stock questions

I`m thinking about joining robin hood and playing the stock thing some.Couple questions,any of you use the robin hood app to play in the stock market?I thought I looked at Amazon a month ago and it was around $1600.00 but maybe I looked at something wrong because now it looks like it`s only around $100 a share.Last question is anyone into bitcon or have any opinions on it?If I do this I`m not going to be playing with lots of money but I have always heard buy low sell high and it seems to going down pretty quick.

Amazon did a stock split so it is a hundred dollars now.

What is a stock split?

If anyone knows of any videos that might explain the stock market thing in real simple words I would be interested.

Buy low sell high. Hope that helps.

So would everybody else!

When a stock gets high priced investor interest wanes. To generate investors the company may "split " the stock, this time amazon was at roughly, $2400/share so for every share owned at the split you received 20 shares, but the price dropped accordingly.

Now instead of one $2400 share you have 20 -$120 shares. At $120 more folks are apt to buy in.

Robinhood only trades in certain stocks, not all that are available. I don't think they allow day trading, so you need to be in the game for a dedicated amount of time once a purchase is made.

Thanks for the info Monster Toms.

Go drop a couple hundred in a slot machine every Saturday for the next 6 months or so. Likely, a better return on investment.

before you start investing you better get a few books and study up so you understand what your doing.

How old are you and what are your goals?

My daughter is 20 and looked at her Edward Jones report and saw her 20% loss year to date and started getting worried talking about putting it all into cash thinking it was safer. I expand in cash with current inflation she would still be loosing 8% or more, and it's only a loss if you sell it. Being young it will only be a minor blip in the future. I put her into some front load American mutual funds years back when I had some cash I could part with. I can trade between any American funds and not be charged a fee and front load means my fee was a higher % up front but I pay no fees when it's sold. Doing that is a gamble it will make gains and I won't have to pay the selling fees on the higher amount after years of gains.

Sure it's a 20% short term loss but she is still up over 10% for 5 years.

I made an appointment with my financial advisor for July 5 so he can explain investing strategies and options to her a bit better than I can after all it's what he does for a living and sometimes an outside source gets listened
to more than a parents.

While I'm there I will open a an account for my 9 year old, add some to my 12 year Olds account and get automatic withdrawal from my pay check each month into each of their accounts and get the stock buying amounts and schedule set up. I will set up an appointment for my young boys in the future so he talk to them and help me get them excited about investing at a young age also.

Buy low sell high watching the market making day trades is ok if you have a lot of money. Taxes can burn up if you don't hold longe enough and it's a bit of stress worrying about it going up and down


I prefer to just make steady investments regardless of what the market is doing in stable diversified mutual funds since I don't have large amounts to invest. I forget about that money it's all pretend money on paper untill you cash it in. I buy and hold for the long term, maybe moving things every now and then if I think I see a good deals. Once you build up a nice portfolio and learn more you can take more risk and play with individual stocks


Depending on the amount you have I would talk to an Edward Jones advisor 5k would be a good amount to start with but you can start with much less. A lot of other brokers dot want to bother with you unless you have more to start out with.

My Ant and uncle were millionaires and had things with multiple brockrage firms and stuff tied in with their business. They said they prefers the personal Attention They got from Edward Kones over the burger nicer firms.

It would be a good start see what they say you don't have to use them but you could learn a lot

The earlier you start investing the better.
.

I have been following the markets for at least 50 years . It can be like life, the school of hard knocks. Just about the time , you think you know all about it , the rules change. Make yourself a paper portfolio. Pick after some research, a list of companies. Preferably dividend paying and larger .Buy 100 shares of each, on paper. If if they go up great , if they go down, still ok. Why did they do what they did.
Once you gain some knowledge, you can open an account, either self directed, or through an advisor. and start putting your money on the line. Don't put more in than you can afford to lose. I follow Investor Village, energy board, Lots of advice, some good some bad. Just like anything else. Good Luck, old 243

Maybe Jbyrd will chime in.

Some brokers offer paper trading accounts. Good idea to practice first before adding real money until you gain more experience.

Three simple rules should be followed by most: interested in the market

Invest in index funds. I recommend target funds that automatically rebalance.

Leave the money in and don't try to time the market.

Do the exact opposite of what Jbyrd recommends.

A little more info on me might help I guess.I`m 59 and have a retirement plan with work but have some money in the bank that isn`t making anything.I think things are going to get worse than better but I also think places like Wallmart and Amazon will come out ok.I have buddys at work that think bitcoin and other crypto is the way to go.Before I use any kind of app that I need to put my bank account numbers in I want to know how it has worked for other people.

You haven't said what your goal is. Sure you want to make money. But do you want current income that you can use now or are you looking for capital appreciation over time.

Do you want to be an investor, trader, speculator ?

I would not be looking for videos to explain the markets.It's a BIG subject.Books will serve you better. Also, most brokerages will have educational sections on their websites. That would be a good place to start.

As Blaine says, at this point you should probably stick to index funds, or ETF's..........after you decide what your goal is.

I would avoid both crypto and Robinhood. Robinhood is going through a rough patch right now and I wouldn't be surprised to see them embroiled in litigation with the federal government over the next few years.

There are many others that will meet your needs without the drama. TD Ameritrade, E-Trade, Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab. All of them offer commission free trades in most circumstances ......at least at this point in time they do.

I would encourage you NOT to day trade.

Don't hesitate to ask questions

I would highly recommend avoiding the crypto market. Dead serious when I say it, it's too volatile for most.

LOL

Not looking to day trade.Not looking to invest money I cann`t aford to lose but hope it will make some money for retirement.Do you have a couple books to recommend White.

For just something basic I would think Stocks For the Long Run would be a good place to start. By J. Siegel

Also, The Intelligent Investor, by Ben Graham..... is essential IMO.

A good biography of Warren Buffett is the Making of an American Capitalist, by Lowenstein

Just about any library should have those available to you


These are NOT "how to" books. They are more of a "why" type of approach. The how to is pretty straight forward but the why is the important part.

Thanks for all the help guys.I`m going to do some homework and see what I can learn.

Stay out of crypto.
I have Robinhood and E*TRADE. I like E*TRADE for stock investing easy to use and good tools. Free trades.
Buy what you know. I’m in for long term. I have a couple of dividend kings and aristocrats. I’m on DRIP, dividend reinvestment plan. Buy it forget it.

Markets are down and things look like they will be down for some time, 1-3 years would be a guess. When things are tight there are company’s that still do ok. Food, phone, power, banks, real estate trusts. Good place to start. Look at your home. What foods do you buy at the grocery store? Who makes them. Did you buy at Kroger or Walmart? Do you have ATT or Verizon? How about your work? Look around there. Find staple products that are used daily. Companies that pay dividends. Reinvest.

Over the last 30 years I can see what I put in and what it is now and it is like really nice, We had some down years like 1998 and 2000 and 2008 and 2020 when my wife says put it all in money market as she says its her money as well. Well I did for two month and then reinvested it and made 11%, had I not move it we would have been up maybe 22%.. Now in 2022 mine is still in the market and hers is in money market. So we will see who comes out ahead. We do have one account that is a steady 4.5% and never makes less or more just steady 4.5%. So we have a chunk in those accounts.

With your level of knowledge I would really recommend a full service brokerage for a year or two. Follow jim Krammer on TV but dont get to excited yet. After a year or two then try by yourself......jk

Consider stock index mutual funds. Most are no-load. Do this for 2-3 years, then branch into a few individual stocks that you understand. Don’t invest in past winners. You must first understand what makes a company profitable and what makes it risky.