Question for the financially savvy:  What are some options for investing $5,000.00 or less?
129797
First, I would make sure you have at least 3 months salary saved up at the bank or in a money market fund for an emergency fund.  Financial disasters like getting layed off or sick happen to all of us.\nSecond,  I would start paying off all high interest debt.  Pay off everything you can except the house mortgage.  Paying off debt is one of the best investments you can make.  You will have more money in the future because you won't have credit card bills to pay.\nThird, if you have money left, start investing at a mutual fund company.  I like Vanguard.com.  If you don't like risk, invest your money in a money market fund.  If you like lots of risk with a higher return, invest in their diversified stock funds, like the Total Stock Market Index Fund.  If you are like most people you will invest part of your money conservatively, in money market funds and bond funds,  and part aggressively in stock funds.  Vanguard.com has an on-line questionnaire which will give you an idea how aggressive you want to be.  \nInvesting in an IRA for retirement may give you an income tax break.  Talk  to your tax adviser You may also be able to  invest in a 401K at work.
74323
Find a few solid companies that have been around awhile, trading around $3-5. Do your research and look at the charts seeing how it performs.  What you want to find is something called a "rolling stock". This is a stock that goes up and down about $0.25 a few times a day. Once you research and find a few candidates. Your strategy is to Buy a stock and sell it when it goes up $0.25. The same after selling it, sell it short (this is the exact opposite of buying, in this case you want the stock to go down) when it drops $0.25 unload it, and buy again, do this up and down thing as many times as possible. Practice. Practice Practice. Don’t let your profit get eaten up by brokerage fees, try http://etrade.com Good luck!
106749
its all about ebay,  go to the .99 cent store and see what you can sell for some ideas.  You can sell some items from the .99 store for 5 bucks.  Just an idea of what to sell, but ebay is a great way to make money
329387
investing your money. You can do that 10 dollars at a time. Contact Scottrade or ETrade for starters.
177440
Wouldn't we all like to know the answer to this question? If indeed you had $10 million, there are a lot less risky ways to make lots of money, because you have quoted such a large sum. This is the fantasy that most people get caught in. They pose a valid question on an invalid premise.\n\nPeople with $10 million don't need to make more than 3-5% a year to get rich. They already are. You, on the other hand, will never get anywhere at the current interest rate on a CD of 3%.Thus the question concerning stocks.\n\nFirst, you would not put your entire investment into one basket. It was about this time seven years ago when I last owned Exxon stock. I'm a Petroleum Engineer, and know quite a bit about oil companies, and they had just discovered some big fields on the North Slope of Alaska. I woke up one morning, and found my IRA cut in half, when they spilled oil in the Port of Valdez.\n\nNow, I trade Index Futures on the stock market for a living. In my opinion, the Top in the stock market is already in, and direction is now down for several months. \n\nSome would tell you to diversify, but not by buying five different oil companies, you have to diversify across industries. But I would tell you that all ships rise and fall on the tide, unless you are an exceptional stock picker and fast enough to maneuver your boat to gain headway.\n\nThere are times when cash is King, and this is probably one of those times. If you're in a mutual fund, switch to the money market fund or a CD or Treasury Bill; just park it for now. The name of the game is preservation of capital.\n\nIf you really do have $10 million, lets start our own mutual fund. Write me at  dredude52@yahoo.com
378837
Spend $100 on something you want/need.\nSpend another $100 on something stupid (go crazy with this one...once in a lifetime thing)\n\nSave the rest.  Put it up somewhere like you didn't even have it until some time comes along when you really really need money.
354800
You don't say how old you are, what kind of resourses you have or your knowledge of finance in general, I.E. do you know how the market works, listed vs over the counter, options, etc.?  Before you invest a dime remember the cardinal rule of investing: the public finds out after the money's been made.  In other words, if a stock is at a high it's not the time to get in.  Also, the corolary: if it's too good to be true, it's too good to be true.  Finaly, don't invest money that you can't afford to lose, especially if you're speculating (which it sounds like you are).  Go to Morningstar.com and sign up.  It will be the best money you spend for ideas, research and analysis.  Read the Wall Street Journal and look for companies with a future.  You might want to put money in an index such as the S&P 500 especially if you think the market will keep going up (and it won't - it will correct).  Bottom line is that there is no easy answer to your question.  \n\nAvoid the following:\n\nemails with stock tips\nfax messages with stock tips\nany stock selling for under $5.00 a share (unless you're willing to lose all you invest in it\npenny stock\noptions\ncommodities\nfriends who say they "know a guy who knows a guy who said..."\n\nDo the following:\n\nUse a reputable broker either bricks and mortar (Merrill Lynch, Lehman Bros, etc, or a reputable on line broker like E*Trade, Scwabb, etc.\nPut half your money in a good mutual funds of either high or mid-cap companies - you'll have gains while you experiment\nPick a point at which you want to get out on the up side (on Wall Street the pigs get slaughtered) and stick to it\nIf a stock is falling, pick a point at which you want to cut your loss.  If it;s a good company you can always buy in at what you think the low is.\n\nGood luck.  If you find the secret let me know.  I stick to known companies with solid balance sheets and a track record.  Even so I've lost (Worldcom, GM and a few others).
493432
Buy a $1,000 Series I Savings Bond.  It's also one of the safest ways to invest.
164394
The best advice I can give you is to consult with a financial professional.  He can do a risk profile on you and help work with you to invest your money in a way that best suits your needs.
426395
Your best bet is to put as much away as you can into your bank account, and do not be tempted to spend it.\n\nI would not go into the investment funds in the short term, but possibly in the longer term.
