A certain brokerage firm is running a series of hilarious ads featuring a talking baby. (”Uh, girl, can I hit ‘cha back?”). But have you noticed that there wasn’t one consolidated place where you can seriously evaluate and investigate your brokerage options?

Well: you have one now. Geezeo is pleased to announce another section of our Geezeo Marketplace: Geezeo Brokerage.

It works like this. Log in and rate the brokerage account you use. You can compare your rating to those given by the larger Geezeo community.

Don’t have a brokerage account? No problem. This is a great way to find one. You can compare brokerage account firms by price, offerings, and minimum amounts required to open an account. You can also browse the community feedback.

So what’s one way to get richer using a broker? Find the right broker for you using the most important criteria.

Dan Fitzpatrick examines three stocks viewed on Fast Money. Today’s stocks include Nordic American Tanker, Emerson Electric and Petrobras.

The holiday shopping season is coming — what retailers should be on your stock shopping list?

In a “cooling” stock market what reduced-priced stocks are heating up?

Last year investment bank UBS launched the Global Warming Index. Says UBS: “The new index provides investors with an efficient and simple way to obtain exposure to the weather asset class.”

Exposure, indeed! Says an article in Salon:

Investors can buy exposure to the index just as they might to a more traditional index, like the Dow Jones — an act tantamount to placing a bet that global warming is going to happen. If warming happens, the investors accrue income; if global temperatures fall, their bet flops and they lose money. “There’s something sick about this whole process — the idea that we can profit from impending doom,” says Mark Lynas, author of “Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet.”

Is it wrong to “invest” in global warming? Or just a natural consequence of our devastated environment?

With stock prices “on sale”, let’s hope you invest your money in global warming solutions instead.

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By Taurean J. Washington | Geezeo Group “Combat Investors”

Many experts and advisors offer great advice on which companies are worth investing in and which are not. For me, they leave out the two most important details. At what price should I buy? At what price should I sell? Absolutely any public company or corporation is a great investment given those important details.

souldestine@cox.net

At what price should I buy?

A great company is only a great buy when it is on sale. If I purchase shares when the emotions of the market have driven prices unrealistically high, I may have bought lumps of Christmas Coal instead of a rain check to a great retirement or vacation. Hypothetically: If Burger King (NYSE: BKC) is worth $38 a share, it’s a good buy for me when the trading price falls around the $32 range.

Buying on sale also helps make your calculations and ratios more attractive. When hunting for a minimum annual dividend of 8% or more, you may miss some excellent opportunities when discarding organizations that are paying 4% based on today’s trading price. That same 4% easily recalculates at 8% or more when shares are on sale.

At what price should I sell?

When you finally find the right company on sale for the right price, when should you sell? Knowing when to sell your shares is arguably the most important piece of intelligence when investing. Buying at a great price is only useful when you sell at an equally attractive price. Letting prices fall too far south can be just as damaging as refusing to sell when prices soar too far north.

Some industries are known for requiring a great deal more stomach and flexibility than others. In the past the technology sector flexed enormously and consumer staples required very few antacid tablets. Should I sell to realize a loss at 10% or should I weather longer? Should I sell when prices of Burger King have reached $50 three months from now or should I hold out for more?

When you find a company you like, give your research time and it could pay a different sort of dividend that we can all live with. Sometimes the best “sell” strategy is to “hold”.

How do you chose your stocks? When do you decide to sell? Join the conversation here at Geezeo and share the wealth.

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By Laura Moran | MainStreet.com

If there is a silver lining to the current economic situation for anyone, it may be college students.

Those looking to retire in the near future may be unhappy with the plummeting stock market, but for Generation Y this may be the time to take advantage of the lowered cost of stocks, even if they don’t have much to work with.

Tim Maurer, the Director of Financial Planning at the Financial Consulate in Hunt Valley, Md., says, “Most students don’t have a lot of money to invest, but if they do, I would suggest following the lead of the world’s greatest investor. Warren Buffet is an aggressive buyer right now.”

While it may be a good time for some young people to get involved in the market, it would be unwise for them to invest beyond their means. “Where students should keep their money depends on how long it will be before they plan to use it,” says Stuart Ritter, a certified financial planner with T. Rowe Price. “Anything they’re going to spend in two years or less should be in short-term investments, like money markets and savings accounts. Money they’re saving for retirement, which is decades away, should be 100% in stocks. Intermediate goals, [like] buying a car, down payment on a house - should be somewhere between 0% in stocks and 100% stocks.”

