Investment advice

timetogetfit

I have started saving 20% of my income and would like advice if I should just keep saving or should I invest it and what should I invest in

ixus

Keep saving.

heno55

if i was starting out as ayoungfella again i would save with post office savings certs/bonds

Jim2007

Keep saving and in the mean time learn about personal finance and investing.

- Once you have got a 'cash cushion' in place and established your investing objectives, then come back for a discussion on the best way to achieve it.

Jim.

Raskolnikov

ixus wrote: »

Keep saving.

While you're waiting, there's no harm in reading a few investing books. It might also be a good idea to set up one of these fantasy share-trading accounts.

Mort5000

I think your age is a fairly important factor here.

Following that, diversify.

timetogetfit

heno55 wrote: »

if i was starting out as ayoungfella again i would save with post office savings certs/bonds

why, what would the advantage of that be

pog it

timetogetfit wrote: »

why, what would the advantage of that be

If you have to ask that question, then you have a lot to learn.

Take the advice these people have given you.

Jim2007

timetogetfit wrote: »

why, what would the advantage of that be

It is all about risk versus reward, as I don't live in Ireland I'm not very up to date on the saving options offered by An Post, but at a guess I say you're getting a return of around about 4% and your money is guaranteed! Compare this to average return of about 3% - 5% on stocks, with no guarantee on your investment and it should be obvious that you should have some of this in your portfolio!

Every investment portfolio should include a portion in cash and fixed income instruments, the state saving schemes look like a very good way of having some cash in the portfolio and getting a good rate of return at the same time.

See my earlier advice about building up a 'cash cushion' and consider using the state saving schemes as a way of investing it.

By the same token, another area to check out is your employer's pension fund, if your not up the the maximum and your employer is putting in matching funds then that is also another option to increase your pot!

In fact investing in stocks is usually the last option after you've collected all the 'free money' you can get your hands on. Remember it is not a race and it's not about being cool, it's about saving enough money to reach your investment goals - buy a car, a down payment on a house, early retirement or whatever.

Good luck with that,

Jim.

UpAgainToday

timetogetfit wrote: »

I have started saving 20% of my income and would like advice if I should just keep saving or should I invest it and what should I invest in

It all depends on what your risk appetite is like. If your a safe type of person who is interested in a steady income a mortgage and a family well then saving is the way to go while you are young

If you have ZERO commitments and you can afford to loose the money then its time to start investing but its also time to figure out yourself what to invest in - no one apart from someone telling you crap is going to give you advice for free

320d

Raskolnikov wrote: »

While you're waiting, there's no harm in reading a few investing books. It might also be a good idea to set up one of these fantasy share-trading accounts.

Is there one of these fantasy share-trading accounts that you would recommend?

UpAgainToday

320d wrote: »

Is there one of these fantasy share-trading accounts that you would recommend?

All of them are the same, your best friend is google here....and btw if you cant find one with google dont even bother attempting to invest/trade/speculate

320d

UpAgainToday wrote: »

All of them are the same, your best friend is google here....and btw if you cant find one with google dont even bother attempting to invest/trade/speculate

Perfect Google it is so...

ttmd

timetogetfit wrote: »

I have started saving 20% of my income and would like advice if I should just keep saving or should I invest it and what should I invest in

I started a similar topic to this

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055926268

I would agree with the posters above in what they said

It is against the charter to offer specific advice but hopefully this will point you in the right direction.

As for the age question - generally you can think about slightly higher risk investments when you are young and single, ie a greater proportion of shares as opposed to bonds in your portfolio, as you are still able to earn money if you lost it. However if you have kids and are old, the first thing you want to insure is that you dont lose the money you have rather than getting a large return.

This is the book that will still give you most of the basics on investing, but admittedly I have not read it cover to cover.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligent_Investor

Keep saving while you are uncertain of your goals

timetogetfit

pog it wrote: »

If you have to ask that question, then you have a lot to learn.

Take the advice these people have given you.

So you know everything about everything then?

Mr_Roger_Bongos

This question seems to pop up fairly frequently from new posters to the board.

In an attempt at a helpful suggestion - Is there anyway a sticky could be made as a catch all for the usual responses? - Save your money, educate yourself, do your own reasearch.

Would mean new threads could be directed to the sticky and closed, might save everybody giving the same advice to OP's each time one of these opens.

pog it

timetogetfit wrote: »

So you know everything about everything then?

Timetogetfit: Instead of attacking me and following me around other threads just because I gave you a short and frank answer when you asked what is the point of saving with An Post prize bonds, why don't you instead do something positive and THANK people for their advice and help, since you haven't bothered to yet.
It's just a click (the thumbs-up sign at the bottom of posts). I'm sure you've seen it as it is right next to the 'Quote' button you are using to quote me after you navigated your way into my previous posts in an old thread dating back to May. You clearly have enough time on your hands for that.

Now stop giving into the aul ego and grow up.

UpAgainToday

timetogetfit wrote: »

So you know everything about everything then?

Hey im not protecting pog it but sorry you cannot argue on financial forums with the question you are seeking help on - just keep your head down learn slowly and earn some money, trust me you can loose it quickly enough

Black Swan

Invest long term, don't short-term speculate (Warren Buffet).

ixus

Timetogetfit - you asked a short question giving feck all detail hence my brief response. Some posters have been nice enough to offer you some useful advice and you've been a bit of smart arse.
Your brief responses have shown to me you should continue to save.

Should you decide you really want to learn something feel free to come back with a more appropriate tone.

Other Posters - I'll look into putting together a sticky with a newbie investor advice. Or, if someone has the time to start a thread and others add to it. I'll sticky and add my tuppence.

Ixus

Xios

I'm loving the 'no ****' responses on this forum, much more honesty round here than on other forums. I shall continue to lurk around until i have any kind of funds to begin investing, perhaps i'll invest in a good cheap book for the time being.