Actually, My First Investment was a CD (Not Columbia House, Not BMG Music Service)

However, Columbia House and BMG Music Service were my first taste of dealing with debt/collection agencies along with publishers clearing house as they didn't do age checks and sent me stuff I requested from age 10-14, lol. And my made to collect coins, my pog chips, & my sport cards/trading cards that I misplaced years ago never panned-out. So..... my first sophisticated investment was a certificate of deposit!

Anyways, summer 2006 I put $5,000 in a 1 year CD during a time when rates were excellent...think the interest was about 5% on the CD. I had the vision of putting money to work way before I had an understanding of stocks. From reading my bank's website and some searches on Google I was able to understand a CD...and it seemed like an easy way to obtain return in order to buy something a year from that point with the interest money. Also, I had dreams of simply amassing $1,000,000 in a CD and being able to live off of $50,000 annually...way before I knew rates could take a dive at anytime and way before I had a feasible plan to stash a million in cash.

I'm human...just because I am into stocks doesn't mean I am oblivious to a guaranteed return as long as the United States is still standing.  The rates of CDs going up is part of the reason stocks decline as guaranteed $$$ without principle depreciation and ease of research/rate comparison is an attractive option.




Get Money!!!!

What is Float?

"The float is the number of shares actually available for trading. Float is calculated by subtracting closely held shares -- owned by insiders, employees, the company's Employee Stock Ownership Plan or other major long-term shareholders -- from the total shares outstanding. At the right price, of course, the closely held shares may start to float. Funny how that works."

( http://www.thestreet.com/topic/46442/float.html )

The Paper Trade Part 5 (That GNC loss tho...)

Had to get out of GNC because news just broke that they put illegal- synthetic drugs into some of their products and therefore I took about a 19% loss. The main essence of GNC is ingredients and people trusting GNC for their body. I was skeptical about the stock as it did not follow my investment strategy upon a second check, but I remember an early on pop in the price and analysis all-over marked it as a buy till this day. I was thinking when I wrote part 4 of the paper trade earlier today about the cause of stock declining....and I could not find anything on the internet to indicate any issues. It would have been my best bet to cut my losses much earlier as I was not confident in my stock selection, but I let outside influence albeit professional analysis break me. 

However, I invested in a diverse portfolio to mitigate my GNC loss to keep me in-line with the s&p500 and total index so I am okay. I will bounce back with my next selection(s) to outpace the s&p500 and total index. I must stick to my script and I can live with such set-backs if it is 100% in-line with my strategy. 

The Paper Trade series has been a show-and-tell so it includes the good, bad, and bouncing back. This GNC loss was a reminder and another learning experience to not be swayed by anyone else when doubts arise. 

The Paper Trade Part 4

I decided to take profits from Cisco as it reached 16% and I am still holding onto a position. 

The Paper Trade Part 3

                                     

                                  

Added the second half of the money to the S&P500 and Total Market indices as my comparison for success. 

                                     

                                     

Took profits on Starbucks as it was inevitably a trade because the price rose to quickly for me to get the 2nd half of the money into the stock. I am still hanging onto Starbucks as I did not close my position.

Paying the bank to keep ya money and I ain't talkin' fees! (negative interest rates)

The title explains it all. Instead of earning interest on your money you lose a set percentage of your money annually even if you met minimum deposit requirements in a negative interest rate environment. You are paying the bank to protect your money as your money would be better off under the mattress. However, the benefit is lower interest rates for your car purchases, home purchases, and other large purchases. And for a more academic definition allow me to quote Investopedia:



"A negative interest rate policy (NIRP) is an unconventional monetary policy tool whereby nominal target interest rates are set with a negative value, below the theoretical lower bound of zero percent.

BREAKING DOWN 'Negative Interest Rate Policy (NIRP)'
During deflationary periods, people and businesses hoard money instead of spending and investing. The result is a collapse in aggregate demand which leads to prices falling even farther, a slowdown or halt in real production and output, and an increase in unemployment. A loose or expansionary monetary policy is usually employed to deal with such economic stagnation. However, if deflationary forces are strong enough, simply cutting the central bank's interest rate to zero may not be sufficient to stimulate borrowing and lending.

A negative interest rate means the central bank and perhaps private banks will charge negative interest: instead of receiving money on deposits, depositors must pay regularly to keep their money with the bank. This is intended to incentivize banks to lend money more freely and businesses and individuals to invest, lend, and spend money rather than pay a fee to keep it safe."

( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/negative-interest-rate-policy-nirp.asp#ixzz3odwxEnS4 )

The Paper Trade Part 2

                              

                             

                             

Cisco and Starbucks have become trades as I could not get the second part of the money into the stocks (CSCO and SBUX) as they continued to rise during the current/recent bear market. For individual stocks I will not buy 2-3% above my cost basis as a safety in case something goes wrong and I need to get out of a position. I will probably take profits from SBUX and CSCO in the near future as I do not maneuver in a way to simply avoid the tax man when a nice percentage gain is on the table.

                              

However, I did put the second half of the money into Apple, GNC, and JP Morgan as those stocks have not taken off enough to become a trade instead of an investment.

