Investing

For anyone who is interesting in investing in the stock market, but doesn't have the money to open an account with a stock broker, a good alternative might be www.sharebuilder.com. It's part of ING Direct, and it requires no minimum investment. Some of the larger stock brokerages require as much as a $2500 minimum to open an account. The transaction fee is very small, as little as $4, if you invest automatically. You can start with a small amount, say $25 per month, and increase that amount as you get more comfortable with it or as your salary increases. It's a good way to get started in investing in stocks. It's very important that you educate yourself about investing by taking a course or buying one of the thousands of books on the subject. Learn how to read the stock pages in the paper, and understand investment terminology. Get started when you're young, you'll be glad you did.