re: Looking for some realistic advice

Others on this board have heard me beat this drum many times already and are probably tired of it, but I suggest you establish a Roth IRA and contribute as much as possible to it, right up to the annual limit if you can.

The Roth is not tax deductible like a traditional IRA, but you can withdraw your contributions (not your earnings) at any time without penalty if you need it. Meanwhile, any earnings you get are tax free. So this is slightly better than a regular checking/savings account.

Whatever account type you choose, you also have to choose what financial institution to use. I personally have used Schwab for 20 years and love them. There are other competitors that are perfectly good but I have no experience with them.

Finally, once you have the money in a particular kind of account (Roth, savings, checking, etc.) at a specific financial institution (Schwab, Fidelity, Bank of America, Bank of Bunkie), then you have to decide what to invest in.

Bear in mind that "the market" is extremely tough to beat even for those who try professionally for a living. You can do far worse than invest in a stock index fund, I do this myself. By doing that you are investing in a stock index, like the Dow Jones or S&P. The problem with most mutual funds is that they routinely don't do any better once fees are deducted.

And finally, study while you pile up savings. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, it's early in the game for you. Better to learn now than when you're 65.