The reason for this is that the fees are the same, regardless of the amount you invest. Therefore, as long as you meet the minimum requirement to open an account, you can invest as little as $50 or How much should beginners invest in stocks? You should only start investing in stocks after you’ve paid off your high-interest debt and built up an emergency fund with about six months’ income. Even then, move slowly so you don’t overcommit — try to make sure that you never have more money invested in stocks than you can afford to lose. Let's say you have $500 or $1,000 to start investing. Don't try to reduce risk by buying 10 stocks. Concentrate instead on one or two potential winners. With $10,000, stick with three or four good stocks instead of a basket of names.