Zecco

What dollar amount would you estimate your average trade to be?

Will you be buying income stocks/ETFs?

How many trades do you estimate you'll execute per quarter?

If you'll be investing in the low 100s/trade, then definitely go with whichever broker offers the cheapest commissions despite how sucky the rest of their services may be. The name of the game for you right now is beating commissions. On a $100 trade via E*Trade, and for someone who is not an active trader, you'd have to make 13% before you even break even. With Zecco, that may be more like 5%. On a $200 trade w/ Zecco, your break even percent gain is 2.5%. This is definitely more manageable than with E*Trade, although it will still be a task. I would recommend putting your entire position on one stock as a way of defeating the strangleholds commissions will be putting on you. With all of your eggs in one basket, you will have to do very good due diligence. Once you get more capital, then you can start branching out w/ other positions. Some people will preach diversity until they're blue in the face ... it has its merits, but not for people with only a few hundred in their accounts. And like Buffett says, "wide diversification is only required when investors do not understand what they are doing.”

Once you get a few thousand, then I'd recommend switching over to E*Trade.