Compushare (formerly EquiServe)

I just realized last week that I have never posted about one of my absolute favorite ways to buy stock. Back when I was first out of college, I began investing in DRIPS (dividend reinvestment programs) through the direct investment services of EquiServe (now Compushare). I stopped my automatic investments and sold my small amount of stock when I bought my house a few years back, always intending to start again when I had enough money (which really should have been a while ago, but I guess I was slacking). What Compushare does is provide direct stock purchase programs for hundreds of companies. By all means, not all publicly traded companies are available for purchase, but a pretty good selection is. Each purchase program is structured around the company's rules... for instance some are for employees only, some can only be done online or on paper, some charge investment fees, some have high minimums, some have low minimums, some require you to already own stock in the company before signing up. This makes investment selection a little difficult because the investor needs to find a program they qualify for, as well as a stock they want to purchase. The benefit of this is that many stocks only charge a fee for selling, for example $15 regardless of the amount. Many have no fee for purchases, and automatic dividend reinvestment is almost always free. Some companies even offer small discounts. Most want a minimum initial investment ranging from $250-$1000, and monthly minimums (some offer quarterly) are typically in the $50-$250 range. To get started, go to the Compushare website, click on Shareholder Services, and then on the link for Company List on the left. Many of the companies have a "view info" box on the right, clicking that you will be able to see the terms of their purchase program. If you click the Buy Stock Direct link on the left, you can search for stock purchase plans that meet various criteria.