Stock Market Investment Clubs Good for Traders

By Brian Berry

The notion of joining an investment stock club is four I'm sure has crossed the minds of lots of independent investors. If you're like me perhaps you dismissed the notion as quickly as it came to mind. I sat on the idea of joining an investing stock club for lots of years. I waited way long. I had lots of reasons not to find & join an investment stock club. None of them however was based on sound inquiry. I had doubts about the value of investment stock clubs fundamentally based on my assumptions that the cost would take away from my stock trading profits over it could benefit. This was an assumption I made out of ignorance. I also recall being afraid that being an investment stock club member would somehow expose what I didn't know to the trading community. In retrospect this would have only served to accelerate my understanding of trading & improved my ability to make strong consistent profits in the market. I could go on but my reasons for not looking at it more closely all proved to be unfounded. I don't plan to try to chip away at these sorts of notions you may have because if they're like my elderly assumptions, they're plainly holding you back. In lieu I'd ask you to think about the undeniable benefits.

As an independent investor I absolutely revel in the notion that I can move stealthily in & out of the markets. I can search for & evaluate any number of stock trading opportunities. I can take advantage of a wealth of research from any source or I can do my own research. I don't must spend time proving my case to my boss & deal with the frustration that entails. No four notices when I succeed at it or fail & I have nothing to prove to someone but myself. There is no better way to make a living as far as I'm concerned. Being independent means everything to me. This independence does have a down-side & if I'm not aware of the challenges that come with being independent & I don't do anything about it I can & have experienced monumental failures.

Despite all it's benefits, independence can easily lend itself to isolation. This is a real hazard that new investors should work quickly to mitigate. Being isolated in the context of investing for a living means having nothing to keep you honest. It's imperative for your success to bounce your ideas and research off your peers as a sort of litmus test. Any independent investor would be wise to find a good stock investment club and join up for this reason alone, but stock investment clubs often provide more in the way of helping independent investors than just this.

Aside from all the bells and whistles or other novel tools that stock investment clubs often hype to entice investors to join, the largest benefit is the collaborative environment they afford investors who would otherwise be working in a vacuum. The benefits of joining a stock investing club and collaborating with a group of peers with similar goals has been undeniably evident in my own ability to generate larger and more consistent returns. I get to launch my ideas into the community and receive timely and worthwhile feedback. Members are all to happy to let me know when I'm way and more importantly why. I can choose to agree or not and I often pick up on some great tips as well as new ideas and strategies to consider. Most importantly I get to keep in touch with a world of traders that offer a wealth of insight and knowledge I would not gain anywhere else.

None are the same & each has its strengths & weaknesses. Four aspect of a stock investment club which you ought to seldom compromise on is the existence of a robust social element. To evaluate that yourself, you could look for a number of the following.

Does the stock investment club have:

A way for you to chat or post messages?

A way to track the performance of your stock portfolio and look at other members performance?

A strong enough member base so as the ideas and opinions are always flowing and dynamic.

A diversity of groups within the stock investment club; & specifically four or four who's members share your investment style or philosophy?

A frequent sustained presence from an accomplished & respected leader in the world of investing & trading?

Some investing stock clubs even give each & every member a chance to have themselves brought in to prominence as an authority by allowing them to post articles or research right by & giant blog as a special guest. This can do wonders in terms of broadening your investing horizons. A way is that other members recognize great ideas & reward the author by suggesting your next topic & some valid points to think about, free content for your next editorial.

The bottom line point is that it's integral that independent investors participate in holding their own knowledge and ideas to the fire of a thoughtful community. It challenges you to be better than you were before and it makes you responsible for developing a disciplined approach to your career in the markets.

My Favorite Investment Stock Clubs

I've included some of my favorite investment stock clubs for you to think about. These (and I'm sure there's others) meet my criteria for providing an active community of thoughtful and outspoken investors who willingly share what they know and think about new ideas by providing seasoned advice and insights to help you stay on your game.

