Invest in Methane as an Alternative Fuel

Investing in methane as an alternative fuel is an investment in our environment. Methane fuel, more commonly known as natural gas, is felt to be more environmentally friendly than gasoline or diesel. It produces a much lower level of carbon dioxide than other hydrocarbons. Another great benefit of methane fuel is the wide variety of naturally occurring sources where it could be harvested. In addition to finding it in the common natural gas fields, it can also be created through the fermentation of manure, wastewater sludge and landfill waste as well as the ocean floor, coal deposits and scientists are working on chemical reactions that produce methane. It is even found in our solar system!

Seek out mutual funds which are targeted specifically towards alternative fuels. Your stock broker can advise you on this. Investing in a mutual fund which covers a variety of alternative fuels may remove some of the financial risk involved.

Look into the various groups performing scientific studies on methane gas and consider buying stock in their company or those who are financially backing their endeavors.

Purchase stock in companies with operations/development in alternative energy sources, industry services and renewable energy. EnergySTOX is a great resource for this. They list more than 700 such companies which you could research. (link in resource section)

Look for online investor conferences. Renewable energy stock promoters on the internet sometimes offer this as live tapings. If you can't find them live, you can certainly find archived recordings of them. They can be a wealth of knowledge for the beginning alternative fuel investor.

Tips & Warnings

• Investments in alternative energy are riskier than some investments. Be certain to research stock price histories and make informed choices. Methane is likely one of the safer alternative fuel source investments due to it's strong availability and information already existing on it's possible usage.

By ehow.com

Invest in Commercial Real Estate for Future Wealth and Security

Unless you have not been paying attention to the news lately, you have heard on numerous occasions that the United States economy is in a very bad state. Recently, the Senate has approved an economic package that is designed to bailout the failing banking system. This would be the largest financial intervention by the Federal Government since the Great Depression. As far as I’m concerned, this package is just a limited remedy for our already struggling; it would be like putting a band-aid on a headache. I’m sure that you will agree with me when I say that $700 billion is an enormous amount of money by anybody’s standard. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t even know how to count that much money, and if I did, it would probably take me a lifetime to do so. Well, the banks have been rescued, but what about you and me. Where is our bailout? In these times, financial security is more a pressing matter than ever before, and it is up to you and me to address it far more seriously than we’ve done in the past. Investing in corporations is far too risky now. Investing in anything these days is far too risky now. Except commercial real estate.

Why Commercial Real Estate? - Millions of savvy real estate entrepreneurs are investing in single-family homes, and have been very successful. However, few have ever considered making the easy transition to commercial properties. Yes, I said “easy”. They think it's too expensive and too complicated to get into, and therefore never take the next step to the money-making, low-risk potential of commercial real estate. As a real estate professional myself, I would not advise buying commercial real estate solely because you have heard that a lot of people have made money in it. There are just as many people who have lost money in commercial real estate as there are those who have made money in it. So, why commercial real estate? First, the money-making potential is higher than that of residential. Second, it is much easier than residential real estate. Lastly, you can easily increase the value of a commercial property, and do so in as little as 30 days. This is not entirely true of residential real estate, and is definitely not true of stocks, bonds or any other type of Wall Street investment. Most importantly, anyone can invest successfully in commercial real estate without prior knowledge, experience, advanced academic education, or a real estate license. Needless to say, you will need to be trained properly how to do it.

Determine the CAP Rate - CAP Rate is a shorter term for capitalization rate. Cap rate is a discount rating that is used to determine the current or present value of a property that will create future earnings. The rate is calculated in a simple fashion as follows: Net Operating Income (NOI) / Purchase Price = Capitalization Rate For example, if you were to purchase a Class “A” office building for $1,000,000 and it produces $100,000 in positive net operating income (NOI) each year, then the formula would be as follows: Net Operating Income / Purchase Price = CAP Rate $100,000 / $1,000,000 = 0.10 = 10% Therefore, the commercial property’s capitalization rate is 10%, which would be the annual return on your investment. This would be considered a good rate of return.

Determine the Cash Flow - Cash flow is simply the movement of money going in and out of your investment, and is determined by three things: the annual rents, the annual expenses, and the annual debt service. The formula for cash flow is as follows: Annual Rents - Annual Expenses - Annual Debt Service = CASH FLOW The annual rents on your Class A office building is $100,000. The annual expenses are $40,000. The annual debt service is $35,000. This means that in order to find out what your cash low is, you would follow the formula: $100,000 - $40,000 - $35,000 = $25,000 Therefore, you would have $25,000 flowing into your office building each year

Determine the Cash-on-Cash Return - The cash-on-cash return is the ratio of annual before-tax cash flow to the total amount of cash invested. The formula is as follows: Cash Flow / Down Payment = Cash-on-Cash Return If you had put down $250,000 for your office building, your cash-on-cash would be: $25,000 / $250,000 = 0.10 =10%

Determine the Return-on-Investment (ROI) - The return-on-investment cash dictates how much profit you will make on your office building investment. Total Financial Benefits / Down Payment= Return-on-Investment (ROI) Let’s assume that before you bought your office building, you were informed that your total financial benefits were $35,000. You would figure out your return-on-investment as follows: $35,000 / $250,000 = 0.14 = 14%

Get Trained - To get started, you will first want to get some training. I suggest not paying thousands of dollars on boot camps. Many of them are rip-offs are don’t teach you the things that you need to know to become successful. Instead, I would recommend joining real estate organizations in your local area that specialize in commercial real estate. Also, you might want to join real estate forums on the web. Get on some of the real estate webinars. They are generally free and provide great information for both beginners and experts. Make it your mission to educate yourself as much as possible.

Get Going - Talk to commercial real estate professionals with many years of experience. Many of them can give you guidance on how to begin with your investment focus. They can teach you about financing options, and can help you find properties that will be correlate with your investment goals. Get good at doing commercial investment analysis, and learn how to do the computations just as we did them in the previous sections.

Get Serious About this Type of Investing Long-Term - As I had stated earlier, the purpose of investing in commercial real estate is not strictly to make a lot of money. Commercial real estate is very lucrative, and anyone can ultimately become wealthy investing in it. However, I wish to encourage you to think of your investing in commercial real estate as a long-term engagement. Your goal should be to accumulate wealth for your retirement, and for the future of your children and grandchildren.

