Best online stock company

I want to play in the stock market a bit. I know the risks. What is a good company to set up an online account with so I can buy/sell stocks?

I will admit my ignorance. I am assuming I setup an acount, with say $500. I can buy stock up to $500 minus the fees the broker charges. and any gains would be added to that account? And of course any loses would make the account sad.:cry

Just looks like a buyers market this weekend. Want to play!:-D

 

I did good with Scottrade...simple, cheap, worked good for me...it was fun for a while, and I had foreign stocks at a pretty good time, and for about a year, I was really studying'em, all that, but I finally just got tired of it, and got out...in hindsight, right now, that was a good idea...I don't have cash to spend now, or I think now, when everybody's bailing, and market is down, is time to get in...cuz people always follow the crowd, at racetracks and stock markets....and going *against* where the crowd is going--if u have a tough stomach--is always savvy...good luck!

 

I tried setting up an account with Scottstrade, and they want me to drive to a town 80 miles away with my SS card to get it set up? Got cash in my bank account, want to buy some stock. Now my laptop did lockup for the first time ever when trying to set this up.

But what are the particulars, can you just buy say 2 shares of a stock once the account is set up?

 

Check out sharebuilder. They're owned by ING which is where I store my tuition money before the bills come in. 3% interest rate on their online savings account. I haven't used it personally, but I've heard good things.

http://content.sharebuilder.com/MgdCon/Jump/Web/welcome/proseasy/index.htm

 

http://www.h-l.co.uk/