Saturday

Stock Market Platforms Can Help You Learn The Markets Easier

You will find that stock trading software can make your efforts more successful, it may be the answer that you are looking for to help you boost your earnings. Back when my father invested in the markets, you would have to look back and forward at a stock by looking at filing cabinets full of papers. The computer era we are in allows us to significantly benefit from stock trading software.

There are a lot of options out there when it comes to stock market programs that you can have your choice between. As with most things in life, not all stock investing software is made equally. You want to invest your time and money in a program that meets your specific needs. Before you even begin it might be helpful to think what exactly you wish to get out of a type of software.

You definitely want to buy stock trading software that allows you to get free updates. That way you can always be confident you are working with the most current materials. There can be a major change in your profit margins from your ventures in the stock market. You want the ability to customize the layouts of charts and graphs as well. That allows you to read it in a format that is acceptable for you.

I prefer stock software sites on-line which allow for a trial, or at very least a demo, of what their program can do. I always do my best to capitalize on the offers they give. While you may not get to access all of the features you will get most of the basics. You can see how the software works, and make sure it has a good user interface for you.

You will find that with the help of investing platform you are able to get successful results. You can do a ton of different things over what you would normally think like trade stocks and view charts and graphs of different info. It's important that you can make the program look and work how you want so that you can take the most from it. Do not rush into anything, rather you should take your time and carefully pick a program that does just what you need it to. Regardless of your skill level in investing, stock trading software may be a great way to help you earn more money trading stocks.

Sunday

Want to Know the Best Place to Invest Money?

If you are interested in finding a great way to make some money for your future, you should seriously consider to do investing.  After all, making an investment today can result in a great return in the future - particularly if you know the best place to invest money and if you know how to choose the best investing opportunities.

Do It Like Warren Buffet

Before you begin to look for the best place to invest money, you need to know how to select the right investments.  Take a lesson from Warren Buffet and buy stocks while the price is down and then sell them once the price rise back.  When the stock of a good company is down, there is no better time to buy your share.  A good business can generate cash flow every year.  So, if you buy stock of that company at 50% of its value, you will earn quite a lot of money in the future when you sell the stock later.  Always remember that the best time to invest is in a bear market and then to hold it until it becomes a bull market again.


Turning to the Internet When Buying

When it comes to finding the best place to invest money, it is a good idea to use the Internet to help you conduct your investing research.  There are so many different stocks on the market that it really is beneficial to use a screening tool to help you filter out the ones that are great.  A good screening tool to use is the one at Zacks.com (http://www.zacks.com/screening/custom/index.php).

At Zacks.com, you can select from a variety of different filter criteria and you can set specific values to each one so you can filter out the stocks that fit the criteria you are interested in.You can use following criteria to filter stocks:

* P/E (Trailing 12 months)
* Yearly Average in 5 Years. Historical EPS Growth
* Annualized Growth in past 5 Years
* the Sales Growth
* P/E (Price/Book Value)
* Return of Investment (5 Years Average)

When you fill out the values you are looking for in your stock, the screening tool will display a list of companies.  You can then analyze them each and determine which ones are the best investment options.  Of course, the process will still take some time, but the time is well spent and you will be focusing only on those companies that are promising investments.

 

With the simplicity of the site, it is easily qualifies as one of the best places to determine where you should invest your money.  In order to help you learn more about the stocks you are considering purchasing, however, you should also turn to moneycentral.msn.com.  At MSN Moneycentral, you can manually analyze the financial data of the companies you are considering investing in.

 

If you want the financial information to be analyzed automatically for you, on the other hand, you might want to visit www.stock2own.com. This site will help you better determine the best place to invest money so you have the greatest chance of making a successful investment.

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Tuesday

Do We Look At Stocks The Right Way?

Probably since the day the markets opened people have been talking about them being either "overbought" or "undersold". In reality only one of those terms makes any sense at all and that term is oversold. While it is possible it is unlikely since the only consideration that a market would really be oversold in is when the cost of a share is zero. That is oversold! That can be contrasted when we consider the term overbought, because in reality the sky is the limit for how high any given stock could potentially rise. So this case can never really occur. So there is no such thing as overbought at all. A lot of types of investing programs try to tell you the opposite.

I suppose people mean some kind of relative term when they speak in this way. When they say "overbought" they really just mean that the market is higher than before, and they think it won't go any higher. "Oversold" would translate to mean it is lower than it was before. That is the reasoning why I find the need to insist that I and others why agree to start using a more appropriate termonology. It really actually makes me quite excited to talk about. A revolutionary new concept. My new terms (and feel free to use them widely to get the buzz going) are "Underbought" and "Undersold". They get tossed around a fair bit places like eminiforecaster.

What is it to be "Underbought"? Quite simply, it is when the market has not raised enough to be where it will be in the future. This means "undersold" occurs when the market has not declined enough to be where it will be at in the future. So these important key terms carry a whole different kind of meaning to their (rather meaningless) counterparts "overbought" and "oversold".

My goal is to move people away from looking back at the past to display where markets will go in the future. Let the past be in the past and let's look at the future when considering things like this. In my experience the best traders are the ones that look at the value of a company now, and where it will be in the future as opposed to lamenting the past. They look for where the trend of the market is heading. They are anticipatory investors.

Saturday

DecisionBar Is A Great Trading Tool

Something all stock market investors struggle with is finding the right piece of stock trading software. It is a very important decision for a few reasons. You can pick from a whole host of options, from Telechart to decision bar. A lot of them are good, but even more aren't worth even thinking about as they will hurt you more than they'll help you. They all charge a fee, but only some cost you money. Choosing a type of stock software that works for you is often a deciding factor between success and failure in the stock market.

Anyway I'm really here to talk about one stock program in particular, decision bar. My favorite method of trading is unquestionably DecisionBar, and I use it all the time. Decision Bar was created by a real trader Les Schwartz who many of the the so called guru's call on for help. Les has developed what I believe is the most sophisticated (and easy to use) trading software ever made available to the public. It doesn't matter if you're new to investing, it's so simple after a day or two you'll be using it like Les himself.

You can learn the system in minutes, and the methodology is a snap. You can actually be up and trading the same day you receive his package. Best of all you can get a 30 day risk free trial. Postage of course is not refundable. Decision Bar Trader works for stocks, futures, and the Forex markets. As mentioned above Decision Bar is applicable for all time frames as well as option traders.

