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stock market for beginners

What Is The Safest Place To Invest Money?

A lot of people often ask me: What is the safest place to invest money? This question is problematic because there is no definitive answer for beginner stock market investing. Everyone wants a safe place to invest money, but in reality no such place exists. I’ll explain. To begin, what are the most common ways you can invest? Before I get to the safest places to invest money, let’s take a look at the possibilities. Usually people suggest the stock market, real estate, CDs, savings accounts, and the mattress as the safest places to invest money. But are these options really safe?

I’ll start with the stock market. The stock market is a roller coaster of possibilities. Why the stock market is not be the safest place to invest money is that the market is nothing more than a place to buy pieces of paper which can represent anything from physical food products to foreign currency to company shares. Whatever those pieces of paper represent can be impacted by incidents that will lower or dissolve their value. If a company goes bankrupt, all it’s shares drop in value to nothing. If you bought ’shares’ of potatoes right before a hidden stash of billions of potatoes were discovered, the inventory would sky rocket and the demand plummet, which in turn would devalue your ’shares’ drastically. And so on. Many of the risks are usually rather small and can vary depending on the market type and investment. The point is that the market is probably not the safest place to invest money since it will ALWAYS suffer the risk of dropping the value of your investment because of some potentially unforeseen situation.

So how about real estate? Real estate happens to be my own personal favorite. The positive potential of real estate compared to it’s risk is phenomenal. But the problem is whether or not real estate the safest place to invest money. No, of course it’s not. Why? Real estate is unpredictable and full of similar uncontrollable risks. It is possible to buy a house and then discover afterward that it was built on a toxic dump site and watch are left to watch as the property value drops to almost nothing right before your very eyes. The property could also suffer irreparable fire damage or collapse after an earthquake. What if a drug dealer moves in and turns your rental property into a meth house? Any one of these scenarios could zero out your investment faster than you can blink. Any of these uncontrollables make real estate easily not the safest place to invest money. Then what about CDs? Certificates of Deposit are usually thought of as one of the safest places to invest money.

People usually think CDs are safe because they are really just like giving a loan to a bank. And since we usually think of banks as being very stable, lending them money would be as well. However, the truth is that banks are just like businesses. Just like businesses, banks can go bankrupt and swallow with them all the money they had in their possession. What this means is that if a bank were to collapse while you have your money buried in a CD, you could lose it all, even the 3% ROI. One good thing about CDs, though, is that they can be insured. Insurance makes CDs about the safest place to invest money. But there is still more to read.

Let’s look at savings accounts next. Savings accounts are a lot like CDs because they are basically just like lending to a bank with a promise that you will not lower your account below a certain level. But, again, ff the bank dissolves, so does your cash. The main reason a savings account can be considered safer is because the money is more liquid.

Finally, we come to keeping your money under the mattress. The problem with this is that you’re susceptible to theft, fire, or more. But the real problem here is actually inflation. Inflation slowly eats away your savings. If inflation averages 3% annually, the buying power of your money will reduce by 3% every year. This means that in 33 years your cash will be worth nothing.

So what does all of this mean? There is no safest place to invest money. Everything you can invest in carries with it a unique risk. How risky an investment is is something only you can measure for yourself. would watching your cash erode at 3% a year every year riskier than letting a financial institution borrow from you? Is natural disaster too frightening to risk investing in real estate and watching your money double every 5 years? These are questions that only you can answer for yourself.

So what is the safest place to invest money? That question is something you will have to answer. And so, I ask YOU, what IS the safest place to invest money, for YOU?


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Posted under Uncategorized on December 4, 2008 @ 3:52 pm

Learning About The Stock Market For Beginners

For those who are learning about beginner stock market investing, there is an awfully large amount of information and even more sources for that same information. This large amount of information can make learning about the stock market a very tough task to take on. Most people just give up on learning about the stock market because there is just way too much to learn and people usually just want something for nothing.

The problem is, this is the exact opposite work ethic that someone should have when learning about the stock market. The plain truth is that the stock market is a very complex and takes a lot of time to learn and lots of reading/education to fully comprehend.

Think about this, if it was so simple to make money with the stock market then everyone on Earth would be trading paper and making massively huge amounts of cash for massively small amounts of effort.

The old saying fits here, if it is too good to be true then it probably is. When I started learning the stock market, it seemed like it was going to take forever. What’s a P/E ratio? Why would anyone ever want to look at a company’s balance sheet? Why would anyone really ever want to listen in on a company’s calls?

The whole task seemed impossible, and to some degree it still feels that way. What this means is, no matter how much you read, you will never stop learning about the stock market. There is ALWAYS more knowledge to attain. New strategies to learn. New information sources. Etc. Etc. Etc.

