Vanguard LifeStrategy - Good time to invest?

[Bayleaf25]

I know that investing is for the long term - 5 years + (longer the better) but generally speaking is this a good time or bad time to open a Vanguard Life Strategy fund? I don't really understand the stock market - it should level out the longer you leave funds in, but obviously I don't ideally want to invest at the very peak of the market, but the longer I leave money sitting in the bank it really isn't earning very much.

Does anyone have any general thoughts please?

It’s cheap this month so definitely good time to buy. it’s good if you are buying equity (S&P 500) but bonds have low rates.
Bonds are safer but will offer you below inflation returns. Equities are cheaper this month and may go up or down. Both look better than nsi .

Trying to time the market is best left to professionals - it's why I've always tried not to get worried about the ups and downs of my investments. It always comes good if you leave it long enough. I'm 5 years in now and my returns are frankly astonishing compared to a savings account.

So yes - do it now!

It seems to me that there is lots of nervousness about inflation and Ukraine, so prices have gone down. The inflation issues are likely to lead to choppy waters for several more months. The Ukraine issues could be resolved quickly or could escalate massively. Nobody knows, least of all me.

They say far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections, or trying to anticipate corrections, than has been lost in corrections themselves.

If you are nervous about lumping in, drip it in monthly and if the market falls, at least you won't have put all your money in at the top. That's better than staying all in cash.

Thanks everyone.

My Vanguard investments have lost 2% since I transferred money in, only a few weeks ago... I'm trying not to stress about it!

@Bugbeds

My Vanguard investments have lost 2% since I transferred money in, only a few weeks ago... I'm trying not to stress about it!

2% is nothing for an equities based fund! Leave it invested and forget about it.

You haven't lost anything until you withdraw it.

I transferred my son's £8000 junior isa fund into the 80% equities fund the day the Russian invasion happened. It lost £50 on day 2 but then recovered and is now £100 up on its starting point. I expect there will be more turbulence to come. But all funds that are based on trackers seem to follow a similar path so there's no point in agonising between them too much.