Average age of investors

[kelfy]

43 and started investing in my mid twenties after immigrating to NZ. First purchases were Cultus Petroleum and Fletcher Paper. Thought for a while I could smell a takeover from a mile out just to lose almost all of it on stocks like Newcall, IT Capital, Advantage, Spectrum Resources. Then slowly built up portfolio again until I sold it all to buy an unfortunately unsuccessful business (already closed). Started with 5k again in 2012 and am up to about 70k now. My philosphy has changed a lot over the years and am grateful that I (hopefully) have learned from all my mistakes over the last couple of decades.

Would love to hear more about your stock investing stories. Well done

[mp52]

45 and have been actively investing for about three years now. Dad tried to teach me the ropes back in the 80s and got me started with a small holding of Equiticorp shares and we all know how that ended! That clanger, and a general disinterest in finance at the time, kept me away for a few years. Then in the 90s I had a windfall with some demutualised insurance co shares which I should have sold but (thinking I was prudent) rode to the bottom - nevertheless I pricked my ears up. Fast-forward a few years after I'd worked as an independent contractor through a company working overseas and then run a small consulting business here for around 10 years and consequently gained more financial literacy and (more importantly) was motivated to continue gaining more. Closed the business down a couple of years ago and had some cash from that which I was looking to make work harder for me and that coincided with the floats on the power companies which largely got me into actively learning and investing in the share market and other instruments. Apart from my own home I missed the ride up with property. When the "property school" franchises are liquidated and the neon-liveried Holden HSVs urging a call to an 0800 number for a life of eternal riches are re-possessed I'll take another look.

My radar for hucksters and BS merchants is wired sensitively so I prefer to educate myself and take my own risks rather than use financial advisors. The last one I approached (a husband and wife team) managed to divert me into the insurance-broking side of their business and to flip my policies but provided zero advice on how to actually put money into my pocket. Couple that with the underwhelming, over-hyped and over-priced business-related services I've encountered over the years and I'm now a big believer in self-education. Hard part is finding the time currently but the opportunity/cost of inaction from lack of available data versus handing-off financial stewardship to a salesman is one I'm prepared to accept.

[levin123]

26 here. Have had a topsy turvy investment/trading journey, beginning with a substantial loss in ASX:NUF in 2010, which wiped most of my capital and motivation. Learnt a lot from that episode, particularly to always do your own DD.

Fast forward a few years and am doing much better, sitting on around 14% ROI p/a over the past 2 years.

Others have touched on these points but it amazes me how little interest there is in the markets among people I know that are around my age. Bar several exceptions, (mostly through my work) flatmates and friends that I have gotten know, have very little interest and prefer to live week to week. Always making sure they spend slightly more than they earn each week, because you only live once right?

Everyone is absolutely obsessed with buying a house, the kiwi dream. You have some cash lying around, buy a house they scream at me. Equity markets are just not on the radar. So much so that my most recent girlfriend absolutely could not understand why I didn't want to buy a house with her. I was offered an ultimatum, so said goodbye lol.

[Deej5]

Good on ya Levin. Best to invest in shares than girlfriends eh? Much better dividends.

[kiora]

26 here. Have had a topsy turvy investment/trading journey, beginning with a substantial loss in ASX:NUF in 2010, which wiped most of my capital and motivation. Learnt a lot from that episode, particularly to always do your own DD.

Fast forward a few years and am doing much better, sitting on around 14% ROI p/a over the past 2 years.

Others have touched on these points but it amazes me how little interest there is in the markets among people I know that are around my age. Bar several exceptions, (mostly through my work) flatmates and friends that I have gotten know, have very little interest and prefer to live week to week. Always making sure they spend slightly more than they earn each week, because you only live once right?

Everyone is absolutely obsessed with buying a house, the kiwi dream. You have some cash lying around, buy a house they scream at me. Equity markets are just not on the radar. So much so that my most recent girlfriend absolutely could not understand why I didn't want to buy a house with her. I was offered an ultimatum, so said goodbye lol.

I agree so few kiwis are interested in share investing,even kiwisaver. It is some concern when a lot of people I talk to,if they are putting money in to kiwisaver at all, are only signed up to the default conservative funds daghh!

[klid]

30, started at 25. Being able to trade shares is the best thing ever.
There's a startling amount of the population that don't even know the concept.

[Stranger_Danger]

Everyone is absolutely obsessed with buying a house, the kiwi dream. You have some cash lying around, buy a house they scream at me. Equity markets are just not on the radar. So much so that my most recent girlfriend absolutely could not understand why I didn't want to buy a house with her. I was offered an ultimatum, so said goodbye lol.

Made the right call there. If only you could have shorted her, too.

[Jadedagain]

Bit of a lurker here to use a term from www.imgur.com

Currently 31, started with the Port of Tauranga float when i was ... young. Have been in and out over the years but on the whole only positive so far.

Holding various direct investments as well as ASX listed indices.