The Aquinos live by a simple rule: “If we can’t pay for something, we don’t buy it,” says Liz, 34. In the eight years she and Tony, 36, a systems engineer, have been married, the couple have socked away more than $400,000.

Their goal is a comfortable retirement for themselves and college for little ones A.J., 3, and Annabelle, 1, while still allowing Liz, a former school-teacher, to stay home with the kids.

But although they have the saving side of the equation in order, their investment plan is in disarray. It’s not that the couple got off to a slow start. They just never decided on a game plan.

Instead, the Aquinos read stories about hot funds and grabbed them up. As a result, they are now sitting on a hodgepodge of more than five dozen once-popular funds, many of which own the same stocks. Continue reading →