Ensure investing is right for you. Investing money involves risk, and this includes the risk of permanently losing money. Before investing money, always ensure you have your basic financial needs taken care of in the event of a job loss or catastrophic event.Make sure you have 3 to 6 months of your income readily available in a savings account. This ensures that if you quickly need money, you will not need to rely on selling your stocks. Even relatively ’safe’ stocks can fluctuate dramatically over time, and there is always a probability your stock could be below what you bought it for when you need cash. Ensure your insurance needs are met. Before allocating a portion of your monthly income to investing, make sure you own proper insurance on your assets, as well as on your health. Remember to never depend on investment money to cover any catastrophic event, as investments do fluctuate over time. For example, if your savings were invested in the stock market in 2008, and you also nee...