Questions to Financial Pros!

Here's a question I just posted on a very famous blog Free Money Finance. I'm sorry I dont' know how to do the fancy links so, you'll have to google that blog. It's a really really cool blog too!

I'm sure they're (the commenters and owners of the blog) all laughing at me as we speak. Ahh such is life. HaHa..
This is what I wrote:
Let's just say YOU were 40 years old and this is YOUR first time investing/saving. YOU're a ONE income household (husband works, mom stays home) --YOU have $8000/ month ($1000 a month for 8 months) to ONLY INVEST or SAVE it.

How would YOU INVEST or SAVE it? The trick is, you're NOT allowed to spend this money. You have to come up with a plan that will convince your spouse that this money will NOT dwindle down to zero but, will in fact GROW. and GROW into a really nice amount. Is this a dream or is this really possible?

And how would you go about doing it or explaining it to your "deathly afraid of ending up homeless and on the streets" spouse?

Thanks for your comments and responses :)

Hopefully you haven't laughed too hard at me!

I'm on information overload just to warn you. I forget where I read a certain person that reads all this information feels excited to do it but, just FREEZES up and does NOTHING and before you know it, they're 40 years old without a savings plan! :(

I would LOVE to find a place where we can invest without upfront fees (no loads) that will return a great return. Ok Ok I'll stop dreaming right now.