Best way to get stocks/etc online?

[bobsmith1492]

I'd like to put some mulah away in some different stocks but have never done so before. What's the best way to get some stock without paying a bundle? I'd rather do it online, too, if possible since it seems that would have to be cheaper.

 

[moparacer]

Open an account at Vanguard and invest in the Total Stock market index fund (VTMSX)

No loads and a dirt cheap expense ratio.

Start depositing money in it and let it eat....

 

[DaveSimmons]

Right, go to vanguard.com and choose one of their stock index mutual funds instead of trying to pick individual stocks. Even most professional stock pickers at "active" mutual funds do worse over time than the S&P 500 index funds like VFINX.

 

[Miramonti]

For individual stocks and actively managing them, open an account w/ameritrade or scottrade. Otherwise for individual stocks for buying and holding for a long time, try sharebuilder. Otherwise, for the market overall, what moparacer and DaveSimmons said.

 

[moparacer]

Also if you want foreign exposure they have the total international (VGTSX) that has European, Pacific and Emerging Markets in it.

In my IRA I use the target retirement 2030 fund has those funds plus the total bond market in it and it rebalances as you get closer to retirement.

Simple and most importantly cheap.....

 

[fisheerman]

Zecco.com $0 for basic equity trades.

Been using them a little over a year.

-fish