In the past 10 or so years, a wealth of investor information has become available, on-line, allowing the average investor to make very informed decisions. Today, you can purchased and sell securities right from your computer desk. Cheap on-line stock trading has become the rule!

While you can find a ton of information on stocks, you will need to be able to filter through the bad information to develop winning stock strategies. If you sign up for any "stock alert services", please beware. There are many scams out there, as the advent of the internet has brought out both the best, and the worst, in people. Be sure to read through these alerts right to the end. Many times you will find a disclaimer at the end stating that the company providing this information has been paid to pump info, to create a wave of interest, by the said corporation. I've personally been burned many times.

Nothing can replace investigative due diligence by an investor. People do not become wealthy, in the market, by listening to others. A key stock tip from a friend at the water cooler, will not replace poring through the financial's, pipeline and numbers of the corporation you are looking into. There is no substitute for DD.

Most good information can be found in a companies annual report. Be sure to use caution here also, as these report are generally forward looking statements. You'll need to proceed with a bit of skepticism. As in any portfolio, you should know your goals up front. Personally, I am in aggressive growth mode with my stock portfolio as when the Internet bubble burst, I lost a great deal and right now I need to work at replacing at least some of the losses. Retirement is about 15 years out. If you are closer to retirement than that, you'll probably want to be more conservative. If you haven't traded stocks before, maybe you can try trading on paper, stock trading simulation, to become more familiar.

Have a great day!
Dave