Utilizing every asset protection and tax deferral/avoidance mechanism under the sun will not do you much good if you are careless or stupid about how you invest the resulting financial resources. And only reading from mainstream financial sources is definitely hazardous to your financial health. The tried and true aphorism that what everybody knows is not worth knowing especially applies to the financial world, where following the herd in reaction to conventional news and analysis will have you consistently buying high and selling low.

Included among the sites below are conventional financial press sites, which do have their uses; some contrarian or unconventional investment sites, which at least have the virtue of steering you away from the herd; and some sites which attempt to figure out how to invest in the face of the financial world as we have known it coming to an end, once the U.S. dollar’s reserve currency status is done for, and all the debts and other liabilities the world’s governments have so profligately issued can no longer be rolled over and come due. Suffice it to say that by the standards of the (alleged) Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times,” we are collectively cursed today.

Bloomberg.com: Premier provider of worldwide general and financial news, as well as real-time financial markets quotations, data, analytics, and electronic trading access.

The Daily Reckoning: Commentary on market and economic trends from a distinctly skeptical perspective with regard to the structural soundness of the world economic system. Chief author Bill Bonner’s pieces are invariably funny. Site is sponsored by Agora Publishing, promoter of many financial and health newsletters. (Avoid letting your postal address get into their possession.)

Casey Research: Online platform for legendary investor and best-selling author Doug Casey, who has been helping investors earn superior returns through investment ideas based on taking advantage of market dislocations – often caused by governments.

Credit Bubble Bulletin: Weekly commentary by Doug Noland plus many posted links to articles relevant to his thesis. From the blog’s “About” page: “By late in the nineties, I was convinced that momentous developments were unfolding in finance, the markets and policymaking that were going unrecognized by conventional analysis and the media. I was inspired to start my blog ... by the desire to shed light on these developments. ... Ben Bernanke has referred to understanding the forces leading up to the Great Depression as the ‘Holy Grail of Economics.’ I believe ‘The Grail’ will instead be discovered through knowledge and understanding of the current extraordinary global Bubble period.”

Elliott Wave International: Claims to be the world’s largest market forecasting firm, with 20-plus analysts providing around-the-clock forecasts of every major market in the world. Markets progress exposited in terms of the “Wave Principle,” often called the Elliott Wave Principle after discoverer R. N. Elliott. Educational material for those interested in learning and applying the Wave Principle. Includes analysis of so-called fundamentals and social trends, which, according to the theory, are actually products of the underlying wave.

Euro Pacific Capital: The brokerage firm’s site features commentary from President Peter Schiff (son of brave but misguided IRS opponent Irwin Schiff), the author of Crash Proof: How to Profit From the Coming Economic Collapse, whose title encapsulates the brokerage’s guiding investment philosophy, and The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets, “The Little Book that helps investors protect wealth in an economic downturn.”

Financial Sense Online: Financial Sense provides free educational resources to the broad public audience through editorials, current news and resource links on salient financial market issues.

Forbes: “The Capitalist Tool” still has it after all these years, providing interesting and incisive economics, business and investment analysis in an easy-to-read style. The only establishment-connected business news source we routinely read; however, their editorials fail to significantly challenge the basic assumptions behind to prevailing concensus.

Investopedia: Extensive resource with coverage of investing for beginners, experienced investors and active traders; stock and foreign exchange portfolio/trading simulators; personal finance and retirement; financial career education and exam preparation.

iTulip.com: Contrarian economic and investment analysis. Fundamental premise is that the world economy is overly-dominated by by the “FIRE” – finance, insurance, real estate – industries, which has lead to unstable markets and economies. Started in 1998 to warn readers (quite correctly) about the technology bubble.

Jim Rogers Blog: World famous investor and financial commentator. Co-founded the Quantum Fund with George Soros in 1970; during the following 10 years the portfolio increased over 40-fold while the S&P 500 advanced less than 50%. In 1998, he founded the Rogers International Commodity Index. In 2007, Rogers sold his mansion in New York City and moved to Singapore, claiming the move was motivated by the investment potential in Asian markets. Rogers’s first daughter is now being tutored in Mandarin to prepare her for the future.
Rogers i author of Investment Biker: Around the World with Jim Rogers (1995), Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably in the World’s Best Market (2004), A Bull in China: Investing Profitably in the World’s Greatest Market, and A Gift to My Children: A Father’s Lessons For Life And Investing (2009). This blog tracks Rogers’s public pronouncements.

Joe-Duarte.com: One of CNBC’s original Market Mavens, Dr. Joe Duarte has been writing about the financial markets since 1990. Dr Duarte’s daily biotech and tech stock picks, and daily technical briefing, are now available to investors and traders.

Magic Formula Investing: Joel Greenblatt, whose firm achieved average annualized returns of 40% for over 20 years for its investors, shows you how to “beat the market” via a “magic formula” that is easy to use and makes buying good companies at bargain prices automatic.

Max Keiser: Really needs to be experienced firsthand as no description can do Max justice. Highly entertaining broadcasts from London with cohort/wife Stacy Herbert come out a couple of times weekly. Subject matter concentrates on hard assets – including cryptocurrencies, of which Max was an early advocate – as a hedge against impending financial upheaval. Favorite targets are the banksters and British government officials, whom he skewers in a caustic fashion which at times channels George Carlin or Lenny Bruce.

Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis: Economic and market commentary and analysis, with a distinctly Austrian Economic bent, from investment advisor Mike “Mish” Shedlock. Updated almost every day.

Rick’s Picks: Technical analysis with fundamental commentary added in when appropriate from Rick Ackerman – a leading deflationist (along with Robert Prechtor, head of Elliott Wave International listed above).

Safe Haven: Articles from a huge variety of authors, chosen based on the site’s mission of helping you preserve your capital. We consider John Mauldin’s articles must-reads. Site provides useful suggestions for those just starting out.

From the About Safehaven page: “We are not permabears, nor are we bullish for the foreseeable future. The Stock Market Bubble is not our greatest concern. The Credit Bubble, however, when it inevitably implodes, will wreak havoc on all sectors of the World Economy, including the Stock Market.”

Seeking Alpha: Investment ideas and analysis contributed by the site’s readers, who are seeking “alpha” – outsized market returns relative to the risk undertaken

Silver Doctors: “It started with two doctors and one dream, educating the masses on the value of hard assets including gold and especially silver.” Founded in March 2011, Silver Doctors has become a forum for individuals to discuss the precious metal market and current world events. It is claimed that the website has become a must-read among many respected silver analysts and investors including Jim Willie and billionaire silver investor, Eric Sprott. Commercial arm SD Bullion sells bullion coins, some at only a modest premium over base bullion value.

Stock Gumshoe: Intrigued or frustrated by email teasers from investment newsletters and advisers? Wonder if the ideas they promise to reveal – upon your subscribing – are really as great as they are pumped up to be? This service tracks down the stocks behind the teasers and checks whether everything is quite as good as claimed.

TFC Commodity Charts & Quotes: Free source for futures and commodity quotes and charts, and other market information, including futures and commodity news. You can create your own personalized charts menu to quicking access the commodity charts and quotes of greatest interested.

Yahoo! Finance: Financial portal with access to quotes, financial news, advice, research, online portfolio simulator. Google Finance provides pretty much similar services.

W.I.L. Resource Directory: Investing