Do you ever get involved with the stock market?

I ask this because I've just started getting into it myself since I discovered how easy it is to do online. So I ask, do you have an experience with buying or selling stocks?

A little. We've got a couple Roths, a 401(k), and a moneymarket. I don't make most of my money off capital gains or anything

...yet :twisted:

Is there any way to learn this stuff easily?bobaban

I've done a little bit. Facebook's IPO will be my first major investment.

Been involved in it most my life. Recently got the hell out of it and I'm never going back.

Been involved in it most my life. Recently got the hell out of it and I'm never going back.

Pirate700

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

Been involved in it most my life. Recently got the hell out of it and I'm never going back.

BranKetra

[QUOTE="BranKetra"]

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

Been involved in it most my life. Recently got the hell out of it and I'm never going back.

Pirate700

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

[QUOTE="BranKetra"] Bad experience?

BranKetra

[QUOTE="BranKetra"]

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]Nope. My two largest stocks increased by over 4,000 % each. Made a ton on them. Today's market is not a long term investors market any more.

Pirate700

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

[QUOTE="BranKetra"] I see. I was just curious since I don't know much about it. Thanks for the tip.

mattbbpl

[QUOTE="BranKetra"]

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]Nope. My two largest stocks increased by over 4,000 % each. Made a ton on them. Today's market is not a long term investors market any more.

Pirate700

I currently own shares of Sirius XM and Apple, both of which have made me plenty of money. It's not difficult to learn the basics, but it can get incredibily complicated once you get deeper into it.

The rest of my investments are in apartment complexes.

No, I don't have the money for that sort of thing. Sadly.

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

[QUOTE="BranKetra"] I see. I was just curious since I don't know much about it. Thanks for the tip.

BranKetra

I currently own shares of Sirius XM and Apple, both of which have made me plenty of money. It's not difficult to learn the basics, but it can get incredibily complicated once you get deeper into it.

The rest of my investments are in apartment complexes.

SpartanMSU

[QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

I currently own shares of Sirius XM and Apple, both of which have made me plenty of money. It's not difficult to learn the basics, but it can get incredibily complicated once you get deeper into it.

The rest of my investments are in apartment complexes.

Pirate700

Bought it at $1.46 :). It's mainly been held back by lawsuits and price-freezes forced by the government from my understanding. It's at $2.12 right now I believe. If auto sales keep increasing, so will SIRI. They're also supposed to be coming out with Sirius 2.0, which we know little about right now. I'm hoping over the next few years it'll substantially increase. But who the hell knows anymore.

I have most of my money in stocks/IRA. Though I'm a student so it's not like it's a lot.

Watch out for e-trade and other online trading companies, they normally have a certain # of trades that need to be completed each month/year and this is not how you want to invest. I would heavily advise being against a day trader or even attempting to be a trader (as opposed to being an investor). Fun fact about the market, Approximately 95% of significant market gains in the last 30 years occured on 90 seperate days, out of 7500, that's 1.2% of the days in 30 years. Meaning if you are a trader, what are the chances you are going to time that right?

I'm going to agree with Pirate700 though about how traders are ruining the market (I wouldn't really say the economy because the market isn't exactly a reflection of that, except for the psychological impact on the market from the public). I'm a little worried about my planned long-term investments.

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

[QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

I currently own shares of Sirius XM and Apple, both of which have made me plenty of money. It's not difficult to learn the basics, but it can get incredibily complicated once you get deeper into it.

The rest of my investments are in apartment complexes.

SpartanMSU

Bought it at $1.46 :). It's mainly been held back by lawsuits and price-freezes forced by the government from my understanding. It's at $2.12 right now I believe. If auto sales keep increasing, so will SIRI. They're also supposed to be coming out with Sirius 2.0, which we know little about right now. I'm hoping over the next few years it'll substantially increase. But who the hell knows anymore.

nope, don't trust the markets. better in my wallet.

[QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]Oh God, SIRI...the one stock that burned me. Had such high hopes for the company, buying stocks shortly before the two companies merged. Unless you bought that stock when the company almost went bankrupt at $.10 a share, I feel your pain on that one.

