As I review my "favorites" I've collected a whole host of URLs that pertain specifically to the stock market but not to any one part in general. I'd like to provide you with this information, as I also use much of it myself. This is information that I have not posted previously, but feel many of you may be able to use.

Discussion Boards
I'm a lurker on almost all of my discussion groups. As a Web content provider, I belong to over 80 (gasp) groups, newsletters, and ezines. I've also become somewhat of a speed-reader. Does anyone remember Evelyn Woods' Reading Dynamics ™? This course taught people how to read 5,000 words per minute…or something similar to that. I'm not quite that fast, but I can skim with the best of them.

Being online means picking and choosing what you read and how much effort you put into it. I've found some great "discussion boards" that I'd encourage you to monitor. These boards are directly related to the stock market and specific companies. It's an unobtrusive way to lurk, listen, and learn. Other investors, just like you, may have bought shares in the same company that you own.

These investors ask the same questions that you may have and a great discussion ensues. As a beginner, it has helped me build confidence in my own choice of certain stocks. Many people who post to these discussion groups are investors themselves who are very generous with their information and are happy to help fellow investors. And as a newbie, I am more than happy to listen as I continue to learn.

Although discussion boards offer a great forum for individuals to communicate with one another, they are not intended to provide a sound basis for evaluating a company, its products, services, or your decision whether or not to invest.

Let's look at one of these "discussion board" Web sites. Always first on my list as a valuable resource is The Motley Fool. You'll be presented with an alphabetical list of thousands of companies. Put the stock symbol of your company in the "search" window, hit GO and you'll get a whole page of information about your company, including a stock table (remember that nightmare?). I don't know about you, but they're not as scary as they were at first. I'm beginning understand when I read them!

If you scroll down the page you'll also find articles related to the "Latest Headlines", the "Fool News" and their thoughts about your company, and the "Latest Message Posts." Be sure to sample a little of each category, just to see what is going on with your company, through the eyes of others. This is a great way to keep on top of your stock with not too much effort.

I remember that I "bookmarked" the Motley Fool site above and consistently forgot to check it! With so much information provided by the Web I naively attempt to trust myself and the inevitable "Oh, I'll remember to check there weekly."

Yeah right.

I've been known to forget to drive my son to school some mornings, much to his delight.

If your memory banks are as full as mine are, you might want to consider the following option. While you're at the Motley Fools Web site, sign up for their weekly newsletter. Not only is it very informative, but I have also found that the automatic delivery of their newsletter to my email address is a nice way to jog my memory. When I receive it, I invariably go and do a quick check on my stocks at their site.

I've also done something similar here at BUYandHOLD. When I receive their bi-monthly newsletter, it's another reminder to me to put some money in my stocks and do a quick check on my account.

As Mothers, we have to have these gentle reminders since so many other things are vying for our attention daily. Try this for yourself as a possible solution to help get us organized.

Now…if I could just get a friendly email reminder every morning, to be sure to drive my son to school, then I'd really feel organized!

Thank you for joining me,

Joyce