If you want to trade intraday then you need a data feed after the trial period. I suggest you get a data feed even if you don't want to day trade so you can at least keep an eye on how things are working. Several live sources are given that also have a free trial to go along with the system. DecisionBar doesn't do all the thinking for you, you do need to still use your brain. This is not a black box. Your decision to take a trade or not trade is made easy once you understand the system.

Thursday

The right stock broker makes a difference

Stock market brokers are the people who buy and sell stocks for investors. As an investor it is very difficult for you to TRADE a share or any amount of stock on your own. To trade stocks, you must go through a broker. Brokers have actual licenses that allow them to buy and sell shares of stock. They also have much quicker access to the stock market exchanges than you or I do. They know how to read the stock market quotes quickly.

How it works is this, let us say you want to buy five hundred shares of IBM's stock. However you personally cannot buy IBM shares of stock, we just cannot purchase stock, the same way we buy groceries at store. We read a free stock ticker to get the latest quote.

To purchase our shares of IBM stock, We sign up with a discount online broker. The discount online broker would then purchase or buy stocks of on our behalf. When we're ready, we would then call the broker or go online on a computer and sell the stocks. The process of buying and selling stocks is called trading. Many of these stocks trade on how investors read overseas stock markets news.

For the brokers service, they take a small percentage of every transaction that you do in the stock market. So when you buy a stock, the broker earns a commission. When you sell a stock, the broker also takes a commission on the sale.

There are different types of brokers, but the best broker especially for the beginner or intermediate or even advanced investor, is the online discount broker. Many online discount brokers allow you to trade stocks very cheaply in the stock market. This reduces the overall cost of trading and increases your net profits when you actually sell the stock. 

Monday

The reason why some traders make money and some traders don't

To make money in the stock market you must be able to identify trends and patterns within individual stocks and within the overall stock market. Trading stocks is very much about capitalizing on timing. The successful investor knows when to buy and when to sell. But more importantly a good investor really knows what signals to look for that tells him or her the time to buy and what signals to look for that tells him or her the time to sell to sell. How to read the stock market is the crucial skill in the development of a successful stock trader.

Whenever you look at an individual stock it is a good idea to do some research as to the underlying fundamentals of the stock. Has the company reported a jump in earnings or has the company reported a loss. After you have good idea on the fundamentals of the stock, then you can start looking at whenever trend the stock is displaying. Stocks are usually trending upwards trending downwards or are trending sideways. Most traders like to go after a stock when there is a strong trend up. When a stock is trending up then you should shift most of your investment strategies to going long on the stock. Which is you buy the stock now with the intention to sell the stock later on at higher price.

Stock trading requires signals on both when to buy and when to cut your losses. Plenty of traders have made some good money in the stock market, only to have lost it again because they did not read the stock market correctly and they lost most of their profits. Even if the traders did not lose all of their profits, they lost more than they should have. So focus on developing your timing signal awareness skills. Because this is the meat and potatoes of stock trading. Good traders know what signals that give them the correct time to buy, at the same time they know the signals that tell them the correct time to sell to avoid a loss, or just lock in their profits.

Sunday

Stock quotes are the basic stock info to know to trade

 

Stock quotes refer to the price of anything that sells on a particular stock exchange. The quote can be for a mutual fund, a stock, an option, or an ETF. This part of how to read stock market information.

It is important to remember that the quote is simply the price that you can buy or sell a particular instrument on the stock exchanges. 

All stock market quotes have a bid and ask, the bid is what you can sell your stock or option, or ETF for. The ask is what you have to buy any of the above mentioned Financial Instruments for. The same thing is true of almost all Financial Instruments.

So if the bid of a particular stock is 15 and ask of the particular stock is 16, this means that if you own the stock you could probably get it sold for $15.00 per share. If you wanted to buy the stock that means you have to pay $16.00 per share

There are two main types of quotes, there are real time quotes, which reflect the price of the underlying stock or ETF instantly. These quotes are accessed when you read free stock ticker quotes. There are also delayed quotes, that are delayed by roughly 15 minutes or so. Which means that quote shows the actual price of a stock on the stock market exchange 15 minutes ago. This is true even for overseas stock market headlines stocks.

Most people prefer to deal with real time s, as they are more accurate. There are several sources online way you can get real time quotes, for free. The stock broker generally provides real time information for you as long as you maintain an account with them. There are also some free online stock market services that give free real-time or just slightly delayed quotes. 

 

Friday

Making money in the stock market is no mystery

To make money in the stock market you must be able to identify trends and patterns within individual stocks and within the overall stock market.   How to read the stock market is the crucial skill in the development of a successful stock trader. Trading stocks is very much about capitalizing on timing.  The successful investor knows when to buy and when to sell.  But more importantly a good investor really knows what signals to look for that tells him or her the the time to buy stock and what signals to look for that tells him or her the time to sell to sell. .


Whenever you look at an individual stock it is a good idea to do some research as to the underlying fundamentals of the stock.  Has the company reported a jump in earnings or has the company reported a loss.  After you have good idea on the fundamentals of the stock, then you can start looking at whenever trend the stock is displaying.  Stocks are usually trending upwards trending downwards or are trending sideways.  Most traders like to go after a stock when there is a strong trend up.  When a stock is trending up then you should shift most of your investment strategies to  going long on the stock.  Which is you buy the stock now with the intention to sell the stock later on at higher price.


Stock trading requires signals on both when to buy and when to cut your losses.  Plenty of traders have made some good money in the stock market, only to have lost it again because they did not read the stock market correctly and they lost most of their profits.  Even if the traders did not lose all of their profits, they lost more than they should have.  So focus on developing your timing signal awareness skills.  Because this is the meat and potatoes of stock trading.  Good traders know what signals that give them the correct time to buy, at the same time they know the signals that tell them the correct time  to sell to avoid a loss, or just lock in their profits.

Wednesday

Considering an IRA Rollover? Know What Your Options Are First

Have you been contributing to a 401(k) plan but are no longer working for the employer due to job change, downsizing or retirement? If so, you should strongly consider moving those assets to an IRA rollover account.  Here are the options to be aware of so you can make a well-informed decision.

The IRA rollover is an account designed to receive retirement assets rolled over from an ex-employer’s retirement plan such as a 401(k).  The IRA rollover allows funds to be transferred tax free and penalty free from other retirement plans and allows those assets to continue to grow tax deferred until retirement.

