Most of us know how to make money and spend money; some may even know how to save money, but not all of us are comfortable with investing money, even though recent times are now pressing us to begin changing our financial behaviors.

A lot of us want to learn how to grow our money. In fact, this common desire may well be the reason why so many have fallen prey to the many money scams that have sprouted online.

While most jobs out there are pretty tough and challenging, there are also ways to make money that may require less effort on your part. But before we clue you in on those strategies, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

There is no shortcut to making money. Sure, you can try the slot machines in Vegas, or even the card tables. You may also want to try online poker, and even take a gamble on Lotto (pun intended). However, statistically, your chances of hitting the jackpot are next to nil. The way it goes, you may spend all your life betting on lotto tickets, without successfully making a dime this way. You may spend a lot of vacations in Vegas and never recoup your losses at the card tables. Get rich quick schemes that leave things to chance are notoriously terrible ways to make any money. In fact, you’re bound to lose money by engaging in these schemes.

Working hard is good, and saving is even better. But investing is what will help you reach your financial goals. Investing allows you to grow your money even while you work hard. The way I think of investing is this: when it’s done right, it’s like having a second income in place. Working is for your day to day living and for cash flow, but investing allows you to grow your money over time.

So the question is, how do you get started with investing? Isn’t the Stock Market mainly for the Wall Street types only?

On the contrary, it’s not.

Dave Ramsey recommends that after you’ve beaten debt, you should begin an investing program. While other finance experts recommend stocks, Dave Ramsey recommends that you buy mutual funds. While stocks may be the savvy, seasoned investors’ cup of chai latte, to the regular guy who’s a newbie, picking stocks is a more aggressive undertaking as it requires a lot more work and experience to do successfully. Dave Ramsey recommends passively investing in mutual funds given that you have financial experts that do the hard work for you.

Investing in mutual funds is one option you can take, but if you want to take on more risk for greater potential profits, and would like to take a more active role with your investments, you can learn about the investment world through online brokerage sites that also offer cheap stock trades for those so inclined to go down this path. These sites have tutorials and a lot of free educational material, which can help you become familiar with the world of stock and options trading.

If you find yourself low on funds despite wanting to invest in growth opportunities in the market, there are a few things you can try to do to get started:

Start small and save a regular amount of your income in an account that is geared to helping you meet your savings goals. A savings account along these lines is SmartyPig, which sports relatively higher interest rates and no fees. Plus, you can even solicit and encourage your family and friends to contribute to your savings goals through this channel.

Then, once you reach the minimum required to open a mutual fund or stock trading account, you can get started. It’s at this point that you can move some of your savings over to a fund or stock account.

Don’t forget that investment accounts are not for spending. More so, they are not for emergencies. Thus, keep a separate account for your emergency fund. It is advisable to use a high-yield savings account for that, rather than an investment account.

Remember to start investing today; the wonders of compound interest will allow you to grow your money exponentially. In 30 years’ time, you may even be a millionaire if you work hard, save more, and invest wisely.

Here’s to your financial freedom!