That’s not what I want to talk about here.

For some, that type of a long term play just isn’t what their adrenaline seems to be looking for. Luckily for them there are other options when deciding on how to buy stocks. Another trick up my sleeve is to use the price-to-earning ratio (P/E), and earnings per share (EPS). I can’t claim the invention of this method (Is there anything new under the sun?), but it is a sound one when looking for what stocks to buy for maximum growth.

The idea here is that you will take the P/E of the stock and then divide that by the EPS growth in percentage. These are numbers that should be readily available to you, so let me go through an example. If the P/E is 24 and the EPS is 16 you would get 1.5. Now, what does 1.5 mean? Here is sort of the rule of thumb when looking for the best stocks to buy: if the number you end up with is 0.65 or less (particularly 0.5 or less), you are looking at some good stocks to buy. Between 0.65 and 1.0, you should stay put, just keep an eye on that one. From 1.0 to 1.7 you should really consider that selling that stock, and any more than 1.7, a definite sell.

That right there is the simplicity of the system, in a nutshell. Again, I am not the inventor, but had first read about this years ago on the Fool, however some minor tweaks above were made by myself over time.

So there you have it. When you begin to look for what stocks to buy, you can come on back and see if this might be the system for you. Remember that there are many different ways of buying stock and many different great stocks to buy, but in the end it is money management that will make or break you. Be wise both in choosing which stocks to buy as well as how much and where you invest your money.

You know the types of companies I am talking about. I’m talking about AT&T, McDonald’s, Kraft Foods, just to name a few of the companies that would fit this criteria at the time of writing. Of course I’m not making a recommendation to go about and buy stock in these companies right off the bat, but if you have been asking yourself about the best stocks to buy now, these are types of companies that come to mind.

Slow but steady wins the race when it comes to investing in the stock market and planning for retirement over the long term, and buying stocks that pay a good dividend that you can reinvest into more shares of that stock goes nicely with this plan. It is easy to get caught up in the game of wanting to buy the next hot penny stock available, or trying to rich quick of the next IPO to come out, but a good steady, solid approach of investing in the above mentioned types of companies will do wonders for your portfolio of the long haul.

If possible my suggestion is for you to use a trading platform that will allow you to filter stocks according to the criteria mentioned above when you are looking for the best stock to buy, and find those dividend-paying stocks that seem to be trading at a price much less than what they should be worth right now. Remember that a good company’s stock price can fall simply because for whatever reason there are more people looking to sell that stock than buy it. These kind of stock blunders have a way of correcting themselves, as in the end the companies that people do want to be a part of, the best stock to buy, are from the good solid companies that for whatever reason might just be going through a bad lull in their company history.

Long term is a good phrase to end on when talking about the best stocks to buy, because that is what I focus on. Let me start by saying that what I do in no way resembles the idea of ‘day trading’ or the way some people will buy penny stocks in order to take quick advantage of small fluctuations in price. I am in this for the long-haul and want to buy stocks that are going to appreciate over time. In my opinion, these stocks are those that come from well established companies that for whatever reason, at the time of purchase are under-valued; trading for much less than I think the company is worth. Remember that a stock’s price will rise and fall in value NOT based on a company’s value or performance, but whether people are currently mostly buying or selling that stock. When people are very bearish on a stock that to me seems like a good company that is only going up and up, I feel I have a winner.

The answer to how to buy stocks lies not in ‘how’ so much as ‘when’. When I find a company like the ones mentioned above, I like to buy on dips. Those are the exact moments when I feel like the company is under-valued, and will continue to go up in price over time. The only other criterion I will really focus on is dividends. I like to see a company that will pay me a good dividend; one that I will reinvest of course, for further compounding effect. For me, that is all there is to stock buying. The question of what stocks to buy should really be what kind of stocks to buy, and that is my answer. I like to buy stocks online in this fashion for the simple reason that I can know that I am adding to my ever-increasing portfolio, from the comfort of my own home, and at a relatively good price, seeing as buying stocks online costs no more than a few dollars per trade.

Still, there are few better ways to prepare for retirement and make good money, than buying stocks. To be honest, I think the problem boils down to how people go about buying stock, more so than the simple fact that they buy stock at all. I’ve made mention before that the stock market falling is not bad for everyone. Again, if I’m not just about to retire within the next few years, I don’t want to try and buy stocks when they are at their peak. Knowing that over the time the market his always risen, I would much rather be involved in stock buying when the market is low, getting more bang for my buck and then holding on for the long term.

That being said, I won’t profess to tell you what stocks to buy or even really how to buy stocks at all. I’m no professional. I suppose I can tell you however, how I play a situation like this and what I intend to be doing for the foreseeable future.

It is my personal opinion that when buying stocks the best stocks to buy are those that pay a good, solid dividend (with the idea of reinvesting these dividends), and that these dividend-paying stocks be of reputable companies that have stood the test of time. I’m interested in how some people try to buy penny stocks at six cents per share, hoping it goes screaming up to nine, that’s just not my style. That quick ‘buy stock online’ idea to sell it a few minutes later can be dangerous, and isn’t the sound, long-term investment approach that I’m going for.

Instead, I am looking to add shares of stock of the above-mentioned type of companies, and to continue to buy on dips, such as the severe one most companies saw around the end of 2008. These shares will average out and continue to add up, all the while paying out their fantastic quarterly dividends that will be invested back in for further compounding awesomeness. I truly believe that over the long-haul, that is how to buy stock. There is no need to work your tail off at the stock market, let the market work for you over time when buying stocks.

Yes, I said it, but I suppose now I have to explain, and let me preface this by saying that I AM NOT with 5-10 years of normal retirement age. If I were I might be singing a different tune. Here’s the deal. Based on history, reinvestment of dividends and the fact that I like to buy stocks at a lower price, rather than when they are close to peaks, I prefer a bearish market. I want the best bang for my buck right now. Unless you are within 5-10 years or so of retirement, you should want the same thing.

It isn’t too different than other markets. Would you want to buy a house when house prices are up towards their peak, just because as of late house prices are screaming up? I hope not, because after the boom comes the bust. This is also how to buy stocks. Buying stocks and buying real estate are similar, and it sounds rudimentary I know, in that you want to buy low, and sell high. I know you have heard that mantra, but you’ve got to apply it too!

So what are the best stocks to buy? Well that is a debate for another time, but what I do know is that on any given stock, I’d rather buy it cheaper than more expensive. I know… duh.  Stock buying doesn’t need to be rocket science, or any kind of science for that matter. Just know that you are in it for the long-haul, that this is to secure your future one day down the road, and not next week, and you’ll feel a great sense of relief as you suddenly realize that your portfolio losing 38% in one year, is not the end of the world… and not even the end of your journey to buy stocks for your future.

So what do you do now? Well for one thing, you don’t panic. Know that when the market is going against you, it is often a blessing in disguise. Set up shop with your preferred online broker to be able to easily buy stocks online, and begin to do so as your funds warrant. I won’t be spouting off some sort of ‘best stock to buy’ list, but I can tell you some of my favorite things to look for: I like to buy stocks that seem to be under-valued, and that pay a good dividend. I am also partial to well-known companies, the Coca-Cola’s of the world. In the end of course, buy stocks how you feel comfortable, and how you see fit.