Tips & Warnings

• Invest in training. Training is an absolute must if you are planning for success in this industry.
• Seek out the experts. Talk to commercial real estate professionals, attorneys and other professionals about investing in commercial properties.
• Talk to other investors who specialize in commercial real estate.
• Join webinars and real estate focus groups.
• Join as many commercial real estate organizations as you can.
• Stay away from so-called experts selling their programs through boot-camps. Many of them are expensive and completely worthless.
• Stay away from scam artists.
• Don't bite off more than you can chew in the beginning. Start slow and increase your knowledge.

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44. How Successful Traders Use Indicators to Place Stops

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how to incorporate the use of technical indicators when placing stops in the forex, futures, and stock market. In our last lesson we learned how many

How to Compare Tax Free Municipal Bonds

Tax free municipal bonds, also called ‘munis’ are government bonds that are free from federal taxation. In many states, you can buy tax free municipal bonds which are also free from the state tariff as well. The following article will tell you how to compare tax free municipal bonds with traditional investments.

Consider GO or General Obligation. General obligation (GO) tax free municipal bonds are used for purchasing new schools, building roads, courthouses and other necessary long term investments. Because the nature of the investment is a necessity and is unlikely to turn out to be unnecessary these are often considered to be a more secure investment.

Consider Revenue Munis. Revenue tax free municipal bonds are issued by state and local government sanctions, such as the water company, in order to enhance facilities or processes or even general maintenance. These are less secure because the return is based on the revenue producing probability of the invested party.

Once you have decided which type of tax free municipal bonds to invest in, compare them with their taxable counterparts. Here is the formula for doing so: Yield divided by (1 minus Tax Bracket) Example: If you are in the 20% tax bracket and the yield on the tax free municipal bond is 4.5% you would do this. 4.5/(1-.20)=5.625% taxable yield equivalent

Compare the estimated taxable yield with taxable investments. If the tax free municipal bond’s taxable yield less than traditional investments then it is better to go with the traditional investment. If it is more than or equivalent then the tax free municipal bond is the better investment.

Tips & Warnings

• If the investing party is non-profit or not for-profit, they are traditionally better off investing in tax-free corporate bonds.
• If the investing party is in a high tax bracket they are usually going to be more successful with tax free municipal bonds.
• Larger investments means a more secure and predictable return on the investment.

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Buy Property Tax Liens

Local governments rely on property taxes to pay for expenses. If a property owner fails to pay their property tax, there are still expenses to pay. One way governments compensate for delinquent payments is to sell property tax liens. Investors pay the delinquent property tax, and then the government has money to pay expenses. When the property owner finally pays their taxes, they pay the investor back, plus interest. If the property owner fails to pay the taxes back within a specific timeframe, the investor can foreclose on the property and gain clear title.

Shop locally. When you first begin investing in real estate tax liens, stay close to home, so you can check out the property before investing. If you are relatively new to investing in real estate tax liens, purchasing liens from across the country may not be prudent.

Discover if the state you are shopping is a lien state or a deed state. The process is different for each type. In a deed state, delinquent taxes are paid by auctioning off the property. A lien state is one where the investor purchases a tax lien on the property. More due diligence is required in a deed state, and the investor’s goal is to own the property, whereas in a lien state, the primary goal is to make high interest.

Check to see if there is an IRS or other tax lien on the property. Typically a property tax lien will trump other liens on the property, even a mortgage with a bank. If an investor forecloses on a house that has a mortgage, they do not owe the mortgage, as the property tax supersedes the mortgage. But, if it is an IRS lien, that debt may remain with the property.

Avoid buying vacant land that you are unfamiliar with. If you pay a tax lien on swamp property, and the owners don’t repay the taxes and interest, do you really want to end up owning swamp land?

Approach commercial real estate with caution. Business property might be more likely to have IRS or other tax liens attached.

Go online to the county website for the area you are investigating. Many county websites post the procedures for purchasing real estate tax liens, along with available properties.

Don’t expect to end up gaining full ownership to the real estate when purchasing property tax liens. Although it does happen, property owners tend to eventually repay their taxes before loosing their property.

Negotiate the interest you will earn on your investment. Some states offer 16%, 24% 5%, and other rates. If more than one investor wants to purchase the lien on one piece of property they will make a bid. The lowest bid wins, meaning the investor receives less interest than the standard rate, and the government gets to keep the difference as profit.

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43.How to Reduce the Chances of Being Stopped Out on a Trade

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how to incorporate multiple support or resistance levels into a trading strategy for the stock, futures, or forex market to reduce the chances of being

Buy Homebuilder Stocks

Investing in homebuilder stocks in this market might seem counterintuitive. But this article explains why now is the best time to invest in homebuilder stocks.

Investing in homebuilder stocks before the housing market makes its turn-around might not seem like a good idea at first. But if you want to make the most money off of homebuilder stocks, it is imperative that you buy before the turn-around officially starts.

Once the turn-around begins, keep your eye out. All the big mutual funds will begin to put their money into the stocks, making the prices rise quickly. At the time that you think everything is going perfectly, that there is no way your homebuilder stocks will go down, that time is the time to sell. Remember - you haven't made a profit until you've sold the stock.

Before you buy a homebuilder stock - do your research. These stocks can be quite volatile. Read everything you can about them. Here are a few stocks that I think are the best of the group: KB Home (ticker: KBH) Lennar (LEN) Meritage Homes (MTH).

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Buy Financial Stocks

Investing in financial stocks can be a great move at times. This article explains how to invest in the right financial stocks.

Investing in financial stocks is almost always going to be a risky investment, especially during our economy's current financial crisis. The important thing to remember in times like these is that more than ever, it is essential that you do your research before purchasing any financial stock.

When investing in financial stocks, keep in mind that lower interest rates are always better for the companies. As interest rates approach 5% or higher, I would recommend selling all financials.

I would only consider (obviously) investing in the best of the best. So here is a list of what I believe are the best financial stocks to own (in order): Goldman Sachs (ticker: GS) JP Morgan Chase (JPM) Morgan Stanley (MS) Wells Fargo (WFC) Bank of America (BAC) A good place to learn more about investing is the Investment Strategies forum.

42. How to Up Your Chances for Profit When Setting Stops

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how to incorporate technical analysis in identifying support and resistance and incorporating this into setting your stop loss when trading the stock

Buy Energy Stocks

With Oil plummeting as of late, now is the perfect time to start investing in energy stocks.

Oil has been plummeting in price during the past couple months. This price drop has brought down with it all stocks related to energy services.

Now is the time to buy! Please use discretion before purchasing a stock, especially in this volatile market. Do extensive research on any company before you buy its stock. But below I included a few stocks that are definitely worth considering.

