Despite there being numerous ways to build wealth, few pathways can offer the financial independence that can be achieved by putting your money to work in the stock market. For example, since 1980, the broad-based S&P 500 has navigated its way through four significant bear markets yet has delivered an average annual total return, including dividends paid, of 11% per year.
Perhaps the best thing about investing in stocks is that you don’t need a mountain of cash to get started. If you have $500 at the ready, which won’t be required to cover bills or emergencies, this is more than enough to put to work in these five stocks, which look to be no-brainer buys.
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