Mercedes Barba

Former senior editor, investing

EXPERTISE

Investing
Stock analysis
Retirement

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, California State University, Los Angeles
Master's degree in News and Documentary, New York University

The key to successful investing is to take action and not let fear or over-analyzing prevent you from taking advantage of the benefits of compound interest over time.
— Mercedes Barba

About the author

Mercedes Barba was a senior editor at Bankrate. Prior to this, she served as a senior editor at NextAdvisor and led the video team at Money.com, where she executive produced a short documentary that received an Emmy nomination. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her son Luke and two pet dogs.

The key to successful investing is to take action and not let fear or over-analyzing prevent you from taking advantage of the benefits of compound interest over time.
— Mercedes Barba

Mercedes's latest articles

6 tips for diversifying your investment portfolio

Not sure if your investment portfolio is diversified enough? Here are six tips to help you change that.

5 min read Feb 08, 2024
What is Social Security and how does it work?

Here’s how Social Security works, how it’s funded, and how it fits into your retirement plan.

6 min read Feb 08, 2024
How to invest money today

Ready to invest your money but aren’t sure how to get started? Here’s what you need to know.

6 min read Feb 08, 2024
What is the U.S. Dollar Index?

This index says a lot of about the strength of the dollar. Here’s what investors should know.

3 min read Feb 07, 2024
7 of the best passive income investments

Here are the best ways to start earning passive income today.

4 min read Feb 07, 2024
The average 401(k) balance by age

Compare with your savings progress to see if you’re on track for retirement.

4 min read Feb 06, 2024
10 best side hustles to make extra money

A side hustle is something you do in addition to your main job, and the best ones can help you earn a decent amount of cash.

5 min read Feb 05, 2024
5 different types of FIRE

There are a lot of different flavors of the FIRE movement.

3 min read Feb 02, 2024