A list of some top performing energy stocks to possibly invest in (with the ticker symbols in parenthesis): Exxon Mobile (XOM) Chevron (CVX) Headwaters Incorporated (HW) Petrobras (PBR)

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How to buy Corporate Bonds

Corporate bonds are a great way to diversify your portfolio. These types of bonds do pose certain that you need to factor in but they are extremely profitable. With a little research you can greatly reduce your risk and make a ton of money in corporate bonds.

First your going to need a broker. There are many discount brokers to be found online that offer corporate bonds with low transaction cost. Be sure to choose one that offers a big selection of corporate bonds to choose from.

Always buy corporate bonds for major companies. These are companies with huge market caps. These bonds a little less than smaller companies but are a lot safer. Be sure to inspect the companies credit rating. Triple A credit ratings are the highest and safest.

While the terms of the bonds differ greatly avoid buying bonds with long term maturity dates. Even if a company is a safe bet you don't know what is going to happen to the market for them in ten years. Stick to bonds between one year and five years.

Always buy bonds at a discount. There are many great quality bonds you can buy that are at a discount. This is important. We are buying corporate bonds to make money not lose it.

Check out the company issuing the bond. Do they have the biggest market share of their industry? Have they been consistently turning a profit for the past five years. You need to know that the company is going to pay you back your money plus interest.

41. How to Use the Average True Range (ATR) To Set Stops

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how to include volatility in setting for traders of the stock, futures, and forex markets. In our last lesson we looked at determining how much you are...

Buy Chinese Stocks

China is an up and coming world power. If you know what to invest in, you can make a lot of money. This article teaches a few ways to buy Chinese stocks.

China is on the rise. It will be one of the premier global powers very soon. But when investing in China, one must be very careful. It is an extremely volatile market. But there is plenty of money to be made - if you know what you are doing.

Step2

Before making any purchases of Chinese stocks, you must do extensive research. As I said, the market is very volatile. I would read every news story about the particular stock before you buy it. Study everything out thoroughly. Here is a list of quality Chinese stocks to consider, with the ticker symbol in parentheses and its industry: China Fund (CHN), banking China Mobile (CHL), telecommunications China Life Insurance (LFC), insurance Baidu (BIDU), search/advertising Petrochina (PTR), oil Canadian Solar (CSIQ), solar energy

Step3

Again, research is critical. I recommend typing the ticker symbol into Yahoo Finance and then clicking on the "Analyst Estimates" tab on the left. This will show you what the analysts covering the company expect them to earn next quarter and next year. I good rule of thumb (although it may seem counter-intuitive) is to buy the stock when everyone is saying there is no way it can go up. That's when you look for a good buying opportunity. Similarly, sell the stock when everyone is saying that there is no way it can go down.

Buy Brazilian Stocks

Brazil is an up and coming world power. If you know what to invest in, you can make a lot of money. This article teaches a few ways to buy Brazilian stocks.

Brazil is on the rise. It will be one of the premier global powers very soon. But when investing in Brazilian stocks, one must be very careful. It is an extremely volatile market. But there is plenty of money to be made - if you know what you are doing.

Before making any purchases of Brazilian stocks, you must do extensive research. As I said, the market is very volatile. I would read every news story about the particular stock before you buy it. Study everything out thoroughly. Here is a list of quality Brazilian stocks to consider, with the ticker symbol in parentheses, and its industry: Petrobras (PBR), Oil Vale (RIO), Mining Brasil Telecom (BTM), Telecommunications Vivo (VIV), Telecommunications Gol Linhas (GOL), Airline

Again, research is critical. I recommend typing the ticker symbol into Yahoo Finance and then clicking on the "Analyst Estimates" tab on the left. This will show you what the analysts covering the company expect them to earn next quarter and next year. I good rule of thumb (although it may seem counter-intuitive) is to buy the stock when everyone is saying there is no way it can go up. That's when you look for a good buying opportunity. Similarly, sell the stock when everyone is saying that there is no way it can go down.

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Video Review: Trading for a Living by Dr. Alexander Elder

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A video review of the book Trading for a Living by Dr. Alexander Elder.

Buy an Index Fund

Investing in an index fund is a great way to diversify. But it is very important that you buy the correct index fund for your needs. This article tells you how.

An Index Fund is a type of investment that seeks to duplicate the movements of an index of a specific financial market, like the S&P 500. Owning an index fund is a great way to diversify. You can create your own personal "index fund" by investing is hundreds of different stocks, but this proves to be very costly and quite time consuming. Therefore, investing in an actual index fund provides you with the return of the index that it's tracking with low fees and low time management.

Since there are many different types of indexes, there are many different index funds. The following is a list of indexes, and the ticker symbols of the best index funds that track them: S&P 500 (most common) - SPY, VFINX, SWPPX, FSMKX S&P 400 (mid-size companies) - SPMIX, VIMSX S&P 600 (small-size companies) - SMCIX NASDAQ 100 (largest NASDAQ companies) - RYOCX Russell 2000 (small companies) - NAESX Wilshire 5000 (almost all U.S. stocks) - VTSMX, FSTMX

The United States economy has been going through some tough times lately. All of these indexes are down sharply from their all-time highs reached in 2007. If you have some extra money to use for investing, but not much time, I would highly recommend slowly buying some shares of an index fund.

As far as deciding which index fund is for you - that depends on how okay you are with risk, and how soon you might need your money. In general, smaller companies are more riskier than larger companies. So invest accordingly. But remember - the greater the risk, the higher the potential return. Good luck and please feel free to ask questions!

Buy Alternative Energy Stocks

With oil plummeting as of late, now is the perfect time to invest in alternative energy stocks.

Investing in Alternative Energy stocks is not too difficult. And with the way oil is rising, it is the time to start. Research is necessary before purchasing any stock. But there are some areas that are better than others to invest in.

Step2

The typical Alternative Energy sectors that investors focus on are Solar and Wind stocks. Taking a long-term view of the economy and the environment, these stocks should steadily continue to rise over time.

Step3

Here is a list of some good alternative energy stocks to consider (including the ticker symbols): First Solar (FSLR) Canadian Solar (CSIQ) Clean Energy (CLNE) Broadwind Energy (BWEN) And for a less direct play, General Electric (GE).

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40. Money Management: How To Determine Initial Stop Levels

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A less on how traders determine their initial stop levels when trading the stock, futures, and forex markets. In our last lesson we looked at the difficulty of over...

How to Buy Agriculture Stocks

Investing in agriculture stocks can be a great move, especially since we all depend on them for food. This article explains how to do so.

