And just a quick warning if you're new to the World Wide Web. Please be very careful with your signature line and email address if you post to these huge boards. While the majority are safe, fun places to learn, unfortunately some individuals have ulterior motives. Many people scan these discussion boards for email addresses and then sell these huge lists of addresses to companies. You are then likely to be a target for "spam" which is advertising for products that you did not request.

Just take a little extra precaution if you choose to jump in on one of these discussion boards. As a lurker myself on most of these boards, I have found very valuable information, and they are extremely helpful and authoritative.

Investorville.com hosts another discussion board format. From what I can see, the posters to this board appear to be very thorough and knowledgeable.

For myself, a do-it-yourself investor, I don't have the luxury of someone patting me on the back and telling me my stock picks are good choices. I've got to spend a little extra time reading what others have to say about my stock picks. I can then pat myself on the back and tell myself, "That's a good stock, now just relax a little about your choice, trust your intuition, and hang in there with it".

I've listed but a few of the forums available to you. If you would like to know what else is out there ForumOne lists over 310,000 discussion boards listed on the Web. What a great way to waste time! I couldn't resist putting other words in the "search box" besides "online investing". After an hour, I finally yelled "uncle"! It boggles my mind sometimes, the amount of information available to us, with just a click of the mouse.

Easton Language Education has a very impressive Web site for beginners. You'll find so much quality information here. Some of your choices include:
"Buying Individual Stocks"
"Investment Resources for the Independent Investor"
"How To Read Financial Statements & Company Reports"
"Selling-Taxes and Investing"
and so much more.

This is a "must-bookmark" site for future reference.

Morningstar.com is a "virtual university" offering free classes online. According to their Web site, their "Investing Classroom will have you building your mutual fund or stock portfolio in no time". I read through the classes and they are extremely informative and they truly do cater to beginners.

And the following Web sites are some of my favorites. Not only do these Web sites address the needs of women investors, but they also provide additional timely information for women's issues, in general. I hope you Moms find the following helpful…financially and emotionally.

Digital Dollars-Women and Investing

WFN Women's Financial Network

WomensNet.Net-Money Matters

I have found that reading the same information, presented by different individuals has helped enormously. Each time I read something I think that I already know, I learn more. Information presented from different viewpoints can be very beneficial for beginners.

And as I've provided additional resources in this article for beginning investors, I'm wondering when I get to "graduate". Everything that we've learned so far has been focused on "beginners". Are we ready to call ourselves experts yet? I don't think so, but I feel as if we're ready to move to the next level of investing. So, as an unofficial graduation ceremony, I'm saying good-bye to information that caters only to newbies. We're going to move on to bigger and better things Moms.

When I first became interested in the stock market, I did what many stock market newcomers do…I went to the home page of the New York Stock Exchange. I still remember bruising my finger on my mouse…I couldn't click out of that Web site fast enough. It scared me to death! It's an excellent site, but no way, no how was that Web site meant for novice investors.

I'll think I'll get up the nerve to visit it again and see what my reaction is. My finger did heal, and I do feel much more knowledgeable and I also believe that we've earned the right to move on.

Where are we going next? Gee…I'm really not sure, but that's half the fun. Where do beginners go next? And what might they find? As I continue to learn, you'll be the first to find out.

Thank you for joining me,

Joyce