Which online broker

frenchplonka

Hi Guys I have read a bit recently but am buy no means a expert on passive investing and have chosen this as my means of first investment.

I have had a read through the online comparison broker guide on monevator.com but am stuck on which would be best to chose I was originally going to pick Charles Stanley Direct but to set up a fund you have to invest £500 upfront which at the min I dont have ( Unless I take it out of my saving etc ) has anyone any recomendations? My fund choice is going to be a Vangaurd option

frenchplonka

I also notice for the 60/40 split option from Vangaurd I have to invest $3,000 going buy there website. I'm assuming I will have to construct my own portfolio in order to avoid all this?

All I wanna do deposit £150 each and every month and Id rather not have to pay a huge upfront amount or fees

colsten

Based on these two posts and your previous thread, you have made some good progress now but you still have a heck of a lot more reading/thinking/digesting to do - and that is not surprising or bad, as nobody should expect to get from zero knowledge about investing to having a good grasp on it in matter of just a few days.

You need to figure it all out yourself if you want to DIY it, but as a hint: you either buy your Vanguard funds via a platform or directly from Vanguard. For retail investors like you and I, the platform option is in most cases the preferable option.

Vortigern

CSD should be able to handle your £150/month regular investment into VLS60.

Their website says:"The minimum investment into a new fund is a £500 lump sum. Minimum top up’s to existing fund holdings are £100 and regular monthly savings may be set up from £50 per fund per month."

The £500 minimum is for lump sum investments. Your £150 per month is greater than the minimum £50 per month for regular investments.

Ignore the dollar amount. It applies only to investing directly with Vanguard, rather than through a broker like CSD.

frenchplonka

colsten wrote: »

Based on these two posts and your previous thread, you have made some good progress now but you still have a heck of a lot more reading/thinking/digesting to do - and that is not surprising or bad, as nobody should expect to get from zero knowledge about investing to having a good grasp on it in matter of just a few days.

You need to figure it all out yourself if you want to DIY it, but as a hint: you either buy your Vanguard funds via a platform or directly from Vanguard. For retail investors like you and I, the platform option is in most cases the preferable option.

Thanks I have read so much feels like my heads going to explode I pretty much knew that buying from vangaurd was a bad choice my only stumbling block now is the initial investment from what I have looked at so far both need decent chunks upfront

frenchplonka

Vortigern wrote: »

CSD should be able to handle your £150/month regular investment into VLS60.

Their website says:"The minimum investment into a new fund is a £500 lump sum. Minimum top up’s to existing fund holdings are £100 and regular monthly savings may be set up from £50 per fund per month."

The £500 minimum is for lump sum investments. Your £150 per month is greater than the minimum £50 per month for regular investments.

Ignore the dollar amount. It applies only to investing directly with Vanguard, rather than through a broker like CSD.

Ahhhh so based on your post CSD will take my £150 a month and will be able to start this as my starting point? If so I really think they are a very good choice something I would like to ask is do most online brokers have like a break down of how my fund is doing A good example can be found on the monevator site in regards to his own passive fund

colsten

frenchplonka wrote: »

Thanks I have read so much feels like my heads going to explode

If it feels like your head is exploding, you are winning! Keep reading / thinking / digesting

frenchplonka wrote: »

from what I have looked at so far both need decent chunks upfront

you haven't looked hard enough, or your definition of 'decent' is different to mine. As Vortigern says, there are options to invest from £50/mth. Whether these are the most cost-effective options for you is a different question. Only you can tell.

MarkFromCornwall

colsten wrote: »

you either buy your Vanguard funds via a platform or directly from Vanguard. For retail investors like you and I, the platform option is in most cases the preferable option.

Excuse me for butting in, colsten. This is a point I'm not sure about and interested in. Could you say why it's likely to be better to buy Vanguard funds from a platform rather than direct from Vanguard?

colsten

Because you don't have to buy the minimum amount, because they don't offer ISAs and SIPPs, because brokers/platforms/supermarkets have better fee structures

MarkFromCornwall

colsten wrote: »

Because you don't have to buy the minimum amount, because they don't offer ISAs and SIPPs, because brokers/platforms/supermarkets have better fee structures

Thanks

---

Al.

frenchplonka wrote: »

I also notice for the 60/40 split option from Vangaurd I have to invest $3,000 going buy there website. I'm assuming I will have to construct my own portfolio in order to avoid all this?

All I wanna do deposit £150 each and every month and Id rather not have to pay a huge upfront amount or fees

Out of interest, what fees are they quoting you, on, say, £150 per month?