How to Buy Minimum/Small Amounts of Stock

Review your current checking, savings and other bank accounts. Compare this to outstanding debt that you owe and determine the amount of money that have readily available to invest in the stock market. This is an important first step because the amount you can invest will help determine where and what type of stock trading account you can open.
Research online stock trading accounts to determine which one will suit your own needs best. Pay attention to minimum opening deposits that they require and note trading fees and also if there are minimum per transaction requirements. For example, some online trading firms require a minimum amount to open an account, while others do not. There is also a wide range in terms of what each firm charges per transaction or trade. Make a note of all of the options and decide which one suits your needs best.
Open an online trading account. Online trading accounts have much lower fees in comparison to using a traditional stockbroker, which is more in line with small and minimal stock purchases. As of July 2010, online trading accounts had fees for buying and selling stock as low as $4 per transaction. Some online trading accounts offer the first trades free which is also a good incentive for an investor only looking to buy a minimal amount of stock.
Treat your small stock investment account the same as you would any other investment. Review your account balances at least once per month to make sure that the money you have spent on stocks is providing you with a return on your money that you are comfortable with.
Continue to buy and sell stock in small amounts and fund your account with additional money when you are able to. Even those buying small amounts of stock occasionally can build a nice-sized portfolio over time.

How to Stock a Wine Cellar (8 Steps)

Start with a small inventory of 50 to 100 bottles, including two cases (12 bottles each) of wine for aging and a case of your favorite drinking wine, either white or red.
Taste, taste, taste! Tasting wines will help you discover your personal preference. Avoid buying wines just because they received a high rating from professionals or friends. See if you like them before you make an investment.
Balance your inventory. Indulge in one or two wines you particularly enjoy, and mix in bottles of other varietals and regions to suit guests' palates.
Save by stocking up on aging wines in their youth when prices are lower. Talk to someone at a reputable wine shop and get suggestions on particular wines that would benefit from aging. Bordeaux, Barolo and Brunello usually take up to 10 years of aging and can be purchased for a song ($15 to $20 a bottle) in their infancy. Some whites, such as grand cru and premier cru white Burgundy, high-quality white Bordeaux, German Riesling, Sauternes and Gewu'rztraminer, can benefit from aging as well.
Add several bottles of aperitifs and dessert wines. Dry sherry, champagne and sparkling wine suit late-afternoon sipping. Sauternes, vintage port and late-harvest Rieslings offer an after-dinner treat. See How to Select Good Champagne.
Draw the line on buying more than a case of wine if it's a new vintage or blend with no proven track record for aging; the merchant won't be able to give you an accurate estimate of how long to hold onto it before drinking.
Know what you own and be able to find it quickly. Make a database of your cellar's inventory. Give each wine a location number and listing, and include the wine's name, vintage, producer, appellation, vineyard name, region, country, type (red, white, rose', sparkling and so forth), quantity owned, price paid per bottle, value (latest estimated worth), and size of bottle (half-bottle, magnum and so on).
Keep the temperature of your wine closet, refrigerator or cellar between 50 and 65 degrees F (10 and 18 C) for reds, and 45 to 60 degrees F (7 to 15 C) for whites, or as directed by the vintner or wine merchant.