last trading day before major holidays.

Always leave a sinking ship. There's no virtue in hanging on to losers. And stocks don't have feelings.

Avoid greed and fear. These are the investor's Achilles heels. Keeping all your money in the bank earning 3% interest is just as foolish as dumping your entire savings into the market thinking you'll make a quick buck.