It depends on your level of understanding of the market and the amount of money you have.
If you a sophisticated investor with a substantial amount invested you are probably already receiving more than one. If you have very little market savvy it will be difficult to choose one that fits the size of your portfolio. If you are just getting started my advice is don't buy one - yet.
Most of the advice is Wall Street goobledegook and most of the remainder is stuff you can't use anyway. Even the simplest letters have too much information and require more time than most working people have to act upon their recommendations.
There are literally hundreds of stock and mutual fund letters from which to choose. The first thing you want to know is what has been the track record - how much annual return has the advisor received for his readers over the past few years. Some will quote you wonderful figures, but these may be predicated on following all of his advice all the time. If that is the case you had better first ask how much money is required to buy at least 100 shares of everything he recommends when he recommends it. Don't let him weasel out of it - make him give you an answer or don't buy it. That amount may be more than you have so you must then pick and choose between his recommendations and you might not pick all the good ones, just all the bad ones.
There is one type of letter I consider essential to everyone. It times the market. By that I mean they tell you when the general market is going up and when to sell out because it is going down. Almost every broker will tell you it can't be done. He tells you that because he doesn't know how to do it and won't take the time to find out. He is a professional loser and doesn't deserve to be your broker.
The market timing service I have been using since 1986 is Fabian's Investment Resource out of California. They have a 20-year real time track record.
In the last 100 years we have had 30 bear markets which are defined as the overall market going down more than 20 percent and some more than 40 percent. Even the best stocks and mutual funds will go down in a bear market because they act like ships - when the tide goes out all ships go down with it. You don't want to have any market positions at that time.
The first basic advisory service should be for market timing. Check their claims and actual track record. Then as you learn more you may expand your horizon to picking individual issues or mutual funds.
Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.
Copyright 2005
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareThere are many important things you need to know to... Read More
With the internet such a huge part of our daily... Read More
"If you don't know where you are going, any road... Read More
Cat or dog? Maybe Zebra. Shucks, I don't know, but... Read More
The Dow Theorycharles h. dowcharles h.... Read More
When you stand on the ocean shore and watch the... Read More
In my opinion, due to the volatility of stock market... Read More
Now that you have some money burning a hole in... Read More
Look back over the years and try to remember how... Read More
A few years back ? it seems like an eternity... Read More
If you don't know what a Roth IRA is then... Read More
In 1960 an engineer working for a watch company in... Read More
You'd have had to be living on a desert island... Read More
During the day I watch CNBC-TV, the stock market channel.... Read More
Wall Street has been preaching for years and years to... Read More
I have watched my cat play with a bag of... Read More
I feel that an investment strategy in the stock market... Read More
How do you make money without picking tops and bottoms?I... Read More
Three little pigs went to the market to stock up... Read More
Right now there doesn't seem to be any "gold fever".... Read More
So you're started trading, you bought some positions with your... Read More
How many times have you said to yourself, "I'd like... Read More
Ever turn down a street, get half way and suddenly... Read More
It is wonderful to be alive in the information age.... Read More
I constantly hear the talking heads on CNBC-TV, the radio... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..We keep hearing about this bear market and that the... Read More
'Sector funds are too risky.' 'I doubled my money with... Read More
Today's society gives special recognition to alcoholics, sexaholics, binge-aholics, shopaholics,... Read More
We have two candidates for president that have really different... Read More
04/28/2005NASDAQ dropped -12.5% year to date in 2005. S&P500 index... Read More
Inverted interest rates? What's that? Who cares? Even if you... Read More
How is it possible that trash Companies are posting less... Read More
The following are a list of nine things you want... Read More
Index Fund Trading can be one of the most profitable...or... Read More
We all know the expression, "My country, right or wrong",... Read More
Stock investment advice is easy to find. Do you get... Read More
Trading is a fascinating activity.There are so many layers to... Read More
A PEG ratio cannot be used alone but is a... Read More
Sidney felt sick as she looked at her latest OptionsXpress... Read More
Very few people, even professionals, have heard of the Dalbar... Read More
Question: How does it get better when it gets worse?Last... Read More
There has been great condemnation recently because China has been... Read More
TOO OFTEN, INVESTORS SIMPLY CHOOSE TO follow the crowd. This... Read More
Caught in a whirlpool and being sucked under. No life... Read More
In my opinion, due to the volatility of stock market... Read More
Investing in long-term financial vehicles give you the most gains... Read More
If you were to find that you had some severe... Read More
I am taking the time to help others learn the... Read More
Every day on CNBC-TV they show a 200-day moving average... Read More
I constantly hear the talking heads on CNBC-TV, the radio... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |