the internet does the job just fine, imo. there are some good investing blogs that will give you good information for the beginner investor. if you want my 5

the internet does the job just fine, imo. there are some good investing blogs that will give you good information for the beginner investor. if you want my 5 second pitch for what you should do, here it is: open up an online savings account with HSBC direct or ING direct, so you're getting 3%+. save up money so that you have padding for 3 to 6 months worth of living expenses, in case of emergencies. i'd suggest 6 so that you have 3 months of living and the other half is for monetary emergencies (big car problems, etc). put your long term investment money (401k/roth) into index funds with low costs. keys are diversification (50% domestic, 30% international, 20% bonds is what i do) and long-term. despite short term drops, over the long haul, the market will grow. set it and forget it. after that, if you still have some cash left over, you can pick up some more riskier stuff. just make sure that you fulfill your "safe" investments first. ensure your long-term riches and safety first, then go for short-term stuff.