Everyone, what is your first experience in stock investment???

What did you learn?
What would you recommend me?

Thanks everyone,

Dabbled in mutual funds for awhile...first individual stock I bought was NSC..Norfolk Southern RR... ( at $21.00 early '02)....up and down, up and down...sold at 30...( after it was up tp 36 something and fell back)....Now it's 50+
So I guess what I ( should have) learned is" hang -in..don't panic"
Good luck
Ooops! Just saw the " recommend" part of the question...I guess I would say look for something well-established...goods or services that don't " go out of style"...
Hold what you got...buy a little if the price drops... take a little profit if it "shoots" up.....
Don't keep jumping from " hot stock" to "latest fad"..( sooner or later you get caught in a big loss)
Good luck, again.

Well, I have been dabbling for about 2 years now, with only a couple K.

Basically, I learned this. If you panick, you loose money, and if you stay in for the long haul, you make money.

Every time I got panicked, I lost money. Not much, only 1-2%. However, If I would have held onto it for a few more weeks, I would have gained 5-8%. Every time I rode out the storm, I made a good return on my investment. It's not for the weak of heart, that's for sure.

When I was about 5 years old, my father showed me a stock certificate for 12 shares of ExxonMobil (then Esso) he bought for my college and future needs. Now at 61 years old, minus some college costs, plus some reinvested dividends, I still hold Exxon stock (a bit more than 12 shares) and every year, I get more than 16% dividend yield on my original costs. Warren Buffet, the world's most successful investor, agrees with my father and me. Buy stock of good businesses and hold forever.

How funny that someone would say XOM, that was my first stock 25 years ago. I wish everything after that would have done so well. I had a mentor that showed me the way to invest. Forget the message boards, I could put up a stock, but sell it the next day. Look around, you should have someone in your family, even a crazy uncle that does well in the market. The worst thing about beginning is you chase the news and end up losing money.

My first stockmade me $1,000 in one month, and I spent the next $50,000 learning that stocks rarely work that way.

I learned to either buy quality blue chip stocks or good lower risk mutual funds. I am a millionaire now, but my education in investing was expensive

Here are the two worst things that can happen to a "newbie".

Number One: Get into the market, take a big enough loss to make you say ouch, decide that you will never be able to do this. Others may be able, but not you. And you turn your back on the market and never return.

Number Two: Get into the market, make a big enough profit that you brag a bit to your friends. Feel good. Conclude that it is due to your natural aptitude and skill. Now bet the farm, loose your posterior. Any you turn your back on the market and never return.

So, understand that it is a lot like being an airline pilot. Takes a lot of training, some expense. And be prepared mentally for a few rough landings.

The survivors are the ones that have their minds on right. Read Elder's "Come into My Trading Room". Easy read and has suitable material for all involved with stocks.