Anyone used TD Direct?

*~Zephyr~*

I've long fancied a dabble at sharedealing. 20 years ago I was very envious of the (mostly chinese) students on the University Library computers peering at their complicated-looking screens and comparing notes on how much they made overnight!

I also remember a friends Dad getting EXTREMELY excited by the penny shares he was doubling his money in (he was a millionaire already but as frugal as they come. Making a fiver would make his week)

Anyway. I'm a complete novice and have no idea what site to use / how to start, but I found TD Direct while googling and their site looks pretty easy to use.

Has anyone got any experience of them? Or and advice for a novice investor?

eskbanker

I'm a satisfied customer of theirs, no problems so far for me in a similar situation. Can't say I've spent a huge amount of time comparing the alternatives (I went to them primarily because of the fee structure) but as I see it they're perfectly capable of meeting my simple requirements, and even if I needed more information then there are many analytical sites out there such as Trustnet, Morningstar, etc, as well as the likes of Motley Fool, Monevator, etc, for more general advice.

Usual advice on here is to start with funds rather than equities, in that novice investors are rarely able to outperform the experts, but if it's literally just a dabble for fun rather than actually investing in a long-term portfolio then anything goes!

JohnRo

TD are ok, I have problems in the past with them but not recently. They're not the cheapest or the most expensive but it depends what you're wanting to do as to who is.

Decide how you're going to invest (long term) or gamble (short term) then pick the most appropriate fee structure that minimises the inevitable costs.

http://monevator.com/compare-uk-cheapest-online-brokers/

Wilkins

Not the cheapest, but a good company and a reliable, resource-rich platform, superior I would say to Hargreaves Lansdown.


If you are planning to trade frequently, however, I would suggest a cheap & cheerful outfit like X-O.