I will add to the VOO (s&p 500) and VTI (total market) tomorrow as dollar cost average and the nature of the diversification protects me when I buy above my cost basis in comparison to individual stocks. Those indexes are my benchmark for success as outpacing them validates my portfolio of individual stocks.

Hawk and Dove!!!

"Dovish
Refers to the tone of language used to describe a situation and the associated implications for actions. For example, if the Federal Reserve bank refers to inflation in a dovish tone, it is unlikely that they would take aggressive actions. Similarly, a CEO might use dovish language to describe an important event facing the firm. This indicates that the firm is unlikely to take strong actions. Dovish sometimes means conciliatory. Opposite of hawkish."


"Hawkish
An aggressive tone. For example, if the Federal Reserve uses hawkish language to describe the threat of inflation, one could reasonably expect stronger actions from the Fed. There is a similar application to CEO describing an important issue that a firm faces. Opposite of Dovish."


( http://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/ )

Capital Gain Defined

"DEFINITION of 'Capital Gain'
1. An increase in the value of a capital asset (investment or real estate) that gives it a higher worth than the purchase price. The gain is not realized until the asset is sold. A capital gain may be short term (one year or less) or long term (more than one year) and must be claimed on income taxes. A capital loss is incurred when there is a decrease in the capital asset value compared to an asset's purchase price.

2. Profit that results when the price of a security held by a mutual fund rises above its purchase price and the security is sold (realized gain). If the security continues to be held, the gain is unrealized. A capital loss would occur when the opposite takes place."


( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalgain.asp#ixzz3lLGpDcTI )

Months Become Days (Motivation!!!)

Allow me to preface this blog post...I never sit at a table to create, haha!!! I use my smartphone and/or laptop in front of the TV while watching CNBC or Bloomberg TV....and occasionally create while listening to hip-hop of the Trap Music variety as well the Kaskade/Rony Seikaly type of music. I just like the image projected from the picture above :-) *smile*


Anyways...shout-out to all those that read my blog! Let's elevate the collective! Oh yeah....on to the motivation:





Minus the darkness of people using ad blockers (I use adsense, nothing crazy with fill the whole page ads)...and that slowly becoming the norm all credit be to Apple with IOS9. 6-months after launching a couple versions of my blog/website I was able to add adsense. After the first 60-days I was not sure if I could even recoup the yearly domain fee.

However, I stayed the course (Growing my twitter following, increasing my blog posts, increasing my engagement with non Iceberg Gem content) much like the stock market and tweaked as need be through the ups and downs in order to reach my next goal. Granted a small accomplishment several months later, but my monthly accomplishments became daily accomplishments. Rinsing and Repeating as I type! Hustle! Hustle! Hustle! 

Margin Account Defined

"DEFINITION of 'Margin Account'
A brokerage account in which the broker lends the customer cash to purchase securities. The loan in the account is collateralized by the securities and cash. If the value of the stock drops sufficiently, the account holder will be required to deposit more cash or sell a portion of the stock.

BREAKING DOWN 'Margin Account'
In a margin account, you are investing with your broker's money. By using leverage in such a way, you magnify both gains and losses."


( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marginaccount.asp#ixzz3kOnJUMOF )

The Paper Trade Part 1

Approximately $10,000 (half the money) is split between 5 stocks for now. Be it a Paper Trade (not my actual account(s) and I do not buy on margin )  I did the same with the VOO (vanguard s&p500) and VTI (vanguard total market) for comparison purposes between individual stock picking and a broad index fund. If I do not outpace the broad indicies at some point, which is the bench mark for fund managers (and retail investors alike) it will be a failure.

I bought positions with half the money yesterday....and I will put in the second half of the money once China stabilizes, crude stabilizes, more news from the federal reserve, if political unrest pops up etc. I'm not sure about the bottom of this recent correction (bear market for some individual stocks) as China is making noise and the fed is making noise. I suppose that I will put the other half on the money to work sometime next month when factors of this recent market decline seem to be resolved.

Granted, I may have missed the bottom of the correction (bear market for some individual stocks) the other day when apple hit a 52-week low of $92 intraday.



anyways, until part 2....GET MONEY!!!

Pull back, Correction, Bear...Oh My!

Pull Back: A stock, bond, commodity or index that is no more than 10% under it's 52-week high

Correction: A stock, bond, commodity, or index that is 10%- 20% under it's 52-week high

Bear Market: A stock, bond, commodity or index that is more than 20% under it's 52-week high

Yeah bruh....ain't Dry Powder that Michael Jackson biopic?

Naaaaw man!!! It's Cash on the sidelines for equity investments...and real estate! As in literally cash, money market accounts, savings accounts, and/or checking accounts with funds ready for buying stocks (real estate too). Also, dry powder can be any assets that can be liquidated quickly and with little effort...even if a financial penalty or value loss occurs.

And from a business perspective dry powder can be used to pay future obligations or to purchase assets at a favorable price.

What is Monetary Policy?

