Starting in their teen years, women's math anxiety and lower self-confidence in their financial prowess begin to work against their learning more about investing. This according to the Gender Investment Comparison Study in 1997 sponsored by the Dreyfus Corporation and the National Center for Women and Retirement Research (NCWRR). The study compared the financial attitudes, behaviour, decision-making, investment history, financial goals and retirement preparation of men and women.

But, women can use this lack of self-confidence to their advantage and do.

They tend to spend 40 percent more time researching their investment choices than men according to the NCWRR. This helps to offset their fear of making the wrong choice, but also prevents them from acting on a whim or hot tip, which tends to hurt men.

Women still face greater obstacles in building their financial nest egg and securing their financial future. They live longer, tend to spend more time out of the workforce to raise and take care of their families and tend to earn less.

What can you do to improve your chances of living a financially healthy life? Start saving now and often for your retirement. Don't be afraid of making investment mistakes, learn from them. Take some risk in your portfolio, but continue to do that carefully with good research to back up your choices.