<prompt> Human: I came into a windfall of 15,000 this year. I now have 27,000 in a savings account with a 1 interest rate. No debt outside of my mortgage 8.5 years left 2.5; 50k balance. I max out my employer retirement contributions, and max a separate Roth IRA through Vanguard. I have no debt besides the mortgage, and pay off my credit card every month. I save 1200-1500 per month into savings. My employment situation is as stable as it gets. I am interested in getting a return 1 on my money through index fundsmutual funds but am worried about whether now is a good time to open a Vanguard index fund for say 10k, given how well the DOW is doing. I am worried Id be buying high, so to speak. I likely will be buying a new houseselling the current one in 4-5 years. I dont need the 15,000k under my current savings plan, but it might speed up that process by a year, which could make my gfpotential wife happier as she has a long commute where we currently live. I do have a 15 year old car with 180,000 miles on it that also will likely need replaced in 5 years. Should I keep the money in savings since it gets me a safe return 1 and I plan to use the money within 5 years? Should I put it towards my mortgage since 2.5 on the mortgage is 1 in savings? Should I take the plunge into a Vanguard index fund since I dont really need the money given my current timeline for a new homesavings plan? Thanks. Edit: Thanks for all the replies. Going to put the money in a better online savings account for now, and spend more time learning about basic investing.  <response>: You are market timing. There have been people who havent invested because the stock market is doing so good since 2012. No one knows when the next recession will come. The only thing that matters if when you plan to use the money. Plan to use it in less than 10 years? Then investing in the market is not for you. Have 10 years or more? Put in a target retirement fund and forget about it until you start understanding what you are doing. 