"DEFINITION of 'Monetary Policy'
The actions of a central bank, currency board or other regulatory committee that determine the size and rate of growth of the money supply, which in turn affects interest rates. Monetary policy is maintained through actions such as increasing the interest rate, or changing the amount of money banks need to keep in the vault (bank reserves).


INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS 'Monetary Policy'
In the United States, the Federal Reserve is in charge of monetary policy. Monetary policy is one of the ways that the U.S. government attempts to control the economy. If the money supply grows too fast, the rate of inflation will increase; if the growth of the money supply is slowed too much, then economic growth may also slow. In general, the U.S. sets inflation targets that are meant to maintain a steady inflation of 2% to 3%."



( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/monetarypolicy.asp#ixzz3jAbplBB8 )

Federal Funds Rate Defined.

"DEFINITION of 'Federal Funds Rate'
The interest rate at which a depository institution lends funds maintained at the Federal Reserve to another depository institution overnight. The federal funds rate is generally only applicable to the most creditworthy institutions when they borrow and lend overnight funds to each other. The federal funds rate is one of the most influential interest rates in the U.S. economy, since it affects monetary and financial conditions, which in turn have a bearing on key aspects of the broad economy including employment, growth and inflation. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which is the Federal Reserve’s primary monetary policymaking body, telegraphs its desired target for the federal funds rate through open market operations. Also known as the “fed funds rate".


INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS'Federal Funds Rate'
The higher the federal funds rate, the more expensive it is to borrow money. Since it is only applicable to very creditworthy institutions for extremely short-term (overnight) loans, the federal funds rate can be viewed as the base rate that determines the level of all other interest rates in the U.S. economy.

Banks and other depository institutions maintain accounts at the Federal Reserve to make payments for themselves or on behalf of their customers. The end-of-the-day balances in these accounts are used to meet the reserve requirements mandated by the Federal Reserve. If a depository institution expects to have a larger end-of-day balance than it needs, it will lend the excess amount to an institution that expects to have a shortfall in its own balance. The federal funds rate thus represents the interest rate charged by the lending institution.

The target for the federal funds rate – which as noted earlier is set by the FOMC – has varied widely over the years in response to prevailing economic conditions. While it was as high as 20% in the inflationary early 1980s, the rate has declined steadily since then. The FOMC has maintained the target range for the federal funds rate at a record low of 0% to 0.25%, from December 2008 onward, to combat the Great Recession of 2008-09 and stimulate the U.S. economy."



( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/federalfundsrate.asp#ixzz3j4wWP5Af )

Open Market Operations Defined.

"DEFINITION of 'Open Market Operations - OMO'
The buying and selling of government securities in the open market in order to expand or contract the amount of money in the banking system. Purchases inject money into the banking system and stimulate growth while sales of securities do the opposite.


INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS'Open Market Operations - OMO'
Open market operations are the principal tools of monetary policy. (The discount rate and reserve requirements are also used.) The U.S. Federal Reserve's goal in using this technique is to adjust the federal funds rate - the rate at which banks borrow reserves from each other."



( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/openmarketoperations.asp#ixzz3izv7g39g )

Reserve Requirement Defined.

"Reserve requirement

The reserve requirement (also known as the cash reserve ratio) is the minimum amount of money that banks must hold in reserve, usually given as a percentage of customer deposits. The cash is normally stored in a vault at the bank or with a central bank and cannot be invested or loaned out to businesses or individuals. The requirement is set by each country's central bank and raising or lowering the reserve requirement will subsequently influence the money supply in the economy.



How does adjusting the cash reserve ratio affect money supply?

If the reserve requirement is raised, banks will have less money to loan out and this effectively reduces the amount of capital in the economy, therefore lowering the money supply. It will mean less money for investment and spending, and would stunt the growth of the economy. It would also mean that banks earn less interest and could see their share prices fall.

Lowering the reserve requirement will have the opposite effect; banks will be able to lend more which would increase money supply and stimulate economic growth.



How can adjusting the reserve requirement affect currency value?

Raising reserve requirements can cause an increase in currency value because when banks are restricted in the amount that they can lend out, they may charge borrowers a higher rate of interest. This is bad news for borrowers, but good news for savers who can benefit from a higher rate of return on their savings. If more capital enters the economy to benefit from those higher interest rates, the value of the currency is likely to increase.

The opposite is true if reserve requirements are lowered. Banks will be able to lend more and so may offer lower interest rates, which can in turn cause the value of a currency to decrease."

( http://en.tradimo.com/tradipedia/reserve-requirement_97012/ )

Federal Discount Rate Defined.

"DEFINITION of 'Federal Discount Rate'
The interest rate set by the Federal Reserve that is offered to eligible commercial banks or other depository institutions in an attempt to reduce liquidity problems and the pressures of reserve requirements. The discount rate allows the federal reserve to control the supply of money and is used to assure stability in the financial markets.


INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS'Federal Discount Rate'
A decrease in the discount rate makes it cheaper for commercial banks to borrow money, which results in an increase in the supply of money in the economy. Conversely, a raised discount rate will make it more expensive for the banks to borrow, and would thereby decrease the money supply. Funds borrowed from the fed are processed through the discount window and the rate is reviewed every 14 days."



( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/federal_discount_rate.asp#ixzz3inuJZGa2 )

What is Quantitative Easing?

"DEFINITION of 'Quantitative Easing'
An unconventional monetary policy in which a central bank purchases government securities or other securities from the market in order to lower interest rates and increase the money supply. Quantitative easing increases the money supply by flooding financial institutions with capital in an effort to promote increased lending and liquidity. Quantitative easing is considered when short-term interest rates are at or approaching zero, and does not involve the printing of new banknotes.


INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS'Quantitative Easing'
Typically, central banks target the supply of money by buying or selling government bonds. When the bank seeks to promote economic growth, it buys government bonds, which lowers short-term interest rates and increases the money supply. This strategy loses effectiveness when interest rates approach zero, forcing banks to try other strategies in order to stimulate the economy. QE targets commercial bank and private sector assets instead, and attempts to spur economic growth by encouraging banks to lend money. However, if the money supply increases too quickly, quantitative easing can lead to higher rates of inflation. This is due to the fact that there is still a fixed amount of goods for sale when more money is now available in the economy. Additionally, banks may decide to keep funds generated by quantitative easing in reserve rather than lending those funds to individuals and businesses."



( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/q/quantitative-easing.asp#ixzz3iiotW5VW )

What are Consensus Earnings Estimates (Earnings Forecast)?

"What are Consensus Earnings?
Consensus earnings estimates are far from perfect, but they are watched by many investors and play an important role in measuring the appropriate valuation for a stock. Investors measure stock performance on the basis of a company's earnings power. To make a proper assessment, investors seek a sound estimate of this year's and next year's earnings per share (EPS), as well as a strong sense of how much the company will earn even farther down the road. (For further reading, see Earnings Guidance: The Good, The Bad And Good Riddance?)

That's why, as part of their services to clients, large brokerage firms such as Citigroup and Merrill Lynch (the "sell side" of Wall Street and other investment communities) employ legions of stock analysts to publish forecast reports on companies' earnings over the coming years.

A consensus forecast number is normally an average or median of all the forecasts from individual analysts tracking a particular stock. So, when you hear that a company is expected to earn $1.50 per-share this year, that number could be the average of 30 different forecasts. On the other hand, if it's a smaller company, the estimate could be the average of just one or two stock analyst forecasts.

A few companies, such as Thomson First Call, Reuters and Zacks Investment Research, compile estimates and compute the average or consensus. Consensus numbers can also be found at a number of financial websites, including Yahoo! Finance and MSN MoneyCentral. Some of these sites also show how estimates get revised upwards or downwards.

Consensus estimates of quarterly earnings are published for the current quarter, the next quarter and so on for about eight quarters. In some cases, forecasts are available beyond the first few quarters. Forecasts are also compiled for the current and next 12 month periods.

A consensus forecast for the current year is reported once actual results for the previous year are released. As actual numbers are made available, analysts typically revise their projections within the quarter or year they are forecasting.


Even the most sophisticated investors - such as mutual fund and pension fund managers - rely heavily on consensus estimates. Most of them do not have the resources to track thousands of publicly-listed companies in detail - or even to keep tabs on a fraction of them, for that matter.

DEFINITION of 'Consensus Estimate'

A figure based on the combined estimates of the analysts covering a public company. Generally, analysts give a consensus for a company's earnings per share and revenue; these figures are most often made for the quarter, fiscal year and next fiscal year. The size of the company and the number of analysts covering it will dictate the size of the pool from which the estimate is derived.

INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS'Consensus Estimate'

When you hear that a company has "missed estimates" or "beaten estimates", these are references to consensus estimates. Based on projections, models, sentiments and research, analysts strive to come up with an estimate of what the company will do in the future. 

Obviously, consensus estimates are not an exact science. This leads some market pundits to believe that the market is not as efficient as often purported, and that the efficiency is driven by estimates about a multitude of future events that may not be accurate. This might help to explain why a company's stock quickly adjusts to the new information provided by quarterly earnings and revenue numbers when these figures diverge from the consensus estimate.

Conclusion: Implications for Investors

Consensus estimates are so powerful that even small deviations can send a stock higher or lower. If a company exceeds its consensus estimates, it is usually rewarded with an increase in stock price. If a company falls short of consensus numbers - or sometimes if it only meets expectations - its share price can take a hit.

With so many investors watching consensus numbers, the difference between actual and consensus earnings is perhaps the single most important factor driving share-price performance over the short term. This should come as little surprise to anyone who has owned a stock that "missed the consensus" by a few pennies per share and, as a result, tumbled in value.

For better or for worse, the investment community relies on earnings as its key metric. Stocks are judged not only by their ability to increase earnings quarter over quarter, but also by whether they are able to meet or beat a consensus earnings estimate. Like it or not, investors need to keep an eye on consensus numbers in order to keep tabs on how a stock is likely to perform."

( http://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/06/earningsforecasts.asp#ixzz3iVn5MGTz ) 

( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/consensusestimate.asp#ixzz3i9Ixkhhf ) 

What is Earnings Season?

