Total market investment?

[HyPer50]

Ok first off, I admit I know nothing about stocks, so excuse the probably common knowledge questions... Anyways, I heard on the radio today about "Total Stock Market Investment" or something like that.. Has anyone heard of that or something like that? The way they described it, it was basically like buying into the entire american economy, not a specific company or somethin'.. Anyways, I heard it on the Clark Howard show and it got me curious, cause I mean, I dont have a bunch of spare cash right now, but I feel as the stock market being as low as it is right now, I'm 100% positive it's going to come back eventually (or else I got bigger problems than losing the money I want to invest lol).

Anyways, cliff notes.
1. Has anyone heard of anything like "total stock market investment" or something similar? If so, can you give me some basic info on it or point me to a good site for it?

2. Whats a good online trader for a newbie?

Thanks much.

[ironchef]

They might have been talking about this...

https://personal.vanguard.com/us/funds/snapshot?FundId=0970&FundIntExt=INT

But without more information, its hard to tell for sure.

[SampaGuy]

Yep its probably just a mutual fund that is really spread out in all industries, like the one ironchef posted. Its relatively low risk but also never going to make you rich overnight, you might have one sector doing great but there is always some other sector that is doing bad at the same time, so it evens out. I have a total bond market index fund with vanguard.

[ironchef]

Thats actually an ETF not a mutual fund.