Buy solid companies for the long haul and you'll do all right. Buying stock in solid companies that you patronize is sensible. See if you can find companies you like whose stock values have consistently risen over the years, especially ones whose stock splits often. Try to buy the stock not long after it splits - the price will be lower and it will be likely to split again. Talk to a good financial planner or broker, or do some serious reading up about the companies you chose before you jump in.
Sensible strategies can bring respectable returns in the long run.
I've known several sweet, old ladies who amassed over a million dollars through municipal bonds and utility stock purchases over the years. Sure, they lived modestly most of their lives - but they didn't have to give up much to save consistently. All they did was doggedly put away a fixed amount each month - often without their husband's knowledge. This could happen to you, too, if you're careful. Eva Rosenberg, TaxMama.