| If stock traders from a century ago were to | | | | The bigger players |
| suddenly come back to life in today's age of | | | | The fact is that you can still obtain cheap stock |
| wondrous technology, they would no doubt be | | | | broker assistance without paying too much more |
| amazed by the fact that millions of private citizens | | | | than you would by dealing with the cheaper, less |
| now routinely trade their own stocks online. The | | | | experienced firms. Some of the more well known |
| internet has brought about the age of the day | | | | firms provide a host of valuable services, while still |
| trader, and has created a whole new industry full of | | | | maintaining fairly reasonable trading commission rates. |
| online stock brokerage firms that assist these | | | | Firms like Scottrade, which charges about $7 for |
| individual investors both in executing trades and in | | | | each transaction and E*Trade, which charges just |
| making good decisions. Unfortunately, not every new | | | | under $8, are two of the more renowned - primarily |
| stock trading firm that appears on the internet is as | | | | because of their superior advertising and marketing |
| reliable or effective as most investors would like. In | | | | abilities. Each requires that you maintain a minimum |
| stock trading online, as with so many other things in | | | | balance of trading activity, and each provides you |
| the world, experience and a solid track record still | | | | with access to respected trading experts who can |
| matter. In fact, some of the best cheap stock | | | | assist you with your analysis of the markets and |
| broker assistance can be found by aligning yourself | | | | which trades will help to balance your portfolio. |
| with some of the better known online brokerages. | | | | The newcomer |
| Cheap versus experienced | | | | One of the newer online brokerage firms is also |
| When most people think about finding a cheap online | | | | trying to earn a reputation to compete with the big |
| broker, they immediately start looking for the ones | | | | boys of the industry. The company's name is |
| that cost the absolute least amount of money to | | | | OptionsHouse, and they are one of those companies |
| execute a trade. To be sure, you can find online | | | | that charge just under $3 for a trade. Unlike the |
| trading firms that will offer to make trades for you | | | | major companies, those rates do not increase if you |
| for under $3 a trade - but sometimes you really do | | | | need a broker to make the transaction for you. The |
| have to pay for what you get. New trading firms | | | | one drawback to this firm may be the $3,000 |
| often offer price structures that are significantly | | | | minimum balance that is required - more than six |
| lower than more established firms, but those prices | | | | times that of Scottrade, and three times the balance |
| are sometimes reflective of a drop-off in service and | | | | required by E*Trade. Despite the fact that they are |
| the quality of advice that you get. Ultimately, you will | | | | so new to the playing field, however, OptionsHouse |
| have to make the decision as to whether saving a | | | | seems well positioned to emerge as one of the rising |
| few dollars per trade is worth the risk of dealing with | | | | stars among companies offering cheap stock broker |
| less experienced trading staff. | | | | services. |