If you don't feel comfortable with the possibility of losing your money then it's more than likely that the stock market isn't for you. The next step in getting started is to make certain that you understand the need to leave your money invested for a reasonable period of time. That should really be no less than five years in spite of any overnight success stories you may have heard. Just as with any other form of loan every aspect of it needs to be carefully weighed up before going ahead. Things to consider are: 1. How much will the overall cost of the loan work out at? 2. How much will be saved each and every month over what is currently being paid? 3. Is there a cheaper option? A second important point to keep in mind is to match the risk to the reward regardless of the type of investment. If you are considering a high risk bond for example you need to ensure that the rewards you are being offered are equally high. Never lose sight of the fact that high rewards are being offered for a reason - the risk of loss is also high. Probably you are contemplating on opening a saving account too. If you are doing that, there are certain things you must look for. One of the first things that you have to remember is that the bank where you have your regular account is not necessarily the bank with the best saving accounts too. With a saving account, the stakes are higher because banks have to pay you interest on the deposits that you make. Now to actually get a bad credit debt consolidation loan you're going to have to convince the bank or loan company that they really are going to be benefiting. Just telling them that they will make more money in the long run won't cut it. You need to present a well thought out case as to why it makes sense to consolidate your existing loans. Something that obviously just isn't possible from reading books, watching DVDs or listening to audio CDs. A number of brokerage houses put on regular training seminars for new investors. These will take you through the basics of learning the terminology of the stock market and also on to how to select stocks using various indicators.