Anyone who actively saves money and wants to invest for the future needs to determine what type of investing is best for them. They need to figure out how much they want to invest and how aggressive they want to be in terms of risk they take. The more risk usually means the greater your chance of making money but it also comes with a greater chance of taking losses.
The stock market is one of the most popular places people put their money in hopes that it will go up. Learning how to buy stock is something that is not hard to do and most anyone who understands computers and the Internet can figure out how to do it. However, learning all the terminology and understanding what makes stocks go up and down is a bit harder.
If the stock market seems too complicated for you, there is always money to be made through interest income. During normal times you can get a risk-free 3% to 5% by putting your money away for one year or longer. The last handful of years though, interest rates have been very low and are not paying much more than 1%. This makes interest investing something that is not appealing to most people right now.
You can also invest in metals such as platinum and gold but this also carries risk just like stocks do. The price of metals goes up and down and may not be the best choice for someone who has never invested in them before.
Your best strategy could be to get your feet wet in all areas meaning put some money in stocks, some in gold, and some in an interest-bearing account. That way you can learn about each of these investment types and figure out which ones appeal to you. Many established investors preach the importance of diversifying all your investment types so that you are more protected during times when the economy is bad.
For more information on the stock market, you should pick up a copy of a book like Stock Market For Dummies that will help you get a good understanding of the basics before you jump in.