discount brokers

If you've never invested directly in the market before, the process of getting started can seem daunting. But if you think you may be ready to give stock investing a shot, the first question you'll have is likely to be: How much money do I need to begin?

There's no such thing as a summertime lull when earnings season is upon us. Next week will bring plenty of headlines -- among them box office receipts for the last Harry Potter film and quarterly results from Apple, Cintas, and Microsoft.

TD Ameritrade reported earnings below expectations, largely due to declining trade income and a low interest rate environment. The company recorded profits of 23 cents per share, down from 31 cents per share, a year earlier.

As the personal savings rate in the US has grown to 4.4% and continues to rise, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade and ING Direct are trying to entice investors to save a portion of that growing asset base with them.