Expert: Doug Ingram - 3/4/2003

Question
Dear Mr.Ingram,
  I would like to learn how to invest in futures plus gold and silver, as the matter of fact, all types of investing...puts, calls, stop orders, etc.
  Someone told me a degree in Business or Marketing would help. I hold a M.S. in Oriental medicine and really don't desire to go to four more years of college to learn the investment trade.
  There are lots of newsletters and sagely advise,(often conflicting), but isn't there some certified or reputable correspondence or "home study" courses, or even seminars one might enroll in to learn the "REAL FACTS" of various forms of investing?
  Thanks for any guidance in this matter. Mike Eidson.

Answer
What a loaded question!

Most of the folks I know learned how to trade at the "school of hard knocks".  Also most people lose a lot of money before they  actually make any.

Be careful about the newsletters, etc.  Some are very good and some can get you in big trouble.

I really don't think it's something you learn in school.  

My friend Larry Pesavento might be able to help with books, etc.
http://www.tradingtutor.com/

I actually think you'd get a better start from:
"Investing for dummies", a book you can get from amazon.com or elsewhere, than from a college course.

The real key is, once you start, DON'T USE REAL MONEY until you test your strategies "as if" you were actually trading.