Pirate700

Bought it at $1.46 :). It's mainly been held back by lawsuits and price-freezes forced by the government from my understanding. It's at $2.12 right now I believe. If auto sales keep increasing, so will SIRI. They're also supposed to be coming out with Sirius 2.0, which we know little about right now. I'm hoping over the next few years it'll substantially increase. But who the hell knows anymore.

Wow, that's unfortunate. Things are looking good right now though. I didn't put enough in to where I'll really miss it if SIRI tanks because I'm not too confident in the market right now.

So glad I bought AAPL though. I've made decent amount from that stock so far. It's gone up considerable in the past couple weeks too. Can't wait to see what happens when the iPad 3 comes.

[QUOTE="BranKetra"]

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]The problem with the market now is in this crap economy, it's so controlled by day traders and ignorant investors, the long term money is much harder now. Unless you have a ton of money to invest so the dividend income is worth it, I'd stay out of the market right now.

Pirate700

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

[QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

Bought it at $1.46 :). It's mainly been held back by lawsuits and price-freezes forced by the government from my understanding. It's at $2.12 right now I believe. If auto sales keep increasing, so will SIRI. They're also supposed to be coming out with Sirius 2.0, which we know little about right now. I'm hoping over the next few years it'll substantially increase. But who the hell knows anymore.

SpartanMSU

Wow, that's unfortunate. Things are looking good right now though. I didn't put enough in to where I'll really miss it if SIRI tanks because I'm not too confident in the market right now.

So glad I bought AAPL though. I've made decent amount from that stock so far. It's gone up considerable in the past couple weeks too. Can't wait to see what happens when the iPad 3 comes.

If I have say...a couple hundred bucks, is that worth investing to start? I really don't know what companies to look at so I guess I'm better off talking to my bank or something.

If I have say...a couple hundred bucks, is that worth investing to start? I really don't know what companies to look at so I guess I'm better off talking to my bank or something.

immortality20

If I have say...a couple hundred bucks, is that worth investing to start? I really don't know what companies to look at so I guess I'm better off talking to my bank or something.

immortality20

Depends on what you are interested in. I'd probably say no because you need to remember that it costs a certain amount to trade based on what company/broker you are using (normally $7 to $50 depending on where you go). My rule of thumb is to not to spend money on trades unless I am getting 40+ shares or the trading cost is less than 5% of the total I'm spending (Ex: if it costs $5 a trade and you are spending $100 on shares).

It doesn't mean you shouldn't look and learn from the market now, so you are prepared to enter it when you have more money, or if you are confident in investing now go for it.

[QUOTE="immortality20"]

If I have say...a couple hundred bucks, is that worth investing to start? I really don't know what companies to look at so I guess I'm better off talking to my bank or something.

Pirate700

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]

[QUOTE="immortality20"]

If I have say...a couple hundred bucks, is that worth investing to start? I really don't know what companies to look at so I guess I'm better off talking to my bank or something.

BranKetra

[QUOTE="BranKetra"]

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]Sure, you can buy some cheaper stocks and just have fun with it if you want. I wouldn't count on making a lot with the $100. Remember though, you have to pay to buy stocks and to sell stocks so it's not free even to make the transactions.

Pirate700

Nope, don't care... for now.

It's a major source of income for me. The last week or so has been particularly pleasing, as I made more than 40 grand on paper. I tend to invest rather than trade, though, so I'll be holding the stock that made the majority of that cash for me regardless of what it does. Paying too much attention to the scoreboard when you have a winner on your hands will only give you high blood pressure.

Dear GameSpot investors and high rollers,

Please tell me, if I were to waste an exorbitant amount of time reading into investing, where a good place to start would be. Muchas gracias and all that jazz.

Regards,

BEANS

Dear GameSpot investors and high rollers,

Please tell me, if I were to waste an exorbitant amount of time reading into investing, where a good place to start would be. Muchas gracias and all that jazz.

Regards,

BEANS

coolbeans90

Jim Cramer, and then Investopedia.

