Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 332.6322068
EAN num: 9780028635873
ISBN number: 0028635876
Label: Alpha
Manufacturer: Alpha
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 400
Printing Date: December 15, 2000
Publishing house: Alpha
Sale Popularity Level: 161995
Studio: Alpha
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As the heartland's Beardstown Ladies Club showed the world, there's not just strength in numbers -- there's added profits, too! That's why people all over the country are banding together and pooling their money to form investment clubs -- one of the most popular new modes of investing today. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Investment Clubs walks readers through all the steps they need to found or join an investment club, from finding prospective club members and drafting a partnership agreement to selecting stocks for study and purchase and keeping the club up and running. It also offers savvy tips on how to build a portfolio, how (and when) to invest in mutual funds, and how to use computer software and online resources in one's club, as well as advice on dollar cost averaging, when to sell, reinvesting considerations, and much more. For everyone looking to get on the investment-club bandwagon -- and profit! -- here's the place to start.
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Rated by buyers 
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Sarah Young Fisher provides excellent value for your $18.95 spent - 325 pages of useful information plus Glossary and Resources. Her thesis is important, even if it is more subtle than explicit: running an investment club is a bit more difficult than it looks. The best proof of this resides in the now famous Beardstown Ladies who thought they were earning 23 percent on their money, only to learn that the true figure was 9 percent. Put another way, as good as they thought they were, the ladies lacked the technical expertise to calculate their rate of return. Sarah is very clear about the start up costs (about $1200) and monthly costs (about $150) paid to lawyers, accountants, and book keepers - no small consideration. Then, of course, there are taxes to consider .... This is a good deal more complex than organizing a hiking club, and yet it is supposed to be FUN! Her most valuable piece of advice is: not even a good financial advisor has the same stake in your money as you do. Her most futile piece of advice is: don't get emotionally attached to a stock - a bit like asking humans not to be human. The contention that most clubs probably need a professional financial advisor to get started almost seems to take some fun out of the group adventure. Essentially, however, the book is very comprehensive, easy to read and understand, and an invaluable guide to any club starting up. Indeed, the book itself is a good investment!
Rated by buyers 
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I was hesistant to purchase any book that in its title makes reference to the reader being an "idiot," but this book gives the fledgling investment club a good head start in organizing itself. The chapters progress logically from the history of investment clubs, to tax considerations, to keeping records of investments. Some sections are necessarily abridged, and the author points the reader to other, more robust sources (you should consult sources dedicated to the topic of stocks/mutual funds/bonds rather than rely on the section in this book). Each chapter gives good tips and warnings on how to run the club.
One topic that the author seemed to treat lightly is online brokerages and trading. The author advocates seeking the advice of a full-service broker -- something that fledgling investment clubs may not be able to afford -- to handle the club's trading. Our investment club extensively uses online brokerage services and online resources to keep the monthly club contribution low.
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