The Daily Workshop Report
by Robert Sheard (TMF Sheard)

LEXINGTON, KY. (Mar. 11, 1997)

Compounded growth never ceases to amaze me. You long-time readers of the Fool know what I'm talking about already, so your eyes may well glaze over when I go on about it so much. But I can't help it. It's what gives me hope for all us little investors.

Anyone, literally anyone, can become a millionaire given a reasonable enough amount of time. Most adults work at least 35 or 40 years in their careers, regardless of what their income level is. Starting an investment plan at the front end of that period, even the extremely modest plan I'm going to outline here, no one is shut out from the possibility of wealth.

I know, I know, before I sound like an infomercial, Show me the money! Here it is, so easy I get chills thinking about it. How much do you pay each day for your newspaper? A coke out of the snack bar vending machine? How much change is left in your pocket by the end of the day? I'll bet virtually everyone in this country can find a dollar a day, five days a week that they'd never miss.

Here's an idea. Stick it in a jar, a bank savings account, a money-market account, whatever. We're only talking about $260 a year. At the end of the year, put it into a self-directed IRA (subject to all IRA rules, etc. yadda yadda).

Invest it in the Dow Dividend Stocks (use DRiPs when you start out for a couple of years if necessary). Forget it.

It really is that simple. Even if you did nothing else ever again to further your investments (which of course, we don't believe you'll do), you'd become a millionaire in 33 years (assuming the historical growth rate of 23%).

If that doesn't amaze you, I don't know what will. A buck a day, five days a week, 33 years of peace and quiet and bingo, millionaire. How can I say anything more Foolish than that? I can't, so I'll stop. Have a great day!

Monthly Growth Screens
     (Jan. 3 to present)
   9.63%  Relative Strength  
   8.46%  S&P 500 Index  
   8.36%  Low Price/Sales  
   4.00%  YPEG Potential  
  -4.80%  Investing for Growth  
 -10.92%  EPS Plus RS  
 -16.67%  Formula 90  
 -18.93%  Unemotional Growth  

Annual Value Screens
     (Jan. 1 to present)
  10.08%  Dogs of the Dow  
   9.88%  Dow Jones Ind Avg  
   5.12%  Beating the S&P  
   2.24%  Dow Combo  
   2.16%  Unemotional Value  
   2.16%  Beating the Dow  
  -1.52%  Foolish Four