SO -- Since I'm on a roll this fine Sunday morning... I found a terrific chart to show why I use LIMIT ORDERS to buy or to sell!!!!!!
Not important when buying 25 o5 50 shares... then I'd just do a market order most likely - but it doesn't hurt you to put in a limit order as long as you're going to stay on top of what you're doing!
Here's a ONE DAY chart of a company where the "range" was over $2 a share! On a $16 dollar stock... that's a HUGE percentage. On top of that - it would make you FEEL GOOD if you bought more near the bottom than the top. AND if you sold (using a limit order) nearer the top than the bottom! Just by setting the price you want to buy at or sell at rather than just paying/selling at "market" using a market order.
Check out this chart. You could buy at Market and pay $16 or you could have stuck in a LIMIT ORDER and put the price at $15 or any other number you chose and you'd have gotten a fill. The one day RANGE on this stock was over $2.00 !!! It traded as low as $14.30 and as high as $16.36.... where would you have rather bought the shares? LOL
THIS IS A WILD EXAMPLE.... normally I'm trying to bid a .50 cent or 1.00 range.... but if you're willing to stay on top of your trades and manage them - you can play the game and win.
https://www.google.com/finance?q=arp...BsGZqAHtoYHIBw