I switched 90% of my portfolio to mutual funds three years ago. The other 10% I trade on my own. It is less stressful and I have more time to do things left on our bucket list. This has worked out well for me and my wife.

Life is too short.

When I buy $100k+ of an ETF or stock for $5 at ETrade the % cost for the commission is insignificant. Also, any time I call up with an issue the rep usually tells me he's coding the account with 10 free stock trades. Bonds are higher $1 per $1000 bond but still insignificant IMO.

I pay 4.99 per trade at etrade and trade often. I love it.

The costs per year are basically insignificant because I don't trade that much and I have quite a large amount in my account. If a broker or such took even 1% that would be a significant amount of money and for me unnecessary. By the way, Etrade has no IRA fees, no ATM fees and there is no minimum to open an account. Just as a side note, I have all my kids and parents "monies" under my accounts umbrella to make it easier to keep track of everything for everyone which I enjoy doing.

I went to Schwab's website today and they have a sample of how to place an order online. It's a small box that's crowded with information in very small print. That's their teaching tool but it seems like something is missing. There are no written instructions, no checklist of what to do.

Example of written instructions might be as follows:
1) Fill in the name or symbol of the company: "GE", "PFE" or other.
2) Number of shares to be purchased or sold
3) Price limit
4) Click here to submit your order: *
5) Wait for online confirmation

But there are no written instructions at all. How much would it cost them to do that and make every step perfectly clear?


I started an online "chat" with someone at Schwab and he tried to be helpful but nothing worked. He gave me a couple of links but the examples given had small print that was too small to read. One link didn't work at all.

I should say that I don't have an account yet. That might help, but I just happen to think that it would be nice to know in advance.

Why I doubt it when people say that it's easy: Everything is easy once you have learned it. :-)

That's exactly how it is with Schwab. Go to trades and fill in the blanks. If it wasn't easy they would have lost me 3 years ago.

Try this link and look around
Software Trading - Place Trades: Active Trader: Charles Schwab

NEVER. place orders at MARKET...use LIMIT orders.

I used your link and just noticed there is "Software Trading" and "Web Trading". I hadn't noticed that before. The one I was complaining about was the software trading. If I'm supposed to use "Web Trading" it's a good thing I didn't just go ahead and try it. I might have messed up. Or am I supposed to use "software trading"?

Did you automatically know the difference between "software trading" and "web trading" when you first started? What happens if you pick the wrong one and start filling in the blanks?

Another question: I was told by someone at Schwab that brokerage accounts are insured up to $149 million per account. That sounds too good to be true. I tried to find it on their website but couldn't. What is your understanding of the amount of insurance coverage? How much are they insured for over the standard SIPC coverage of $500,000.?

My recommendation to open an account with an online broker (Scottrade, E-trade, etc,) that that offers virtual trading and play until you heart is content. I will cost nothing.

Thanks, that's very good advice that I unfortunately learned the hard way when I first started investing. But it doesn't hurt to be reminded of it.

Schw has an office in the villages
l would go to the office for
help

I opened an account with Schwab a couple of weeks ago. Today, after the market closed, I submitted my first buy order for some shares of stock. But now I don't know how to check the status of my order. I would like to check it after the market opens tomorrow. Can anyone tell me how that's done?

I'm making progress but still have questions. :024: :)

ditto