Perhaps you are wishing you had more excitement in your life, and you are sick of wasting hours at the computer playing solitaire. Go online and check out free offers from those who post a penny stock newsletter. They promise more thrills a minute than you might be ready to handle.

The secret of success, according to the online sites that are today's newsletters, is to move fast. Getting into a trend when it's rising and out at the peak is key to making extremely high profits. This volatile market carries risks as well, since the prices (values) of these small stocks can vary widely from day to day.

Trading small stocks is real finance, of course, but you could try it just for the entertainment value. Say you decide to invest the same amount that your spend on your internet service. The possibility of turning that paltry amount into real money by getting a triple-digit return should take your breath away. The testimonials on the sites are from people who have been able to quit their jobs and work from home, having a thrill a minute.

There's a wide choice of tip sheets online. You'll see photos of stockbrokers who look like they have a Wall Street meeting right after they post the next break out stock tip, and less peaceful ones with beautiful ladies beckoning you into the giddy whirl of fast action and fabulous profits. Naturally, they both promise to respect your privacy.

Look at it as an educational experience that's a lot cheaper than a college degree and has more job security. (Remember, it's the pay check that's on the table here.) There's no need to learn a foreign language when there's a whole world of financial jargon to master. Find out the difference between a small stock and a micro cap and then learn the ins and outs introduced by your free online newsletter.

It's hard to resist words like 'explosive', 'unique opportunities for short gains', 'help you zero in on opportunities', 'find break out stocks', and 'spectacular profits'. Even the cautionary words like volatility and risk fade when paired with that seductive term 'penny'. It's hard to resist creating a new email address and taking the plunge with a subscription or two or three.

So what if the hype sounds like you're on a used car lot. Phrases like 'limited time opportunity' are all to familiar in the places where they want your money. But hype is fun. It works because it's hypnotic. If you're tired of looking to internet solitaire to pass the time, this wild ride may be for you.

Reading a penny stock newsletter probably will get you farther than reading Publisher's Clearinghouse letters. What do you have to lose, assuming you have self-control and a separate account for what really may be Mad Money? If you have the time and energy to watch the market and read the picks that the research teams have chosen for you, maybe you should go for it.