The market’s current state should also be a warning sign. “Build up an emergency fund of three to six months of living expenses, make sure you have adequate insurance, pay down high-interest debt, and contribute to a retirement plan.”

Ritter does warn however that these focuses may not be the same for all people or in the same proportion. People lead different lives and their lives are constantly changing. Therefore, it is important for people to invest based on their own time horizon. “They shouldn’t put less, or more, in stocks because the market has been down recently, just as they shouldn’t put in more, or less, if the market has been up recently. How much they have in stocks should be based on their time horizon and they should regularly rebalance to their target.”

By focusing on personal finance and doing so in a responsible manner, college students create financial stability for their future. And, by creating stability for their future, students may also be able to help create stability in the economy as well. Maurer says, “While being young is not a good enough reason to buy, the age of college students will help smooth out the volatility that we’re likely to continue seeing as we once again find normalcy.”

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Today a news story on television featured people who were rushing to buy safes and keep their money at home (some of them stashing it under the mattress). Yes: things are topsy-turvy. But that’s no reason to do anything that might erode your long-term financial positions.

Here are five more steps to take… away from the ledge.

1 - Do not sell off all your holdings. First, you’ll likely be selling assets at a low price point and likely lose money. Second, if you have more than seven years until retirement you have time to let the market correct. Removing and then replacing your money in and out of the stock market will almost assure that you miss out on long-term gains as you chase shorter-term gains.

2 - Consider investing more. Hopefully you already have a regular investing schedule so that you can benefit from dollar-cost averaging. If you have extra money in your budget consider “stocking up” now… everything is “on sale”!

3 - If you must reduce, do it wisely. If you’re feeling the pinch make some informed decisions on where to reduce your spending. Some possibilities: reduce the amount you dining out; use your car less; cancel unnecessary services and subscriptions;… and if it still hurts, knock just a percentage or two off your regular retirement investments as a last resort.

4 - If you must act, do it with prudence. If you really can’t sleep at night watching your investment values plunge, take a look at what you can control. Selling (some of) your portfolio may make you feel like you have more control. Just don’t make any quick or drastic decisions.

5 - Keep vigil. You’ll feel better the more you read and strive to understand what is happening in the market right now. This will make you better informed and give you wisdom for the next bend in the road.

Don’t panic — prepare! Make sure you know how your money is flowing by taking control of it with budgets and planning. Use Geezeo to help you.

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By Michele Steinberg, FinanceGrrl

There has been much said about this current market, and some of it has been frightening.  Is there a silver lining?  Stocks took a horrifying 777-point dive on Monday, but made a decent recovery on Tuesday.  As we near the passing of the “bailout package” by the House, the Senate having already given the ‘yea’s the vote, more good news could be slipping out.  Crude oil continues to trade below $100.  Big investors <cough>Buffet<cough> are poised to grab some serious bargains.  Is now a good time to buy?

Let’s look at a bit of history:
In October 1990, when hindsight shows us we were in a recession, we were experiencing many other similarities to today: oil prices were near 10-year highs; the US economy had slowed to 0.4%; there was a Savings & Loan “bailout” (sound familiar?); Alan Greenspan, the then Chairman of the Fed, was talking about “stress growing for banks”; and consumer prices jumped 0.8% month-over-month.  The result?  Six months later the S&P 500 was up 23%.

If you do have extra cash to invest, what should you look at?

1. Consumer staples
The industries that manufacture and sell food/beverages, tobacco, prescription drugs and household products have historically fared well during recessions.  Regardless of the stock market, people will still need to eat, drink, and indulge in the cheap(er) vices of alcohol and tobacco.  The companies that fall in this category are also the early leaders in a market turnaround.  They’ve been beaten down the last few months and many are trading near 52-week lows.  A few examples?  General Electric (GE), Procter & Gamble (PG), and Kraft (KFT).

2. Sin Stocks
Alcohol and tobacco are mentioned above in Consumer staples (I personally see wine and beer as staples, not sins) but are also considered “sin stocks”.   Some great examples of beer stocks are Molsen (TAP), Boston Beer Co. (SAM), and Companhia de Bebidas das Americas, or AmBev - the company that has made the deal to acquire Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. (ABV and BUD, respectively).   Some other so-called “sinful stocks” are gambling.  When the economy is down, people tend to feel in a gambling mood.  Wynn Resorts (WYNN) is currently trading near 52-week lows.

