I want to get into some day trading here and there. I have a bit of cash that I can play with but at the same time I'd rather not lose my money either. No risk, no reward kind of thing. I'd rather save up and buy rental properties honestly. Trying to pay off my house and buy another. use the cash from the rental to pay the new mortgage. Put extra toward principal of the loan. Rince and repeat.
So I've done a ton of research on rental properties. In the end, you are going to make 5 to 8% ROI, not including interest payments. Unless you leverage loans at a very low rate, and pay rental properties with long term mortgages, you will make a lot more money in the stock market with a lot less effort.
I was dead set on doing the rental property thing, but in the end, the math didn't work out.