# How do I invest in comodities.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468 "2008-10-31T17:52:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/1 "2008-10-31T17:52:00Z")
So I looked into this last time oil prices were this low, but found nothing on Google except some decidely ropey looking webpages. Now oils down below $65, how do I invest in it ? I mean directly invest in oil commodities, not by shares in oil companies. I’m looking for easy, secure, Etrade-like commodities investing site, for the amatuer investor like myself. Does such a thing exist ? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/2 "2008-10-31T19:20:53Z")
You have to have an account with a commodities broker. They’re pretty much like a stock broker except they trade commodities instead of stocks. Most firms have a minimum account size of around $2000 to $5000. Here’s an interesting series of articles on [finding a commodities broker](http://commodities.about.com/od/findingabroker/a/broker-search.htm). Be careful. The futures market is more volatile than my ex-girlfriend on her period. ---
**Author:** ![Caldazar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Caldazar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldazar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/3 "2008-10-31T19:31:30Z")
ETrade has futures trading. According to their website, opening an ETrade futures account will allow you to trade in crude oil futures on the NYMEX. Echoing friedo’s warning, futures trading is very risky. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/4 "2008-10-31T19:32:22Z")
You can also gain exposure to commodity markets via various funds. This may be the best route for many investors, rather than attempting to trade actual commodity futures. ---
**Author:** ![arseNal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@arseNal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arseNal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/5 "2008-10-31T19:33:08Z")
There’s always the etf’s - tickers are OIL and USO. They trade more or less like stocks and you can do it right from your etrade-like brokerage account. Do some research before buying tho. This is not a stock tip. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/6 "2008-10-31T19:35:05Z")
You can also look to invest in ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds). They can be bought and sold like stock but represent an underlying commodity like oil. Try typing USO into a stock symbol lookup webpage. ---
**Author:** ![Mongo\_Ponton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Mongo\_Ponton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mongo_Ponton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/7 "2008-11-01T02:40:30Z")
Maybe cruise this board for some ideas. I’m sure there are others as well [Energy Futures](http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=56) ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/8 "2008-11-01T04:28:02Z")
You should invest in pumpkins! They’ve been going up all of October. I figure they’ll peak sometime in January, then Bang! That’s when you cash in. ---
**Author:** ![cletus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@cletus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cletus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/9 "2008-11-01T04:31:59Z")
You’ll be better off trading commodity ETFs rather then commodity futures. ETFs trade just like stocks and are less risky. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-invest-in-comodities/470468/10 "2008-11-01T13:03:53Z")
I traded for about 8 months. I went through a company called Vision LP. It’s not for the faint at heart. There are tremendous profits to be made. So that means there are also great losses. I paper traded for about a year before getting into it. Thought I had a plan. I started with $4000, worked it up to $7000 in a few months and then lost every thing but $1000. Understand that you can lose more than you invest. If the market you’re in limits, you may not be able to buy/sell and get out of it. Or a change in price can have you losing thousands that you don’t have in your account. By the end of the day your expected to pony that up. Be careful. It’s addicting, and can keep you up at night.