We all need the services of the agriculture industry. Therefore, investing in agriculture stocks will always be a good investment, as long as you time it right. These stocks are sensitive to the economy. They depend strongly on legislation from the government (i.e. tax breaks, etc.).

Step2 Do your research thoroughly before buying an agriculture stocks. Here are some names to consider (ticker symbols included): John Deere (DE) Mosaic (MOS) Potash (POT) Bunge (BG) Monsanto (MON)

Again, research is critical. I recommend typing the ticker symbol into Yahoo Finance and then clicking on the "Analyst Estimates" tab on the left. This will show you what the analysts covering the company expect them to earn next quarter and next year. I good rule of thumb (although it may seem counter-intuitive) is to buy the stock when everyone is saying there is no way it can go up. That's when you look for a good buying opportunity. Similarly, sell the stock when everyone is saying that there is no way it can go down.

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How to Buy a Mutual Fund

Understanding how to buy a mutual fund is essential for a relaxing retirement. This article teaches how to invest in mutual funds.

A mutual fund is a professionally and actively managed investment tool that pools money from many investors and invests it in stocks, bonds, and various other securities. It can have a broadly diverse portfolio or a narrowly focused portfolio. A mutual fund may be extremely high risk or very safe. Some pay dividends, some have transaction fees, and some require minimum investments. How do you decide which mutual fund is the best one for you to invest in...?

The first thing you need to do is assess your risk tolerance. Generally, the greater the risk = the greater the potential profit (or loss). Your risk will largely depend on your time frame. Buying a mutual fund when you're 30 years old is a lot different than when you're 60. The closer you are to retirement, the less risk you should be exposed to.

There are many different companies that offer mutual fund investing. Vanguard, Fidelity, eTrade, Schwab, and Ameritrade are some of the best. I will provide the names and ticker symbols of some leading mutual funds to consider for your investment. Please do your research and risk assessment before purchasing any mutual fund. The number to the right of the fund name represents the level of risk associated with the fund (5 is the highest risk): CGM Focus Fund (CGMFX) - 5 Fidelity Fifty (FFTYX) - 4 Fidelity Dividend Growth (FDGFX) - 3 Allianz Dividend Value (PEIDX) - 1 Third Avenue Small Cap (TASCX) - 5 Janus Enterprise (JAENX) - 3 Again, these are just for your consideration. I do consider them to be some of the best in the industry. Good luck and please feel free to ask questions!

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39. How to Join the Minority of Traders Who Are Successful

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on the importance of the preservation of capital as part of a trading strategy for traders of the stock, futures an forex markets. In our last lesson we...

Yield High Capital Gains Distributions

Capital gains refers to the profits realized by a mutual fund when it sells its securities (for example, stocks or bonds). Capital gains distribution is the payment of the profits to mutual fund shareholders. Capital gains distribution usually happens once a year, although it may occur monthly with some types of bond funds. If you want to yield high capital gains distributions, you must invest for either a long period of time, or choose riskier investments that will yield higher gains.

Understand How to Yield High Capital Gains Distributions

Invest in mutual funds with the lowest possible fees and expenses.

Choose mutual funds with the highest risk you can afford, considering your risk tolerance.

Invest as much as you can afford. Higher investments yield higher gains distributions.

Set a limit on how much you can lose before you sell, for example, 25%. So if you invest when shares are $20, you sell if they drop to $15. If shares go up to $32, you sell if they drop to $24.

Avoid selling while your mutual funds shares are increasing, and reinvest the money you make during this time.

Tips & Warnings

• Capital gains distributions are taxable income, so you may want to consider automatic reinvestment of your capital gains into your mutual fund to avoid paying capital gains tax.
• Capital gains distributions are dependent on the mutual fund's performance: the better the fund does, the higher the gains you'll yield.
• Keep your tax advisor in the loop. Investing in mutual funds can have significant tax consequences. Make sure your tax planner knows about the investments you plan to make.
• Know that fund expenses affect your bottom line. Fund expenses dilute your returns in ways that can add up significantly over time. Calculate the effect of expenses to get a true picture of a mutual fund's performance.
• High capital gains distributions mean high taxes. Be prepared for the government to take its share of your gains.
• Riskier investments may pay off a great deal more than, say, index funds, but you may lose your entire investment. Don't invest more money than you can afford to lose.
• As an investor, you aren't really in control of the capital gains distributions. All you can do is invest wisely and hope that your intelligent investing will yield high results.

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38. Profit Expectations: What Millionaire Traders Know

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how most traders have unrealistic profit expectations which cause them to lose all their money and what realistic profit expectations are when trading...

Use Prosper for Socially Responsible Investing

Have you ever wished you could make and invest in your own mutual fund, based on your personal selection criteria? With Prosper.com, you can. Prosper is a peer-to-peer lending site that matches prospective borrowers with lenders. Lenders can bid as low as $50 on borrower listings, and you can pick and choose based on your preferences.

Determine your loan selection criteria. Consider your values, beliefs, and causes you currently support. For example, are you an advocate of the green movement? Then you may wish to bid on alternative energy business loan requests. Are you a vegetarian? Then you may choose not to bid on loan requests for restaurants that serve meat.

Review loan listings. Besides fitting your socially responsible investing standards, you may want to consider the borrower's ability to repay the loan, the borrower's credit history, the borrower's income and employment history, the borrower's description of the loan purpose, whether or not the borrower will have the monthly payment amounts automatically deducted from the borrower's bank account, etc.

Bid on loans. Diversification helps spread the risk of any one borrower defaulting, so you may want to start small (bidding the minimum $50 for any one loan) and bid on several loans. Two $50 loans to different borrowers may have a lower risk of default than a $100 loan to a single borrower. Select a high enough rate of return to compensate for the potential risk of default.

Be patient. If you are committed to certain selection criteria, then be wary of loosening your standards in order to bid on loan listings. If there are no loan listings that meet your selection criteria, you may want to wait until you find those that do. Be careful not to make your selection criteria too narrow, else no one will fit.

Tips & Warnings

• Invest in what is important to you. If you would not buy a product, frequent an establishment, or support a certain cause, then you may not want to bid on loans that would promote such items.
• Invest in what you know. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Diversify, if possible. Try to spread the risk of default and possible losses among many loans/borrowers.
• Be careful that your selection criteria is not too narrow.

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use "moving averages" to buy stocks.

You always want to be in "harmony" with the markets when trading stocks. Here's a simple tool that will keep you on the "right side" of the trade.

