A beginner’s guide to INVESTING IN SHARES

Experts share their advice for the first-time investor

WORDS OF WISDOM The four most dangerous words in investing are: ‘This time is different’ SIR JOHN TEMPLETON INVESTOR AND PHILANTHROPIST

BUY BLUE CHIP According to Dale Gillham, who is the chief analyst at Wealth Within and an international bestselling author, the simplest way to get started is by purchasing the 10 biggest blue-chip stocks on the market. A blue chip is a nationally recognised, well-established and financially sound company. “Of course, remember to leave your investments alone so they can grow,” explains Dale.

MAINTAIN A BALANCE We should look at proven strategies such as shares and properties, according to Philippe Brach, author of Creating Property Wealth in Any Market. “Avoid exotic products such as cryptocurrency or lending to developers at high interest rates, which are mostly driven by greed and are more akin to gambling than good financial management,” he says. Philippe recommends having a balanced portfolio.

AVOID HOT TIPS Brett Kelly, author of Investment Wisdom, says we should beware of the ‘hot tip’ when we’re investing. “Investors will already have been buying up stock and you’re in danger of coming in at the tail-end, overpaying and risking much smaller returns,” he says. “People who get easily swayed by tips often find themselves in a spiral of trading, making quick, impulsive buys and sales, reacting to every change in a volatile market.”