If you want a ‘get rich quick’ scheme for the stock market, you can keep looking. But you won’t find it here. I am telling you the simple truth here. The stock market is complicated. But it IS something you can understand. How can you understand the stock market? Buy some books and DO THE HOMEWORK. If you are in anyway serious about learning the stock market, then you need be serious about doing the studying.

The number one thing you must do is educate yourself. To start studying about the stock market, go buy some books. And I do not mean the late night infomercial garbage books. Go to a real book store and find yourself a book that looks like it will teach you the most for your CURRENT knowledge level. Take the time to read this book, reread it, and then go back to the book store and get another book that caters to your NEW knowledge level.

Repeat the process. For example, my book shelves have a dozen or so books that have aided me in learning about the stock market, and yours should too. There is no easy road here, and trying to find one will only be a waste of your time. This very same time could have been used studying instead of searching. Really, if you take that time you spent searching for an easy route and apply it toward legitimate study, then you would be MUCH further along toward your real goal than you would be if you had wasted it looking some scheme to make you rich.

In summary, if you are in anyway serious about wanting to learn the stock market, then you MUST put in the work if you are ever to be successful in learning about beginner stock market investing.


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Posted under Uncategorized on November 30, 2008 @ 12:40 pm

Stock Market Strategies For Beginners

Stock market investing tips are a dime a dozen. And since a stock market investing strategy for beginners is easily one of the more common and diverse offerings you will come across. So many stock market strategies exist because each and every investor purchases stock shares using a strategy that works for them as an individual. Investment tips are merely someone telling others what stock shares appear to work for their own stock market strategy. There is no other way to find a stock market strategy than to discover your own.

Every so called ‘guru’ will give you investing tips, but do the tips work more often than they do not? Probably not, and this is because the stock market strategies of the ‘gurus’ do not include the most important part: timing.

When it comes to stock market strategies, timing is simply knowing when to buy and when to sell to gain the most economically appeasing results. If your learning how to invest stocks, then understand that timing is really the most important part. Why? Because every stock market strategy revolves around the old ‘buy low sell high’ ideology.

In reality, most of the typical stock market strategies are nothing more than a way to determine when the low price and the high price occur (opposite if shorting). When you can start to buy stock shares when YOU feel the time is right, when it reaches a point that it will rebound from, then you have in your hands one part of the stock market puzzle.

You must learn to do buy when it is comfortable for you so you do not blindly buy stock shares simply because another person tells you to do so. Blind opinions are inherently risky since they are human conceived and therefore prone to inaccuracy. Probability of error is the reason why you should never let investment tips guide your finances. Take investing tips to be simply a suggestion which can be used as a lead to funnel further due diligence toward.

Once you figure out how you like to buy the lows, then you only have to learn when to sell. The only investing tip I would ever back, is to not get greedy. When I get the feeling to walk away, I do. Period. So what if I miss out on extra gains? A gain is a gain. I would much rather have a minuscule gain than a loss, any day.

As long as you can identify when you feel it is right to buy, and you can identify when it is you are comfortable taking a gain or loss, then congratulation, you have your very own personal stock market strategy for investing. Stick to this strategy and adjust as you go. This is exactly what all professional investors do when they spit out investing tips. If any one person had a reliable or repeatable system that earned a consistent ROI, then everyone would be using it. No system like that exists because every person is unique and requires their own tailor made stock market strategies.

Now do yourself solid and recognized that investment tips are just a hint at an investment you may want to perform due diligence on while using your own systems to develop beginner stock market investing strategies that work for you.


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Posted under Uncategorized on November 27, 2008 @ 5:30 am

Basics Of The Stock Market

Beginner stock market investing can be very daunting and complicated. But did you know, that of all the avenues of investment, the stock market is easily the oldest? That does not mean, however, you should not know the basics before you put your money into it. Knowing the fundamentals of the stock market can, and will most likely mean success or failure. Thus, if you want to make money in the stock market, you better learn the basics!

To start, let’s discuss what a stock truly is. All that a stock really is, is a claim to a piece of ownership in a company. When a company needs to get capital, it will market off shares of itself to outside investors. When you purchase a share, you buy yourself a right to a share of the profits. That means if the company makes money, you get a piece. If it loses money, your invested money becomes smaller. Anytime you purchase more stock, you increase the amount of your share in that company’s earnings. Be they positive or negative.

Just because you purchase a share or two does not mean you will be consulted for daily businesses activities of the company. But, your share does also count as a vote for who should be consulted. It is the shareholders that select the board of directors, who are responsible for all the company’s activities.

Next, let’s look at the two types of stocks you can purchase. Common stock is the most prevalent and is typically what is traded most of the time. Anytime you hear someone talking about buying ’stock’, they are probably talking about having purchased common stock. Common stock is nothing more than a share of a company, and does not entitle the holder to any further benefits.