WHAT IS A MOVING AVERAGE?: Simply take the last 20 days closing prices, add them together, then divide by 20. This price is plotted along a line (moving average). Most all charting software does this for you.

Only buy a stock if prices are trading above the 20-day moving average.

Institutional investors (hedge-funds, banks, mutual-funds, etc.) control most stock prices. They will "support" the stock at the 20-day moving average if they think it's going higher in the short-term. Use this to your advantage

Tips & Warnings

• This is an important rule that should not be broken or you will be fighting the "trend." Something you never want to do. "Flow" with the trend, never fight it.
• See our other trend trading articles for more tips.
• This is the opinion of the writer and not a offer to buy any securities. Investing in securities involves risk. Consult a professional before making any investment decisions.

By ehow.com

37. Trading Psychology: Think as a Group, Lose Your Money

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on crowd psychology and how it relates to trading the stock, futures, and forex markets. The best summary that I have seen on this subject, as well as a...

Understand Penny Stocks

Investment and stock market lingo can be confusing sometimes, but it is important to know about the economy. Here is a brief tutorial on what penny stocks are.

Know that a penny stock is a stock investment that is traded in the market (usually small markets as opposed to the major exchanges) for substantially low prices.

Step2

Realize that penny stocks in many cases are considered fairly risks due to their decreased capitalization and their prices. Why are they so cheap after all? Another thing to consider is that penny stocks are not as well researched and information about them are often minimal to say the least.

Step3

Remember though that even with its low price, is it worth it to risk money on an investment that doesn't have a lot of following or a confident history behind them? Remember, penny stocks are not actually sold for a penny! You do have some sort of investment in them, so you must weigh the pro's and con's of the lower price with the higher risks. Most penny stocks though sell for less then a few dollars per share, and there are some bigger name companies that do sell shares for this amount so looks can be deceiving! It is always best to research the stock and its company before buying. It will save you more money in the process.

By ehow.com

Understand Bear Markets

Investment and stock market lingo can be confusing sometimes, but it is important to know about the economy. Here is a brief tutorial on what a bear market is.

Know that a bear market is actually a condition in the economy when the prices of options, stocks, bonds, etc. falls. It is a period in which the negative views of the stock market actually become a self fulfilling prophecy and contribute to more slowdowns in the market and more people selling their investments.

Know that major falls in percentage points in the Dow Jones index or the S&P 500 over a sixty day period or more is a typical sign of a bear market entering. After all, those two specific indexes are benchmarks for performance measurement in the stock market.

Realize that bear markets are typically a bad time for people to initiate themselves into investing or continue doing so as very few people have great successes during a bear market. The timing is hard, and when everything is falling it is very easy to lose a lot of your investments in a very short period of time. About the only investors who can make any sort of accomplishment during a bear market are those that short sell and are in the market for a very short period of time.

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36. Two Trading Mistakes Which Will Destroy Your Account

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on two of the most common mistakes that traders make when trading the stock, futures and forex markets. One of the most common mistakes is sticking in a...

Understand Absolute Returns

Investment and stock market lingo can be confusing sometimes, but it is important to know about the economy. Here is a brief tutorial on what absolute returns are!

Know that an absolute return is the return from an investment (ex. mutual fund) you receive over a specific period of time. Absolute returns compare the appreciation or depreciation of a particular investment with a percentage during this time period..

Know that an absolute return fund's goal would be to make positive returns on your investment by using a variety of management strategies that typically differ from your average mutual fund.

Realize that some of these absolute return fund strategies include options, futures, and using short selling. This form of mutual fund has become so popular that it is also known by another name. Absolute return funds are also called hedge funds.

Understand 401K Plans

Investment and stock market lingo can be confusing sometimes, but it is important to know about the economy. Here is a brief tutorial on what a 401(k) plan is.

Understand that a 401(k) plan is created by the company, your employer, which allows you to defer portions of your salary as contributions into investments. Earnings on these 401(k) plans are on a tax-deferred basis as well.

Know that many times, employers make the decision to match the contributions of their employees to motivate them to contribute to their 401(k) plans. This, from my experience, often works and is beneficial to both the employer and the employee.

Realize that employees are not left in the dark on the investments made in the plan! As the employee, you may choose from an array of options including mutual funds, bonds, stocks and a variety of money market investments.

Recall that 401(k) plans are often used as retirement plans, and thus is one of the most popular retirement plans available. They are often used as well because of its convenience -- as an employee benefit, 401(k) plans must be sponsored by your employer. Due to this, it becomes easy for even the non-investment savvy person to become involved with this plan and interact with investments.

35. Master the Psychology of Trading: The Effect of Losses

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how the ability and willingness to take losses when trading the forex, futures, or stock markets is one of the key factors that differentiates successful...

Survive the Economy

Money’s tight right now. For some of us, money has BEEN tight. So, what do we do? Get practical and real. Consumer spending helps the economy. The more people spend, the more people make money. But what about the individual? Spend less, invest smarter.

Take a look at your spending habits. Where can you cut some fat? In some places, maybe that’s literally. Spend less on food. The average person today eats WAY too much. Sometimes, we buy food that we never even eat. That’s a lot of wasted money right there.

Do you really need to go to the movies this weekend? How about staying in for the night? Break out an old movie you haven’t seen in awhile. Other options are watching movies on hulu.com or on fancast.com. Free movies are everywhere for us to watch!

Cut back on electricity. Right now, at least where I live, is a perfect time to open up the windows and let the “fresh” air in. Use fans instead of air conditioning. In the winter, dress warmer and/or use a blanket instead of turning on the heat. Turn off the lights in rooms you’re not using. Unplug electricity vampires. Those chargers you’re not using right now ARE costing you money if they’re plugged in!

Not enough? The reality of it is, maybe you DO need a second job! You’d be surprised how much easier it can be to pay the bills and get by with just a few extra hours of work a week at a second job! There are plenty of night and weekend jobs out there, and you don’t need them to pay the same amount as your fulltime job! That extra income will help pay off credit cards, saving you money that would be wasted on interest.

The stock market… Oh yeah… Get more conservative with your investing. Penny stocks are risky in a healthy market, let alone a falling market. Some stocks may spike up and earn someone some nice cash, but are you in on that end, or on the losing one.

