I just started a job at a non-profit organization and need to set up a retirement savings plan. I now understand that mutual funds generally do poorly and eat away at your compound growth with quarterly fees and loads. I understand that it would be better to use the Foolish Four and invest in a few good stocks each month instead, but I don't understand what mechanism to use to accomplish this. It's simply easier, though less profitable, to send a chunk of money to mutual fund managers each month, and employers are set up to facilitate this. Can anyone tell me how to go the stock purchase route through payroll deduction? If your monthly contribution will be less than the cost one share of each stock, can you buy increments each month, and still dollar cost average?

If anyone can fill me in, I'd appreciate it.