Starting out!

[PSE]

Look up dollar cost averaging. The worst thing you could do is pay too much for companies you don't understand and haven't the time or inclination to learn.
If you want to learn to invest start by reading the intelligent investor by Ben Graham and start testing your judgement with small amounts.
There are value investors and everyone else is gambling or speculating with varying degrees of success.
Good luck

[iceman]

If you are looking at 5-6 years horizon and then needing the money to pay off a student loan or a deposit on a house, it may be worth doing some research on Corporate Bonds as part of your portfolio.

[Lego_Man]

If you are looking at 5-6 years horizon and then needing the money to pay off a student loan or a deposit on a house, it may be worth doing some research on Corporate Bonds as part of your portfolio.

Nah, corporate bond yields are abysmal at the moment for anything with a decent credit rating. On a risk/reward basis you're better off just putting your bond allocation into a Term PIE to take advantage of the decent rates and tax benefits.

Edit: Just had a look at current prices. Only bonds that are yielding above 5% at present are junk/unrated. Even to get over 4% you have to drop below A Grade.

Meanwhile,

http://www.interest.co.nz/saving/term-pie

[huxley]

http://jlcollinsnh.com/2012/04/25/st...in-the-market/

[iceman]

Not a recommendations but higher rates are available http://www.interest.co.nz/bonds/7438...al-notes-issue

Nah, corporate bond yields are abysmal at the moment for anything with a decent credit rating. On a risk/reward basis you're better off just putting your bond allocation into a Term PIE to take advantage of the decent rates and tax benefits.

Edit: Just had a look at current prices. Only bonds that are yielding above 5% at present are junk/unrated. Even to get over 4% you have to drop below A Grade.

Meanwhile,

http://www.interest.co.nz/saving/term-pie

[Schrodinger]

[QUOTE=noodles;562764]

Having said that, I think you should keep 75% of the funds in safe deposits until you learn the ropes. It will take at least 5-6 years to learn the ropes. You really need to experience a correction to complete your training.
QUOTE]

Sounds a bit like Jedi training advice

[barleeni]

I inherited around $80k recently and I'm looking at putting a reasonable portion of this into shares via ASB securities.

All I can say is thank god I didn't have $80k to play with when I started! I would be highly depressed probably. I have been playing/learning the ropes for 18 months now and still have far less than this invested.

I agree with what most are saying on this thread, in that I have found it a long learning curve getting to grips with investing in shares.

My only advice (and im probably not qualified enough to be giving any) is 1) don't get sucked in by hype and the lure of making a quick buck thinking that all techy companies are going to do a XRO (I can cite from personal experience the likes of PEB, ATM). 2) Don't ever think a company is a safe and guaranteed place to invest (I can again cite from personal experience CNU mere days before the announcement) 3) if you cant afford to loose it, don't invest it in shares!

[AppleCrumble]

I asked a similar question on this forum over five years ago when I bought my first shares.

I was given all sorts of advice. Buy Pike River Coal, buy silver bars and hide them under the mattress. Buy a gun and canned food to get you through a financial crisis, etc. It was pretty useless advice.

Best thing I ever did was firstly find out what kind of investor I wanted to be (trader, dividend, value) then learnt everything through books, articles, reading annual reports, etc. I also took a greater interest in the financial news and company updates.

I only ever found these forums useful for passing the time at work when I had nothing to do as a form of entertainment, not for financial advice.

So what sort of investor are you then? trader, dividend, value?
I would have thought everyone is into value. I know I am. I would like to hear more from you as to would the op, i'm sure. As you would have learnt a lot in your 5/6 years.

I'm into the long term but I would like dividends as income as well not sure you can have both or maybe you pay the premium. Have you any examples of these?

I'm also into etfs., mainly for the low fees, and so far in my research smartshares seems a good option although I hear there might even cheaper options. Hey are a so passive and not too time consuming. I also like the way you can drip feed into these and with the odd lump sum.

[PSE]

Only buy what you know and don't pay too much.
Read the intelligent investor then decide to dollar cost average into an index fund.
Enthusiasm and a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous combination.