Stocks are sexy, mutual funds aren’t as sexy, bonds… eh… datable, savings accounts? They’re like a family member. It seems the more money you COULD make, the greater the risk of losing it all is. And sexy is a risk. Is someone still making money off of sexy? You bet! Are you? Maybe not. In hard times, stick with family. It might not fix the world’s economy, hell, it might even hurt it more, but who’s looking after you? The world, or you? And who are you really responsible for looking after? The world, or yourself and maybe your family? Look after yourself and your family for a bit. You worked for it, you deserve it.

Tips & Warnings

• I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I’ve got an E_Trade savings account and it’s pulling in at 3.30% interest right now. 3.30% is good enough for me right now.
• Bonds should be pretty good right now from what I understand. They should be cheap enough right now and have a decent enough payout once they mature.
• Now could even be a good enough time to get in low on a nice mutual. Be sure it’s a conservative mutual for the long term investment.
• Be CAREFUL what BANK you even use now! Even banks are changing left and right these days!
• If you can help it, make sure your money is FDIC insured! The market is pretty unstable right now. Keep your money safe!
• Investing, even in a stable market has its risks! ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH!

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Start Family Investments

When most people think of investing they think of one person. The fact is when it is a family why not work together to build a family portfolio.

Start by setting up the formula. Depending on the age of the children, each will be able to contribute certain amounts to any investment. Payout will be based on the percentage put into the account. Also, agree nobody will withdraw money for a certain extended period of time and set yearly limits on the amount to be taken out.

Seek out an internet broker. This way the transactions are in your hands. There are many to pick from including Sharebuilder.com, E Trade and many more.

Search out stocks that are safe. Perhaps even go after mutual funds and avoid the individual stocks. If investing in individual stocks, seek out those with dividend payments.

Keep the flow of money coming each month or week. Even if this means keeping a large amount in a money market fund, but it should pile up quickly and in the end all will be happy.

Tips & Warnings

• I am not a professional financial advisor, this article is intended to provide basic ideas. For specific financial advice on stocks or other issues, please seek out professional advice.

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34. Why Most Traders Lose Money and The Solution

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on the importance of money management in trading and how most traders of the stock, futures, and forex markets ignore money management because they do not...

How to Save Money if a Deep Recession or Depression Comes

I placed $2000.00 in a mutual fund in 1999 to start up a Roth IRA. At the time all of the “experts” were saying the same thing they do now – Over the long term, you’ll make at least seven percent on your investment. Now nine years later, that original $2000.00 plus another $1000.00 invested in the same fund sits at $543.00. Hmm…let’s see…that’s a negative $2457.00 in earnings and I don’t even know what the percentage would be. I haven’t put much money in that mutual fund over the years but I have in other various retirement accounts and I would say overall I’ve lost at least 25 percent. I did find a way, though, to save some money (even if banks fail and the FDIC can’t cover them) and have simplified it into five easy steps for you.

1.Pay your bills and pay for enough food and water until your next paycheck.

2.Go to your bank and withdraw the remaining money.

3.Proceed cautiously home with your money.

4.Place the paper money under your mattress. Place the coins in a jar.

Repeat steps 1 through 4.

Tips & Warnings

• ProTip: Don’t think about stealing my coin jar, you would hardly be able to lift it up.

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How to Research Oppenheimer Mutual Funds

In the early 1950s, Oppenheimer & Co. was initially established as a brokerage firm, but in 1960, the Oppenheimer Management Corporation (now called OppenheimerFunds, Inc.) was created in order to more effectively manage the Oppenheimer Fund. In the 1990s, OppenheimerFunds began extending its focus from retail mutual funds to offer more investment products and services. It now claims over $200 billion in assets, many of which are bond funds.

Research Oppenheimer Mutual Funds

Use the award-winning Oppenheimer website to track fund performance (see Resources below). Oppenheimerfunds.com received a rating of "Excellent" from the DALBAR WebMonitor in the first quarter of 2007 for its innovative and functional approach to providing financial services online.

Research one of Oppenheimer's top-rated municipal bond funds, the Oppenheimer CA Municipal fund (OPCAX), which is managed by Ronald H. Fielding and got its start in 1988. Over a billion dollars in assets are invested in various CA bond funds in order to achieve a high level of tax-exempt interest income.

Check out the Morningstar rating for the Oppenheimer CA Municipal fund, which is 5 stars. This high rating is due in part to the average annual returns of the last few years: 7.71 percent in 2006, 10.94 percent in 2005 and 8.40 percent in 2004. A negative annual return was posted in 1999.

Prepare to spend at least $1,000 for your initial investment in this fund. Subsequent investments require a minimum of $50.

Research another one of the bigger and more successful Oppenheimer mutual funds, the Oppenheimer NJ Municipal fund (ONJAX), which was created in 1994. Like the Oppenheimer CA Municipal fund, the Oppenheimer NJ Municipal fund invests the majority of its half billion in assets in New Jersey municipal securities, and it also aims to make its investors money through tax-exempt interest income. It is also managed by Ronald H. Fielding.

Review the impressive 5-star Morningstar rating for the Oppenheimer NJ Municipal fund, as well as its annual returns in the past. The annual return was 7.76 percent in 2006, 10.10 percent in 2005 and 8.53 percent in 2004. The last time the fund posted a negative annual return was in 1999.

Pull together at least $1,000, which is the minimum for the initial investment in the Oppenheimer NJ Municipal fund. Prepare to spend at least $50 on subsequent investments.

Look into one of the other mutual funds provided by Oppenheimer. There are about 70 mutual funds available through this company, many of which focus on domestic and international stocks in addition to municipal and taxable bonds.

Tips & Warnings

• If investing in municipal bonds mutual funds, it is important to realize that the tax exemption only applies to the interest-generated income. You will be expected to pay taxes on any capital gains you earn by selling your shares at a higher price than you paid to purchase them. You will want to factor this into your research.

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33. How to Trade the Inverted Hammer/Shooting Star Patterns

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how to trade the Inverted Hammer and Shooting Star Candlestick Chart Patterns for active traders and investors using technical analysis in the stock...

How to Research Fidelity Mutual Funds

Fidelity is one of the best-known and most prolific of the big-name mutual funds. The Johnson family mostly controls this privately owned company, and it is often associated with the infamous Peter Lynch, who took the company's once little-known Magellan fund from $18 million in assets to $14 billion in assets over a 13-year period starting in 1977.

Research Fidelity Mutual Funds

Appreciate Fidelity's innovative approach to fund management: the company is responsible for several "firsts" in the world of investing. For instance, Fidelity was the first to allow investors the option of purchasing funds through an 800 number, and it was also the first to provide many industry- or sector-specific mutual funds to its investors.