There are two types of IRA rollovers:

Indirect Rollover:  Once you have selected the financial institution you want to open your IRA rollover with, you can elect to take a cash distribution from your original 401(k) plan and then deposit the money into your IRA within 60 days.  Your employer is required by law to withhold 20% for prepayment of federal income taxes.  However, in order to avoid taxes and penalties, the entire distribution amount (including the 20% withheld for income taxes) must be deposited into your IRA.  If any amount, including the 20% withholding, is not rolled over within 60 days then that amount will be subject to taxes and possible IRS penalties.

Direct Rollover: With this option, you give your employer authorization to make your check payable directly to your new IRA custodian (the financial institution you opened your IRA account with.)  Under this option, there is no tax withholding, no taxes or penalties. Your retirement savings will continue to grow tax-deferred. 

If you do not move your assets from your 401(k) to an IRA rollover, you can leave them in your former employer’s plan and do nothing or you can transfer the funds to your new employer’s retirement plan if they offer one. However, you need to check your new employer’s plan rules as they may not allow you to transfer money in.  

Alternatively, you can cash out of your 401(k) completely and pay IRS taxes and possible penalties, and keep the balance for yourself.  However, this option is usually not advisable since you could lose 50% or more to taxes and penalties if you go this route.

If you have a 401(k) with a previous employer, you should strongly consider transferring those funds into an IRA rollover because you will have control over your retirement account.  If you leave your assets in your former employer’s plan (or transfer them to your new employer’s plan) and if either company should undergo financial troubles, you don’t want to have to worry about the problems that could arise with your retirement account.  

Ultimately, you should be the one in control of your own money and you can gain some of that control back with an IRA rollover.  Look for the best possible ways to protect your assets and generate higher returns on your retirement income.

For more investment tips and to obtain a Free industry report entitled “3 Simple Steps to Double Your Retirement Income Using Federally Approved Programs”, click here.

Sunday

What Is Day Trading Stock?

A Great Piece of Software

Day trading is an age old practice in the financial markets, which simply means that assets and securities are being bought and sold within the span of one trading day. This is contrary to after-hours trading, or late trading, which is when exchanges happen after the normal markets have closed for the day. Brokers are then classified sometimes as to the time they begin dealing like day traders, after-hour traders and late traders. To get financial info you should look at telechart 2000.

Generally when trading the methods and processes are the same, it doesn't matter when the traders go into action. However, there are certain assets and securities that are being exchanged only during the trading day, such as: currencies, stocks and stock options. There is also a market for many of futures contracts like: commodities, equities, and interest rate futures. I like to get my information from telechart.

There was a time when day trading became the exclusive playing field of financial institutions (i.e. and major pro investors. Besides that, investors who don't meet the financial criteria were somewhat relegated to after-hours trading, even though that wasn't a formal option. These days, however, more and more casual and novice traders are entering the fray.

There are really a couple of reasons for such major changes. One: technological evolutions (like the World Wide Web) are paving the way for speedier communication and financial transactions. If you look into the forex trade online, many casual traders are basically dealing with virtual money - although there is a physical monetary equivalent to virtual money. Finally if you want a second opinion look into telechart gold.

Plus, casual traders can trade stocks in the investment markets - in all the financial markets, all the time, no matter where the are - even worldwide. When you see that one small investor, then you should think what all the worlds big banks and financial institutions can do that are following day trading profits.

Two: newer and more lax legislations, both country-wide and on a global scale, have opened the way for many investors who may not otherwise meet the level of certain financial criteria. This means that almost anyone with the desire; the technology (computer and Internet access); and the money to spare (as little as $100) can begin trading in any asset or security in any financial market.

Talking about casual and novice day traders over the internet, the best selling way is short-term day trading. As the name suggests, this technique means buying stocks for a very short period of time and then selling it immediately. This means that the ROI or return of investment can be achieved in the quickest way possible. Depending on the stocks or assets in question, this technique can be handled in a span of only a few minutes to as long as 2 months.

Long-term trading is also prevalent during the day trading hours, but usually, it is the larger financial institutions who handle such affairs. A good example of this is dealing with mutual funds. Assets in the markets can be held by the holder for a long time, up to years, and even some can be passed down for generations. The financial instrument holder ears his money by letting whatever he holds gain in value and they grow in dividends on a basis of months or years.

Saturday

Making Money In Todays Financial Sector

The Next Crash?

The markets today is a crazy one, that's all I know. After years and years of an uptrending stock sector it was just a matter of time before there was some instability. To be truthful things wouldn't have been so great for this past decade or two had it not been for the over anxiousnes by the banks to give away money to people with no business having it. Things could be worse really. I know the market is essentialy all theoretical (by that I mean numbers that dont amount to a whole pile of brincks), but what was hit was the most speculative secor of them all.

Also, really you know the people majorly affected by the credit crunch were the people who had no business getting credit and the people who lied on their applications. What is too bad is that fact that people who followed all the rules and did everything right will pay more for their mortgages in the end. People who did what they should have (like gotten reasonable mortgages) are the ones who the US goverment should concern themselves with. I suppose those people are being saved in a way, because of the liquidity being introduced into the markets that wll keep mortgage rates lower then they would be if the full brunt was felt. Things have probally placed themselves where they should be.

All people really want to know is where the markets are going? There is no real way to know for sure. From the investing books I have read, and the info I'm getting from my stock software they are goign to be going down for a while. I was reading the paper the other day and the guy was talking about how the economy will be very near recession for at least the next two years but after that the economy should make a fair recovery. It really does seem like a lot of time to wait. I guess for the next little while we need to keep money in safe places like bonds. Avoid volitility at all costs in my opinion.

Friday

How A Self-Directed IRA Can Provider Higher Returns On Your Retirement Income

We all want more control over what our Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or 401(k) dollars are being invested in and we want better options which would provide greater returns on our money.  One way you can achieve both is with a self-directed IRA.

A self-directed IRA, also known as a self-investing IRA can provide you with greater control over what your money can be invested in, which as a result can generate higher rates of return on your investment dollars.

Most IRA or 401(k) accounts are invested in stocks, mutual funds, or bonds because that is what the majority of IRA custodians or employers offer. However, with a self-directed IRA you can hold a variety of assets including domestic and foreign real estate, stocks, mortgages, partnerships, tax liens, private equity and franchises just to name a few. 

Most people don’t even realize that real estate can be included in a self-directed IRA and it is a very profitable yet safe investment.  The reason being is that real estate is very likely to increase in value over time and can be insured against most losses such as those created by nature, storms or natural disasters, etc.  

Stocks do not carry the same type of benefits and there are a myriad of factors that could alter the value of the stock which you really don’t have any control over.  That is why people are becoming much more educated about self-directed IRAs and are using those IRA dollars to invest in real estate because of the substantially higher rates of return than can be achieved.

