I don't have a lot of debt or expenses, so my income keeps piling up in my checking account. Unfortunately, I don't know much about finance or investment. I want to make sure that I don't lose money year over year because of inflation, but pretty much all the CDs and savings accounts I've seen have an APY lower than the inflation rate (which is >= 1.5% according to various websites). I don't care about playing the stock market; all I want is to avoid losing my money through inaction. How do people in this situation keep up with inflation while at the same time minimizing their financial risk?
posted by archagon
on May 16, 2013 -
15 answers
I do think that pretty soon everyone will have a 3D printer at home--but which one? I'm looking to invest in a company that makes and/or sells them, but I have never invested on my own before and have no idea how to choose the company that will be the right one. I realize that the stock market is all about speculation and uncertainty, but can someone point me in the right direction so I can at least make an informed decision? I don't have any real life friends who are investors, either, so I turn to your collective wisdom. Thank you!
posted by aimeedee
on Apr 29, 2013 -
18 answers
I have a friend to runs a pizza place and I am helping him with his menu. We had a question about the legality (in terms of copyright or whatever) when using trademarked items on his menu that he also sells.
[more inside]
posted by lampshade
on Apr 18, 2013 -
4 answers
I've always had an interest in the stock market and investing but have only given it a small amount of attention. I was recently trying to come up with ideas for a hobby and realized that (a) investing is something I have had a long standing interest in and (b) it's something that people can do as a hobby! What are some resources/guides/books for learning as much as possible about this?
[more inside]
posted by averageamateur
on Feb 5, 2013 -
24 answers
We are looking for an ERP solution to a new business. Nothing complicated, we just need to be able to manage one vendor, a few customers, manage stock and issue invoices. Does anyone have a program they use they can recommmend? Free is good, or a trial and then low cost.
posted by Frasermoo
on Jan 24, 2013 -
5 answers
When selling a small business, can the owner accept an asset of the company in lieu of cash payment?
[more inside]
posted by miit
on Dec 31, 2012 -
9 answers
Do you have any recipes for soup that don't require broth or stock?
[more inside]
posted by Ery
on Dec 26, 2012 -
35 answers
Thinking of stepping foot into Stock Options trading while in college full-time. Any advice on where to start?
[more inside]
posted by Parh6512
on Oct 3, 2012 -
11 answers
Should I exercise my time-limited stock options? I can afford it, but not without unease. I think it's a probably a good investment, but I have trouble determining how good. Details within.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Sep 20, 2012 -
18 answers
How does an established S-Corp, wholly owned by one individual, transfer one percent ownership to another individual? Nut and bolt type questions within.
[more inside]
posted by amcm
on Jul 23, 2012 -
4 answers
What should I do with this small amount of extremely tasty chicken stock?
[more inside]
posted by Mizu
on Jun 18, 2012 -
14 answers
How can I get a copy of Netscape's last prospectus prior to its Aug. 9, 1995, IPO, as quickly and cheaply as possible?
[more inside]
posted by croutonsupafreak
on May 28, 2012 -
3 answers
Best POS/inventory management for a shop selling a mixture of unbarcoded and barcoded items (i.e. some loose stuff) and wishing to monitor stock levels, produce meaningful reports. Can't decide between Mac/Windows/Cloud...
[more inside]
posted by dance
on May 11, 2012 -
5 answers
Suppose I was in a position to financially damage a company. Assume that I have no involvement whatsoever with the target company. Would it be illegal/immoral to short their stock right before doing so?
[more inside]
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow
on May 3, 2012 -
12 answers
Please reveal your best-guarded design resource secrets and point me towards some low-cost (yet high-quality!) mock-up photos of hands and tablets
[more inside]
posted by halseyaa
on Apr 3, 2012 -
2 answers
Super Concentrated Soup? So I made split pea and pesto with pork soup two nights ago and I made too much. It also sat on low for a bit too long and is now a thick green paste. What do I do with it? Is it still safe to eat? Can i do anything to it besides adding water and making more soup? How best can I use these leftovers?
[more inside]
posted by The Whelk
on Mar 29, 2012 -
16 answers
[Asking for a colleague] Question about share classes in terms of equity held in a start-up they used to work for. Differences between Class P and Class B, and implications of conversion.
[more inside]
posted by weaponsgradecarp
on Feb 29, 2012 -
6 answers
I can log onto my Ameritrade account and find the percentage of a company's stock that is "Held by Institutions". How often is this information reported and what constitutes an "Institution"?
[more inside]
posted by Rafaelloello
on Feb 20, 2012 -
4 answers
Is there a single word for finding pleasure in well done formulaic stories not because they are doing something new or even being particularly clever, but because they hit the notes well, manage the tropes, and deliver what they promise?
[more inside]
posted by The Whelk
on Jan 22, 2012 -
34 answers
Hit me with some kickass broth recipes for a family member recovering from bariatric surgery.
