If you read this column, that means you maintain one or all of the following: 1) children, 2) a desire to invest without a broker, and 3) no clue. Cora and I will tackle these issues today, and we decided to deal with the clues first. Why? Because if you don't have a clue about what you're doing, then we worry about your children and your money.

When someone lacks clues that means they're lost. We realized how lost a person can become when a person asked me last week about the "dangers" inherent in a BUYandHOLD registration. Cora and I looked at each other, and I saw surprise. I don't know what Cora saw, but I tried to register complete ignorance. Then, I realized this friend just bought her first computer and she was still afraid to open her e-mail. Fear is a very real obstacle, and children and money seem to acerbate this situation.

Fun often eliminates fear, right? So, to help lessen anxieties about the mysteries at BUYandHOLD, we decided to make this lesson like a scavenger hunt. We left clues based on my friend's questions, and we even supplied answers so the "hunt" is less stressful:

Clue: If you register at BUYandHOLD, then you can open an account.
Answer: In other words, if you register at BUYandHOLD, that means you do not open an account. Opening an account is a different process, and we'll go there in a bit.

Clue: If you register at BUYandHOLD, you don't worry about your information.
Answer: Your information is safe, and BUYandHOLD won't share it with anyone. Just go to https://www.buyandhold.com/Buy?request=reg.newReg and spend two minutes with the process.

Clue: If you register at BUYandHOLD, you'll know how to use the site.
Answer: BUYandHOLD has guided tours and, unlike real-life guided tours, you can listen to your stereo while you cruise through the directions. Start here to learn how to use the site to full advantage: http://www.buyandhold.com/bh/en/tour/intro.html.

Clue: If you register at BUYandHOLD, you will gain a new facet to your identity.
Answer: When you register and investigate your "investment personality," this does not mean this site will suck your soul out of your body. When you decide which BUYandHOLD investment payment plan fits your lifestyle, you gain a new angle on the polished diamond of your personality. Go here to get buff: http://www.buyandhold.com/bh/en/tour/what/index.html.

The Last Clue: If you register at BUYandHOLD, your kids will have fun.
Answer: When you register at BUYandHOLD and learn how to command the site, numerous opportunities await. And, if you're still nervous (and you still don't have a clue), just sit your adolescent down at the computer and let them teach you. That's how I discovered many of the benefits at BUYandHOLD. Kids have no fear.

Now that we're on the children topic, let's ponder some very real fear: School's out for the summer. Now we encounter two to three months of full-time children around the house. If we're single parents and we work, the problem becomes even more stressful. However, the answer to stress relief is to pull your children into a new learning process. If this task is featured as a "game," you're set for at least a few hours.

The first project demands that you allow your children to watch TV for at least one hour. You can pick the station, but they need to watch a show with commercials. If your children are old enough to write, give them pencils/pens and paper, and tell them you need this information:

1. Company: What is the name of the company that paid for this promotion?
2. Product or Service: What is the company selling?
3. Message: The commercial will always tell you to do something. What was the message? Buy? Sell? Do something else?
4. Directions: How do I do #3? Is there a website to go to or a number to call?
5. Response: Was the commercial funny? Serious? Insulting? Boring?

If your children can't manage all the above within a 30- or 60-second commercial, don't worry. It takes time to learn how to watch commercials for these clues, especially when the habit is to jump up off the couch when a commercial appears. They can also continue writing after the commercial ends. This is a game, not a torture test. If done without pressure, the kids will catch on and they'll turn this into a non-stress activity on their own energy.

The purpose to this week's game is to learn about investment possibilities. These opportunities will change depending on which channel you watch, because companies choose to promote their products or services to what they perceive as their "audience." If your children watch a cartoon channel, you'll end up with a list that includes cereals, computer games, and theme parks. This is fine. If they show up with lists that include items you don't recognize, don't worry - it's a learning process (but find out what channel they're watching?). It's also the beginning to an investment education, and your children just made the first step with you as the teacher. We'll go into this in detail next week, because this project can last all summer.

Ok - now we'll deal with your money. For some, the process of opening an online account and investing without a broker is very scary. My advice (and this is just advice), is to take it slow and easy. But, I'm probably preaching to the choir, because if you fear investments without brokers, then you might be very conservative with your money anyway. If you read through the information at BUYandHOLD, and spend just a little money to buy the book below, you're well on your way to making that first investment step alone:

One Up On Wall Street: How To Use What You Already Know To Make Money In The Market by Peter Lynch. Down-to-earth information and a great read. And, the information comes from a very cautious and very rich investor.

Have fun, and we'll see you next week?
Linda Goin