Smart long-term investments?

From reading these “how to retire a millionaire” articles, I think I have most of the work down. I live frugally, do the little things like cook my own meals, etc. Starting now (age 18) I can easily stash $20 weekly for the long term, which will increase to $50 soon. I have all this stuff down and am probably in a good position, since I have no debt I’m trying to pay off or anything. So….what now?

Annuities? Bonds? Should I seek advice from my banker? Someone told me I should take all my money and buy silver, another person said I should invest in Europe (I have family in London so it could work) because of the sinking dollar. I’m not looking for a quick profit from the hottest stocks, I want a place where I can put aside money, know that it’s working for me (albeit slowly), and not worry about it for maybe 50 years. I guess I would benefit more from answers on how to find my way through the world of personal finance like “Here, read this book” than “stocks!!”