Leslie

I think the first step would be to meet with a financial planner. Ask around where you work to see who other people trust. A good planner would be willing to meet with you just to discuss options.

Taniyah

Before investing you must not owe anyone money. check out get out of debit then invest and live like no one else. Dave also has a talk radio show where he helps people with their money and investing check the website for a station near you.

Edwin

you can start contributing to you 401k at work. its a good start.Also you can buy a savings bond out of every check. they are only good after so many years but they are cheap and you get a solid return on your investment

Jade

my wife and i actually met with a financial planner last night. he’s going to help us set up a financial plan that will hopefully help us meet our goals. retirement and travel and so forth. talk to some people you know and ask if they could recommend someone to you who does this. if your job offers stock options and tax deferred anuity programs get into them now. I should have done it in my twenties. now i’m 41 and just starting this. better late than never. good luck.

Trystan

Good Old American Equities, still the best for a gambler.
You can open an account for next to nothing these days, try Sharebuilder, put a few bucks into some good stocks, CAT is a great buy if you can catch it down around $45 per share, HD just does it over and over again for you, ranges between $33 and
$52, splits, gives you twice as many shares ! I’ve done great with HD. Start to study, good use of your spare time.

Misael

To help you attain a sound financial future, begin by living below your means and paying yourself first [that means saving]. Assess your tolerance for risk before investing your savings. Consider your age and the number of years until you might want to retire when you assemble your portfolio. Take advantage of tax sheltered or deferred instruments if they are appropriate for you. Don’t invest in a high stakes venture unless you can afford to lose the money.

Maxim

It’s always a good Idea to see a CFP (certified financial planner). Their job is to work for your benefit, not to sell you investments.

They will cover subjects like employee benefits, insurance, budgeting, debt, living trusts, 401k, taxes, saving for childrens education and real estate as well as investment types and investment types to keep away from.

You will need to gather together all your debts and all your assets so just the act of going to a financial planner helps you to get a handle on where you are.

Suze Orman is a CFP and she has a column on Yahoo. She always gives good advice.

finally, go on to the internet and get familiar with the following terms.
Asset allocation
401k
Roth ira vs ira
Large med small cap
Value vs growth
Indexed mutual funds
ETF
Sector funds
Bonds CD
International funds

Good Luck

Heather

Before investing, pay off your debt. Avoid accumulating new debt. Live within your means. This will give you money to invest.