Right time to buy shares ISA?

sjhunt69

i currently have a cash ISA but am considering investing in a shares ISA too with Barclays. The question i have is is it the right time to do this? I am fully aware that shares may rise or fall but with so many companies going bust at the moment would i risk losing my money if a company which i hold many shares in was to go bust?

I am only looking at investing £100/month for a long term investment, any opinions and advice would be very much appreciated.

Regards,

Steve

tradetime

sjhunt69 wrote: »

i currently have a cash ISA but am considering investing in a shares ISA too with Barclays. The question i have is is it the right time to do this? I am fully aware that shares may rise or fall but with so many companies going bust at the moment would i risk losing my money if a company which i hold many shares in was to go bust?

I am only looking at investing £100/month for a long term investment, any opinions and advice would be very much appreciated.

Regards,

Steve

Opinions will vary on timing, if you are drip feeding then starting here is possibly as good as anywhere, though I believe we have another leg down to new lows before the end of '09.
Yes if a company you have invested in individually goes bust you will lose most if not all of your investment. You would be best advised I think to research some sort of fund, it will be cheaper to buy as individual company shares really only work if you have a decent amount of up front capital. A fund will also give you diversification to a greater or lesser degree, so your money will not all be invested in one company. Afraid I don't know anything about investment funds, so can't offer any suggestions there.

dunstonh

am considering investing in a shares ISA too with Barclays.

Interesting choice. Why?

The question i have is is it the right time to do this?

There is never a bad or a good time to place funds into an ISA. That relates to the investments within the ISA.

I am fully aware that shares may rise or fall but with so many companies going bust at the moment would i risk losing my money if a company which i hold many shares in was to go bust?

It depends on the investments you hold within the ISA. If you hold cash, then you have no problem, fixed interest will typically be less volatile in normal markets, property tends to perform in somewhere between GDP and property prices. Equities; you never know when a good time is until the future comes.

So, where are you putting your £100pm?

sjhunt69

The £100 p/m is just what i will recieve per month from Jan as a pay rise. I currently have various regular saver accounts, cash ISA and SL shares and have paid off my current mortgage. Next year i plan on moving to 'the family house' after i get married so we are trying to save hard to have as much cash as possible for that. The shares ISA is purely for the distant future, 10 or 20 years down the line, whenever the returns look good. The only reason i will go with Barclays is that it is on my doorstep and they have always been very helpful.

dunstonh

The only reason i will go with Barclays is that it is on my doorstep and they have always been very helpful.

thats ok if you understand that buying investment products from a bank is the most expensive way of doing it and bank investment funds tend to be amongst the worst there is.

Jim_B_3

Can anyone recommend a good choise of supplier for a self-select shares ISA? For straight shares I'd probably go to Hoodless Brennan, but I don't see any recommended shares ISA suppliers on the main site.

dunstonh

Jim_B wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good choise of supplier for a self-select shares ISA? For straight shares I'd probably go to Hoodless Brennan, but I don't see any recommended shares ISA suppliers on the main site.

What type of investment do you intend to hold in the self select ISA? Its important as some providers are better with certain types of investments than others. e.g. UTs, ITs, ETFs, shares etc.

Jim_B_3

Individual shares to a specific value in specific companies to be named by me (nothing obscure; all regularly traded on the LSE).