Key Points Investing a large lump sum can allow you to generate big gains quickly. A solid option for many investors is to simply track the S&P 500 through an exchange-traded fund. A simple buy-and-hold strategy may be boring, but it can be the easiest and safest way to grow your portfolio. 10 stocks we like better than SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust › You need money to make money in the stock market. While everyone would love to invest in the next hot growth stock and for a $1,000 investment to grow to ...