Share your insights or perspective on the financial matter presented in the input.

What are the options for a 19-year-old college student who only has about $1000?
At that sum, it essentially doesn't matter what you do, unless you just want to outright gamble the money.  Let's look at some options: "High" interest guaranteed savings.  A five year CD returns a sad 2% right now.  That means if you invest all $1,000 into a CD, by 2016 you will have earned $105.08 in interest.  Think about that:  About a hundred bucks over the next five years.  Of course, with 3% inflation, that $105.08 will be worth about $90.57.  In fact, the total amount will be worth $953.25.  Your "doing something with your money" did nothing. Stocks can return significantly more interest, but there is no guarantee.  Even if you made 20% year on year, you would only make maybe $1,500 in returns or so in the next 5 years, and 20% every year is like Warren Buffet territory--totally unrealistic.  That's also not taking into account inflation. And neither of these is taking into account taxes! However, if you go to a casino and gamble the $1,000, it is possible you could turn it into significantly more.  It's very much unlikely, and I do not advise it at all, but it's possible.   The point is, you need money to make money, and, in some sense, $1,000 is not money at all.  I recommend you work on your skills, knowledge, and preparation for making money in the future, and by 25 or so you can really be cooking with gas.  Don't waste your efforts trying to find a brilliant way to make a few hundred bucks over the next half decade.  Save the money and find ways to try to double it by earning money on small projects.  Then challenge yourself to double it again, and keep honing your skills.