Research the company's Contrafund (FCNTX), its largest and top-rated fund. Managed by William Danoff, this is a large-growth fund begun in 1967, and it targets capital appreciation by investing mostly in growth and value stocks from U.S. based issuers, although stocks from foreign issuers may also be included in the portfolio. It also seeks to invest in the securities of companies that it believes are not valued properly in relation to their industry-specific competition.

Look at the numbers for the Fidelity Contrafund. It has a 5-star rating from Morningstar due in part to its average annual returns: the annual return was 11.54 percent in 2006, 16.23 percent in 2005 and 15.07 percent in 2004. The last negative annual return was posted in 2002.

Prepare to spend a minimum of $2,500 for your initial investment in the Contrafund and a minimum of $250 for each subsequent investment.

Research the company's Magellan fund (FMAGX), its second-largest mutual fund. Begun in 1963, this large-growth fund is currently managed by Harry W. Lange, and like the Contrafund, it aims for capital appreciation by investing in growth and value stocks from domestic and foreign companies. The fund's "go everywhere" approach means there is no specific strategy other than improving performance.

Check out the performance of the Fidelity Magellan fund. Morningstar has given this fund a 5-star rating, and the total annual return was 7.22 percent in 2006, 6.42 percent in 2005 and 7.49 percent in 2004. That said, the fund posted a negative annual return of 23.66 percent in 2002.

Collect at least $2,500 for your initial investment in the Magellan fund. The minimum for subsequent investments is $250.

Research one of the many other mutual funds from Fidelity. There are over 300 to choose from, and their assets include domestic stocks, international stocks, municipal bonds and taxable bonds.

Tips & Warnings

• Before you research Fidelity mutual funds, realize that investing always carries risk as the FDIC does not guarantee or insure mutual funds.

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How to Receive Mutual Funds Newsletters

Once you've decided to invest in mutual funds, it's a good idea to continue your education and keep up-to-date on all the latest information. One good way to keep up with the latest trends is by subscribing to one or more mutual funds newsletters. You can receive newsletters from your own mutual fund, which may have monthly or quarterly newsletters, or you can sign up for one of many independent ones and receive them in your e-mail box. Mutual funds newsletters can be a great help for investors, but you should be careful when choosing to follow any newsletter's advice.

Receive Mutual Funds Newsletters Online or by Mail

Take advantage of the wealth of information provided in mutual funds newsletters. Not only do they show the benefits of investing, but they also provide strategies, tips and insights to improve your portfolio.

Check out the links to the newsletters recommended by your friends or financial advisor.

Read through sample newsletters to find one with a style that works for you.

Consider subscribing to the Hulbert Financial Digest to find the highest-rated mutual funds newsletters available.

Choose your method of subscription. Options usually include online delivery or regular mail delivery.

Go online and visit your favorite investment sites and take note of the newsletters these sites offer or recommend.

Tips & Warnings

• Although many mutual funds newsletters are free, you may want to receive the Hulbert Financial Digest, a premium newsletter. It is an independent newsletter that rates other mutual funds newsletters. Many newsletters refer to the Hulbert Financial Digest.
• Choose newsletters associated with informational websites you already like and visit, or try out ones suggested by friends or your financial advisor.
• Stay with established newsletters and avoid any untried ones.
• Even though newsletters provide guidance and tips, it is always prudent to read a mutual fund's prospectus before actually investing.
• Make sure that any newsletter you subscribe to is a Registered Investment Advisor.
• Avoid newsletters attached to a mutual fund company or other investment service other than your own.
• Keep in mind that some newsletters are trying to sell specific mutual funds. Always check their source.
• Know that many newsletter publishers often take advantage of their first amendment rights and occasionally misstate mutual fund returns.
• Not all newsletters are free and some will require a credit card to maintain a subscription.

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32.How to Trade the Morning/Evening Star Candlestick Pattern

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how to trade the morning and evening star candlestick chart patterns for active traders and investors using technical analysis in the stock, futures, and...

Your Form 1099-DIV

Many investors who receive dividend income are confused by the way this income is broken down on the 1099-DIV form. This article explains how to interpret the numbers in each of the commonly used boxes on this form.

Look at box 1a of your 1099-DIV. This box is labeled "ordinary dividends." This means that the income reported in this box is taxed as ordinary income. Ordinary income is always taxed at your top marginal tax rate. This income is reported either directly on the form 1040 or on Schedule B.

Box 1b of your form is labeled "qualified dividends." These are dividends that qualify for the lower 15 percent or zero capital gains tax rate. They are reported separately on the 1040.

Box 2a shows total capital gains distributions from a mutual fund or real estate investment trust (REIT). This income will be reported either on Schedule D or directly on your 1040.

Boxes 2b and 2c are used to report capital gains or income recapture from various types of real estate transactions. This type of income is much less common than the type of income realized in the previous boxes.

Box 2d will contain the amount of captial gain received from the sale of a collectible or antique item. This type of income never qualifies for capital gains treatment, regardless of your holding period or tax bracket.

Box 6 shows any foreign tax that has been paid to other countries. This is usually the result of investing in an international or global mutual fund, but can be from any type of foreign investment.

Tips & Warnings

• For more information on dividend income, visit the IRS website at irs.gov (see link below) and type "dividends" or "1099-DIV" into the search bar.
• This article is intended to provide a rudimentary introduction on the Form 1099-DIV. It is not intended as specific financial or tax advice, but rather alert you as to whether claiming this credit might be possible. For further clarification on this matter, you should consult your tax advisor.

By ehow.com

Your 1099-INT Form

Not all interest income is taxed the same way. There are a few different kinds of interest income and they are reported in different boxes on the 1099-INT. This article shows you how to understand what you see on your 1099-INT.

The first couple of boxes on the 1099-INT are pretty straightforward. Box 1 of your 1099-INT form shows regular taxable interest, like bank account interest, that is taxed as ordinary income (meaning at your top marginal tax rate.)

Box 2 of your 1099-INT shows any amount you paid in early withdrawal penalties from CDs or other securities. This amount can be carried to Schedule A of the 1040 as a miscellaneous investment expense.

Box 3 of your 1099-INT shows interest you received from U.S. Government securities, such as T-bills, notes and bonds. This income is only taxable at the federal level. No state or local tax is assessed on U.S. Government interest. Some of this interest may be excluded from taxation altogether, depending upon certain factors. The numbers from boxes 1,2 and 3 are all carried to Schedule B of the Form 1040.