Now that you have learned some of the basic advantages of a self-directed IRA, it would be wise to take a closer look at opening a self-directed IRA and the investments options it allows.  There is no time like the present to start generating higher returns on your hard earned money for your retirement.

To obtain a FREE industry report entitled “3 Simple Steps to Double Your Retirement Income Tax Free Using Federally Approved Programs” from a reputable organization that assists people every day with opening Self-Directed IRA accounts, click here now.

Wednesday

Should You Buy Gold as an Investment or for Insurance?

As an investor, you should always know what your objectives are. One of the biggest traps investors fall into is buying a gold position that has little or no relationship to his or her objectives. Gold is not for everyone. Buying gold is usually used as an insurance policy in case other investments such as stocks go down.

Gold is in a bull market right now because its core fundamentals are so outstanding. It is also doing well because the stock market is tanking. You see, that is the "insurance" part of gold. When stocks go down, gold often goes up. A position in gold will often offset your losses in the stock market in troubled times.

The price of gold may jump up to thousands of dollars per ounce in the current rally or it may struggle and fall lower. No one knows for sure even if they pretend to. One thing is for sure: if the stock market continues to fall, things will look good for the gold investor. Gold is the ultimate alternative investment because it is tangible.

Many people, including the die hard stock investors, often still see gold as the most undervalued asset group in a standard portfolio mix. In general, gold becomes more desirable in times of banking failures and tough economic times. Also, like all investments, gold becomes more attractive to more people the higher it goes. People don't seem to want to miss out and that is why both gold and stocks tend to go up too high before they fall back.

Before you invest in gold, you should carefully consider what percentage of your overall portfolio you wish to risk in gold-related investments and the current price of gold. If you are thinking about investing in gold, it is worth giving the same consideration to your purchase as you would to any other investment. When you buy gold investments, you lower risk in your investment portfolio.

As more investors realize that gold is a great way to profit in today's uncertain climate, more fund-makers have been happy to supply the means with which to buy gold. There is a whole world of excellent alternatives out there for investors who wish to invest in gold. Just be sure you understand what your gold objectives are before you allocate too much of your portfolio towards it. Buying gold as an investment might be a great addition to any portfolio but only in the right amounts. Putting too much of your net worth into gold would be the same as gambling.

Tuesday

The Stock Market Is Fun With Investing Software

3D Stock Market

A lot of indivduals seem to be losing money in the stock market these days and can't figure out why. Well in the very short term it's been difficult to make money with the markets the way they have been, but I hope people don't let that get them down. Investing is the thing that makes our world. I've been investing since I was 18 years young (over 20 years ago) and these days it's easier then ever to earn a profit in the markets.

Is there a big secret to investing? No, of course not. If there was a solution where you never lot money then I wouldn't be telling you ha ha. Is there a way to make things a lot easier? Well there definatly is a way. That's what I'm going to speak about now. Something that can help every investor our, regardless of how good they are is stock software. I remember the old days when I had to sit down for hours on end (as did other agents at my firm) and do caculations daily. I disliked it. Going through the whole financial sector was imposiable for one person, heck, it was hard for hundreds of us. It was hard, boring work and I'm glad that it's not something we have to do in todays world.

Since the creation of stock market software like thomson one all you need to do is type in the stock you want to know about and you can find out basically any technical information you want. There is even software that does a full market scan every day and will tell you what stocks fall within the threashold you set. This saves organizations probally millions of hours yearly. I can't even fathom the time I would have banked over my lifetime with a calculator on my desk figuring out how much profitability ratios had changed.

Monday

Finexo, Is It A Decent Broker?

Finexo is a forex trading broker that believes forex shouldn’t just be for experienced traders. Trading forex is made much simpler through Finexo's intuitive user interface.

Finexo believes in lots of flexibility, especially in things like forex trading. This is exactly why they make it so easy for you to fund your trading account. Also, once the account has been created, Finexo doesn't restrict it very much. Tweaks can be made based on what the user wants. This improves the trading experience.

Another very important aspect of the Finexo online forex brokers is their great desire to improve the trading skills and profits of all of their users. Finexo tries to make you money in forex trading, which is one of the reason that they provide regular market reports. They also make sure that all information on the site is up-to-date and in real time so that traders get the right information as soon as it is available.

Finexo Review

Finexo is a well established trading platform with many features and solid support. Not much can go wrong if you trade with Finexo since they don't seem to have to many issues or problems.

Customer satisfaction with Finexo is relatively high as they cannot find much fault in this broker. This is definitely because Finexo tries to cater to the wants and desires of its customers to make trading as great as they can. This is an important feature of this broker that many other brokers do not have.

The large amount of flexibility that comes with Finexo could also be considered a negative in some cases. Because the broker allows you to do whatever you think will make you money, it will not advise you against very risky trades or tactics. For this exact reason, it can be pretty easy to lose money with Finexo since you have a lot of flexibility.

Saturday

Is Buying Stocks The Same As Gambling?

Is buying stock in a company the same as gambling? That is a question that gets asked from time to time and when you buy a stock and it immediately goes down it sure seems like gambling. The stock market for dummies might seem like a gambling institution because when you buy stocks, you can lose all your money. So, what then, is the difference between gambling and the stock market. Are the two really that much different?

Sometimes it may seem that you can lose just as easily at the stock market as you can at the blackjack table. Ask anyone who has lost money in Enron how they felt after their stock went to zero. You can lose big on a stock but rarely do companies go bankrupt and the stock go to zero. In blackjack or craps, however, losing all you have is quite common.

The difference between pure gambling and buying stocks of companies is that you are betting on the future of the company and you have a track record you can research. If you are invested in many stocks, you might say that you are invested in the future of the country. If something terrible happens to the country, like a natural disaster or a terrorist attack, stocks will go down. If the country flourishes and good times prevail, the stock market will most likely go up. By investing in the stock market you might say that you are betting on our future.

Gambling in a casino is a whole different scenario. There is no casino game that the player has an edge. Just take a look at how big Las Vegas has become to be sure that the house always has the advantage. You might be able to beat the house now and again but over the long run you will lose. When you are gambling in Las Vegas, you better be using money you don't need and are prepared to lose.

The key to investing in the stock market is doing research. If you were to just take a list of stocks and throw darts at them, it would be more similar to gambling. However, the more you learn about how companies are valued and operate, the more ammunition you will have when picking stocks. There are many ways to make money online and if researched properly, investing in stocks is one of them.

