Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions? Unkie's got answers!
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Getting Started
Unkie The Stock Junkie is designed for teenagers (ages 13-18) who want to learn about investing. But honestly, anyone curious about the stock market can learn here! We explain everything in plain English without the stuffy finance jargon.
Nope! Everything on this site is completely free. You don't need a brokerage account, you don't need to deposit money, and you don't need to buy anything. Just read, learn, and practice with our paper trading tools.
Great question! Legally, you need to be 18 to open your own brokerage account. But here's the secret: you can start learning NOW, and if you're under 18, you can open a custodial account with a parent or guardian. Many successful investors started learning as teens - that's your advantage!
Start with the basics! Check out our article "What is a Stock?" to understand the fundamentals. Then explore the investor screeners to see how legends like Buffett and Graham think about stocks. Read at your own pace - there's no rush!
Screeners
A stock screener is like a search engine for stocks. You tell it what criteria you're looking for (like "low debt" or "high growth"), and it shows you companies that match. Think of it like filtering products on Amazon, but for stocks!
No! Our screeners are for educational purposes only. They show you what legendary investors look for, but they don't tell you to buy or sell anything. Always do your own research and consider talking to a financial advisor before investing real money.
Each famous investor has their own style! Buffett looks for wonderful companies at fair prices. Graham looks for bargains with a margin of safety. Lynch looks for growth companies you can understand. Icahn looks for underperforming companies with hidden value. Try them all and see which approach resonates with you!
Our screeners use delayed data for educational purposes. Stock prices change constantly during market hours, so the examples shown are snapshots for learning. Always check current data before making any investment decisions.
Investing Basics
You can start with very little! Many brokerages let you buy fractional shares, so you could start with just $1. But more importantly, start with knowledge first. Learn as much as you can before putting any money in the market.
Yes, absolutely. Investing involves risk, and you can lose some or all of your investment. That's why we emphasize education and practice before you invest real money. The stock market goes up over the long term, but it can be volatile in the short term.
These terms are often used interchangeably, but technically: "stock" refers to ownership in a company generally, while "share" refers to one unit of that ownership. You own "shares of stock" in a company. Think of it like a pizza - the whole pizza is the "stock," and each slice is a "share."
Both! Save for short-term needs (emergency fund, upcoming purchases) and invest for long-term goals (retirement, college, wealth building). Savings keep your money safe but grow slowly. Investing has more risk but historically returns more over time.
Safety & Privacy
Yes! We designed this site specifically with teens in mind. We don't collect personal information, we don't allow real trading, and all content is educational. However, we always recommend teens discuss investing with a parent or guardian.
Nope! We don't require accounts, we don't track personal data, and we don't sell information. The only data we might collect is anonymous website analytics (like which pages are popular). Read our Privacy Policy for details.
Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you to share what you're learning with your parents. Investing is a great family conversation, and they might learn something too. Everything on this site is appropriate for all ages.
Technical
Our articles are generated using AI (artificial intelligence) powered by NVIDIA's free API, but they're based on time-tested investing principles from legendary investors like Buffett, Graham, and Lynch. The AI helps us write faster and explain things in multiple ways, but the wisdom comes from proven strategies.
We publish new articles every day! Our automated system generates fresh educational content daily at 10:17 AM UTC. Check back regularly to see what's new.
We're open source! Check out our GitHub repository to see the code and potentially contribute. You can also suggest topics by contacting us.
100% free, no catch! We use free hosting (GitHub Pages), free AI (NVIDIA's API), and open-source tools. We may add some affiliate links to books we recommend (like "The Intelligent Investor"), but that's it. Our mission is education, not profit.