13 Stocks to Start Investing With in 2013

The new year is still fresh, and it's the perfect time to start checking things off your resolution list -- like getting more financially fit.

If you're keeping your savings in low-return but "safe" investments, you need to get your money off the sidelines and into some better-performing stocks. But with the risks involved in the equities markets, you want to buy into stocks you can trust.

No stock is risk-free, but below, you'll find 13 ideas for beginning investors to get their feet wet in the market.

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For more smart money moves:

• 13 Common Money Mistakes to Avoid in 2013

• Your Year-End Tax To-Do List: A 5-Step Plan

• Year-End Review: Give Your Workplace Benefits This 3-Step Check-Up

Motley Fool contributor Dan Caplinger owns shares of Berkshire Hathaway. You can follow him on Twitter @DanCaplinger. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Disney, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, McDonald's, Starbucks, Whole Foods, and ExxonMobil, and has the options positions on Starbucks. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, Diageo, Disney, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, 3M, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, and Whole Foods.