If you have a favorite company, like the Walt Disney Company, Coca Cola or other brand names in the United State you may be able to implement a Direct Stock Plan to purchase stocks on a regular basis. You can review the list of stocks in your local library or check out the company you are interested in by accessing the company web site.

One method of investing direct in a company is by way of the Direct Dividend Reinvestment Plan. It is commonly called a DRIP. The good aspect of this type of plan is that instead of receiving the dividends you agree to reinvest the dividends in more stock in the company. It is a regular Direct Stock Plan with a reinvestment agreement. You may do the same reinvestment plan with your other stocks and mutual funds even if you have a broker.

It will astound you the number of very good companies that will allow you to buy stocks direct by setting up a plan. The ranges of possibilities include utility companies, fast food stocks, entertainment and retail stocks.

A Stock Picker

You as the consumer may have a grocery store that over the years you may find carried all the products mentioned above. The convenience of a grocery store that carries all of your favorite items save you time and money in traveling around. The success of Wal-Mart, Target and other big box stores is the convenience of one stop shopping. The prices for brand names in the big box stores are good. Other personal favorites in shopping venues may include Safeway, Albertson's and Kroger. All of these companies are listed on the stock exchange.

The idea of you as the consumer being the best stock picker extends to larger items. You spent some time looking for an automobile, washing machine, refrigerator and like items. You chose a particular brand for a reason. The factors could be value, reliability or your past experiences. The reason could be a combination of all factors mentioned above. Value your decision process and consider investing in the company that produces the product.

Blue chip stocks

In times of uncertainty and for long term investors the Blue Chip stocks are a part of every portfolio either in direct stock purchases or through mutual funds. The Blue Chip stock is a large cap company and has decades and even a century of presence on the stock market. Some Blue Stock stocks are relatively new players like Home Depot or the result of a merger & acquisition. If you look around your house and around your town the brand products you use or have come to rely on are Blue Chip stocks.

There are index funds of Blue Chip stocks that can be bought through a financial brokerage house. There are mutual funds that are designated as Blue Chip Funds in most family of funds offered in all of the major mutual funds companies. There is even a mutual fund company that offers a spider fund comprised of Blue Chip stocks that is similar to the S& P 500.

The Blue Chip stocks merit a good review in all times not just in times of market uncertainty.