3. New technologies
Always had the urge to invest in solar power?  Hear something once about wind energy?  Do a little bit of research into your new technology of choice.  Check out First Solar (FSLR), Sunpower Corp (SPWRA), American Superconductor (AMSC), and FPL Group (FPL).

After each of the 13 recorded recessions since 1931 stocks have rebounded, usually with double-digit increases.  So if you have the discipline to do the research, the funds to invest, and the time to ride out the storm, investment opportunities can be found.

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Last week was a rocky one for the stock market. Maybe you also experienced the turmoil of asking, “what’s happening to my money?!?”. Personally speaking, my retirement account dropped almost a third from its previous high! That was enough to get me lighting candles, burning incense, and praying to the patron saint of 401(k)s.

“Saint Ralph”, I prayed, “what is happening to my money?! Here I am, trying to pay my bills, save for retirement, and have a little leftover for some holy wine. What should I do?”.

Here are the answers that came:

Do Not Panic, Child. Chances are good that the market will bounce back up. Even if you’re 45, you still have 15 years before you need to cash in your retirement account. You’ve got time.

I was happy with that answer, but concerned he thought I looked like I’m 45. Next he said:

Do Not Sell, Child. Ralph explained that by getting out now I’d lose the flip side of a down-turn, which is the bounce back up. Values may drop but that’s okay. He said, “Maybe you should consider buying more while the price is lower….”

Fine Ralph, fine. What else?

Take Care of Your Finances, Child. Ralph explained that a 401k is just a portion of proper money-management. To really maximize what you have you need to strengthen the basics: budgeting, debt management, long-term forecasting, and asset diversification. Ralph asked, “What are you doing to satisfy these aspects of your finances?”

I started making a mental list. After all, I work at Geezeo. We live and breathe personal finance! We help people with their money every day. Doesn’t that count for something?

Ralph said, “He only helps those who help themselves” — and then he pointed me to these related articles:

How Wall Street’s Washout Affects Your Retirement
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What a crazy week. Everyone who either works in, or is invested in the stock market can breathe a sigh of relief that at least this week is over. As someone in the former category, I can attest to the insanity of this week on a physical and emotional (let alone financial) basis. I began this article on Monday and have made daily edits to this first paragraph. But the list that follows has been the same for me all week long. Sitting here now on Friday afternoon with the Dow back up over 350 points today alone (phew) the weekend doesn’t seem as bleak as it did say, Tuesday. However, here are five things you can do to help you ride out the storm.

1. Remember that markets are cyclical.
What goes up, must come down. And what goes down will come up again. Think back a few years when everyone you know was preaching that investing in real estate was a no-risk situation because real estate never loses its value. That kind of thinking was wrong then, and the proof is in the drop in housing values today. Home values in California alone are down 35% from last year. Will they be down forever? Nope. It’s a cycle. Buyers or any investment need to be aware of that cycle and act accordingly. You don’t know when a massive turnaround will happen, and you want to be in the market when it does.

2. Don’t fall prey to panic selling.
As Scott Rothbort points out in “Five More Ways to Handle Market Stress”: “(H)ad you bought the [S&P 500] on the day before the 1987 market crash, your cumulative return through the end of July 2007 — without dividends — would be 415%. That is even after giving up 20% on the first day after your investment.”

3. Turn off the TV.
For every expert opinion there is an opposite opinion. If you have real fears, and not enough time to watch more than one network or get your news from more than one source, it may be better to change the channel, skip the business section and focus on something else for a while.

4. Continue long term investing.
Don’t stop investing in your company’s retirement plan – especially if your employer has a matching policy. This match is “free money” – whether the underlying investment is having a good or bad year. Keep your focus on the long term.

5. Know the FDIC.
Make sure your cash reserves are FDIC insured. The FDIC guarantees the safety of checking and savings deposits in member banks, currently up to $100,000 per depositor, per bank. If you have more than $100,000 in cash you may want to consider spreading the accounts to more than one bank, or talking to an advisor about other options.

Keep your wits about you, and let’s all hope for a less interesting week next week!