I'd like to reiterate my suggestion to invest in ETFs or individual stocks through Sharebuilder. Dividend and capital gains taxes are pretty favorable right now, and 4% commission is hard to beat.
There are several promos out there. I just took advantage of a
$65 bonus because I am a Costco member. ($85 if you're an executive member!)
If you're not a Costco member, you can still get a
$40 bonus until Jan 15.