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The Value of Simple | A Practical Guide to Taking the Complexity Out of Investing Review

Worth it

Should I use The Value of Simple | A Practical Guide to Taking the Complexity Out of Investing?

Not disclosed - valueofsimple.ca

· 18 hours ago

Buy if you're a Canadian beginner who wants to DIY index investing — it's cheap and highly rated. Skip if you invest outside Canada or already run a simple index portfolio.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 14 public sources. Product is a book, not software; security and support dimensions are not applicable.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support evidence in sources
  • Security postureN/A — it's a book, not software

Pricing

~$14.99 USD

Book (paperback or ebook)

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierNo

Best for

  • Canadian investing beginners
  • Aspiring DIY 'couch potato' index investors
  • People escaping high-fee mutual funds
  • Readers wanting screenshot-level hand-holding

Not for

  • Non-Canadians — RRSP/TFSA content won't apply
  • Experienced index investors seeking advanced tactics
  • Stock-pickers or crypto-curious readers
  • Anyone wanting a done-for-you advisor service

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Tax chapters (RRSP/TFSA) are worthless outside Canada

low

Older 2014 first-edition copies still circulate; confirm you're getting the 2018 edition

low

Ebook and print prices vary by retailer around ~$15 USD list

Pros and cons

Pros

  • 4.7/5 average on Amazon (62 reviews) and Kobo
  • Step-by-step index-fund methods with screenshots
  • Covers Canadian fee traps plus RRSP/TFSA basics
  • Reviewers call it a quick, plain-language read
  • Includes tools, templates, and rules-of-thumb against analysis paralysis

Cons

  • Canada-only; minimal value for US or UK readers
  • Small review base: 62 Amazon ratings
  • Second edition dates to Feb 2018; screenshots may look dated
  • Index funds only; no stock-picking or alternative strategies

Sources & method

- 10 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x4review x5news x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • ~$14.99 USD

    Starting price

  • 10

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. ~$15 once; targets Canada's famously high investment fees
  • Ease of use: 5/5. Plain language, step-by-step, screenshots
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Three index methods plus RRSP/TFSA tax guidance
  • Support quality. No support evidence in sources
  • Security posture. N/A — it's a book, not software
  • 4.7/5 Amazon rating 62 reviews
  • $14.99 USD List price Paperback, second edition Feb 2018
  • 41 reviews Goodreads reviews First edition Dec 2014
  • No Free tier One-time book purchase

Pricing

Book (paperback or ebook)

~$14.99 USD

  • Plain-language guide to index investing
  • Step-by-step methods with screenshots
  • Tools and templates included

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Reviewers consistently praise it as a quick, plain-language primer that makes index investing approachable for Canadians.

“Helpful and easy to read, great for the index investor.”
Amazon customer review
“Anyone who has money to invest should read this book, even if you never, ever intend to manage a penny of your own portfolio.”
Medium, Canadian Personal Finance
“It's a quick read that will enhance your understanding of why you're investing in the first place.”
Sandi Martin, fee-only planner

Alternatives

Compare The Value of Simple | A Practical Guide to Taking the Complexity Out of Investing with each alternative.

  • Guess: a robo-advisor (e.g., Wealthsimple)

    Hands-off option if you won't manage investments yourself.

Full analysis

Based on 14 public sources. Product is a book, not software; security and support dimensions are not applicable.

Cheap, well-reviewed plain-language index-investing guide for Canadians; skip if you're outside Canada or already a confident DIY investor.

Methodology

Based on 14 public sources. Product is a book, not software; security and support dimensions are not applicable.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. The Value of Simple (official site)valueofsimple.ca
    official
  2. Amazon customer reviews (4.7/5, 62 ratings)amazon.ie
    review
  3. Amazon.ca listingamazon.ca
    official
  4. Goodreads pagegoodreads.com
    review
  5. Medium book reviewmedium.com
    review
  6. Sandi Martin book reviewsandimartin.ca
    review
  7. Kinokuniya listing ($14.99, Feb 2018)usa.kinokuniya.com
    official
  8. Canadian Couch Potato podcast, episode 15canadiancouchpotato.com
    news
  9. Elm Wealth: Essential Wisdomelmwealth.com
    review
  10. Google Books pagebooks.google.com
    official

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