Stocks are fun, you can lose a lot or gain a lot. Research, research, research, and then go with your gut. Simply the company behind the stock needs to make money. Kicking myself in the ass for dumping TSCO (tractor supply company) a few years ago. I doubled my money and got out thinking it peaked. I was wrong it went from $20ish to now $80. My basis for selecting them? Unique niche they're in, trend of yuppies moving to the sticks, not too many stores like them, not a real farmers store but a hobby farmers store, they were building more and more stores and had bought one of there competitors, and then increasing profit margins, declining debt to equity, and improving return on equity. I missed the Chipotle train (CMG chipotle Mexican grill). A couple years ago I thought wow this is a new up and coming place that's expanding and popular but then I saw how high the stock already was and said screw. Once again i should have went with my gut. You don't have to gamble big money on stocks. Put $8000 of your $10,000 in something very low risk which is basically low return, then play stocks with the $2000, or maybe just $500. I'm still waiting on oil and gas, landholding companies to make profits, just taking forever like CHK(chesapeake)Some billionaire just bought a ton of their shares demanding change in the top executive management. I think he sees what I see. At least I hope. You can set up simple alerts to email you for stocks when it goes this high or this low. Set it and forget it. But ya you can loose your ass or get a bunch 1099's every year. Betting on DFS (discover card) to go way up currently. Cashed out on the V (visa) and made good money but yet again too soon. I have a habit of cashing out too quick but I like to play it safe when I know I made money and run with it. Like Sprint, I bought low, it's making money but when to sell is the question.