Personal Finance question? What should I do next?

I am 23 years old, wife is 24 years old. I make $52,000 a year, she make about $25,000 a year. Live in Texas and started a Roth IRA late last year. We maxed it out for 2007 ($4,000) plus the $250 we had in it last year. We have it with American Funds and and the interest for this year with the sales charge is 20.55%. We have no credit card debt, own 2 homes. One is being rented out and the profit is going into the principle. The other one is on the market. Hoping to get about $10,000 from that one. Both homes bought in 2003. The IRA is under both my wifes and my name. I was wanting to know, what should I do next to maximum my investing profits. Should I open a Roth IRA under my name and one under my wifes name? I was also thinking of getting into the stock market and investing into low-risk companies like Nike, Coka-Cola, Pepsi, and other big companies. I was also thinking of investing into gold and silver. Let me me if I need to provide more information. Thanks

We pay $225 per month on our car, which we owe about $8,000 and $350 on our truck and we owe $18,000 on that. I also get money from the GI Bill ($1800 per month). School is dirt cheap so I profit most of it.

Pay off your bills before you start any investing or only put the money in your company 401Ks up to the match.

Pay off those cars or sell them and get cheaper ones.

Don't go in to individual stocks when you do start investing. Do a good no load growth mutual fund.

Adopt me . No just kidding. Metals is good as well as currency trading. Check into foreign stocks.

Check out Vanguard funds. No-load, low expense fee's.

Have you tried tightening your expenditures? It sounds like you have a list of significant committments. Track your expenditures and cut back on those "good-to-have's".

Check out and repair the leaks in your reservoir before you put more water into it.

Good luck.

Two of your statements are unclear:
1. What is that 20.55% sales charge you are talking about?
2. IRA accounts are individual, not joint. Do you mean you each have an IRA account?

So both of your companies do NOT offer 401(k)? If they do, you should starting these accounts with your companies.