Free Investing, Trading and Finance Tools
On a daily basis I am asked a number of questions regarding which tools and resources I use for investing, trading and managing my personal finances. So, I thought I would make a page that lists of all these items.
After you have read through these resources, if you have questions, or don't understand something please drop me an email. I would be more than happy to help.
Note that some of these links below are affiliate links and will earn me a commission upon you signing up. I have experience with and trust all of these companies, not because of the commission I may earn.
Brokerages and Robo Advisers
When you personally invest your money in the stock market, you will need to open an account with a brokerage. Below are companies that I recommend:
Fidelity Investments: I currently use Fidelity for my rollover IRA. They have the lowest fees compared to all other brokerages, and their customer service is well above average compared to other brokerages.
TD Ameritrade: my swing trading account is with TD Ameritrade so that I can gain access to ThinkOrSwim, which is a very powerful chart analytics and trading platform.
M1 Finance: everything you need to automate investing in the stock market PERIOD. Make sure to use my share link so we each get a free $10: https://m1.finance/Y_vak53Z1aOs
Topstep: If you're a trader that is just starting out where you either don't have capital to trade with, or don't want to risk your own money (trust me this is huge for your psychology), I work directly with Topstep™ to help you become a funded trader. Click the button below to learn more about Topstep’s Trading Combine® and receive 20% off your first purchase.
AMP Global Clearing: Also known as just AMP, they have the lowest day trading margins out there for futures starting at just $400 per contract compared to other brokers that require the full maintenance margin of $5,000+ per contract. Commissions are one of the lowest in the industry as well costing ~$4 round trip per contract.
Stock Research
Trading View: Trading View is incredible for planning an investment or trade and seeing what other ideas people are thinking. The best part is you can publish your idea and see how well it worked out via an interactive chart.
Earnings Whispers: Earnings Whispers is, first and foremost, a research firm that focuses on gathering the most accurate earnings expectations for upcoming earnings releases. I use this website to gather more information when making a directional earnings trade.
Stocktwits: Stocktwits is a great place to go to gauge the overall sentiment for retail traders. My advice is whatever you read here take it with a grain of salt.
Finviz: Finviz is an amazing stock screener tool where you can see the results of your screen along with the charts. This is a great way to visually identify potential trading opportunities.
Books I Recommend
A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton G. Malkiel: this book is highly informative when understanding how and why markets move. Also the research presented by Mr. Malkiel shows why investing long term is a guaranteed win.
Trade Like a Stock Market Wizard: How to Achieve Super Performance in Stocks in Any Market by Mark Minervini: best book I have read to date on finding A+ swing trading setups. My stock scanner and trading strategy are based on Mark’s criteria.
The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham: a long, but must read for anyone looking to understand value investing principles. Could very well be considered the stock market bible.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill: one of the most important ingredients to becoming wealthy is believe and visualizing you will. This book will help development your mindset.
Unshakable by Tony Robbins: one of the best books I have read recently for the very beginner investor. Tony erases all doubt and fear when it comes to investing your money in the stock market.
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki: the best lesson learned in this book is the difference between working for money and having your money work for you. Robert accomplishes this by sharing his story from his rich dad and poor dad's perspectives.
Podcasts
Chat with Traders Aaron Fifield: Aaron does an excellent job interviewing the most successful traders in the industry. From professional traders on Wall Street to retail traders in their underwear, Chat with Traders is a must listen podcast if you want to know what it takes to be a successful trader.
Wealthsteading with John Pugliano: I absolutely love the principles John instills in his listeners. The Wealthsteading podcast discusses the mindset and discipline needed to become a successful investor and achieve financial independence.
Stocks, Futures and Options Trading Education
My Personal YouTube: I share my trading journey and knowledge directly on my YouTube channel. I cover a wide range of topics specifically about swing trading stocks, investing and personal finance.
Trading Experts: if you're looking how to swing trade stocks and focus on the bigger picture especially for investing, Shake and Ben at TE are hands down the best in the business.
TradePro Academy: if you’re looking to day trade futures or trade options, George, Victorio, Mark and Sarah have an amazing program and trading room to help you succeed.
Personal Finance Tools
Monthly Budget: without keeping track of you expenses, it will be impossible to save money to invest. This spreadsheet will help you be more transparent with you finances.
Position Sizing: one of the biggest areas to focus on when trading stocks is managing risk. This spreadsheet calculates the number of shares you should trade based on your risk tolerance, stop price, entry price, target exit price and portfolio balance.
Compound Interest Calculator: the federal government actually provides this awesome tool to calculate the future value of your investments.