INVESTMENT IDEAS CAN BEGIN AT HOME

This column is prepared by Edward Jones, a stock brokerage firm headquartered in St. Louis. The company has branches throughout Missouri, including Cape Girardeau and Jackson.

Some investors find the thought of investing in the stocks of individual companies intimidating.

With thousands of companies, how do you choose?

These questions and others are among those which will be answered in Edward Jones "Financial Focus" weekly columns, which start on the Southeast Missourian's Business Section week.

The new column, written by financial experts for Edward Jones, is provided for informational purposes only.

As an introduction to the column, Edward Jones says a good place to start investments is by taking a closer look at the products and services you use in your own family routine.

Consider a typical day in the life of an average American.

At 6 a.m. the alarm clock rings, interrupting your peaceful slumber. You roll out of bed and head for the bathroom where you turn on the light (Union Electric, Entergy Corp.), shave (Gillette) and shower (American Water Works)."

Next you get dressed (Dillards, JCPenney, etc.), and treat yourself to a hearty breakfast of eggs and Jimmy Dean Sausage (Sara Lee). After that second cup of Maxwell House coffee (Phillip Morris, you hop in your Taurus (Ford Motor Co.) and head for work.

At work, you turn on the computer (Hewlett Packard or McIntosh), return a few telephone calls (Baby Bell telephone companies). Before you know it, your watch (May Department Stores) indicates it's time for lunch. You call (AT&T) your friend to confirm the lunch date, stop by the ATM machine (Banc One Corp., NationsBank, Union Planters, etc.), then grab a quick burger (McDonald's) and coke (Coca-Cola).

On the way home from work that night, the cellular phone (ALLTEL, Motorola, Ameritech) rings. It's your spouse, reminding you that because the second car is getting a new starter (Genuine Parts Co.), you need to run a few errands on your way home. You stop by Toys `R' Us to pick up a little tyke's slide (Rubbermaid) for your son's birthday. Following a stop by the pharmacy (Walgreen) for a prescription and some Coppertone sun-screen (Schering Plough) for next week's vacation.

At home, you start a load of laundry (Whirlpool or G.E.), while your spouse cooks. Later, while enjoying an ice-cold Pepsi (Pepsico) or beer (Anheuser-Busch), you discus paint (Sherwin-Williams) for redecorating, and/or some cleaning items (Procter & Gamble).

These are just a few of the typical goods and services average Americans use every day.

Many of these products are provided by companies whose stocks can be purchased publicly. Of course, your loyalty to a particular product doesn't guarantee that company's success. But it does provide a good starting point in your search for attractive stock investment.

By discussing the company with an investment professional, you can determine if the stock provides an attractive investment opportunity, or, if another company might better suit your investment needs.

Jones' "Financial Focus" will make its first appearance on Missourian business pages Dec. 8.

The Southeast Missourian does not recommend that readers buy or sell stocks featured in this column, which is provided for informational purposes only.