Investing 102

[GregWeld]

All you have to do is read what I've already written -- that is INVESTING FOR DUMMIES 102 right there!

Can't make it much simpler...

Open an account - with a discount brokerage.... put some money in it.

Buy some big name big cap stocks that pay you a dividend.

Get more money - add to your account -- and repeat the above.

Whether you have a little money, or a boat load, the principles still apply... buy good names - diversify - don't get greedy - keep your investments to 5 ish percent so no single investment can hurt you in the event it goes down and or is a loss (think ENRON -- Too big too fail - BS!)

I have a Schwab account - it has a boat load of dough in it - but I still only own 21 stocks in the account. I don't need a lot of stocks - I just need good ones. I take a bit more risk because I can afford to. SO while I have McDonalds - I also own JNK - HYG - and NLY. That is an entirely different level of investing and not suitable for most on here if you're asking these basic questions. I live off my dividends and bond income. I raise my dividend income "average" by taking some positions that are riskier - therefore they pay higher dividends. SO my COKE (KO) is offset with some Annaly Capital Management (NLY).

My biggest gainers so far this year ---

Phillip Morse -- cigarettes! = Symbol PM - pays approx 4.7%

Altria -- more smoke... symbol is MO - pays approx 6.4%

Kinder Morgan Partners - oil and gas pipelines -- symbol KMP - pays 6.2%

McDonalds - junk food - symbol MCD - pays 3.3%

Con Edison - power - symbol ED - pays 4.8%

I offset the 3% stuff with the high risk as mentioned above - Annaly pays like 14%... I can afford to play that game I'm not trying to build capital or increase my retirement account... so don't you guys go there.

Just go to YAHOO finance -- or Google finance -- and put in those symbols -- then go to a chart and look at 5 year or 10 year or whatever they'll let you choose for time -- and look at the chart for each one. You'll see all manor of ups and downs in the squiggly line -- but the basic course over time is UP... so if you can train yourself to IGNORE the "noise" = hold steady - don't freak out - collect those dividends -- add to your account when its down the most and buy MORE stock when it's DOWN... YOU WILL BE REWARDED in time.