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Investing advice (beginner)

Hello,
So I recently started reading up on articles about investing and watched plenty of videos. It seems very interesting and also profitable (if you place your money wisely 😉). So I took the plunge and downloaded the Hargreaves Lansdown app and deposited a small sum of money so I could “wet my feet”. On the attached image you can see my stock value is £19.92 and my cash value is -£31.38.
I know it seems a vague question, but would someone mind in “simple terms” shedding some light on what this means? 

Any advice is greatly appreciated 
Thank you
«1

Comments

  • Here is the attached image sorry
  • If you want to invest small amounts monthly, have a look at a platform that offers free monthly amounts. II for example. Or invest in funds which HL make no charge for other than the platform fee.
  • If you want to invest small amounts monthly, have a look at a platform that offers free monthly amounts. II for example. Or invest in funds which HL make no charge for other than the platform fee.
    Thank you, I’ll start off investing in funds then rather than shares in individual companies 
  • It's a quirk of the HL app, it will look okay tomorrow.
  • It's a quirk of the HL app, it will look okay tomorrow.
    Ok thanks a lot haha it’s something I expect over the next few weeks to pick up and when i saw all this negative I thought oh god what have I done 😅
    thanks for the tip
  • Albermarle
    Albermarle Posts: 25,968 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Name Dropper
    With the way you have started , the only people making a profit will be HL .
    The best way to invest for most people is to add a regular amount ( say monthly) and the money to go into one or maybe two funds . Then leave well alone for 20 years .
    An app will give you the temptation to fiddle about and change things , which will almost certainly reduce your overall profit.
  • With the way you have started , the only people making a profit will be HL .
    The best way to invest for most people is to add a regular amount ( say monthly) and the money to go into one or maybe two funds . Then leave well alone for 20 years .
    An app will give you the temptation to fiddle about and change things , which will almost certainly reduce your overall profit.
    Thank you, I’ve seen quite a lot of people saying the best way is to consistently invest in funds. Slower process but more consistent returns it appears? I may be wrong. 
  • AnotherJoe
    AnotherJoe Posts: 19,622 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    With the way you have started , the only people making a profit will be HL .
    The best way to invest for most people is to add a regular amount ( say monthly) and the money to go into one or maybe two funds . Then leave well alone for 20 years .
    An app will give you the temptation to fiddle about and change things , which will almost certainly reduce your overall profit.
    Thank you, I’ve seen quite a lot of people saying the best way is to consistently invest in funds. Slower process but more consistent returns it appears? I may be wrong. 

    Depends what funds. If it was Woodford for example .....
  • Albermarle
    Albermarle Posts: 25,968 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Name Dropper
    With the way you have started , the only people making a profit will be HL .
    The best way to invest for most people is to add a regular amount ( say monthly) and the money to go into one or maybe two funds . Then leave well alone for 20 years .
    An app will give you the temptation to fiddle about and change things , which will almost certainly reduce your overall profit.
    Thank you, I’ve seen quite a lot of people saying the best way is to consistently invest in funds. Slower process but more consistent returns it appears? I may be wrong. 
    Nothing is guaranteed but mainstream funds normally dilute the risk of investing in individual shares . 
    For a new investor a low cost multi asset fund is usually the best bet. Some of the best known are - Vanguard Life Strategy- HSBC global strategy - Legal and General Multi Index - Fidelity multi allocator -
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