Buy an S&P 500 Index Fund or ETF

The S&P 500 index only represents the largest companies in America. But for new investors, these low-cost single purchases are a great way to gain exposure on the U.S. market.

Want to own the entire S&P 500 index in an ETF? You only have to pay 0.0% a year in internal expenses (those hidden fees we’ve spoken about earlier). That means that if you invest $10,000, you’ll only be paying $3 per year. Of course, if you’re starting much lower, with $1,000, you’ll only pay $0.30 per year.

Remember, this is a great way to ensure that your money goes towards actual investments rather than towards commissions, fees and the likes.