INO Market Club

Provides a real community feel, lots of options for you to find where you fit in across the whole spectrum of trading styles, a blog where members are encouraged to publish guest articles, a very strong leadership with Adam Hewison. Adam is a seasoned veteran trader from the CME Group. INO frequently coordinates online meetings where participants can learn from renowned traders. They have a vast trading tutorial library for both new and advanced traders to help them keep their trading sharp.

Some of my favorite INO features include the market alerts, portfolio tracking with their one-of-a-kind trade triangle technology which highlights stocks which are moving in to a new trend and INO TV which features exclusive content from well-known market analysts. I'm sure any trader would be delighted to have access to everything INO thoughtfully pulls together to form a vibrant trader community with some great tools and invaluable ways to learn and share with other accomplished independent investors. It's worth the annual cost of membership and INO has a no questions asked guarantee, so if you can't use it refunds are not an issue for them. Learn more about INO Market Club.

Zecco Community

Zecco has a robust online trading community & you'd be surprised to learn that you don't must have a trading account to experience all their community has to offer. You can still communicate & share ideas with other members & you have access to a wide array of lovely tools for market research. If you have a blog or web page, you can share that with fellow Zecco members . The Zecco community is active & any trader can find their niche among like-minded investors.

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Finally, I'm always looking for suggestions from my readers so if you'd like to tell the world about your favorite Investment Stock Club, leave a comment. - 23159

About the Author:

Learn more about Stocks & Technical Analysis. Stop by Brian Berry's site where you can find out all about Stock Investment Clubs and what they can do for you.

Help On Receiving A Gates Scholarship

By Jake Green

Bill Gates is a person who is known to everyone in the world. Even small children in the world around are familiar with the name. He is listed in as one of the well-off man in the world consistently for several years. We will see, how rich people can change the society with their contribution by discussing a small, but big contribution Bill Gates is giving to his society. That is teaching for the lowly.

Bill Gates has formed a institution with his wife Melinda Gates to spread the endeavor to help lowly students of different communities. The institution provides funding for students who are coming from very low income families. They have named the scholarships as Bill Gates Scholarships. The students from different ethnic groups like Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics and Asian and Pacific Islanders are privileged under this scholarship. There are various scholarships based on the need of each module.

Other than giving scholarships to deprived students, the agenda of the institution includes giving big contribution to black colleges and those offices who provides scholarships to minority students.

Gates Millennium Scholars Program is the main attraction for students. It is given to students who are excellent in their studious subject but are from low income families. The institution does not insist a lot of form filling process to provide these scholarships.

A Grant: it is the first kind of college financial aid that you should apply for. It just requires you to complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application form. Once the application has been sent, it will be checked and if your child qualifies, he/she will be entitled to the full amount of what he/she has applied for. At this moment, you need not do anything much further except provide the name of the college or university that your child wants to enrol into.

The main aim of the institution is to make the field of science and technology to reach all area of the society. The information and technology should not be denied to anyone. Hence the scholarship does not have the barrier of nationality. It is given to all who have a permanent residence license to US.

'Student Loans': these types of loan have much lower interest rates compared to other sorts of loan. Some loans are off-set, which means that the interest does not accumulate until a student finishes college. Moreover, these loans do not require collateral, and therefore, you do not need to worry about putting your own home up as collateral against the student loan for your child. Most of these loans are available on different repayment plans at low interest rates and low monthly installment payments.

If you haven't yet begun searching for any of the different financial aid programs available, it is advisable that you begin now. These financial aids are there to help you and will provide the funds needed for your child's college education. You can be free from worries about the cost of your teen's education, if you begin early enough. - 23159

About the Author:

To read more about grants, check out EZ Grant Pro. Also, check out federal grant information EZ Grant Pro Review that is now available for online grants.

Home Foreclosure: Who The Heck Is Calling My House...AND WHY?

