[kamaal]

>>who can make an above-average salary

An above average salary in most common cases is interchangeable with 'living within means'. You can start with whatever little you have and grow.

Its really not about how small you start, its about how quickly and consistently you are making an attempt to grow.

[ryandrake]

If you have $100 to invest, you're down 5-10% right off the bat just from fixed price trading fees. Having little to invest is a huge roadblock.

[pc86]

I've never seen someone with any background in or knowledge of retail investment suggest that anyone start with less than $5,000. That seems to be about the minimum, especially if you're picking stocks where you're almost guaranteed to under-perform the market in the long term.