Box 6 shows foreign tax paid. This is tax that you paid during the year on a foreign investment, such as an international mutual fund. This number will be carried to the 1040 and used as either a credit or deduction.

Box 8 shows tax-free interest, such as interest that is paid from a municipal bond. This number is also carried to the 1040 to be used in performing certain calculations.

Tips & Warnings

• For more information on the Form 1099-INT, visit the IRS website at irs.gov (see link below). Type in "interest" or "1099-INT" in the search bar and a list of related topics will come up.
• This article is intended as a general guide and should not be construed as specific tax advice. If you have further questions on this subject, you should consult your tax advisor.

By ehow.com

31. How to Trade the Hammer Hanging Man Candlesticks

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how to trade the Hammer and Hanging Man Candlestick Chart Patterns for active traders and investors in the forex, futures, and stock markets. Like the...

How to Read Mutual Funds Symbols

Mutual fund symbols can look pretty strange, but once you learn how to read them they make a lot of sense. Mutual funds, like stocks, use ticker symbols as abbreviations for the fund's name. Different types of investments have different ticker symbols. Mutual fund symbols are 5 letters long and end in X. Symbols after the fund's name tell you more information about the type of fund it is.

Understand Mutual Fund Symbols

Open your newspaper or go to your online resource and read about the mutual fund in which you are interested. These are generally listed alphabetically to help you find them easier.

Know that the fund's name or ticker symbol appears on the left side, with information about it appearing in columns to the right.

Look for 'NAV'. This is the Net Asset Value of the fund. It tells you how much money each fund share is worth.

Search for the term 'offer price' or 'buy price'. This is how much you have to pay for a share of the fund, including any sales fees. If the offer price says 'NL,' it means the fund is a no-load fund and you would pay the same price to buy it as you would if you were to sell it.

Read the final column. This should tell you the amount of the fund's appreciation the previous day. A plus symbol (+) means the fund has gained money, while a minus symbol (-) shows how much it has lost.

Check the fund's ticker symbol. Letters after the name have different meanings. An 'r' means the fund has a back-end load, or a fee you pay when you redeem or sell your shares. A 'p' designates a fund with a 12B-1 fee. A 't' means there is a 12B-1 fee and a deferred sales charge. An 'f' means the most recent numbers for the fund are not available.

Tips & Warnings

• Mutual fund symbols always have 5 letters and end in X. If you are only interested in investing in mutual funds, you can ignore any shorter symbols.
• Pay close attention to the symbols after the fund's name, as these let you know what types of loads or fees you can expect with that fund.

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How to Read a Statement of Additional Information

Not sure whether a potential fund will fit your expectations? For a better look at the inner workings of a fund before you purchase, be sure to carefully read the Statement of Additional Information (SAI). Often overlooked by potential investors, the Statement of Additional Information can give you a good idea about what the fund is capable of, general fund expenses and who represents your interests on the Board of Directors.

Understanding a Statement of Additional Information

If your fund doesn't routinely hand out a Statement of Additional Information, you'll need to request one using the contact information found on the back of the fund's prospectus.

The first section of the statement will offer a brief overview of the fund and investment objectives and policies. You may discover the history of the fund, as well as what types of shares the fund is authorized to issue.

After explaining the investment objectives, the Statement of Additional Information will introduce the current Trustees, officers of the Trust and principle shareholders. Supplemental background information, such as vital statistics, current position with the fund and previous employers, may be given.

Immediately following the management introduction, you will find details on Trustee and shareholder compensation and fund shares beneficially owned by the Trustees.

Find out how much money was spent on portfolio transactions and brokerage fees by perusing the section after the management introductions and costs. You'll also discover valuable information about the circumstances in which the fund is authorized to purchase or sell securities.

Pay careful attention to the section explaining the procedures for the purchase or redemption of fund shares. Since most funds have specific regulations regarding the purchase and sale of shares, it is important to thoroughly read and understand this section in order to avoid any surprises in the future.

Learn about the fund's financial history by studying its explanation of how income is derived, how it determines its net asset value (NAV) and how its overall performance is calculated.

Tips & Warnings

• Mutual funds and closed-end funds are not required by law to provide investors with a Statement of Additional Information. However, if a SAI is requested by an investor, it must be furnished free of charge.
• Although a Statement of Additional Information is a valuable document for investors, it should be used in conjunction with the fund's prospectus for a clearer look at the fund's finances and management.

By ehow.com

30. How to Trade the Bullish/Bearish Engulfing Candlesticks

This is a video I found on YouTube by InformedTrades.com. Hopefully the information I provide will be useful to everyone.

A lesson on how to trade the Bullish and Bearish Engulfing Candlestick Chart Patterns for active traders and investors using technical analysis in the stock, futures...

Rank Fidelity Mutual Funds

Fidelity is a brokerage firm based out of New York. Fidelity deals with mutual funds, trading and active trading, annuities and 401(k) retirement rollovers. Fidelity is a large and well-known company with active managers for their mutual funds. Fidelity manages over 150 mutual funds. If you choose to use a brokerage firm like Fidelity, you need to know how to rank their mutual funds compared with others. There are several Web sites that will tell you how to rank Fidelity mutual funds according to their own criteria, but you should examine your own needs and base your decision on those.

Find Fidelity Mutual Fund Rankings

Visit an online ranking site like Morningstar or Lipper.

Find the ticker abbreviation or the name of the mutual fund in which you are interested.

Go to the Morningstar or Lipper Web site and click on 'funds'. Alternatively, use the search feature to find the mutual fund you want.

Look for the mutual fund you want within its family. In this particular case, Fidelity.

Select the mutual fund you're interested in and read across on the same line to find the rating.

Create Your Own Ranking for Fidelity Mutual Funds

Make a list of reasons you're investing and goals you hope to achieve. Arrange them from most important to least important.

Search the Fidelity Web site for mutual funds that match your list. You can also search Fidelity for different types of mutual funds and tips on getting started.

Tips & Warnings

• Morningstar uses a five-star system to rate mutual funds, with 5 stars being the highest rating and 1 the lowest. The mutual funds are all risk-adjusted, which means they account for the risk involved in investing in the fund.
• Lipper uses an alphabetic system to rate mutual funds, with A being the highest rating down to E, the lowest.
• Keep your tax advisor in the loop. Investing in mutual funds can have significant tax consequences. Make sure your tax planner knows about the investments you plan to make.
• Remember that past rank performance is not an indicator of future returns. Your mutual fund may have done well in the past only to tank in the future. All ratings can do is let you know how well the funds have done in the past.

By ehow.com