how much money does it take to get started with stock investing?

Question

And where can i learn about what everything means when looking at stock information online... all the numbers

and how is it you make the money? do you like buy a stock for 20 bucks wait for the value of that 1 stock to go to like 30 bucks then sell it and make 10 bucks from that investment?

whats stuff mean like...
Dividends and Margins

and if i was using something like sharebuilder.com and i have a account how does it work? make a account have money in it then find a stock and click the buy button? and how it goes up and make money?

Answer 1

If dealing with traditional brokers who charge $10 commission fee a go, you're probably looking at having to cough up $500 - $1000 per purchase to get started (in UK replace $ signs for £ signs).

However you can get started for even less, like (ideally) $20/£20 - $120/£120 at somewhere like http://www.sharebuilder.com or it's UK equivalent @ http://www.halifax.co.uk/sharebuilder (depending upon where you're located).

To start learning what all the blurb means, I recommend these sites:
- http://www.fool.com/school/basics/basics.htm

- http://www.fool.co.uk/specials/2005/specials050124.htm (UK equivalent)

- http://www.investopedia.com

- http://quote.fool.com (US stock quotes)
- http://quote.fool.co.uk (UK stock/share quotes)

- http://www.simustock.com (US fantasy stock game to practise on before spending real money)

- http://www.bullbearings.co.uk (UK fantasy stockmarket game)

http://beginnersinvest.about.com/cs/warrenbuffett/a/aawarrenbio.htm (Bio of Warren Buffett, the greatest stock investor ever)
- http://www.warrenbuffett.com/ (fan site)
- http://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/warrenbuffet.asp

Answer 2

i got my niece and nephew started early with gift stock from oneshare.com.
now they save up the "odd and end" amounts of their paychecks, along with a set amount that they set aside each month and buy additional stock with the shares they already have, or they can buy just one share of any stock that they think sounds fun. they got their first share of stock from me about 15 years ago, and now they both have impressive portfolios of stock that they have accumulated themselves.
but if you want to just "test the waters" so to speak, i suggest oneshare.com for as little as $10.00 or less per share, you can buy stock.

Answer 3

I started day trading with $1000 and doing average ROI of 18% daily. then rerolling new balance the next day after 15 days I was at $12,353.45.