something to invest on the side for $100 A month?

Really, you have your 401k taken care of ? The contribution limit for the 401k is now $17,000 per year which amounts to $1,416 per month and you IRA contribution limit is $5,000 a year which amounts to $466 a month. As a 401k often offers only a limited selection of investments which may be high fee funds. The usual strategy is to meet your employer's match as that's free money, max out your IRA and then if you still have disposable income, return to the 401k. The only thing that should be outside of your tax shelters should be your budgeted living expenses, emergency fund, any specific goals such as a new car or house down payment and whatever is left over after meeting your contribution limits which is unlikely to happen. With a short investment timeframe, the shift from aggressive to conservative happens more quickly, the targeted funds assume that you are investing from the age of 20 till you retire so their shifts in risks would be inappropriate, you would be better off splitting the investment between a broad market index fund and a bond fund, adjusting the contributions to balance for 80% equity the first year to three years and then shift to a moderate ( 50 / 50 ) or conservative ( 25% equity ) position by your target date.

You might get some answers to invest.

Before you do this, make sure you know the a basic rule.

You must have at least 5 months worth of income in a savings or cd safely put away.

Never live without this emergency fund.

Don't gamble this money in the stock market.

A smart thing to do with $100 extra a month, would be to

invest it into a mutual fund using a Roth IRA.

American Century mutual funds will let you invest with small

amounts until you reach their minimum. 800 345 2021

moneyletter.com,.....It's a no/lo load mutual fund letter, rating all sectors..