Perhaps the most successful were the English with the London Stock Exchange. The LSE even today is acknowledged as the leading stock market in the world. It was to London that the first American Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, turned when he wanted to begin development of economic power in the New World. Ok you know you want to invest for the future but exactly when in the future? If you're in college and wanting the cash in a few years to buy a place to live that will be different from someone who is middle aged and going to start investing for retirement. A second aspect needs to address whether you will make regular set payments or if you're just planning to put in lumps of cash whenever you can afford it. Obviously you need to sit down with pen and paper and work out just how much that will add up to in interest. Will it be a worth while saving that you make each month on your existing repayments over how much you pay in the long term. Of course if you are consolidating bills from credit cards you will probably find that the lower interest rate will make a huge saving in both the monthly repayment and the overall cost of the loan. It's not just the self discipline of course there are many other skills you will learn. The analytical skills you need in selecting a suitable investment are the same ones you will be required to apply in the workplace. When you decide to begin investing it is necessary to examine your attitude to risk. For some they will only sleep well if they are almost risk free while others are equally comfortable with some of the riskiest options known to man. Just remember that there is no right or wrong there is only right for the individual concerned. As part of assessing your own comfort level you will want to feel comfortable that you can afford to risk losing the money that you are planning to invest. In the stock market there a large number of different options to choose from. A good place to start is by considering if you should be investing at all. Before asking "how do I get started in the stock market" a better question might be "how much can I afford to lose". A quick dose of reality for some I'm sure but a very necessary one.