Actually, now couldn’t be a better time to start investing. With the dow around 7,500 stocks are on sale. Here is my opinion on how to do it: If you are investing for retirement. And you are under 30, simply invest in the Vanguard Total Stock Market index fund and forget about it. Don’t bother with individual stocks and don’t bother trying to beat the market. All other ages and conditions will need to use their judgement but TIME (not money) is the most important ingredient to sensible investing. Forget Jim Cramer, forget buying and selling. You should control the only thing about investing that you CAN control: cost!