When you buy a stock and it goes down, it might perhaps feel like you are gambling but that is mostly out of frustration. Stocks for beginners is a difficult thing to master and it is especially difficult to learn how to deal with the psychology of the ups and downs. If you do your homework and pick your stocks carefully however, you should be able to make money long term in the stock market. One thing is for sure: the stock market is a much better place to be "betting" your money than the casinos.

Friday

How To Buy Gold As An Investment

If investors want to buys stocks or bonds, they can call up their brokers and quickly make the purchase. They can also buy stocks online with the push of a button. Commodities such as gold and silver, however, are more difficult to buy because of the the complicated way in which they trade through futures and options markets.

Whatever the current price of gold is, many people wish to learn how to invest in gold. Metals such as gold and silver are called commodities and they are more complicated than stocks for the normal investor because there are different ways you can invest in them.

Luckily, buying gold as an investment is one of the easier commodities to deal with. One option is that you can invest in gold coins that are obtained from a dealer and from some banks. If you do this, though, you will have to find a safe way to store the gold. Many people who have physical gold store it in bank safe deposit boxes. This seems to be the most secure method of storage.

The second way to buy gold is to buy an ETF. Exchange traded funds work much like stocks and they can be bought and sold any time the stock market is open. These funds mirror the price of gold and so even though you do not directly own any gold, you have a fund that has exposure to it. Investing in gold through ETF's is probably the easiest method and the most recommended method of gold investment for the average investor.

The third and most complicated way to invest in gold is to trade futures and options in the commodities market. This takes a lot of knowledge and experience to know what you are doing and it is not advised for the normal investor. Trading futures and options is something that you learn how to do over time and it is not usual for most gold investors to take this route.

Investing in gold is not as intimidating as it sounds. Usually people can easily buy ETF's and this is the most popular way. As the current price of gold fluctuates, these ETF funds go up and down correspondingly. If you like to have the physical gold in your hands you can always buy it but then the safety issue comes into play. Whichever method or methods you use for your investments in gold, you will still have the benefits of owning the most treasured metal in earth's history.

Thursday

Investing In Today's Risky Economy

With the financial news being as bad as is it today, people are wondering why one should even bother investing in the stock market  Isn't that just putting your money at risk?

Yes and no.  Of course, to make any money, you have to accept some level of risk, but it doesn't have to be as much as you think.  The key to weathering the market storms is diversification.  If you spread your wealth across many different asset classes, you will get yourself a lot further than simply investing in individual stocks. 

Having a diverse portfolio will help you be able to weather the ups and downs of the market.  If the asset classes are somewhat unrelated, you will be afforded protection since many classes will move in opposite directions from each other depending on their relationships.  Choosing this asset allocation is responsible for most of your gains and losses in the market.

The easiest way to achieve a diversified assets allocation is to invest with index funds.  Index funds represent a larg segment of the market with a single security that is easy to by and sell.  Index funds make it really easy to pick a target asset allocation and achieve it, greatly reducing your risk.

Another way to reduce risk and maximize return is to do dollar cost averaging when purchasing stocks.  What this means is that you set a fixed amount of money aside each month to buy stocks with.  If the market is up, you've earned more money off of the stocks you have.  If the market is down, you just got more stocks for your money.  Since it is impossible to predict the stock market, this approach can really reduce your exposure to risk.

Of course, no investing strategy is risk proof, but using the above strategies get you about as close as you possibly can.  Get a good discount broker, and start investing in the stock market today!

Wednesday

How To Find A Decent Online Forex Broker

There are many people that will tell you that good online forex brokers will work for any person, but I have found this to be completely untrue. There are many traders that might only find good benefits in a small amount of brokers out there. Some online brokers are meant for newer traders and some are meant for the experts who have been trading for a while. To make really good money, you must find the best online forex broker for you. This important step cannot be ignored in a successful trading career.

One of the primany steps of finding good forex brokers is determining how far you are in your trader career. Are you totally new or more experienced? Do you need money? These are all crucial questions that must be answered if you are to properly identify the broker that will work best for you. You do not want to waste you money on a company that wasn't meant for you, especially if you do not have very much money to experiment with. Once you are aware of what kind of trader you really are then you will be much better off in find a good online forex broker.

One more thing you must determine is what you have for spending with your online forex broker. Although a good deal of these companies are similar, a small percentage have features specifically for experts. It is important that the broker actually helps you to make money. If it doesn't, you will probably want to think about whether this is actually a good broker. This means having enough money stashed away just in case you lose more than expected trading forex, or if it takes a while for you to turn a profit. Anything can happen in forex trading.

Once you have your finances in order and you know how much you are willing to spend, you are ready to actually select a good online broker that will make trading easier for you. Its good to have some sort of evidence that the broker is trustworthy. Once you know it is a good company then you can join. The is the final step. You are ready for making great profits now.

In my experiences, I have found that overall, one of the best online forex brokers out there that works for the most amount of people is the Forex Yard. I can recommend to most people who want a decent broker for their trading. It can be very powerful, but it is easy to use at the same time. If you want a great deal then be sure to check out this broker. You many want to read a Forex Yard Review before joining.

Tuesday

Even The Price of Gold Is Going Down In These Troubled Times

The stock market and the economy are in the midst of very tough times. Everywhere you turn there is bad news about the economy. You hear it on the radio, TV, in newspapers, and bars and pubs. The Dow goes down 500 one day, up 300 the next, and then down 700 the day after that. Investors might be accurately depicted as being in panic mode. Everything about the economy seems unsure right now.

Gold is usually bought as a hedge against these uncertain times. If there is one asset you can count on, it has always been gold. Gold has never gone to zero in value and usually when the economy is in trouble and stocks are going down, gold is seen as a safe haven. Buying gold as an investment usually works like an insurance policy against a tough economy. It makes one wonder why, in the midst of all this turmoil and uncertainty, gold has not gone up?

Lately, when stocks have been taking a dive, all stocks have been going down, including gold stocks. Usually it is more of a one or the other type of thing. This might be happening for several reasons. First, when the dollar is weak, and it has been very weak in recent years, gold goes up. Lately though, the dollar has been making a bit of a comback which might be contributing to the decline of the price of gold.

Another reason why gold is not going up may be because of the activity of banks and hedge fund managers that are in trouble. Because they have made a lot of bad bets which has led to this weakened economy and stock market panic, many investors want their money right now. These financial institutions may be having to sell their good investments such as gold in order to cover their losses. This continuing selling of gold will of course drive the current price of gold down. As long as enough of these hedge fund managers are selling, gold will continue to stay at current levels.

