10 Great Ways to Learn Stock Trading as a New Investor

Blain Reinkensmeyer

Posted on Mon 24th Sep, 2007 04:18:57 PM

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New investors taking their first steps towards learning the basics of stock trading should have access to multiple sources of quality education. Just like riding a bike, trial and error coupled with the ability to keep pressing forth will eventually lead to success.

One great advantage of stock trading lies in the fact that the game itself lasts a lifetime. Investors have years to develop and hone their skills. Strategies used twenty years ago are still utilized today. The game is always in full force.

So far new investors wanting to take their first steps we offer 10 great answers to the simple question, “How do I get started?”

1. Open A Stock Broker Account
Find a good online stock broker and open an account. The purpose is not to trade stocks but to become familiarized with the layout and to take advantage of the free trading tools offered to clients only.  Some brokers that offers fantastic free tools include Scottrade, TD Ameritrade, Fidelity, and Etrade. Some brokers only require as little as $500 to get started and have no maintenance fees for inactivity (Read our broker comparisons tips).

2. Read Books
Books provide a wealth of information and are usually inexpensive.  Here on the site we have a full list of 20 great stock trading books for investors to consider. Our all time favorite is How to Make Money in Stocks by William O’Neil, founder of CANSLIM Trading (find more books written by William O’Neil).

3. Read Articles
Articles like this one currently being viewed can serve as a fantastic resource and are usually easy to understand and follow. Our free stock education page here on Stock Trading To Go lists over 100 unique investment articles broken down into categories. Everything from ETFs to margin trading and technical analysis basics are covered.

4. Find a Mentor
A mentor could be a family member, a friend, a past or current professor, co-worker, or any individual that has a fundamental understanding of the stock market. A good mentor is willing to answer questions, provide help, recommend useful resources, and keep spirits up when the market gets tough. All successful investors of the past and present have had mentors during their early days.

5. Ask Lots of Questions
Having a place to ask questions and receive answers is a huge asset for any new investor. Here on the Stock Trading To Go stock forum we have a designated area just for answering stock questions. And with a Community of thousands there is always someone readily available to help the cause.

6. Browse Financial News Sites
News sites such as Yahoo Finance serve as a great resource for new investors. By reading headline stories investors can expose themselves to different stock terms for example. Pulling quotes and observing fundamental data can also serve as another good source of exposure.

7. Consider Paid Subscriptions
Paying for research and analysis can be both educational and useful. Some investors may find watching or observing market professionals to be more beneficial than trying to apply newly learned lessons themselves. There are many paid subscription sites available including Dan Zanger, Investors.com, and Morningstar just to name a few. (Tip: Participate in trials before purchasing a full year subscription).

8. Watch TV
When the stock market is open CNBC is the #1 source for financial news. Even turning on CNBC for 15 minutes a day  will broaden an investors knowledge base. Don’t let the lingo or the style of news be a nuisance, just simply watch and allow the commentators, interviews, and comments to soak in. It will all begin to make sense over time.

9. Go to Seminars
Seminars can provide valuable insight into the overall market and specific investment types. Most seminars will focus on one specific aspect of the market and how the speaker has found success utilizing their own strategies over the years. Note all seminars have be paid for either. Some seminars are provided free which can be a beneficial experience, just be conscious of the sales pitch that will almost always come at the end.

10. Subscribe to the StockTradingToGo Newsletter
Receive our free weekly newsletter summarizing all our newest educational content or add our RSS feed to your favorite reader. We invite all new investors to make StockTradingToGo a part of their daily stock education routine.