A
Ardpatrick
Guest
Hi I'm new to equities, and after reading lots on here and elsewhere I'm eager to cautiously invest in ETF funds, starting out with basic indexes like the S&P, Eurostoxx 50, etc, with a view to long term. As my knowledge increases I may pick sector indexes or individual stocks, but I don't see myself as a particularly active investor down the line - my hands are already full between running my own business and parenting. But I do realise I have far too much of what I own languishing in various low interest bank accounts, and I need to invest in equities to have a more balanced investment portfolio. My question is that I can't seem to figure out the most straight-forward way of buying stock without being fleeced! It seems to be a given with many of the cheaper online brokers recommended by other posters that subscribers are regularly trading, but I also don't want to walk into a Dublin stockbroker who will take me for the greenhorn I am. I think I want to hold share certificates electronically in a crest account, and to be able to invest on a staggered basis in the major global indexes with at most 5-6 trades a year, so what's the most practical way to buy?