Do Women Play the Stock Market?

[OmnivoreInk]

I have my eye on a few stocks....which the Motley Fool claims are going to skyrocket in price in the next year or so...

Unfortunately I don't have the funds to really play the market... a hundred shares here and there are the best I'll be able to manage...

Right now I've got a hundred shares in Odyssey Marine - a group that goes around hunting for sunken treasure ships... they've found one but are in dispute with the Spanish government about it...

Shares are currently at $5.70, I bought it at $6.50.... my dad says it'll never go any higher because the company simply has too many shares out... but I bought it for the romance of the thing more than anything else (they weren't even mentioned by Motley Fool, I just came across them accidently!)

So my question is, ladies, do you invest in the stock market, and if so, do you do it to "make big money", or merely as a way of earning for the future.

[Kevin Lee]

Hi Barbara,

My mother simply lets my father handle her entire stock portfolio because she believes he's more knowledgeable in the subject of "finance and money" (especially since my dad worked as an accountant for 35 years).

[OmnivoreInk]

Hi Barbara,

My mother simply lets my father handle her entire stock portfolio because she believes he's more knowledgeable in the subject of "finance and money" (especially since my dad worked as an accountant for 35 years).

Hi, Kevin

That brings up another subject! Too many women - probably not any entrepreneurs here, but housewives - let their husband handle all the money. He does everything. Then, when he dies (and most husbands die before their wives)... they are left not knowing how to balance a check book or anything! They don't know where the stocks are, they don't know where the life insurance policies are, etc. (And hopefully there are some. I believe the amount of people who die intestate is over 50%, which leads to a lot of trouble - and a lot of money made for lawyers!

[Tami Szabo]

Thankfully, I do the finances in our household so there will be no surprises here! I cannot imagine not knowing what is going on. (In case you're wondering, my husband and I do consult with each other about major purchases though.)

Until recently, I've only played a little in my RRSP's. I can't say I made any huge gains. I've done much better in real estate. My sister has done really well trading her RRSP's in penny stocks and if I remember correctly, she recently doubled her money in only a year.

I'm hoping to change my own Stock Market record though! I got in on the ground level of a new green energy company in BC. It began as a private offering at 50 cents a share and now is offered at $1 a share only 3 months later. It's selling like hot cakes and will be closed to sales by the end of April (if there are any shares left). It was just evaluated by an independent company at around $6 a share. The company plans to be on the TSX this year and I expect to make a good return. Wish me well!

[JohnFureey]

Yes, 110% can do their job.

----------------
Penny Stocks

[MichelleJ]

Hi Barbara,

My mother simply lets my father handle her entire stock portfolio because she believes he's more knowledgeable in the subject of "finance and money" (especially since my dad worked as an accountant for 35 years).

Hi, Kevin

That brings up another subject! Too many women - probably not any entrepreneurs here, but housewives - let their husband handle all the money. He does everything. Then, when he dies (and most husbands die before their wives)... they are left not knowing how to balance a check book or anything! They don't know where the stocks are, they don't know where the life insurance policies are, etc. (And hopefully there are some. I believe the amount of people who die intestate is over 50%, which leads to a lot of trouble - and a lot of money made for lawyers!

I saw far too many women from my mother's generation who finished up in just that situation where they had absolutely no idea how to handle anything after their husbands died. I think that younger women today have learned to be more independent and to do more for themselves which is very important.

MichelleJ

[Jerrell1]

hello,
i don't read your post but i read the topic, i am also doing work in stock market and i saw many women working and investing in stock market

[Ajax]

I also play Stock Market.....

[unlimited22]

I learned how to invest in the stock market from a retired paralegel who retired as a millionaire.

Her basic rule of thumb was to buy stock in companies in consumer products you and your mother used. She said look in your kitchen pantry and your laundry room. If your mom used it and you still use it, buy it. She was right.

I include her other secrets in the Answer-Key via http://Answer-key.com Ironically, kids get the simplicity of it all. men seem to play the market like it's Vegas. Women are pretty cautious and do well in the long run.

[AneshiaYS]

I have been investing and trading in the stock market for 12 years. I have short-term profit goals and also long-term profit goals. However, most of my investing is for the long-term. There are not many of us out here, but since establishing my coaching company which educates exclusively women, I am encountering women from all over the world who want to learn about the stock market.

Aneshia
http://ITATI.typepad.com

[MichelleJ]

I think that today more women are learning to play the stock market as they are becoming better educated and are more involved in the corporate world.

MichelleJ

[David Hurley]

I have been investing and trading in the stock market for 12 years. I have short-term profit goals and also long-term profit goals. However, most of my investing is for the long-term. There are not many of us out here, but since establishing my coaching company which educates exclusively women, I am encountering women from all over the world who want to learn about the stock market.

Do you think women have different goals from men. I'm wondering how you feel about that little word "play"... In your experience do women tend to see investment in terms of "playing" the market?

BTW, I just checked out your blog as I noticed you use Typepad as your blogging platform. It's a good platform, isn't it? I tested it for a while, but am too wedded to Wordpress to make the switch.

DH

[AneshiaYS]

Hi David,

Thanks for visiting my blog. I am new to blogs, so I am still in the learning process. My friend creates websites, and she uses Wordpress. She likes it too.

You make some great comments about the stock market. Everytime I hear someone talking about "playing" the market, I think about the subconscious connection many people make between "playing" the market and "playing" slots (gambling). I take my investment strategy seriously, and I have met many women who do take the stock market seriously. They just needed some objective guidance in what to do from someone who doesn't get paid based on their transaction.

The women I have met are concerned about taking care of their family, including being able to leave them something after they have passed on. They are also concerned about having enough money to retire. The most common fear I run into is having to work until you're 70 to be able to retire, and then when you retire, not having enough money to live on. That idea can be terrifying. So, that's why I am here and why I founded ITATI, because I wanted to educate other women to get them to see the stock market from a non-traditional perspective. Once I can do that, I am rewarded because they start to have hope about their goals and it doesn't seem like such a high mountain to climb anymore.

Some of my friends who are men are also concerned about their family, especially being able to provide for their family. It's like they have the whole world on their shoulders.

I have found that more women, including myself, are geared towards long term investments. As I mentioned, I have a short-term account, but most of my investing is geared towards my long-term account because the risk is more managable. I can make greater gains in my short-term account, but the risk is much higher.

Aneshia

[David Hurley]

Hi Aneshia,

What you say about the women you deal with more or less confirms my expectations, especially where you mention investing for retirement and to leave their family something when they pass on. Do you talk to women about other areas of investment as well, outside of the stock market?

I live in Japan and the yen is very high against the dollar so I wonder if any Japanese women (and men too) are moving their yen from their savings accounts (which yield less than 1% p/a in many cases) into the US stock market or other investments. Many would hesitate because they are severely "risk averse", but I'm sure there are many opportunities open to those who do the research.

[AneshiaYS]

Hi David,

I am strictly a stock market coach. Although I have experience with other types of investing, real estate, for example, the stock market is where I have had the greatest successes over the past 12 years. It has enabled me to grow my retirement account the quickest, mainly because I implement a strategy for risk management. I always say that you will never eliminate the risk in the stock market, you just have to follow a plan that minimizes its impact. And the key word is "follow." Many investors are ruled by their emotions, which always gets them into trouble. Having a systematic approach and following it is key.

I have been to Japan, although I don't know too much about the foreign markets. I do believe you when you mentioned that many are risk averse and more conservative in their approach. I have found that to be the case as well.