Great idea. The old adage of pay yourself first is probably the best financial habit you can adopt at 20. At this point, don't even think about where to invest that money. It can go in a jar (not really). The investment return doesn't mean that much until you've a accumulated a sum, and it's the habit that counts. 10% often comes up and it's a nice round number, so every dollar you make for the rest of your life, 10 cents goes in an account.

An IRA, or better yet 401k if your work provides for it is the best place. Tax deferred is great. Matched by your employer is free money. Never pass that up.

Open a mock portfolio in Yahoo Finance or another site, and start reading up on the stocks you like. Follow your returns for a year or more, and if you like your mock investment returns, you can open a discount brokerage account and start investing real money.

In these economic times I tend to stick to stuff I have direct control over. IRA, 401k, 5 year bonds, stock derivatives to me that all says the same thing; stuff you don't control. These are paper assets and right now all paper assets are, if you ask me, way over valued. It's a bubble. I wouldn't put my money into them.

What I'm putting my money into right now is bitcoin (although that's something of an experiment rather than an investment) and silver. You can buy actual silver (and gold) online and get it delivered its like buying from amazon. In this economic climate posssession is nine 10ths, and you really can't beat physical silver or gold in your hand. Paper assets can just evaporate to zero with the stock market fairies, but no matter what an ounce of silver is an ounce of silver and you can sell that at market price.

In terms of how common they are in the Earth's crust, there's about 12 times as much silver as gold, and historically silver was about 1/12th the value of gold ounce for ounce. Makes sense right? Today, silver is about 1/63rd the price of gold. To me that's a screaming buy for silver because it means it is under valued. If silver jumps back up to 1/12 the value of gold (which I think it will in the not too distant future) then you've made 5 times your money.

I'm not a hard money nut I'm not one of these people that stacks silver preparing for the end of the world when all paper assets are worthless, I'm just being practical. All these paper assets and financial instruments are over valued and overly complicated. Simple is better, and you really cannot beat physical possession.

No one can educate you here. But go get a copy of "Investing For Dummies." Easy to read and gives you the basics. It's knowledge everyone needs.

what is your question exactly?

I'm 20 years old. I don't make big money at my job but I make enough to live. My lifestyle is not all about spending tons of money. But I like to be able to pay my bills and not be broke. I like to have a little extra to go out to eat once in a while like once a month or so and if I need something I'm able to get it. But wen I retire I'd like to be able to live comfortably. I was thinking about investing some money. I understand I need to keep putting money into it when I have it. But I don't want to go around broke all the time cuz I put all my money in there. I would like a little advice form someone experienced in investing.