Step 1: Understand What Stocks Are

A stock is a small piece of ownership in a company. When you buy a stock, you become a shareholder. If the company does well, your investment grows. If the company pays dividends, you may also earn income while you hold the stock.

 

Step 2: Open a Brokerage Account

To buy and sell stocks, you need to open a brokerage account — this is your gateway to the stock market.

 

In Canada:

• Questrade

• Wealthsimple Trade

• TD Direct Investing

• RBC Direct Investing

 

In the U.S.:

• Fidelity

• Robinhood

• Charles Schwab

• E*TRADE

 

What You’ll Need:

• Government ID

• Social Insurance Number (Canada) or Social Security Number (U.S.)

• Bank account info to fund your account

Opening an account usually takes less than 15 minutes online.

 

Step 3: Fund Your Account

Once your account is open, you need to deposit money from your bank account.

• You can start with as little as $50 or $100.

• Many platforms allow automatic deposits so you can invest on a schedule (like bi-weekly or monthly).

 

Step 4: Choose What Stocks to Buy

If you're new to investing, it's smart to start with companies you know and trust.

 

Good Beginner Stocks:

• Blue-chip stocks like Apple, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, or TD Bank

• ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) like:

  • S&P 500 ETFs (e.g., VOO, SPY)

  • TSX Index ETFs (e.g., XIC, ZCN)

  • These track the performance of many companies at once, reducing risk

ETFs are a great way to diversify without having to pick individual stocks.

 

Step 5: Make Your First Investment

Once your account is funded, search for the stock or ETF symbol (e.g., AAPL for Apple or VOO for an S&P 500 ETF), enter how much you want to invest, and click "Buy."

• You can buy full shares or use fractional investing if your platform offers it (great for high-priced stocks).

• Always double-check before you confirm.

 

Step 6: Invest Bi-Weekly or Monthly

Consistency is key to long-term success.

 

Here’s how to set it up:

• Set up automatic deposits into your brokerage account every payday.

• Choose a fixed amount (e.g., $100 bi-weekly or $200 monthly).

• Buy the same stock or ETF on your schedule (this is called Dollar-Cost Averaging).

Dollar-cost averaging means you buy at different prices over time, which helps lower the average cost of your investment and reduces risk.

 

Step 7: Track and Adjust

You don’t need to check your investments every day. Once a month or once a quarter is enough for most people.

As your knowledge grows, you can:

• Rebalance your portfolio

• Add new investments

• Reinvest dividends

• Increase your contributions

 

Tips for Beginners

• Start small — even $25 per paycheque is better than nothing.

• Stay consistent — the market rewards patience and discipline.

• Don’t panic when the market dips — it’s part of the journey.

• Focus on long-term goals, not short-term noise.

 

Final Thoughts

Investing in stocks is one of the best ways to grow your wealth over time. It’s easier than ever to get started, and you don’t need to be an expert or have thousands of dollars to begin.

At Capital Corner, we believe in helping people build strong financial foundations — one step at a time.

So go ahead: open that account, start small, stay consistent, and let your money work for you.