By Doc Schmyz

Home foreclosure is a not the best situation to be in. Once the notices start coming and the phone starts ringing you can't really keep hiding. Your going to hear from lots of people who claim that they can help you. These calls are from organizations and companies that have their own motives and goals. Beware, in desperate times even a good sales pitch may sound like a miracle.

There are a number of people who are going to send mail or call. Most likely they were able to get your address or your number from the court system. Due to the legal nature of the process your information will be deemed as public and be published. This means anyone with internet access can find you. In some cases they may get your name from a list that was generated on the web...most of these lists go to investors/ investment trust companies.

These are the most common people or organizations that are going to give you call:

Swindlers/Con Men/Crooks

These are the ones you have to be aware of. (And there are a lot of them out there.) All of them offer promises and refer you to a chapter 13 attorney for collect a fee. In worse cases, they will take the deed of the house and force you to pay rent while leading you to believe that they can save your home and in the end you loose it all because they do nothing but take your "rent money" and skip town.

This is the most common problem you will face besides the actual foreclosure. Be very wary of anyone offering this type of "help".

Mortgage brokers

They can help you by refinancing your property. However, these loans may have higher interest rates and closing costs than what you payed at the bank. Some may even charge you more to see how much you are willing to pay and take advantage of it. Not all brokers will rip you off. Over the last several years mortgage brokers have gotten the short end of the stick in the press. Shop around and ask family and friends for a referral if you decide to use a broker. (and just for the record..no I am not a mortgage broker)

Attorneys

This is your last resort. Most attorneys don't really care about the situation you're in or give you the attention you need.

Mortgage negotiators/Mortgage "Mod gods"

They negotiate repayment schemes with mortgage lenders. You can negotiate with the bank but in case it fails you can ask the help of a professional to get the plan approved. Some banks may impose a much more demanding plan and these professionals can get you a more favorable agreement.

Hard money lenders

These people are normally wealthy and are looking to loan you money, to cover your mortgage, at a higher interest rate. In some cases they will over to buy your house and lease to own it back to you...for a higher interest rate of course. (this may not be a bad option IF you can arrage something that works fr your financial position)

Mortgage/note holder

Your mortgage holder will call you to reinstate your house. This can be a good option depending on your situation. These are usually offered by mortgages backed by the government.

Whoever calls you or wherever the mail comes from be aware and think things through. You can stop a home foreclosure with the right options applicable for your situation. Do not throw in the towel if you don't have to. - 23159

About the Author:

Doc Schmyz has invested all over the US. He built a free free website shares Real estate investing information for all over the US. Find real estate information by state

Forex Trading Systems - Finding Effective Trading Strategies

By Tom K Kearns

Finding the most effective strategies in any situation could stop most of us from falling for our subconscious minds to break down the situation or better yet ourselves. A question comes to mind from the Jungian Personality Test that I have recently taken:

The process of searching for a solution is more important to you than the solution itself

true or false.

We might be able to get just what we want if the moves, capable of bringing about the good and helpful to our ventures, were known. In any predicament it helps and not educating yourself fully is one ailing factor that may leave you with an unfortunate outcome not to mention a superficial end result.

Money and investment in general is a big "situation" that harps on us like a continuous aching back pain. Moving into any market unprepared may not be a good idea; neither is focusing solely on the big bucks without thinking beforehand if it's really for you. A place like the Forex market requires many helpful and effective maneuvers to succeed and be happy with any investment you are in the mood to make. With help from the internet, counselors in the field, and research the hoping for what you want can be so.

How to find effective strategies of the Forex market:

One of the most helpful educational tools you can use is internet research. On Forex, reading reviews and ratings can be great aid as well as searching the in-depth details of Forex. Forums and blogs on Forex can give you the inside scoop. You may also want to try finding outsides sources with free information on the trading strategies in the Forex market. Experts often share trading techniques and tips on the forums.