"DEFINITION of 'Earnings Season'

The months of the year in which a majority of quarterly corporate earnings are released to the public. Earnings season is generally accepted as the months immediately following the quarter-ends of the year, which means that earnings seasons would fall in January, April, July and October. This is due to the lag between quarter-end periods and the time in which firms are able to release their earnings following their accounting periods.

INVESTOPEDIA EXPLAINS'Earnings Season'

Earnings season is easily one of the busiest times of the year for those who work in and watch the markets, as virtually every large publicly-traded company will report the results of their last quarter. Analysts and managers typically set their guidelines and estimates to correspond to specific quarters or fiscal year ends, so the results reported by firms during earnings season often have a big role in the performance of their stocks. "

( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/earningsseason.asp#ixzz3i3lf2fvs )

Top-line and Bottom-line (Earnings).

Four times per year you will hear the phrases "top-line" and "bottom-line" as it pertains to earnings. Those four times per year is known as Earnings Season, which starts 2-weeks after the end of a quarter and last for one month. During earnings season (Mid-January-Mid-February, Mid-April-Mid-May, Mid-July-Mid August, Mid-October-Mid-November) a publicly traded company will have a earnings call (conference call) to discuss the business after a 10-Q (quarterly financial report) or after a 10-K (annual financial report) is filled with the SEC.

Top Line = Gross Sales/ Revenue of a company

Bottom Line = Net Income (Revenue minus Cost of doing business) of a company and is usually stated as EPS (Net Income/Shares outstanding) for media purposes and investor purposes. 

Stay Abreast of Class Action Settlements! (Don't Leave Money on the Table)

Companies will not make a full effort to reach out to you for settlements. I check out http://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/open-lawsuit-settlements/ to see what is going on in that arena. They have a list of open settlements and news about lawsuits so you can get your fair share of money. Hundreds and even thousands of dollars are waiting for you to claim! The site does not require you to sign-up and is a good point of reference for extra cash in which you may be entitled. I found out about this website a couple of days ago and I have found several settlements for which I am qualified, and unfortunately several settlements in which I have missed out upon.... *sigh*

Do not miss out on extra cash for your pockets, extra cash for your gas tanks, and extra cash for your investments! Great resource!

How to Implement a Twitter Card for Blogger.

In order to add Twitter Cards in Blogger you have to add a few lines of code to your template. Before editing the template remember to back it up first, then click on edit html, and copy the below code after the <head> opening tag.








The Code:


<meta content='summary_large_image' name='twitter:card'/>
<meta content='@IcebergGem' name='twitter:creator'/>
<meta content='@IcebergGem' name='twitter:site'/>
<meta expr:content='data:blog.homepageUrl' name='twitter:domain'/>
<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == &quot;item&quot;'>
<meta name="twitter:url" expr:content='data:blog.url' />
<meta expr:content='data:blog.pageName' name='twitter:title'/>
<meta expr:content='data:blog.postImageUrl' name='twitter:image:src'/>
<b:else/>
<meta expr:content='data:blog.homepageUrl' name='twitter:url'/>
<meta expr:content='data:blog.pageTitle' name='twitter:title'/>
<meta content='Image URL' name='twitter:image:src'/>
</b:if>
<b:if cond='data:blog.metaDescription'>
<meta expr:content='data:blog.metaDescription' name='twitter:description'/>
</b:if>
<meta expr:content='data:blog.Url' name='twitter:url'/>





The above code will Add Summary large image Twitter Card. Before adding the code remember replace my IcebergGem twitter handle with yours.



Next, you need to go Twitter Validator ( https://cards-dev.twitter.com/validator ) to test the code. And please make sure all of your Blog posts have a search description and your Blog/Website in general has a search description or it will not work.

The Best Prepaid Debit Cards of 2015 (July 2015)!

Prepaid debits cards, WHY?!?!? It's better than cashing checks at the liquor store, better than check cashing places, and better than stuffing cash under the mattress.  It's easy to overdraft accounts during hard-times and therefore be in bad standing with banks to obtain future checking accounts or obtain future saving accounts; this is a good way to get back on track. For everyone else: you have access to more ATMs without fees compared to a traditional bank, possibly rewards,and you can deposit cash unlike the average online bank.

I would say another advantage of prepaid debit cards is that you can game the rewards/points system of credit cards by loading credit onto the AMEX prepaids that support non AMEX credit cards and pay mortgages, pay rent, pay student loans etc. thorough bill pay....and then you get AMEX pre-paid rewards as well. However, AMEX caught on in 2015 and stopped the gaming. However, you can load the Serve Card (AMEX prepaid card) with AMEX credit cards, but you will not get AMEX credit card rewards, so you can't double dip. To end on a good-note, if you have a rewards debit card you can double dip by doing debit transfers and take advantage of debit rewards and AMEX rewards.

Sidenote: you can only have one of the AMEX prepaid cards (doesn't include sub-accounts)


Anyways....






