If you invest in stocks and shares ...

[fiddlstix]

... have your investments over the past year outperformed what you could have got in a high interest bank account? If so, what funds were you invested in? And was it just good luck or was there a rationale or professional advice behind your choice of investment?

I know that past performance is no indicator of future performance, etc etc. Just curious to know who, if anyone, is ahead of the curve. 🙂

If anyone is willing to share how much are you in eating is £5k a good start? I've been mostly self investing in shares but not doing so well thinking of.maybd sticking to safe things like funds

@LumiB I put in a couple of hundred just to "practice" buying funds and playing about with the platform. I then put in about £500/m.

How much you put in depends on the rest of your financial picture. Make sure you have an emergency fund first (I keep half of mine in cash, half in Premium Bonds). And decide whether to invest in ISA or Pension. Depends on your age, job security etc, tax position etc.

Check out the Meaningful Money youtube channel.

You can't go very far wrong with Vanguard's VWRL I reckon.

For a beginner you shouldn't even be touching individual shares

Stick to low cost global tracker funds .

Maybe allow yourself 2-5% play money in individual shares if you need to scratch that itch - but be prepared to lose money there

@namestevalian I'm a total beginner. Can you explain low cost global tracker funds and how to invest in them?

Open an account with Vanguard.
Take a look at:-

Vanguard global all cap and vanguard FTSE developed world ex-Uk index
Funds.

The second fund has much lower fees.
Plenty of you tube videos explaining the why you might consider each fund.
Don't overthink it just get started.

Mine are all doing good, definitely better than what I could get in interest. But I have hardly any money in them as I don't have money to spare - in one bank my bonus money I get from buying in the bank's shops goes to a fund, 20 euros a month max, usually less. And the other bank takes 10 euros a month to invest in a few funds. But I'm hoping I'll have more money to spare soon.

Hello all,

I now invest all my ISA and SIPP money in Vanguard Global All Cap (accumulation).

You can start with a simple ETF on SP500. It was about 21% up this year, so yes. e.g CSPX.

I am using SPDR's ETF ACWI which tracks the MSCI All Country World index for monthly investment. Expense Ratio recently cut to 0.12 Vs 0.22 for Vanguards VWRP.
Check out a site called Just ETF for comparisons