Stock Lovers???

Anyone follow stocks? Which are your favorite and why? Are you using your stocks for savings, fun and play, or something else?

I used to know how to follow stocks....but I am totally clueless now. I was pretty good at predicting what would rise and what would fall. I need to get back into it, but I guess since I can use real money now it's kinda scary

Start with one stock and study it, then buy at the right time. You will fall right back in line. It's like riding a bicycle. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

AWW MAN,
I missed out on another terrrific stock. HASBRO!!!
Yes the toy maker. I have been trying to get the stock for my babies since it was like 24 dollars earlier this year. Just waiting for it to fall. Well it never did and I forgot about it and now its like 32 dollars. RATS!!!

Boy am I happy to see some active traders here.

I don't actively trade. But I'm in the share ownership program at my work. Basically we can contribute up to 5% of our salary and the company will match half of what we contribute. I joined at the PERFECT time when the economy fell, and since then my shares have gone up.

So currently, my company stock is my baby since one way or another I'm basically getting free money, whether or not it falls in value. And they are fully vested from the day I join, so I can take off anytime and all my contributions plus the company's contributions come with me. One of my friends works for a large consulting firm and she can contribute up to EIGHT percent of her salary. Gosh if I could contribute that much......

These shares....are going to purchase my first condo downtown. :-)

Nice. Sounds like a plan indeed [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] . Do you follow individual stocks at all?

I use www.sharebuilder.com for my individual stock purchases - they have some ETFs and mutual funds to. You can choose to invest whatever amount you want and are able to be whatever percentage of your selected stock that amount will purchase.

This means that you don't need to save up a bunch of money to start investing.

I use Scottrade.com. It's only 7 dollars per transaction and no silence fee. I love it!!! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

So what are you looking at right now?

I have stocks that I usually buy and hold. I use TD Ameritrade. One of my favorites is Disney. I am reading up on precious metals.

Oh I plan to pick up DIS for my kids in March. It seems to be a good time to buy then. Am I right?

I have been eyeing EGO for my precious metals play for some balance.

I like to buy and hold as well.
During the really horrible market last year, did you pick up some really good plays? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yes, I bought ROIA. However, they were just approved for a reverse split [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] so I am selling the stock in the next couple weeks. I bought at around a dollar. They are trading right now for 4 dollars. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I am looking at Forex or buying GLD for my precious metals.

Ok now this is sounding like Chinese to me lol! I need to take a class!

Jamaicacurl, I learned by reading financial books and financial magazines. I literally went to the library and started reading whatever financial books on the shelves. I still don't know everything but I take one step at a time. I started with a few stocks and mutual funds.

I learned by watching the financial channel religiously. You know the one with the stock abbrev and the numbers running across the screen....lol [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] . I was borderline obessed with it. I had a notebook on that too. I use to pick a few stocks and follow them. But I finally really jumped into the market with both feet when the market plunged last year.

@Ellex, I bought 100 shares of AIG when it was like $1 /share or less, then it did reverse split on me and it is like around $45 now with much less shares [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] . But I bought WFC at 10 shares of it at like 15 dollars/share and then it flew to 31 and change and now its at 27 and change. So no matter what happens with that, I am keeping it.... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

If I could afford GLD, I would do it too. But EGO is more in my price range and I am kicking myself because I had it at 9 dollars/share March of 09 and sold it because I really didn't grasp the concept yet of balance. Now its at like 13 dollars. Well you live and you learn. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you get into DIS for?

IntelligentBeauty, I bought DIS so long ago that I don't remember the exact price. I will have to look it up. When I do, I will respond.

Ok thanks

Intelligentbeauty, I pulled out my paperwork from 3/18/96 (yes, 1996) and the price was 69 3/8. Those were my first DIS stocks. I bought more in the $30-$45.

Wow, you bought high. Well, I am going to wait until March to see where it is. It seems like everything goes down in March. Do you notice that?

I buy stocks thru my bank's website. The $10 dollar per trade is kind of steep, but it's all about convience for me. Lately I've been buying alot of Serious radio stock, it's in the basement right now, but I'm hoping the industry will recover. I have about 500 shares right now. I'm looking into other stocks that might have some potential down the road. I'll share as I find out more. Great thread.

Thanks npsoul. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Does anyone on here invest in petroleum?

goombagirl wrote:Does anyone on here invest in petroleum?

I haven't. Do you invest in petro?

Intelligentbeauty wrote:Wow, you bought high. Well, I am going to wait until March to see where it is. It seems like everything goes down in March. Do you notice that?

LOL..that's because the price was high at that time!!! These stocks also split 3 for 1 in 1998. So for the price I paid I got 3 shares instead of 1.

I hope you were able to purchase some shares in March.

I have stocks of Exxon but haven't checked that or any of my stocks in eons. That way, I'll spare myself a second heart attack like I did when I looked at my 401k balance, which still hasn't quite recovered.