Online Trading

Before you go pour money into the stock market read: "A Random Walk Down Wall Street"

Basically you'd be better off buying index funds.

Check out updown.com as well. I fuck around on there a bit and have made about a 6.3% return over the last few months. Some days I beat the market, some days I don't but overall it's a great learning experience. Plus I'm majoring in finance so it's very helpful.
 
I have a tdameritrade account, it's simple to use and relatively cheap. I am more of the buy and hold type of guy, since I don't have the energy or the willingness to actively trade, not to mention the price of buying and selling can really eat into your returns. I mainly go for vanguard funds and other etf's with super low expense ratios, since, again, I don't like all my returns going straight into the pocket of someone else. Other than that, buy low, sell high?
 
I have an ING sharebuilder account.

I just do my own research and buy and sell. I'm not that active with it though. I go thru spurts. I'll use it a lot then not use it for a while.
 
I trade on the LSE (strictly small time atm). Its great, just make sure you research the companies you're investing in.....properly. Oh and spread your investment over a few companies.

Its a steep learning curve so maybe read a book e.g Warren Buffet.
 
I use tradeking, great because no hidden fees. $5 per trade regardless of anything else. But ya, its a decent way to make a little bit of cash even though I haven't taken any money out of my account. Figured I'd just start early and see where it is in 30 years....
 
i mainly roll with the ETFs here a good guide on investing:http://seekingalpha.com/article/15136-etf-investing-guide-one-page-summary-of-the-entire-guide?source=etfscenter

heres a good portfolio with weight included, ive been using this with slight variations in the weights because I also hold about 30% in individual stocks
Risky assets (100%) S&P 500 Index (SPY): 20% MSCI EAFE Index (EFA): 15% MSCI Emerging Market Index (EEM): 15% IBOXX High Yield Bond Index (HYG): 10% J.P Morgan Emerging Market Bond Index (EMB): 10% Dow Jones UBS Commodity Index (DJP): 10% Gold Index (GLD): 10% Dow Jones US REIT (IYR): 10%Bonds (0%) Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (AGG): 0% US 3-month Treasury Bill: 0%.
 
Same. I'm pretty sure ING is the only one with no account minimum.

When I was looking, I looked at Scottrade and TD Ameritrade as well. I'm pretty sure each had a $500 account minimum, and I know that played a role in which provider to use.
 
same here man, i just opened a TradeKing account a couple weeks ago, finally got around to depositing funds. I made my first transaction today. only bought two stocks tho, spend about 10%. im gonna try and ease into it i suppose.
 
Don't go drop money unless you know what you're doing, read some books and stuff first. An investment isn't more than speculation if you aren't knowledgable.
 
definitely true. Im a Junior at Bentley University in Boston majoring in Finance so id like to think i know a enough to make sure im not playing a guessing game.

no way i wanna play this game with no knowledge
 
you should definitely use it if you have extra money to waste. I'd just do short term bonds and stuff to start out and then move onto stocks and stuff
 
Word man I'm a junior majoring in finance at WWU, but I'll definitely go somewhere else for my masters (not sure if it will be finance or something else, perhaps an MBA). Good to see somebody else on NS who digs finance.
 
hell yeah thats sick man. haha sure isnt the easiest major but im gettin through it alright. i would get a grad degree but its gonna have to wait a while.. paying my way through college through army rotc so i guess i got my life set for the next 4+ years..
 
For sure, I like the challenge though, I was gonna do econ but with finance I get to take econ classes as well, but with econ I don't get to take finance classes. Sounds like you're set, plus a lot of companies will pay for your masters later on down the road.
 
any of you actually work in finance? I'll be graduating this spring and working as an equity research analyst for a bulge bracket (JP/Credit Suisse/ Barclays)
 
My friend and his brother pooled like 400 bucks for an apple share a few years ago, they've made about a hundred each.
 
I use Questrade to do most of my trading. Thinkorswim is good too.Previously worked for a consulting company as a Derivatives Analyst specializing in exotic interest rate and credit products, but got laid off in the recession. Did get to see some pretty interesting derivatives and all sorts of weird structured products. PS, CDO pricing is a joke.Currently working towards my CA with a mid size national company (Canadian equivalent of the CPA).
 
Ok, can you try to explain to me what derivatives are, I'm not exactly sure. Or should I just try to google it? They sound extremely complicated and I'd understand if you don't wanna explain it here haha.

Also curious as to what you think of "A Random Walk Down Wallstreet"
 
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