The stock market is an untamed animal, a wild beast. Sometimes, it is a raging bull that lifts and throws all stocks upwards into the sky. Sometimes it is a marauding bear that beats all stocks into the ground with brute force. And if you are entering the stock market, you have to ride this beast. It can be a rough ride or it can be a smooth one depending on how you handle yourself. But, hey, you can take your precautions and plan your investments well if you keep these five factors in mind:

During my sophomore year in college every day as I walked to class I passed tables where vendors urged students to fill out a credit card application, bribing us with a free t-shirt, water bottle or key chain, so I signed up for one. I received preapproved offers in the mail, and within three years I owned 13 credit cards and owed $10,000.