1. Decide on a specific amount of money you wish to put at stake in your stock market endeavor. Don't put every available dollar on hand at risk in one place, in one stock. Pay off any credit card debt before you contemplate investing money in stocks. Allow yourself only a certain amount of money to invest as you begin.

2. Research the company you have chosen to invest in extremely well. The most winning formula for anyone participating in the stock market and the sure-fire way to make money is: buy the stock at a low price and sell it at a higher price. This is not nearly as easy to do as it sounds because you have to determine when those points arrive. What price is the stock at its lowest? Will it go lower? Why will it go lower? There is no crystal ball to give you these answers. It takes research and keeping an overall view of the stock market in your sights at all times. When is the stock price high enough to sell? Will it go higher? These are answers you must figure out.

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3. Determine if a stock is undervalued or overvalued. The price of a share of stock is actually the price someone is willing to pay for it at the time. Stock prices can rise or fall for some obscure reasons at times. You need to do enough research and be aware of current market and economy conditions, so that you can read the stock market like a book.

4. Don't let greed drive out common sense or rational thinking. Suppose you make a great decision and buy into a stock that just continues to rise and rise. Don't fall under the illusion that it won't come crashing back down; in time, it will. As the saying goes, "All things that go up must come down." The secret, of course, is to catch the stock before it starts on its way back down and sell to make a profit.

5. Use your instincts. There is no substitute for researching the financial facts and figures about a company you wish to invest in. At the same time, you need to be informed enough, and watch the stock market for such a period of time that you develop an "instinct" for what is going to happen. Not everyone is capable of doing this. Some people develop more of a "knack" for it than others. Always base your underlying decision on facts and figures, but you need to add a little "instinct" or "sixth sense" into the mix as well. Being able to figure out what the market is going to do, before anyone else, will lead to a successful future for you in the stock market.

6. Be consistent with your stock trading strategy. Lay a groundwork and foundation in research and financial figures; find what works best for you and then stay consistent with that strategy. Changing your mind and changing your strategy constantly will only lead to confusion and does not make for a very good "game plan" overall.

These few stock market tips are designed to help you think through your plan of attack when readying yourself to delve into the stock market world.

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