🏦 Make Your Own Machine Part 2: What’s a Brokerage (and How Do I Pick One?)
Alright, so now you know what a stock is. You’re not buying magic beans — you’re buying a slice of a real business.
But here’s the next question:
“Where do I actually buy stocks? Can I just Venmo Elon Musk or something?”
Not quite. You need a brokerage account — and don’t worry, it’s not as intimidating as it sounds.
🧰 What’s a Brokerage?
A brokerage is just a platform that lets you buy and sell stocks.
Think of it like an online vending machine for investing:
- You put money in
- You tap what you want (like a share of RUM)
- Boom — it’s yours
The brokerage handles all the behind-the-scenes stuff with the stock market. You just click buttons.
🤔 Which One Should I Use?
You’ve got options. A few popular names:
- Robinhood – Super beginner-friendly, no commissions, great mobile app
- Fidelity – More advanced tools, trusted name, solid customer service
- Charles Schwab – Also beginner-friendly, more traditional
- Webull – Great for data nerds, but a little more complex for new users
✅ My Pick: Robinhood
If you’re following my FIRE Engine strategy, I recommend starting with Robinhood for a few reasons:
- It’s dead simple to use
- You can sell covered calls directly in the app
- You get a free stock when you sign up with my link
It’s what I use, and I’ll be walking through screenshots and examples using it throughout this series. So unless you already have a favorite, just start here and keep it easy.
📋 What You’ll Need to Open an Account
You’ll need:
- Your full name, date of birth, and address
- Your Social Security Number (required for tax purposes — it’s legit)
- A U.S. bank account to link for deposits
It usually takes 5–10 minutes to set up, and you can get approved the same day.
🚀 Want to Start Now?
You can sign up here:
🎁 Open your Robinhood account and get a free stock
Once you’re in, you’ll want to connect your bank and deposit something small — even just $20 to get started. Don’t overthink it. Just get your foot in the door.
🧠 Bottom Line
A brokerage is just the tool that lets you buy stocks.
I use Robinhood because it’s easy, free, and works great for covered calls.
In the next post, I’ll show you how to actually buy your first stock (without messing it up or accidentally buying 1,000 shares of Dogecoin).
👉 Up Next: [Post 3: How to Buy a Stock (Without Screwing It Up)]
Want to see this strategy in action? Check out the original FIRE Engine blog.