A stock watch list is a lot like window shopping - you see something you like but you aren't quite ready to make it your own. Maybe the timing is wrong or maybe you want to comparison shop. Maybe you just like a bit of a tease to whet your appetite. Whatever the reason, creating a stock watch list is easy and a great way to stay on top of your favorite stock.
Most online trading venues - and even fantasy trading games - allow you to create a stock watch list simply by typing in the ticker symbol. For example, Wall Street Survivor offers a stock watch list free for all Survivors. It's easy to track gain and loss, price over a period of time and even engage in a little self-defeating torment by calculating what could have been if you had purchased at a given time in the past. Some will even email an alert if a price hits your target range.
Quick, convenient and motivating. Don't believe me? Create your own stock watch list and let it ride for a couple of years then check in to see what you have been missing. Ouch.