<prompt> Human: But what if you can purchase individual stocks at a discount through an employee stock purchase plan? Then should you do it?  <response>: Depends on the discount, its performance, and how long you have to hold before selling.Juts remember you may be putting alot of you eggs in one basket - both your income and your investments. If the company is on the fritz, you could lose your job and retirement nest egg in one go. 