Canter Bridge

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance is a worthy challenge to Money magazine for a monthly dose of economic and investing trends, helpful financial tips, and—in KPF‘s case—a kind of populist advocacy for the little guy investor.

I came to KPF by way of the well-read hand-me-downs of one of Kiplinger Letters that were pressed into my hands by my mother-in-law 25 years ago. She probably thought that without I’d lead her daughter into the financial wilderness, where we would thirst and die in good romantic fashion.

I eventually migrated up the Kiplinger food chain to the glossier KPF and have never left.

Much of the information provided by KPF (mutual fund and ETF results and the like) are widely available. The same could be said of the investing advice (look for no-loads with low fees, diversify, don’t bail under pressure).

Where KPF excels is in the short articles and tips, which have often prodded me to take money- and/or sanity-saving moves. Two fine recent examples: the articles in the September 2006 issue entitled ‘Buy a 2006 car on sale?’ and ‘5 things to ask about silk ties’. Both of these articles provided solid input into two buying decisions I’m likely to make in the new year. What’s more, the conclusions reached by these two authors are probably *not* the ones you’d anticipate.

In terms of macro-economic instincts, the Kiplinger Washington Editors run bullish, though not quite so much as Money‘s more cosmopolitan-posed writers. KPF won’t lure you into buying quite as many fancy gentleman’s toys either, a fact that is well observed by their authors, who tend to be mutual fund companies rather than designer suit or German auto makers.

Don’t get me wrong, I read other financial rags and might not be as enthusiastic about KPF if it were my only source. But KPF‘s monthly arrival is still always welcomed, as it has been for years. It remains firmly entrenched in my top tier.