New to Investing: Seeking Advice

[SteadyMercury]

Nothing wrong with index funds for the long haul - look at the DJ Index for example if anyone owns that .

DJIA is far too narrow IMO to be a useful stock index fund, I'd go at least S&P 500 index and prefer total stock market index if looking for broad equities coverage in an index fund.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

I'm 25, and I've started investing using Scottrade. There are so many articles an opinions out there that tell you to do this, not that, etc. It's kind of intimidating, so one of the only few ways of knowing what to do is tapping into the experience of others (who aren't stock brokers or advisors wanting your $$$).

I bought these stocks:

x4 DBLEP (Double Eagle Petroleum Co.)

x10 ADK.PRA (AdCare Health Systems)

It cost $7 per pop for each order, which is going to take a few years for each to pay back just that commission. It's probably better to buy up a bunch of the same stock at once so you don't get beaten down by commission costs.

...so, guys, do you think I screwed up? For the first time I experienced the distinct worry/anxiety of investors/traders, and it was over the line on the graph bouncing up and down over the course of one day, lol.

My investment strategy is to bust my hump saving up money to thrown into perpetual/cumulative preferred stocks, while diversifying as much as possible. Currently my tentacles eek are tapped into oil/petroleum and the medical/nursing facility. Are emerging markets a good option, maybe? I want to save up to buy 50-100 shares in fracking, or whatever Eric Bolling and others think is favorable (I dunno).

Hopefully this investing will be worth the living in sufferable conditions.

Please help this newbie out!

Don't invest in things you've never heard of no matter how well they're hailed by others. That'll be $500 btw

 

[longknife]

You don't need to go to "experts" to decide what stocks to invest it!!!

What products/goods/services do you, your family, and friends prefer?

They must be popular for a reason and it therefore makes sense to invest in them.

 

[SteadyMercury]

What products/goods/services do you, your family, and friends prefer?

They must be popular for a reason and it therefore makes sense to invest in them.

Someone liking something doesn't mean it is popular, and something being popular doesn't mean the company is on firm financial footing or a strategy for growth.

I used to buy tools and fishing stuff from Sears, where would I be if I'd put my money in Sears a decade ago?

 

[william the wie]

The quick down and dirty is start with Benjamin Graham who in multiples of the averages had a record roughly 2x that of his student Warren Buffett.

 

[Brucethethinker]

Before I figured out how to make 25% / year with oil (UCO) and selling calls, I was in AMZN (Amazon). The reason I liked Amazon was because of the founder, Jeff Bezos. I was basically investing in him. I didn't pay any attention to the price / earnings ratio, I figured Jeff had that under control. You won't figure anything out studying balance sheets. I'm not "balanced", or "diversified", or anything. I'm basically in UCO, and selling calls. It's risky, if oil becomes worthless next week I'll lose a lot of money. I'll take that risk.

 

[Abishai100]

Brand Beachball


Not much seems to emerge at the surface that looks wrong with what you're doing. Individual company/stock-selection is the right way to start --- it gives you room to study and research the brands while slowly exploring how to diversify.

Petroleum is always a mainstay, and the exciting developments with BP (British Petroleum) make it an interesting market, especially for a newbie looking to fish around.

Since you seem curious about prospecting, have you considered Hong Kong markets and the realm of Chines toys? America arguably makes the best toys and offers the best toy stores (i.e., Toys R Us), but Europe and Asia's forays into video games and robotics toys gives Americans a run for their money. China has traditionally invested a good deal of intellectual energy into toy-making.

When I think of the fortune cookie at a Chinese restaurant, I think of why American media celebrates imaginarium-friendly personalities such as Macaulay Culkin and Sheryl Crow (face-friendly fun celebs). Maybe Chinese restaurants offer fortune cookies, since the Chinese have picked up on the international mercantile trend of marketing 'adventure totems.'

Ford Motor Company and Samsung are also worthy companies to research for your diversification portfolio. Bottom line is, do what is easy enough to make you feel like you can hypothetically have fun learning about this stuff.







Hong Kong

Samsung

 

[fmdog44]

It's a mistake to buy individual stocks unless you can start with a minimum of 12 stocks,100 shares each.The number one rule in investing is diversification.Go to vanguard and buy shares of their s&p 500 etf VOO(automatic diversification)it's also free of commision costs.The other 3 rules of investing are dollar cost averaging,rebalancing and asset allocation.Asset allocation won't come into play until you can buy the other principal etf's which would be VGK,VPL,VXF and VWO to complete your portfolio.

I have never in my life read anything so silly as that. 100 shares each-I guess 100 shares of Apple is the same as 100 shares of say any stock selling for $4 /share? Why 100 shares, why not five or 37 or 62. Madness.

 

[fmdog44]

With all the strategies offered a bear market will sicken you but like the flu you will get well and recover (unless of course the flu kills you)

 

[CharlieH]

Save your Dollars till after the crash, you won't have long to wait..

 

[fmdog44]

I will share my god fortune here at 67 I am $$$ secure but I still invest conservatively but do throw some funny money around. The nice thing about being in my shoes (I have a million +) though I am not rich I do not have to invest at all and when I retire I will pull my funny money investments ($60,000+/-) out and live off my soc. sec. and conservative, no chance of a loss investments. I started young and it is paying off so do the same and when it gets rough have some to put in so you are buying low.

 

[Abishai100]

Materials Margin

Materials are hot right now (i.e., denim, metals, silicon, etc.).

Did Levi jeans supply denim outfits for prisons in the USA?

Such questions are guiding new age barons.





Levi