Unless you really understand the stock market and what you are investing in, keep it simple. When buying individual stocks and investment products you are playing against people who do this for a living all day every day and have years of experience. And some percentage of them are crooks and scammers.

Go to Bogleheads Investing Advice and Info and follow their suggested reading list and read for the next 3 months before you invest one dime. Then if you believe you're smarter then everyone else in the business, invest as you chose. If you believe as I do, that you can not beat the market, then follow the advice of "keep it simple" Invest in low cost index funds with known companies using an asset allocation that matches your tolerance for risk.

I think we should start an investment club that would follow these principles and help people manage their own investments in a low risk manner. For every person who "has the answer" and has made money in the market, there are ten who have lost most everything or are in products they have no business buying. At this point in our life, we need to have investments that will protect our capital, make a modest return, and allow us to sleep well at night.

You can beat the market. Educate yourself a good start is to subscribe to seeking alpha