<prompt> Human: Im not sure if I want to go with stocks, ETFs or mutual funds. Id like to create a balanced portfolio. I know 10k isnt much. I dont expect to get rich off of it. Id like some modest gains but mostly Id like to not lose it. I am very interested in receiving dividend payments. I would love to see what other people think I should do and I am very open to recommendations for particular stocks, funds, or whatever else. Im curious about options and futures. Im considering adding another 1,000 to play around with these. This is an area that I know very little about. I would like to change that. Thank you in advance to anyone who responds with advice or thoughtful or meaningful comments.  <response>: This is a friendly reminder to visit our FAQ entry on InvestingYou might also benefit from this common topic: I have X, what should I do with it?Also, please visit our FAQ!I am a botrAutoModeratorcommentsq11puwhat_is_automoderator, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subredditmessagecompose?to2Fr2Fpersonalfinance if you have any questions or concerns. 