These are some of the reasons why gold has been a disappointing investment in recent months. If you are like most people, it is nice to see at least one thing in your portfolio go up as the rest of your investments go down. Gold and gold stock has always been that thing up until now and hopefully it will make a comback soon.

Monday

How Can Traders be Smiling---while Investors are in Panic with This Market?

http://blog.melhardman.com

Mutual Fund investors, as well as those with their dreams tied up in stocks, are experiencing sleepless nights. The mood that has hit the U.S. Stock Market has spread worldwide. The DOW is almost at the ‘9-11’ low. It is now affecting all markets.

 

So, how can traders (and especially, e-mini traders) be pretty much all smiles?

 

To most people, (the public, that is), investing is the only concept they associate with the stock market. Investing…with diversification…is the only thing you ever see mentioned in all of the TV commercials, magazine ads and newspaper articles. The brokerages and mutual fund companies want you to think nothing but ‘investing for the long haul’. Now, in this climate of panic, they are encouraging the public to ‘hold on’-- Things will bottom out and bounce back; It will get better.

 

And, they are right. It is the best advice investors could follow. Those losses are only paper losses….until one sells. America’s underlying strengths and resiliency is still there, so ‘buck up’ and hang on, America.

 

But, why and how can the traders…and especially, e-mini traders…be all smiles through this experience?

 

First, what the public doesn’t realize is that trading, not investing, is where the real action is in the stock market. Second, that those Insiders, the brokers and mutual fund managers are, themselves— traders, not investors, as their advertisements would have you believe. They enjoy the best of both worlds, though: As managers of their clients’ portfolios and thanks to the practice of ‘shorting’ being legal, they can trade all day-- borrowing stocks to ‘short’, then replacing the stocks their clients have invested in ‘long term’ as soon as they close a ‘short’ trade.

 

Investors can only profit if the market goes UP. When the DOW falls –bouncing dramatically like it has the past few weeks, it’s like the tide going out: every boat gets stranded on what becomes ‘beach’. Traders, on the other hand, are "the rest of the story," as Paul Harvey would say. They can jump on and then off, no matter which direction the market is moving, grabbing chunks of profit for themselves with each trade. Those insiders, working under the title of fund and portfolio managers, have those trillions of dollars in client stocks to trade with. E-mini traders refer to them as the ‘elephants’. They call the little do-it-yourself e-mini traders ‘retailers’.

 

For someone to learn about trading and how to do it, it takes another trader introducing them. Your stock broker or mutual fund manger will never do that for you! If learning how you can take part of your money in your stock portfolio or mutual fund and turn it into a nice little daily cash flow machine, allowing you to at least partially smile in times like these, then look into learning how to trade e-mini’s. Here’s a web site where you’ll find a ton of FREE information that can help you get started.

www.emini-forex-trader.com

Mutual funds and stock investing are good places to have your money…but, not all of it.

Saturday

Smart Investing – Invest Online

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By Jim Nettleton

In these days of the ever-present Internet, there is almost nothing that we can’t do online. Making and managing your investments is no exception. Online investing offers many benefits as compared to traditional methods. For one thing, decisions can be made instantly and transactions are swift, allowing the investor to take advantage of rapidly changing conditions.

Another advantage of online investing is the commissions on trades are frequently much smaller. If you’re an active trader, that can add up to substantial savings in any given month. With an online account, you can study your portfolio at any time, instantly, twenty-four hours a day from anywhere in the world that has Internet access.

There is, of course, a downside to all this convenience and instant trade orders. You need to exercise discipline because online investing does make it extremely easy to plunge into a bunch of trades pretty much all at once. Depending on your risk tolerance, this can be a very dicey proposition.

In any case, step number one is choosing a broker. You’ll need to choose either a full service or a discount broker. If you’re looking for help and advice, the full service broker should be the choice. Their commissions are typically higher, but if you’re new to investing, especially investing online, you might feel more comfortable with a safety net that such brokers can provide.

If you’re experienced, the discount broker may be the way to go. Discount brokers usually don’t provide the research and insight that full service brokers do, but if you know what you’re doing it’s the more economical way to go.

Most of the major, household name type brokerage houses offer online investing. There are many others who have blossomed since the advent of online investing and specialize only in virtual investing. Communicate with several of both varieties before settling on the broker you feel most comfortable with. For in depth information about the fascinating world of online investing, visit my site through the link in my resource box below.

The amount of money that you must deposit to open an account varies widely from broker to broker. Allowable margin accounts also vary greatly. You’ll have to do your homework to gather information on these topics with the various brokers you contact. Here, too, you don’t have to talk with anyone if you don’t care to. Most of the information you seek is available online.

The world of online investing is a modern day adventure that can bring great rewards is the waters are navigated intelligently. Exercise caution in your investing and follow the old advice to never invest more than you can afford to lose.

So perform your due diligence, open an account and start trading the modern way and the smart way – start trading online. Good luck.

About the author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and TV professional with wide-ranging interests and who loves to day trade. Visit his online investing guide at http://www.jaynetinc.com/SmartOnlineInvesting

Friday

The Forex Game – Trading Currency With No Risk

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By Jim Nettleton

Currency trading has gained much popularity in recent years. Once thought to be the playground of the rich investor, it has become apparent lately that the currency trading market is accessible by investors of all levels.

Forex has now become an often-used term as opposed to just a few years ago when most people had never heard it. Now, the advantages of Forex trading are readily appreciated as more and more investors devote the major portion of their investing activity to the Forex market. The trading of currency involves simultaneous purchasing of one currency and selling of another.

It is the world’s largest market, with trades every day totaling over three trillion dollars, a staggering amount. It’s no wonder then that investors have flocked to it given the enormous amount of money changing hands and the opportunities presented by that volume.

One of the best things about this arena is that one can practice at will and play games online to improve skills and knowledge. Pretend, or phantom trading is referred to as ‘the game’ in the Forex field. This, of course, allows you to risk no funds while you thoroughly learn techniques through constructive practice.

To locate sites that supply practice training simply do a Google search for ‘Forex Trading’ and many sites will be presented. By the way, the term ‘Forex’ is derived from the formal name of the trading type, Foreign Exchange. The trading practice is also sometimes referred to as just ‘FX’.

For a complete overview of the Forex market, visit my web site through the link in my resource box below.

