The reason most people are poor is because they don't invest.
The reason why most people who invest are poor is because they don't want to take risks.
Oh yes, they want 30% return on their investment per annum but mention risk and they run for the nearest bank.
This article isn't for those people.
This article is for those with a low sum to invest, those who are after the best thing to invest in with less than $1,000.
Don't listen to people who say not to invest in stocks because the market is down.
What better time to invest than when prices are low! The people who invest consistently over the long term (think George Soros, think Warren Buffett) are the winners.
They don't withdraw all their cash from stocks and dump it into the bank.
They reallocate their funds and manage their risks.
They don't take unnecessary risks, they are far from reckless.
In fact I'd go as far to say you should read books about both of these men.
What better way to learn than from the best? The best thing to invest in with less than a $1,000 is probably small-cap stocks, as long as you do some homework and do not mind the risks.
Sectors that are not as affected by adverse economic conditions include things like education and health.
Have a look at a list of small-cap companies and pick out those in the sectors that interest you.
Do some background research on those companies, the management, the debts, the profit, the turnover, and find out all you can before you make an investment decision.
In the meantime the only time your money should be in the bank is whilst you decide what stocks to buy.