538738
you'll need a brokerage,,,,fidelity is my preference..then do some homework. why are you investing, how much can you invest, and how much risk can you tolerate......educate yourself before making decisions, or you'll end up paying for services or products you may not want or need
642375
The best way for you to invest depends on a lot of things.\n\nFirst, if you don't have an emergency fund worth 3-6 months of expenses, establish one first, maybe in a money market fund so you can get at it in an emergency. It won't pay back much, but it's better than having to borrow money in an emergency and getting into debt because your money is locked up.  Nor do you want to sell your investments during a temporary downturn to pay for something like a new roof.  Then you'll have lost that money permanently.\n\nNext, if you haven't done the 401(k) thing and the IRA thing, do it. Tax-free or taxed deferred savings are good.\n\nFinally, if you've already done all those things and still have $400K left to invest, there's still more stuff to think about. Long term, stocks will grow faster than anything else, but can be very risky short term. They're a terrific investment if you're young and have a long time line. If you're older, you have to think more about safer investments, because you don't have as much time to recover from a downturn in the market.\n\nAnyway, there is no "best" way to invest a sum of money. What's best depends on a lot of different circumstances. If you really want a good investment, go buy a book on investing so you can decide what makes sense for you. Sure, you could give your money to a financial advisor but how do you know he's not just in it for the fees and commissions he charges you? How do you know his advice is any good? You need at least a foundation so you can make an informed decision. Personally, I like "The Only Investing Guide You'll Ever Need" by Andrew Tobias. It'll give you the basics. Good luck.
337895
Odd-Lot stores, Job-Lot stores, 99cent stores, Salvation army stores, Thrift shop, Loot magazine, Craig's list, garage sales, fleet markets...neighbors moving out sales...\n\nand $500 Certficates of deposit bought at the bank every month...one year duration...and renewed at the end of the year. When the year end rolls around and the first comes due...add it to the $500 you use to purchase your CD's and make it $1000 and purchase a new $1000 CD. At the end of five years you will be so used to putting money away it would have become as natural to you as breathing...and it won't even dawn on you that $2500 is available to you at the end of each month. That is called paying yourself. And is independent of your Keogh, Roth IRA's, 401k's and social security money or anything resembling an annuity. It is all these things rolled into one and the emotional satisfaction of the discipline and the fact that you control exactly the money you put away...cannot be beat by anything a broker could swindle you...er...convince you into investing.\nNow that's frugality in my book.\n\nOh, yes...I have no credit cards either. Debit cards take their place. Can only spend what I have. Erma Bombeck is to others what Suzie Ormon is to the frugal.
369057
(my assumed numbers are for residential, non commercial, and casual investing)\n\nif you have a small investment in this stock, i cant really provide you with much good information (small can go from 1 to maybe 35/40 shares in this case)\n\nassuming a more medium investment of 50-120 or even up to 150 existing shares, there are two options i see as viable.\n#1. if the stock may split in a year or less, hold on to what you have, and then after the split, hold on just long enough for the post-split rise to end, and pull out all the extra shares you gained that you did not originally have, thus making profit.\n#2. pull out and invest in something you predict will do a similar thing in the near future, and keep riding the short-term market until you lose your momentum.\n\nif you have a larger investment, you might consider the previous plan on #1 or, you can take the time to do some math. take $ you have in stock, subtract $ in stock you had at start, and sell enough shares to equal that difference (your profit) as close as you can. that way, you have the same commitment as before in terms of money, but not shares. However, in the event that the stock splits, you will increase those shares and have the opportunity to sell those extra shares again for even more money. even if it does not split, the money you made pulling out the profit will support another endeavor into a similar situation or allow you to do whatever it is you want with it.\n\nThat’s the short term scheme of things anyway! (im more of a long-term investor) Good luck.
351507
Hello,\n\nI completely agree with wanting to invest your money.  Afterall, what's the point of making money if you can't make more money with your money (got that?)?  Anyway, I've tried all different investments from stocks and bonds to IRA's, 401k's, and real estate.  I'm really a big fan of diversification.\n\nHowever, the only investment I've really been happy with so far is real estate.  Over the past 5 years, I've bought 3 different properties (all have tenants, and I'm making more than the mortgage payments on 2 properties).  \n\nThe 3rd property I got  was using Carleton Sheets no money down methodology (he's a GURU in real estate, and yes, his methods do work!).  You can actually buy a property for absolutely nothing down (NO MONEY FROM YOUR OWN POCKET).  I payed over $500 for his course 3 years ago, and I just saw it online for $9.95!!!!  This is a steal at $9.95 (I'm actually going to buy it for my friends for Christmas).  It was featured on TV, so I got the website from there.\n\nBefore you invest in anything, I highly suggest the Carleton sheets course.  http://www.alllsite.info/real-estate.php
602966
Check out Investopedia.com. They have a lot of good investing tools & an investing simulator where you can invest $1oo,ooo in virtual money. You can buy stocks at their present value & your "portfolio" is updated every 20 minutes i believe.
66986
There is no magic investment out there which is going to provide you with lots of income with little work. Most reputable financial advisors will tell you there are only 3 basic passive investments that most rational people use:\n\n1. Bank accounts and Money Market accounts.\n(These usually barely keep up with inflation.)\n2. Bonds and Bond Funds\n(These currently don't yield much better.)\n3. Diversified Stocks\n(These Average 10% a year but have large swings in price)\n\nMost other investments you hear about are usually of questionable worth.  You can make money in Real Estate as a landlord if you are willing to put a lot of work into it.  Most good financial advisors will not recommend passive real estate investments.  (An exception is REIT's, but they are basically a type of stock)