A major difference in this market, as opposed to the stock market, is that trading is not accomplished through a central point, such as the New York Stock Exchange. Trading in the Forex market is done on a direct basis, that is, between the two parties who are making the trade. Another major difference is that trading takes place twenty-four hours a day, through trading centers all over the world. The market trades continuously from Sunday night at 20:00 GMT to Friday night at 22:00 GMT. That gives investors a chance to make trades based on financial developments in the news without having to wait for a market to open the next day.

Many times, trades are done without commissions coming into play, a distinct advantage over the stock market. Still another advantage is the liquidity of the market, which translates into a constant supply of sellers and buyers, so there’s always a trade in the making around the clock. The market is constantly in flux and presents trade opportunities no matter whether a particular currency is moving up or down. The Forex market also offers the investor great leverage. An investor can control a position that is as much as one hundred to one more than his margin deposit.

Currency trading is a fascinating field and one that should be looked into if you are searching for an opportunity to invest and a chance to seriously increase your net worth. Check it out carefully and do practice investing before you make the plunge. And, of course, never risk money you can’t afford to lose. Visit my site listed below for much more information.

Good luck.

About the author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and TV professional with wide-ranging interests. Visit his thorough Forex site for information in depth, real time quotes on currency pairs and free conversion tools.

http://www.jaynetinc.com/ForexMaster.

Thursday

Selling Stocks Online


Ever since the Internet was introduced back in the 1990's, our lives have never been the same again. With low access fees and the convenience of having access to millions of websites offering unlimited kinds of products and services, there is no end to what the mighty Internet could offer. We can even buy and sell stocks online and traders love having the ability to look at their accounts whenever they want to.

The stock brokers might be the ones who gain the most advantage with this new facility. If you explore the possibilities of what online trading can offer, you will come to realize just how it can bring positive changes to your life.

You can now gain access to this new service offered by most brokers and brokerage houses. And the wonderful thing is most fees and commissions are lower on the Internet.

But do take note of a few issues before you rush into this new venture.

If you do not have any prior experience in trading stocks, talk to a broker before you start doing anything. If you are not savvy enough in the games of the stock markets, you could be in for some real danger. Only fools jump in blindly doing things they do not adequate knowledge of, so start your new venture by learning as much as you can.

Sometimes, Internet access is simply not possible. That simply means you cannot get online to make a trade. So you need to make sure you can call and speak with a broker about your online trading if this is the case, so they can act on your behalf. You can do this when you are just starting out and it applies to the advanced player as well.

As a rule of thumb, choose to trade with online brokerage companies that have been around for some time. However, this is another small problem about online trading, because you are unlikely to find one that has been in business for fifty years of course.

Although there are many companies that have been trading long enough who can now offer an online trading facility. This is a great opportunity to earn a living but exercise caution-it is not for everyone. Be sure to use your brains before you start trading and get all the relevant information.

Wednesday

How To Find The Best Forex Trading Software For You

There are some people that will tell you that the best forex trading software program will work for any person, but I have found this to be completely untrue. Certain traders will benefit from certain systems made for them. Some are meant for the new guys who haven't made too much money, and the more complicated ones are really meant for the forex experts who need new tools to make money with. If you want to maximize your trading efforts and get the best ROI that you can, you must find the right forex software for you. This is an important step in your forex trading career that cannot be ignored.

You first step in finding the best forex trading software if for you to look at yourself and figure out how exactly you conduct your trading. Are you a completely new trader, or a little bit more experienced? Are you looking to replace your income or just make a bit on the side? If you want to find what is best for you then these are really important questions to be asking. Don't waste your money on something that really wasn't meant for you. Find the best software for you will be easier if you know what kind of trader you are.

The next thing that you must think about is how much money you are willing to spend on the best forex trading software for you. Although many of these systems do similar things, a few do things that only expert traders will understand and be able to use correctly. These programs tend to be more expensive than the others so it would be great for you to figure out if you could just make do with a cheaper one. The most important thing is that the software helps you make money, but it is also important that you have enough money to invest in that software. If you don't, consider not trading forex. This means just having money safely put away just in case you don't make money trading as early as you hoped. Anything can happen in this kind of business.

You can decide what is the best forex trading software that you should use once you know what you can afford. Be sure that you know that the software works correctly before purchasing. Once you have proof that it works then you are ready to make a purchase. This is of course the last step in finding the right software for you. Now you are ready to make some great money.

In my experiences, I have found that overall, the best forex trading software that works for the most amount of people is the Forex Tracer. I would definitely recommend this to most traders who need forex software. If is incredibly powerful but it is also very easy to use. The Forex tracer is a great program for a wide range of traders.

Tuesday

Money Makes Money If You Know How To Work It

money management


Unlike many other forms of speculation, investing can actually be fun and it is a great way to plan for your family's financial future.

Provided you know a few of the basics, investing can be a fun and safe way to make extra dollars whether in real estate or stocks and bonds. This is probably the best way that any individual can plan to look after their family in future years. While the subject is very large, the information listed here is for guidance only and further information should be sought before you jump-in with both feet.

The most important aspect of this is research especially if you intent to invest money on stocks and shares as this is the most complicated of areas, in particular wit the number of companies. Although the stock market is a great place to make money, there is also a degree of risk involved. Not a place for short term financial gains, real estate is for people who are looking into the future where huge amounts of money can be amassed. Remodeling a home that you have bought inexpensively can be a great way to build up funds very quickly but be warned this does require work as well but the money gained can be put into another project almost immediately.

Real estate has its own set of problems which isn't the case with the following area of interest for potential investors. Trading online is the cleanest way to earn money and almost anyone can have a go; you would be surprised at just how many people are now turning their hands to online investment. Traders have the capability of doing research, buying, selling and making money all with the simplicity of sitting in front of a computer. Be aware that because of the ease with which this can be done it has also been shown to be highly addictive and may cost more than you are prepared for.

While some people may depend on luck, they are very few as most rely on 'old fashioned' graft by studying what it is they need to know about investing to make the money they have set out to achieve. Do not turn trading into a something akin to the spin of a roulette wheel because if you do, you will surely fail when all that was required was some investigation into the markets. If you are looking for a resource to help you with this, you can visit a number of websites where you will find ample information about investments, and how to make money. Set yourself a limit of how much you can afford to lose and do not go beyond this because although investing is a great deal of fun it is also a very deep pit where money can be lost forever.

Monday

Taking Your Financial Future Into Your Own Hands

Money Works


Many people have been shocked by the fragility of many ‘safe' financial areas during recent times and it has shown that we must often take our financial future into our own hands. When a person no longer has the ability to earn a steady income, investing is the best answer to the unknowns of the future.

