One would think so, especially since I have no fewer than four on-line accounts, none of which I am willing to give up.

Now, as the battle for on-line accounts heats up, some of them seem more like Saks.

At least 55 such companies are fighting for a share of the $600 billion that investors have so far devoted to on-line accounts.

But of Web investors who have had on-line accounts for more than a year, 30 percent are heavy traders.

But while on-line trading offers discount services, many banks charge more for on-line accounts.

Customers can also use such software, which gives a user an overall financial picture, with many types of on-line accounts.

Figure out how to log into any on-line accounts you have and make a record to take with you (scrambled in case lost).

A computer, a modem and an on-line account, so the thinking goes, are all you need to make a fortune in stocks.

With a $50 credit in an on-line account, Jordan eagerly logged on.