2) Seeking a reliable counsel from an outside source who does not intend on making any sort of profit from you as you enter into the Forex market can be a good idea.

The strategy you choose will need to be reviewed. Look for reviews that are independent or unbiased. This advantage will help you determine the good and bad of it, which will help assist you with your next step.

4) You must test the Forex trading strategy of your choice. Crucial for you and your success is a real time trading experiment. Experimenting with the strategy using a micro or demo account is a good way to test the strategy without losing money or your pride.

Some Final Advice:

Planning could honestly be your best friend in this case concerning the forex trading market. A good chunk of the problems that traders face is letting their emotions and stress get the best of them, especially to new traders; planning could be the link to sanity.

Most traders get mixed with greed and fear; both leading to a loss. Planning and following the trend, which happens to be the big reel of advice, can lead to a more successful career in the trading world. Simplicity is the key in all factors of life; so why nix it in the case of trading? - 23159

About the Author:

To learn more about Automated Forex Trading Systems visit Automated Forex Trading Systems.

Learn How To Trade Options In Our Lifetime Options Course Guide Overview

By Johnny M Junior

Options are a great instrument that each investor should educate themselves on. Learn how to trade options in our lifetime options course.

Options were developed as a way of curbing and managing chances when investing. So, do not pay attention to what you may have been told about options. Well, some of it's true and some of it's just ignorance. Let's talk about some option basics.

Investors use options for two main reasons. The first is to speculate. The second is to hedge their risk. Most are familiar with the guessing aspect of investing. Each time you buy stock, you are guessing which direction the stock is going to go in. The term investing is used to make buying stock not sound as risky. Truthfully, there is always uncertainty when buying stock. You might be pretty sure that GOOG stock is going to go up when you buy it, but if you were positive that it would increase, you would put everything you owned into it. It is important to realize that there is always a risk involved when investing. When you buy options, you guess on future stock prices, but you limit the downside risk while your upside profit potential is not limited.

Other than guessing, investors choose options for hedging. A hedge is a means of protecting your portfolio. It is very similar to purchasing insurance. It protects you from disaster, but you hope it will never be used. You can sleep easier at night knowing that you are protected. It's like buying insurance for your home. The chances of your home being completely destroyed are pretty small. Yes, we continue to keep our coverage. We do this because our homes are valuable and the loss would be devastating. As a result, we are more than happy to pay a company to take this risk for us. If you use specific options strategies as a way to hedge the portfolio, you are doing the same thing.

The prices of options are based on the price of an underlying stock as well as many other factors.

Deciding whether to hedge or speculate using options is the first step you need to take. An option chain will be available for you showing what you can select from. It is not enough for you to know if you prefer to speculate or hedge. It is also necessary to figure out if your strategy means trading a put or call option or and advanced option spread. Decide how long you want the expiration date to be as well as along with what strike price you want to trade. There is a lot to learn before one can start to trade options. They are no so simple like trading stock.

The value of an option is established by using a convoluted differential equation.

Option pricing is based on a very complex equation, but we can look at them in a more simple term. Let's just say they are Time Premium + Intrinsic Value.

Each ingredient plays a role in establishing the value of an option. As an investor, you can only manage two of the ingredients: strike price and expiration. Take into account what your needs are and choose the one that will give you the desired results. Advice to help you on your way:

Hedging: a simple strategy to protect the downside of the market is something like a longer expiration and using puts on out of money options.

Speculating: using directional or non-directional option strategies to make huge returns usually quickly while taking on some risk.

A variety of strategies are part of the out or in the money options that every investor should learn. An in the money option is going to cost more money to purchase but, the chance that it will retain value upon expiration is higher. An out of the money option is less expensive but there is a greater risk of it being worth nothing upon expiration. - 23159

About the Author:

Learn how to trade options in our lifetime options course. Options are a strong financial instrument and something which every saver should get the inside scoop on options learning .