Basically, the stock market is a way to use your money to make even more money. It is also easier to dabble in stock investment— buying and selling stocks is easier and cheaper than, say, joining a mutual fund. If you stick with it long enough, you should also be able to build some equity. There will be some market fluctuation, though, so it's best to invest money you may not need to access in the immediate future, so you can ride out any market downturns.