Howdy chrisc83,
re: $15 grand to invest
I have been using covered call strategies in the US market. It is a great way of gaining cashflow from a lump sum and with the current exchange rate a viable option.
In essence:
Buy a share (block of 100 shares)
Sell an option (1 option equals 100 shares)
Generate 3-6% per month cashflow depending on your risk profile
Best account to use is http://www.interactivebrokers.com – the cheapest transaction fees by a long way.

I am not a financial planner, adviser etc so do your own due diligence before investing. http://www.optionsxpress.com offers  a practice trading account – would be worthwhile learning without investment for a while.

If you want any further info or assistance, happy to help

Jack