Advice to your younger self

[calmandcollected101]

What advice would you give your younger self

What were your best years and what were you doing?

Buy technology stocks.

My best years were when my kids were little, before peri hit.

What stocks would you buy now?

Other people are saving money, they’re just not telling you.

To leave my religion younger.
Stand up to my PIL/go LC from the beginning.
Choose a different hospital

I actually bought Apple and Amazon in 2009 during the banking crisis when the stock market was in the toilet. Now I wish I had bought more and Nvidia, but who knew about AI back then?

I'd still buy Apple and Amazon today if I didn't hold them already. However, individual stocks should be a part of a portfolio. You're better off putting most of your at risk money into index funds that track the U.S. Stock market, like the S&P 500 and the Russell 1000. Vanguard sells them in the UK. They're a brilliant company to invest with, with very low costs and good customer service.

@MissConductUS this is really helpful. I'm 29 with a DS 2. Want to start learning about it and looking into it and which one to invest in. I'll look into the ones you have mentioned

Did you research before you started investing? I'm also looking into premium bonds

Surround yourself by people who are happy and healthy, mentally healthy and who are considerate in their actions. Value yourself, if relationships are not reciprocal, don’t try harder. Life is not a pilgrimage, the hardest path is not necessarily more noble. Women do not have to quietly carry the mental load of the family.

Recognise misogyny, don’t accept it.

I'm in my 60's now with two grown children, and I started investing at about your age. I did a lot of research, mostly by reading books about investing and reading the Wall Street Journal. It's much easier today, thanks to the internet.

The Vanguard UK site is a good place to start learning:

https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk/

They have an education section on the website:

https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk/investing-explained/invest-with-us

Investopedia is a very good independent site:

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/basics/11/3-s-simple-investing.asp

https://www.investopedia.com/10-investing-concepts-beginners-need-to-learn-5219500

I'd start with the Investopedia pages, then look at the Vanguard pages. I'm an American and have never really understood premium bonds as we don't have them here, so I can't help you there unfortunately.

I'm happy to answer questions, either on the thread or by PM. Good luck to your and your DS.

@MissConductUS thank you very much for sharing these links. I will read these today!

I'm not too sure how to PM.
However when you plan to take out the money, can you do this at any point, or is it locked in?

Be yourself. You are good enough. Go travelling. You are not responsible for other peoples mental health. Don't people please so much.

If you wish to send a private message, click on the three dots in the top right corner of one of my posts. A little window will pop up with some menu choices, one of which is PM, next to an envelope symbol. That will take you do a page where you can type out a message for me.

As a Yank, I am not all that familiar with the rules on tax-advantaged accounts in the UK, but if you have invested in an ISA, it appears that you can sell your investments and take cash out as you wish, subject to some annual caps:

https://www.gov.uk/individual-savings-accounts/withdrawing-your-money

I think the rules are even looser with what Vanguard calls a "general account"

https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk/need-help/answer/how-do-i-make-a-withdrawal

You should ask on the money board, but the money will be accessible to you should you need it unexpectedly.

Notes to my younger self:

Pay attention in Maths and Spanish classes
Listen to my father and study Law at Uni
Be more understanding towards my father
Learn Cantonese
Learn to let things go