[QUOTE="coolbeans90"]

Dear GameSpot investors and high rollers,

Please tell me, if I were to waste an exorbitant amount of time reading into investing, where a good place to start would be. Muchas gracias and all that jazz.

Regards,

BEANS

airshocker

Jim Cramer, and then Investopedia.

Thanks. The latter very much has my interest atm.

Dear GameSpot investors and high rollers,

Please tell me, if I were to waste an exorbitant amount of time reading into investing, where a good place to start would be. Muchas gracias and all that jazz.

Regards,

BEANS

coolbeans90

It's difficult to piece together random bits of information you get for free around the internet, and I don't have any recommendations, though TBH I didn't really look much into it. Instead, I paid around $3000 for an online investing education. It was expensive for me at the time, but turned out to be money very well spent.

Dear GameSpot investors and high rollers,

Please tell me, if I were to waste an exorbitant amount of time reading into investing, where a good place to start would be. Muchas gracias and all that jazz.

Regards,

BEANS

coolbeans90

Books are good in addition to the internet. I've read "The Investors Manifesto" and "A Random Walk Down Wall Street" recently, and I would recommend them as good books for basic knowledge.

It's difficult to piece together random bits of information you get for free around the internet, and I don't have any recommendations, though TBH I didn't really look much into it. Instead, I paid around $3000 for an online investing education. It was expensive for me at the time, but turned out to be money very well spent.

pianist

You seem to have done well for yourself. Any books that come to mind?

I have most of my money in stocks/IRA. Though I'm a student so it's not like it's a lot.

Watch out for e-trade and other online trading companies, they normally have a certain # of trades that need to be completed each month/year and this is not how you want to invest. I would heavily advise being against a day trader or even attempting to be a trader (as opposed to being an investor). Fun fact about the market, Approximately 95% of significant market gains in the last 30 years occured on 90 seperate days, out of 7500, that's 1.2% of the days in 30 years. Meaning if you are a trader, what are the chances you are going to time that right?

I'm going to agree with Pirate700 though about how traders are ruining the market (I wouldn't really say the economy because the market isn't exactly a reflection of that, except for the psychological impact on the market from the public). I'm a little worried about my planned long-term investments.

Zlurodirom

[QUOTE="SpartanMSU"]

[QUOTE="Pirate700"]I bought it at $3 in the months before the merger happened. Back then it was widely speculated to be a $30 stock almost overnight once the merger went through. Sure enough, the merger took too long, then the two companies almost folded and it tanked. It has to be one of the most underperformed stocks of the past decade. The sky was the limit in terms of predictions pre-merger.

Pirate700

Wow, that's unfortunate. Things are looking good right now though. I didn't put enough in to where I'll really miss it if SIRI tanks because I'm not too confident in the market right now.

So glad I bought AAPL though. I've made decent amount from that stock so far. It's gone up considerable in the past couple weeks too. Can't wait to see what happens when the iPad 3 comes.

[QUOTE="pianist"]

It's difficult to piece together random bits of information you get for free around the internet, and I don't have any recommendations, though TBH I didn't really look much into it. Instead, I paid around $3000 for an online investing education. It was expensive for me at the time, but turned out to be money very well spent.

coolbeans90

You seem to have done well for yourself. Any books that come to mind?

The only book I've read came with the online course I purchased, along with a bunch of online resources, but you'd have to pay for the course in order to receive any of those things, as they aren't available independently. I don't think I can mention the name of the program here; it isn't offered by a well-established corporation, and so it would fall under GS's anti-advertising guidelines.

But that doesn't actually matter. The people who design these courses generally learned how to be successful through experience, and there are a number of programs out there which could probably equip you with the tools you need to be successful. Ultimately, it comes down to you, though. You need emotional discipline and a good strategy to be successful, and no school can teach you the former. That's the thing that gets a lot of people. They tend to panic and sell too quickly, both when their stocks are going up and when they're going down. They jump on rising stocks too late in the game, overcome with irrational optimism, then complain bitterly when the stock doesn't keep rising in a steady, upwards line. And they always seem to be after immediate returns. If they had longer timelines and more realistic expectations, they wouldn't be so frequently disappointed, nor would they have to work so hard.