In order of preference:


1a. Serve (By American Express)  https://www.serve.com/help/
pros:

• 1 free ATM withdrawal any ATM per month
• check clear is set at 6days and there is no fee
• free atm withdraw at money pass ATMs
• easy to deposit cash without fees at CVS, 7-Eleven, Walmart, family dollar
• Amex offers 
• access to pre-sale event tickets
• $100,000 max balance

cons:

• Amex is not accepted everywhere such as mom-pop Chinese carryout, mom-pop liquor stores, mom-pop restaurants etc.
• lack same day check clear
• $1 monthly fee unless monthly direct deposit or $500 deposit per month
• $15,000 max spending limit per month
• $5,000 max cash deposit per month ($2,500 max per day)
• unable to earn interest

1b. REDcard (By American Express)
differences from serve: https://amex.serve.com/prepaidredcard/faqs/

• 5% off purchases at Target
• free Target shipping
• no AMEX rewards
• waive foreign transaction fees
• no monthly fees
• free ATM withdrawals Target stores and Allpoint ATM (does not work at other ATMs)
• only add cash at target
• unable to add checks

1c. Bluebird (By American Express)
differences from serve: https://www.bluebird.com/faqs?linknav=us-Prepaid-Bluebird-Home-Faqs

• Walmart offers
• AMEX rewards
• write checks
• waive foreign transaction fees
• no monthly fees
• only add cash at walmart
• ability to add checks over $2,000 (by mail)
• free ATM withdrawals Walmart and Money Pass ATMs 

2. Moven https://www.moven.com/app.html#faq
pros:

• no monthly fees
• free ATM withdrawal at star ATMs
• ability for check to clear same day
• able to spend $10,000 per 24 hours

cons:

• separate app for check deposit powered by Ingo
• check clear takes 10-days for no fee
• fee to load cash instantly
• $10,000 monthly deposit limit
• unable to earn interest
• maximum balance is $10,000 (verified info from Moven over phone)

3. Kaiku https://www.kaiku.com/legal/cardholder
pros:

• load $10,000 cash per day
• load $25,000 per month
• free ATM withdrawal at Allpoint ATMs
• ability for check to clear same day

cons:

• $3 monthly fee unless a direct deposit of $750 is made each month
• maximum balance is $10,000 (verified info from kaiku over phone)
• limited to only $3,000 spending per day
• unable to earn interest
• fee to load cash instantly
• check clear takes 10-days for no fee
• separate app for check deposit powered by Ingo

What are Mergers and Acquisitions?

"Although they are often uttered in the same breath and used as though they were synonymous, the terms merger and acquisition mean slightly different things.

When one company takes over another and clearly established itself as the new owner, the purchase is called an acquisition. From a legal point of view, the target company ceases to exist, the buyer "swallows" the business and the buyer's stock continues to be traded.

In the pure sense of the term, a merger happens when two firms, often of about the same size, agree to go forward as a single new company rather than remain separately owned and operated. This kind of action is more precisely referred to as a "merger of equals." Both companies' stocks are surrendered and new company stock is issued in its place. For example, both Daimler-Benz and Chrysler ceased to exist when the two firms merged, and a new company, DaimlerChrysler, was created.

In practice, however, actual mergers of equals don't happen very often. Usually, one company will buy another and, as part of the deal's terms, simply allow the acquired firm to proclaim that the action is a merger of equals, even if it's technically an acquisition. Being bought out often carries negative connotations, therefore, by describing the deal as a merger, deal makers and top managers try to make the takeover more palatable.

A purchase deal will also be called a merger when both CEOs agree that joining together is in the best interest of both of their companies. But when the deal is unfriendly - that is, when the target company does not want to be purchased - it is always regarded as an acquisition.

Whether a purchase is considered a merger or an acquisition really depends on whether the purchase is friendly or hostile and how it is announced. In other words, the real difference lies in how the purchase is communicated to and received by the target company's board of directors, employees and shareholders.

As you can see, an acquisition may be only slightly different from a merger. In fact, it may be different in name only. Like mergers, acquisitions are actions through which companies seek economies of scale, efficiencies and enhanced market visibility. Unlike all mergers, all acquisitions involve one firm purchasing another - there is no exchange of stock or consolidation as a new company. Acquisitions are often congenial, and all parties feel satisfied with the deal. Other times, acquisitions are more hostile. "

( http://www.investopedia.com/university/mergers/mergers1.asp#ixzz3gLEhlWL7 )

What are Extended Hours (extended trading)?

4am-9:30am and 4pm-8pm. Access to extended hours is determined by your brokerage. Institutional investors have full access to extended hours.


What's Wrong with the Normal Hours?
"Companies are strategic about their announcements of important information. They don't like to make announcements during the regular trading session because it could cause a large knee-jerk reaction that misrepresents the true value of their stock. If a company was to announce its last-quarter earnings and they were worse than expected, a large-scale move out of the stock could result in big losses that may not be warranted.

Although announcing this information before or after the close of the trading day may still cause a large reaction, by the time the market opens, investors and analysts will have read the entirety of the announcement, causing the stock price to better reflect fair value."

( http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1112/trading-in-the-pre--and-post-market-sessions.aspx#ixzz3fUmDjAms )

What is After Hours Trading (post-market)?

