First Timer - buying shares

SueA

Hello.   I have absolutely no experience of buying shares.  I was issued some from my employment in a nationalised industry which was privatised back in the 1990s. Have kept them and enjoy the dividends.  With a bit of spare cash from not-spending,  I thought I'd like to buy some in one of my favourite places (Wetherspoons!!) - just for the fun of thinking "I own a bit of this" when I go in for a meal.  It would be a one-off, just a cash purchase.  Where's the best place to start please?  

eskbanker

Buying individual shares as an investment generally requires a decent amount of research into the companies you choose, but if it's just for a bit of fun with money you're happy to lose then that's a lower bar (no pun intended).

Most mainstream platforms will charge for dealing and/or custody but in circumstances like this you might be just as well going to one like Freetrade....

[Deleted User]

Hi,

for a  quick one off, have a look here, not used it but been recommended before.

sevenhills

SueA said:

Hello.   I have absolutely no experience of buying shares.  I was issued some from my employment in a nationalised industry which was privatised back in the 1990s. Have kept them and enjoy the dividends.  With a bit of spare cash from not-spending,  I thought I'd like to buy some in one of my favourite places (Wetherspoons!!) - just for the fun of thinking "I own a bit of this" when I go in for a meal.  It would be a one-off, just a cash purchase.  Where's the best place to start please?  

You could open a SIPP and purchase here? Are you thinking a few hundred or a few thousand ££s worth?

https://www.hl.co.uk/shares/shares-search-results/j/j-d-wetherspoon-plc-ordinary-2p

ColdIron

An HL SIPP would be one of the more expensive places to buy and hold a small number of shares. The annual fees are capped at £200 but at 0.45% pa this only kicks in at £44,444 which I suspect is somewhat above the level that the OP is considering