You may be fortunate enough to have some money in short term, low interest savings but this will not be enough on its own so this money should be invested more wisely. There are also other reasons to invest that might not be relate to retirement like paying to educate your offspring, buying a home abroad or an expensive car for example.

It is also possible when money is needed quickly to invest it in areas that are considered higher risk, but large sums can be accumulated in a short space of time this way. While this may be a way to accumulate cash in the short term, if the money you intend to invest is for your future retirement then you will not want to put this in a high risk account.

Long term financial freedom and security requires time and remember that you will not always be able to work so the earlier you start this the better. A great deal of faith has been lost in retirement funds, and those companies that manage them in recent years and Enron is a prime example of this but nor can anyone rely on social security benefits either so this really only leaves investing as a real alternative.

That is not to say that investment is without risk either and is considered to be a game by man, one you will not know whether you have won or not until the very end. All games have rules and strategies; investments are no different and knowing these too will enhance your chances. If you know just how much money you will require when you retire, it is just a matter of planning where to invest to meet that need.

Every type of fund has different areas that can be used to suit the needs of the investor and as such makes each fund highly individual. The stock market is one of these types but it contains different types of stocks, which all contain many companies that you may speculate in.

Before making any decisions, do as much research about the whole subject of investing as well as the companies that are available as you would be very foolish to risk your money without carrying out this basic task. While if approached sensibly a good strategy will win the day, there is no point even attempting this if in the present your financial situation is not in a healthy condition.

Sunday

Investing, Making Your Money Work

About Real Investing


Many people delay planning their financial future as they do not believe they have the funds but with investing, it can be started on a budget. Provided you know a few of the basics, investing can be a fun and safe way to make extra dollars whether in real estate or stocks and bonds. Any one of these can help assure the future financial needs of yourself or your family with the right attitude in place. In this article we will very briefly look at the concepts with stocks and mutual funds, with real estate and of course online.

The stock market is a great place to make money, and if you intend on doing this with stocks and mutual funds, it is highly recommended that you first carry out some research on the companies you wish to invest in. If you are looking for short term gains (long term too), then the stock market is the place to do this but it is also where everyone can end up with egg on their face from time to time! If you are after long term security with huge financial gains then you will most likely look at real estate as a way to ear money. For those who don't mind getting their hands dirty, home remodeling is the way forward by purchasing a run down property and then selling it on at a profit where the money can be used for another property to make more money.

There can be many pitfalls involved with real estate investment but the next area is not as bad. The term 'armchair investor' is used for all those people that have dipped their toes into online trading; open to just about everyone it is currently the fastest growing sector. Using a computer, this group of people comes from all walks of life and this allows them to be a trader who performs his or her own company research before they decide to buy or sell. While many people make a decent profit doing this you must be disciplined in your approach as it is easy to let it start ruling your life and wallet.

Learn about the markets and investing generally to see how they work as this information is crucial if you do not want to start losing money as soon as you start. Do not turn trading into a something akin to the spin of a roulette wheel because if you do, you will surely fail when all that was required was some investigation into the markets. This is not an area short of information so it won't take much effort to find a number of quality resource sites that can help you with this venture. Always be aware that investing can be fun but it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget exactly how much money you are, in effect - gambling with.

 

Saturday

Investing Mistakes to Avoid

Mistakes to Avoid During Investing

It is not uncommon to make a few investing mistakes, however there are big mistakes that you absolutely must avoid if you are to be a successful investor. One common mistake people make is to not invest at all, or say they are waiting until a later time to begin. Make your money work for you, even if all you can spare is $20 a week to invest.

Not investing at all or putting it off until a later date are not the only big mistakes you can make, waiting until you think you are in a good financial position is often another big mistake. However, first you should work on getting your current financial situation in order, before you begin investing. Begin to work on raising your credit score, by paying off any high interest loans or credit cards, and then save enough money to cover living expenses for at least three months. Once this is done, you are ready to start letting your money work for you.

Do not invest with the motivation to get rich quick. That is the riskiest type of investing that there is, and you will more than likely lose. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it! Instead, invest for the long term, and have the patience to weather the storms and allow your money to grow. If however, you need some extra money in a relatively short amount of time, then you can make a ’short term’ investment, such as certificates of deposit.

Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket. Spread your money around in several types of investments in order to get the best results. Once you begin investing, do not move your money around too much. Be patient and let it grow. Choose your investments carefully, as you invest your money you will need to allow it to grow so don’t panic if the stock drops a little. However, it is important to make sure you invest in stable stock, so if it ever drops, it will go back up again.

A lot of people make the mistake in thinking that investing in collectables will give a high return. As mentioned before, if this were true then everybody would be doing it. Don’t think that your hobby collection will eventually be the monetary means used in paying for your retirement. Count on investments made with cold hard cash instead.

A good word to keep in mind, is something Warren Buffett once said about investing, "We simply attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful."

Friday

Dip into the Crisis

It's an interesting times we live in. The experts say that the last time it happened was the Great Depression 70 years ago. Now it's happening all over again. While this affects us all in many ways, and alas in bad ways rather then good, it is also a time that makes poor people rich and rich people poor. There are some up sides in any crisis and this one is no different.

What do you have to do to protect your wealth or even increase it during the crisis? While there are many answers, the most feasible way by far is gold. The universal currency that has seen the aeons go by, that is stable enough, and that has an increased value when all other markets fail.

Now I'm not telling you to buy gold like mad, but a certain degree of diversification is healthy. Not only you should have your money kept in different currencies, but gold as well as other assets (such as a bag of potatoes in case of the worst). That would not only protect your wealth, but in case the hopes of optimists fulfill and the gold price goes up ten fold, your wealth has a good chance to go up as well. That's how the rich are made.

Buying gold is easier than you'd think. You can buy it from local brokers, and even through online services. BullionVault.com is such a service. Founded in 2005 this gold bullion exchange and physical storage provider based in London, allows to buy, keep, and sell gold online as easy as paying your bills online. It is also the most secure service available on the Internet, and reportedly stores 7,539 kg of gold as of June 2008. What I personally like about it, is that not only you obtain gold that is kept for you in vaults in London, New York and Zurich, but if needed you can get it delivered to your home. Indeed, it is one of the best services to buy gold our there.

Finally, to give you a start, BullionVault.com gives you 1 g of gold in one of the vaults. In the economical environment we live in today, it's something you just have to look into.