I started at 26 with IFT at 50c ($500 total investment) and sold for 75c. Keep the start up and do your reading. I used a book by the Motley Fool blokes (a workbook) and took myself through two or three share choices and learned a lot from that discipline (you can also get Benjamin Graham’s book for free on the internet and that will help you a lot too - more and harder to digest but free). The first 1,000 is the hardest to get but if you downgrade your breakfast cereal to porridge and convert your instant coffee to twice used teabags, plus ask for cash instead of a gift from secret Santa, you should get there within the year. As soon as you have your 1,000 get in and buy your top pick share (just choose one so you can optimize any gain but of course you will maximize your loss).