The other kind of stock you can purchase is called ‘preferred stock’. Preferred stock is a company share that gives the holder a little more benefit than the common stock. A preferred stockholder usually doesn’t get to vote, but will most likely get a dividend for the life of the company. Where common stock provides a less common dividend, preferred stock will give a consistent income. Also, if the company gets liquidated, the preferred stockholders see their money returned first.

In other words, a preferred stockholder will get their investment returned as a priority over common stockholders, while earning a considerable dividend.

Now, what makes a stock price change? Supply and demand. It’s that simple. When a lot of people want a stock, the demand is high and the supply becomes smaller as the demand is satiated. Thus the price goes up.

When stockholders want to rid themselves of their shares and there isn’t enough buyers to make them happy, they will lower the asking price to try and garner interest. And this is how the prices go down.

I hope you now feel more confident about becaues of this stock market for beginners article, and will continue your learning and eventually use the stock market as a source for wealth building.


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Posted under Uncategorized on November 15, 2008 @ 3:24 pm

Beginner Stock Market Investing 101

When it comes to beginner stock market investing, things can get a bit confusing. You risk your bank account for the whims of destiny, in the form of a pieces of paper. Hoping that this piece of paper will go up in value, and not drop in value.

Which is why we all, at some point in our lives, have to get stock market investing advice. Many people are not strong enough to admit that they need help. Many are too proud. And it can definitely be a humbling experience to have to openly admit that you do in fact need help. But getting help will make you a better investor.

Regardless, everyone must get help sooner or later. Some people will choose to do so under the wire by reading books or watching video tutorials. Others will get help from a close knit group, usually a mastermind group, where they can get hands on direct guidance.

And then there are the craziest, in my opinion. Those that choose to learn how to invest by making their own mistakes and learning all by themselves. This may be the hardest to do and stick with investing, but it will also afford the fastest route to becoming a proficient investor. This method has the highest risk by far, but has the fastest payoff.

So what is the best stock market investing advice? Easy. Learn from your mistakes. Which means you have to make mistakes. Just do it. Plain and simple. Put your money into a company you believe is doing well and learn as you go. Why did the company do well, or do poorly? Modify your investment strategy and do it all over again. Continue this process until you have more wins than losses and then still continue the refinement process.

Be sure that you are using money you can afford to lose. There is no reason you should learn how to invest with your entire nest egg. Start with a measly 100$ if you have to, but start. Over time you will begin to make more than you lose and your confidence will increase and make you more comfortable putting more money out there. This will mark your end of the beginner stock market investing stage.

Maybe my beginner online stock market investing advice will be ignored. But hopefully, you will learn from what I learn and have the guts to do what others cannot.


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Posted under Uncategorized on November 14, 2008 @ 1:37 pm

Is Buying Stocks The Same As Gambling?

Is buying stock in a company the same as gambling? That is a question that gets asked from time to time and when you buy a stock and it immediately goes down it sure seems like gambling. The stock market for beginners might seem like a gambling institution because when you buy stocks, you can lose all your money. So, what then, is the difference between gambling and the stock market. Are the two really that much different?

Sometimes it may seem that you can lose just as easily at the stock market as you can at the blackjack table. Ask anyone who has lost money in Enron how they felt after their stock went to zero. You can lose big on a stock but rarely do companies go bankrupt and the stock go to zero. In blackjack or craps, however, losing all you have is quite common.

The difference between pure gambling and buying stocks of companies is that you are betting on the future of the company and you have a track record you can research. If you are invested in many stocks, you might say that you are invested in the future of the country. If something terrible happens to the country, like a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, stocks will go down. If the country flourishes and good times prevail, the stock market will most likely go up. By investing in the stock market you might say that you are betting on our future.

Gambling in a casino is a whole different scenario. There is no casino game that the player has an edge. Just take a look at how big Las Vegas has become to be sure that the house always has the advantage. You might be able to beat the house now and again but over the long run you will lose. When you are gambling in Las Vegas, you better be using money you don’t need and are prepared to lose.

The key to investing in the stock market is doing research. If you were to just take a list of stocks and throw darts at them, it would be more similar to gambling. However, the more you learn about how companies are valued and operate, the more ammunition you will have when picking stocks. There are many ways to make money and if researched properly, investing in stocks is one of them.

When you buy a stock and it goes down, it might perhaps feel like you are gambling but that is mostly out of frustration. Stocks for beginners is a difficult thing to master and it is especially difficult to learn how to deal with the psychology of the ups and downs. If you do your homework and pick your stocks carefully however, you should be able to make money long term in the stock market. One thing is for sure: the stock market is a much better place to be “betting” your money than the casinos.


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Posted under Uncategorized on October 16, 2008 @ 6:36 am

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