Buying Stocks Without a Broker [Paperback]

Charles B. Carlson (Author, Preface)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1996

This guide to dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) offers an expanded DRIP directory, with almost 1000 entries, and ratings for DRIPS and stocks.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This second edition of a classic do-it-yourself guide advocates commission-free purchasing. An expanded directory listing, pro and con ratings of all dividend reinvestment plans on the market, and new corporate profiles are just part of the expanded and enhanced information to be found in this heavily-revised guide. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2 Sub edition (January 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007011501X
• ISBN-13: 978-0070115019
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #537,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Charles B. Carlson, CFA,is CEO of Horizon Investment Services LLC, an investment advisory and money-management company. He is also CEO of Horizon Publishing, a publisher of investment newsletters. Horizon's flagship publication, Dow Theory Forecasts, has been published weekly since 1946 and is one of the oldest investment newsletters in the country. Carlson is a bestselling author and is regularly quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and Money magazine, and is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg TV and radio, and CNN.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Helpful, But in Need of Updating, January 8, 2004

By 

James Sadler (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buying Stocks Without a Broker (Paperback)

I first purchased this book years ago, and I have to admit at the time it was a revelation. I was trying to buy stocks and usually failed to do so simply because I did not want to pay broker fees and I was rarely in a position to buy 100 shares at a time (if you bought less, the stock price and the broker fee both usually went up). Back then, the book was a great aid. I still own a stock list in the book that I purchased thanks to this book.

But in many ways, this book has lost a lot of relevance. Now one can go online and purchase stocks in any amount with fees of as little as $3.00. And the fact that the book has not been updated since 1996 weighs heavily against recommending it be purchased by anyone today. Perhaps Carlson has not bothered to further update because of the ease with which stocks may eb purchased on-line.

Still, for someone who is a long term investor, it provides some choices as far as investing without involving a broker. And it is definitely an option if you have no desire to use the internet to make stock purchases. Just be aware that your options are limited; most companies do not offer direct purchase of their stock or Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs) to the public at large.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All what you need to learn about DRIP is in this book, April 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Buying Stocks Without a Broker (Paperback)

This is a well written book about "Dividend Reinvestment Plan", and basically all what you need to start your DRIP investment. The book has a directory and ratings of about 900 companies that offer DRIPs. However, you will need to learn the basics of stock market and investment before you read this book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Helpful for the novice investor, March 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Buying Stocks Without a Broker (Paperback)

This book was written before the likes of Ameritrade and E-Trade came along, and therefore is rather dated. The fees associated with most plans today and their minimum investments make DRIPs less attractive today then they were five years ago. However, for those who want to buy stock in companies and hold for ten or 20 years, they are worthwhile. Carlson writes in easy-to-understand language that a person not well-versed in Wall Street can grasp. Plenty of information on the company's listed along with telephone numbers and websites. Different kinds of portfloios are profiled so the investor can see what they can do with whatever funds they have to invest. The pros and cons of this kind of investing are listed so a person can decide if it is for them. It is a worthwhile read.