A period of trading activity that occurs between 4pm(Closing Bell)-8pm. However, your brokerage may only offer after hours trading until 5pm. Institutional Investors have full access until 8pm.

"After-hours trading volume in specific stocks often surges upon the occurrence of market-moving events, such as earnings reports, pre-earnings announcements or M&A activity. Lower liquidity and wider bid-ask spreads are a common feature of after-hours trading. However, investors may consider this a small price to pay for the privilege of exiting a losing position before regular trading commences, or initiating a new position ahead of the crowd. After-hours trading is heaviest in the first hour or two after markets close, before tapering off sharply. As financial markets become increasingly integrated with the advent of globalization, after-hours trading is likely to expand going forward."

 ( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/afterhourstrading.asp#ixzz3fsdxgiss )

What is Pre-Market Trading?

A period of trading activity that occurs bewteen 4am-Opening Bell (9:30am). However, your brokerage may not offer pre-market trading until as late as 8am. Institutional Investors have full access at 4am.

"Many investors and traders watch the pre-market trading activity to judge the strength and direction of the market in anticipation for the regular trading session. Pre-market trading activity generally has limited volume and liquidity, and therefore, large bid-ask spreads are common. Many retail brokers offer pre-market trading, but may limit the types of orders that can be used during the pre-market period."

( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/premarket.asp#ixzz3fUjhTIuq )

What is an Institutional Investor?

"Large organizations (such as banks, finance companies, insurance companies, labor union funds, mutual funds or unit trusts, pension funds) which have considerable cash reserves that need to be invested. Institutional investors are by far the biggest participants in securities trading and their share of stockmarket volumes have consistently grown over the years. For example, on a typical day, about 70 percent of the trading on the NYSE is on the behalf of institutional investors. Because they are considered knowledgeable and strong enough to safeguard their own interests, institutional investors are relatively less restricted by the security regulations designed to protect smaller investors."

( http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/institutional-investors.html#ixzz3fPG8L9Z8 )

What Is a Retail Investor?

...aka individual investor, aka small investor, aka home gamer? 

It is NOT your shoe collection...but the buying and sell of securities for personal accounts. Retail investing does not include the buying and the selling of securities for companies or for organizations.  

What Is a Handle?

As an avid viewer of CNBC and reader of CNBC articles you will run across the term handle. Handle is a term used by traders to indicate the part of the stock quote before the decimal. If a stock is trading at $43.79 the handle of the stock is 43. You will commonly hear handle used with a price prediction in terms of a stock price moving a certain amount of handles, or a stock reaching a specific handle in the future. ie. "I expect apple to move two handles to the upside to trade at a 134 handle" ie. "yahoo is trading at 50 and I expect it to trade at a 56 handle by the end of the year."

Also, "In foreign exchange markets, the handle refers to the part of the price quote that appears in both the bid and the offer for the currency. For example, if the EUR/USD currency pair has a bid of 1.4183 and an ask of 1.4185, the handle would be 1.41 - the part of the quote that is equal to both the bid and the ask. Also called big figure."  ( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/handle.asp#ixzz3eOO1UxvR )

What Is a Checking Account?

What is a checking account?...This is best summed up by Nico Leyva of NerdWallet:




Banking 101: What Is a Checking Account?
by Nico Leyva

The Basics
A checking account is the most commonly used bank account. Checking refers to the act of writing a check to transfer money from your account, but nowadays, you also have the option of using a debit or ATM card to withdraw or transfer funds. Checking accounts differ from other accounts, like savings accounts or CDs (Certificates of Deposit), in that there are few, if any, restrictions on how often you access your money. Some even come with checking account bonuses, like cash and gift cards, just for signing up.

Finding the Best Account
Because checking accounts are so frequently used, and because they are very basic accounts, most people don’t realize there are options that fit certain consumers better than others. Here are some of the most popular types of checking accounts.

Free Checking Accounts – Some regular checking accounts come with monthly service fees or minimum balance requirements, which can be tough on lower-income individuals who cannot afford to pay fees each month. Fortunately, many credit unions and banks offer free checking accounts that do not have these monthly fees or balance requirements.
Online Checking Accounts – A number of banks offer online checking accounts that allow you to conduct all your account transactions on the Internet. These accounts are designed for consumers who enjoy the ease and accessibility of electronic banking, and they also offer perks like competitive interest rates, mobile check deposit and ATM fee refunds.
Rewards Checking Accounts – If you use your checking account frequently, and are looking for something extra, rewards checking accounts provide benefits like above-market interest rates, rewards points and ATM fee refunds. As an added bonus, most rewards checking accounts are also free, even if you don’t meet the monthly requirements to earn rewards.
Teen Checking Accounts – Teen or youth checking accounts are a great option for young consumers testing the waters of personal finance. These accounts can be found at credit unions and banks, and tend to require a parent or guardian to co-sign. They often come with financial education advice and other helpful perks directed at teens and young adults.





Where to Bank
Now that you know what a checking account is, you can decide where to open one.

