What is a good source to start learning about Stocks?

Question

I've actually been convinced to start looking into the stock market. Problem is, I don't even know where to start.
Anyone know where?

Answer 1

The very best and easiest way is to read a business magazine like BusinessWeek, Fortune, or Forbes. They will tell about various companies or industry sectors (often highlighting some of the better players in those lines of business). Then you look up the stock information, as each has a prominant search feature that takes you to some fairly good summaries on those companies. Then when something revs your engine so that you say something like "I want to be a part of that!" Then you open a brokerage account (like scottrade.com or sharebuilder.com) and buy a bit of it. Then you simply let it ride, adding more when you can afford to. This is investing. It is like planting a tree. It can seem as boring as watching paint dry, but if, say, you bought into ADM because they are helping fuel the ethanol industry and cut our reliance on foreign oil, then as the company's value grows, so does the value of the money that you put into it.

That is a start. Trading, now that is a good deal more complicated, and a whole lot more risky. May I suggest a simple way to start: buy seasonal stocks just before their season starts. Buying Coke or Pepsi in spring, then dumping them for coffee companies like Starbucks in August or September, is because cold drinks sell well in summer and hot drinks sell well in winter. I got my start buying Fedders (makers of window air conditioners) in the dead of winter (February) and selling them in July, mid to late summer. But if you stick with slow, boring investing, as I described above, you won't have as many embarrassing stories to tell about how you lost a lot of money in stocks.

Answer 2

Financial Advisor Terry Savage will tell you how to begin investing for the first time if you don’t have a lot of money to start off with! Watch this free video to learn how!
http://coaches.aol.com/money/terry-savage/investing-stock

Use the news to your advantage to make wise investment choices. Watch this free video to see how to incorporate your knowledge of current events into establishing long lasting investments. http://coaches.aol.com/money/hilary-kramer/news-for-investing

Just like any gamble, investing in the stock market comes with many great risks. Know how to balance risks and gains when investing in the stock market. http://coaches.aol.com/money/hilary-kramer/risk-and-investing

There are so many stock tips out there, how can you know which ones to trust, which ones are scams, and when is right for you to invest? Financial adviser Hilary Kramer reveals when to listen and when to go with your gut: http://coaches.aol.com/money/hilary-kramer/trusting-stock-tips

Here are Tips from Lynnette Khalfani author of 'The Money Coach’s Guide to Your First Million,' 'Investing Success' and the New York Times bestseller 'Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom.'

Some Tips that can help you on your way to your first million:
http://coaches.aol.com/money/feature/_a/money-coach-guide-millionare-khalfani/20061009100109990001

Answer 3

Check out www.financial-realities101.com. The site is devoted to beginners. It goes into great detail on how to make good financial decisions and how to develop an investmnent plan in order to reach long term goals. It also shows you how to avoid investment scams.

Answer 4

I like Investopedia's "Stock Simulator" because it gives you $100,000 of fake money to buy and sell whatever stocks you want and its realistic too because you have to pay fake comissions with your fake money, so you learn how bad it is to continuosly buy and sell and also that investing long term is a great strategy...

Answer 5

Fool.com (as someone else mentioned), Morningstar are both good, independent websites to go through. I would stick with mutual funds until you feel more comfortable with stock investing though.

Answer 6

Please visit the Motley Fool's website at www.fool.com. It will help you a huge amount, especially the discussion boards there. Also start reading some basic books - I like these for starters:

"One Up on Wall Street" and "Learn to Earn" by Peter Lynch

Answer 7

Me free eBook on retirement investing. Although the book is specifically geared towards retirement, you will pick up general investing information. You need acrobat reader.

www.invest-for-retirement.com

Enjoy

Answer 8

the internet is packed with advice and strategies.go with web pages with charting, and create your man or woman mock portfolio to visual reveal unit, study the organization profiles,financials,marketplace information,opposition,money flows, each and every thing achievable then flow inclusive of your gut...by skill of itekmobility

Answer 9

Go to Daveramsey.com and then click on their "ELP" link. They will ask for your location and give you recommendations. You can meet with someone for free. They make is mandatory that the people who are recommended have the heart of a teacher, so they will take you through the process step by step.

Answer 10

http://www.thestreet.com/_tscsubnav/tsc/basics/index.html