trading stocks is super fun

Sounds like fun! I've been thinking about investing in the stock market but the stocks in the Philippines don't seem to be very appealing. I think I should invest in real estate instead... I've been looking for a good spot back home and I'd probably apply for a government loan since I'm qualified :) Thanks for the response on my discussion!

Yes investing in the stock market can be very addictive! I love it, it is almost like gambling. I keep on trying to figure out ways to make more money so I can buy more shares. Sites that enable you to trade shares online have made it so easy to invest. Here are some of the sites I know about. (sites listed for informational purposes only, I am not trying to get anyone to use any particular site). www.sharebuilder.com www.fistrade.com www.scottrade.com www.schwab.com www.fidelity.com www.etrade.com www.tdameritrade.com www.zionsdirect.com There are many others on the internet today also these are just a few. Another good thing is you can trade for between $7 and $20 a trade now. There are many very competative companies with great rates to chose from. Now is a very exciting time to be an investor, with the market down this is the best time to save up for stock purchases when the market recovers. I know I check my trading account several times a day. I do not trade often, and I rarely sell, but I am always looking at my portfolio, and investigating my next purchase. I hold all my stocks bare minimum 1 year. If you do that the capital gains tax is maximum 20% not the rate of your normal tax. If your normal tax bracket is lower than 20% then your tax rate is lower. They are never taxed more than your standard rate. Taxes are a very important thing to take into account when investing because taxes cut into your profit margin. Enough for now...

My brother in law was the president of Stock exchange in bangalore and I have been closely observing the movement in stock exchange. Also I was working for a real estate company which had invested huge sums in stock market. During 1994 down fall in the stock markets in India, huge sums were invested on daily basis and by evening one could get additional money due to upward trend. But then the other side of the coin is, when the prices started falling and people lost quite heavily. So it is a gambling.