I used eTrade for a while, and wouldn't recommend them. The commissions are average, but the account maintenance fees are killer. When you open an account with USAA, you get 25 commission-free trades to use in about 2 months, so that's a good time to play with day-trading if you feel the urge. Mutual funds are a good and safe way to yield 5-15% returns. Dividend reinvestment is usually a good way to go, as most brokerages will offer commission-free reinvestment. Don't overlook dividends when choosing your securities. A non-volatile stock can have a relatively stable share price, but the dividends (reinvested) will add up rather nicely, similar to compound interest from a savings account or CD.