Don't bail out on mutual funds. Costs may not always be obvious. Limit orders are a must. Mind those market orders. Problems are inevitable.
Information is power.
If you are new to online investing, don't put your entire life savings into an online account. Start with a smaller sum, which will be easier to handle and keep track of. Once you feel confident, you can then decide to add more money to your online account. Once online, many investors tend to concentrate on stocks, specifically large-cap domestic stocks. Take into account your time horizon and risk tolerance to develop a well-balanced portfolio of stocks, bonds, and cash.