Many people think investing is too hard. But it doesn't have to be. With the help of just a few exchange-traded funds, you can put together a diversified investment portfolio that can help you reach your financial goals.

In the following video, Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool's director of investment planning, looks at how you can put together a solid investment portfolio using just a few different exchange-traded funds from Vanguard Group. Dan notes that Vanguard ETFs have the benefit of low costs, which can help you keep more of your money for yourself. Dan then looks at three Vanguard ETFs: Vanguard Total Stock Market (VTI -0.21%), Vanguard Total Bond Market (BND -0.27%), and Vanguard Total International Stock Market (VXUS 0.02%), and explains how you can use them to create your own desired balance of aggressive and conservative investments to meet your own individual needs. Dan concludes that investments don't need to be complicated, and a simple mix of ETFs can help you give your portfolio the desired risk level you want.