9 Ways to “Beat” the Stock Market

November 11, 2013

One of the truths about the stock market is that it’s extremely difficult to beat consistently. What makes it even harder is that often we let the stock market beat us mentally which makes us act in irrational ways. Rather than thinking about beating the return on the stock market, you need to learn how […]

How to Analyze Stock Performance (Fundamental Analysis)

September 19, 2013

Many investors are interested in identifying individual stocks that can add value to their portfolios. Adding individual stocks to your portfolio is a bit more hazardous than simply investing in a mutual fund or an ETF. With mutual funds and ETFs, you are investing in a group of stocks, and so the end result is […]

TradeKing Promotion $100 Signup Bonus

August 30, 2011

This month’s TradeKing promotion earns you $100 for opening a new account with the online broker. The number of people using the online brokerage has been growing quickly over the last few years, not due just to the TradeKing promotions but also because they make it cheaper and easier for their customers to invest their […]

Market Capitalization: An Overview

June 20, 2011

As you sit and watch the financial news, or read other financial articles, you will constantly hear about this large-cap company or that small-cap, etc. What do these terms mean? Which companies fall where? And most importantly, why does it matter? The first thing we need to do when discussing this topic is define what […]

Scottrade Review

December 5, 2010

A Scottrade review is something I’ve been meaning to do after seeing the online brokerage rank pretty high in the SmartMoney survey of discount brokers.  With their competitive fees, low minimum requirements, and wide range of investment options Scottrade is an attractive option for many investors who like to manage their own portfolios. Scottrade Fees I’ll […]

Options Trading 101

October 15, 2010

Options trading is a strategy that some investors use as a way to hedge against a decrease in the value of an asset they own shares in, such as a stock.  Having an option contract in place can help limit your losses in the event your stock loses value, however, there are also risks involved […]

Stock Analysis Ratios

September 1, 2010

Stock analysis across multiple stocks is much simpler if you take advantage of the insight you can glean from a collection of stock market ratios such as earnings per share, price earnings, dividend yield, and debt to asset ratio.  The performance and market conditions for each company behind shares of stock you’re comparing will vary, […]

How Do You Choose an Online Broker?

May 18, 2010

Choosing an online discount broker isn’t a simple task if you’re anything like me.  There are many companies to choose from, each of which has different strengths and weaknesses and you want to be sure to choose the best one for you.  Just like picking a bank, insurance company, mortagage lender, or other financial service company […]

Joining an Investment Club

December 17, 2009

Yesterday we looked at some investment club tips that were personal considerations to think about before joining an investment club.  Today my former co-worker looks at the importance of evaluating the investment club itself and a few things to look for. Defined Investment Goals Each member of the group needs to have the same goal […]

Investment Club Tips

December 15, 2009

Investment clubs startup all over the US each year and help thousands of potential investors learn the basics of the stock market. I’ve never joined an investment club but I have a family member and a former co-worker who are investment club members so I asked them to offer a few tips on starting or joining […]

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