Credit Unions – Credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives (which means they prioritize their members’ financial well-being over the credit union’s success) that often have membership fields based on location or employment.
Banks – Banks come in many sizes, from global banks to hometown community banks, and each has unique deals and special services depending on their areas of service.
Online Banks – If you are a bank-on-the-go kind of person who doesn’t need to visit a physical bank branch very often, online banks are a great option, as they tend to offer higher interest rates on checking accounts, as well as other perks.

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/banking/banking-101-what-is-a-checking-account/
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/author/nico/

What is The Capital Markets (expanded)?

"Capital markets are perhaps the most widely followed markets. Both the stock and bond markets are closely followed and their daily movements are analyzed as proxies for the general economic condition of the world markets. As a result, the institutions operating in capital markets - stock exchanges, commercial banks and all types of corporations, including nonbank institutions such as insurance companies and mortgage banks - are carefully scrutinized.

The institutions operating in the capital markets access them to raise capital for long-term purposes, such as for a merger or acquisition, to expand a line of business or enter into a new business, or for other capital projects. Entities that are raising money for these long-term purposes come to one or more capital markets. In the bond market, companies may issue debt in the form of corporate bonds, while both local and federal governments may issue debt in the form of government bonds. Similarly, companies may decide to raise money by issuing equity on the stock market. Government entities are typically not publicly held and, therefore, do not usually issue equity. Companies and government entities that issue equity or debt are considered the sellers in these markets.

The buyers, or the investors, buy the stocks or bonds of the sellers and trade them. If the seller, or issuer, is placing the securities on the market for the first time, then the market is known as the primary market. Conversely, if the securities have already been issued and are now being traded among buyers, this is done on the secondary market. Sellers make money off the sale in the primary market, not in the secondary market, although they do have a stake in the outcome (pricing) of their securities in the secondary market.


The buyers of securities in the capital market tend to use funds that are targeted for longer-term investment. Capital markets are risky markets and are not usually used to invest short-term funds. Many investors access the capital markets to save for retirement or education, as long as the investors have long time horizons, which usually means they are young and are risk takers."



( http://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/052313/financial-markets-capital-vs-money-markets.asp#ixzz3dQZE9ik1 )

What is The Capital Markets (simple)?

"Capital markets typically involve issuing instruments such as stocks and bonds for the medium-term and long-term. In this respect, capital markets are distinct from money markets, which refer to markets for financial instruments with maturities not exceeding one year.

Capital markets have numerous participants including individual investors, institutional investors such as pension funds and mutual funds, municipalities and governments, companies and organizations and banks and financial institutions. Suppliers of capital generally want the maximum possible return at the lowest possible risk, while users of capital want to raise capital at the lowest possible cost.

The size of a nation’s capital markets is directly proportional to the size of its economy. The United States, the world’s largest economy, has the biggest and deepest capital markets. Capital markets are increasingly interconnected in a globalized economy, which means that ripples in one corner can cause major waves elsewhere. The drawback of this interconnection is best illustrated by the global credit crisis of 2007-09, which was triggered by the collapse in U.S. mortgage-backed securities. The effects of this meltdown were globally transmitted by capital markets since banks and institutions in Europe and Asia held trillions of dollars of these securities."


( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/capitalmarkets.asp#ixzz3dQYofGAk )

What Is The Money Market (expanded)?

Money Market: What Is It?
By Investopedia Staff

"The money market is a subsection of the fixed income market. We generally think of the term fixed income as being synonymous to bonds. In reality, a bond is just one type of fixed income security. The difference between the money market and the bond market is that the money market specializes in very short-term debt securities (debt that matures in less than one year). Money market investments are also called cash investments because of their short maturities.


Money market securities are essentially IOUs issued by governments, financial institutions and large corporations. These instruments are very liquid and considered extraordinarily safe. Because they are extremely conservative, money market securities offer significantly lower returns than most other securities.

One of the main differences between the money market and the stock market is that most money market securities trade in very high denominations. This limits access for the individual investor. Furthermore, the money market is a dealer market, which means that firms buy and sell securities in their own accounts, at their own risk. Compare this to the stock market where a broker receives commission to acts as an agent, while the investor takes the risk of holding the stock. Another characteristic of a dealer market is the lack of a central trading floor or exchange. Deals are transacted over the phone or through electronic systems.

The easiest way for us to gain access to the money market is with a money market mutual funds, or sometimes through a money market bank account. These accounts and funds pool together the assets of thousands of investors in order to buy the money market securities on their behalf. However, some money market instruments, like Treasury bills, may be purchased directly. Failing that, they can be acquired through other large financial institutions with direct access to these markets. "


Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/university/moneymarket/moneymarket1.asp#ixzz3dQSFUT2B

What Is The Money Market (simple)?

"A segment of the financial market in which financial instruments with high liquidity and very short maturities are traded. The money market is used by participants as a means for borrowing and lending in the short term, from several days to just under a year. Money market securities consist of negotiable certificates of deposit (CDs), bankers acceptances, U.S. Treasury bills, commercial paper, municipal notes, federal funds and repurchase agreements (repos)."
                             

( http://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/moneymarket.asp#ixzz3dQWONPrF )