[more inside]
posted by pajamazon
on Dec 5, 2011 -
12 answers
How do people get information about a company during its pre-ipo quiet period?
[more inside]
posted by alms
on Nov 20, 2011 -
4 answers
Groupon went public last week. I've been eagerly anticipating this event for months now so that I can short the heck out of this dog. But now that it's arrived I find I'm unable to through my current brokerage Tradeking. I messaged their CS and they said it won't be available to short through them anytime soon. Does anyone have or know of a brokerage that is able to short it now? I would presume I might have better luck with a larger one like Etrade, but I'm not sure.
Yes, I'm aware of the risks of shorting. Don't worry, I'm not actually putting much money there. It's more for fun than anything.
thanks!
posted by grammalvsu
on Nov 14, 2011 -
15 answers
I own a lot of shares in a company that has done very well on the market recently. So well in fact that if I sold it all now, I could divide the proceeds equally between my two kids and set them both up for college — something my parents couldn't do for me. However, my oldest child won't be ready for college for another 12 years. Is there any way to convert the stock shares into something less volatile than the market, without incurring capital gains tax? My kids both have 529 funds and I'd love to be able to move the stock there but I want to avoid the IRS as much as possible. Yes, I am naive and ignorant of the finer workings of finance, so please be gentle.
posted by Ratio
on Oct 30, 2011 -
13 answers
My initial vesting date will be just a few days after the IPO. Should I sell all the shares that vest on the vesting date immediately? How do I maximize my future happiness in making this decision?
[more inside]
posted by nohat
on Oct 28, 2011 -
17 answers
I just checked my retirement account. Last year, I lost about 7% of the total after ten years of contributions. Is this happening to everybody?
[more inside]
posted by flowerofhighrank
on Oct 8, 2011 -
20 answers
Miraculous rally in the final forty five minutes today pushes all stock market indices above their three-year lows. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley all up by ten, twelve percent for the day. Can someone explain how this has happened?
[more inside]
posted by shipbreaker
on Oct 4, 2011 -
18 answers
If I want to buy some shares of stock, and definitely get a printed stock certificate with my name on it, will any broker do?
[more inside]
posted by shipbreaker
on Sep 26, 2011 -
4 answers
I wrote a book and would like
Urban Outfitters to carry it - what specific steps would you take to ensure this eventuality?
[more inside]
posted by Sully
on Sep 19, 2011 -
6 answers
How can I test if one predictor variable in a regression is significantly better than another predictor variable?
i.e. If I regress X against A I get an r^2 of .99 and when I regress X against B I get .98. I need a test to see whether this difference is statistically significant.
[more inside]
posted by vegetableagony
on Sep 13, 2011 -
16 answers
Why is
my bank becoming a stock savings bank rather than a mutual savings bank and is this a good or bad thing for me? Please assume complete, total and embarrassing financial ignorance in your reply: I know absolutely nothing, possibly less than nothing, about money, economics, banking, stocks and finance.
[more inside]
posted by mygothlaundry
on Sep 2, 2011 -
8 answers
I'm looking to buy a few dozen shares in a small company that I am fond of. These are not really for investment, although I might buy shares in the future for investment. Can anyone recommend a UK online broker? The company itself is also UK-based.
posted by NoiselessPenguin
on Aug 8, 2011 -
1 answer
Where can I get a list (or lists) of all stock symbols of stocks currently trading on major US exchanges for download? If possible, lists that are kept updated over time would be preferable. I don't mind pulling the data out of a larger set if necessary.
posted by procrastination
on Apr 20, 2011 -
3 answers
I recently received approximately ~$10k worth of restricted stock that vests evenly over the next several years. I've been with the company one year and it's my first job out of college. Could someone provide some insight into 'stock options' as compensation tool?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 11, 2011 -
18 answers
Should I go with the stock market? Or perhaps something less risky such as a CD? How much knowledge do I need to thrive in the stock market? Halp!
[more inside]
posted by RaDeuX
on Feb 5, 2011 -
24 answers
Whats the name of the thing at old school diners where the order slips are punctured with the spindle thing?
[more inside]
posted by Senor Cardgage
on Jan 21, 2011 -
10 answers
Question for a friend living in the US who is wondering about transferring and selling stock and its effect on taxes and tax bracket. His grandparents gave him some stock shares as a gift when he was a child in care of his parents. He would now like to transfer the stock to his own name and sell it to pay for school this year. How will this affect his taxes for the 2011 year?
[more inside]
posted by Hey nonny nonny mouse
on Jan 19, 2011 -
3 answers
StockmarketNOOBfilter. A company issues direct shares of common stock to institutional investors at 20% below previous day price - good or bad for the investor who already owns that stock?
[more inside]
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates
on Dec 21, 2010 -
28 answers
