I’m a complete beginner when it comes to investing, and I’ve finally saved up about $500 to start building a portfolio. After watching a few YouTube channels and reading some articles, I keep hearing the same names thrown around, but I’m still struggling to figure out what are the best stocks to invest in for beginners that actually match a small budget like mine. I need something straightforward, because my day job takes up most of my time, and I can’t sit in front of charts all day.
So far, I tried putting a small amount into a fractional share of Apple, which felt safe, but it barely moved in three months. I also signed up for a free trial of the Motley Fool Stock Advisor service, but their recommendations were way too risky for me—one of them dropped 15% the week after they sent the alert, so I canceled before getting charged the $199 annual fee. Maybe I was just unlucky with that pick, or maybe I’m too cautious, but it soured me on following any subscription advice for now. I’ve considered a simple S&P 500 ETF, but I keep second-guessing whether I’m missing out on higher growth by not picking individual stocks.
For someone starting with $500 who can only check in once or twice a week, what are one or two concrete stock picks or ETFs that you’d actually put your own money into today, and what’s the biggest mistake you made when you were in my shoes?
So far, I tried putting a small amount into a fractional share of Apple, which felt safe, but it barely moved in three months. I also signed up for a free trial of the Motley Fool Stock Advisor service, but their recommendations were way too risky for me—one of them dropped 15% the week after they sent the alert, so I canceled before getting charged the $199 annual fee. Maybe I was just unlucky with that pick, or maybe I’m too cautious, but it soured me on following any subscription advice for now. I’ve considered a simple S&P 500 ETF, but I keep second-guessing whether I’m missing out on higher growth by not picking individual stocks.
For someone starting with $500 who can only check in once or twice a week, what are one or two concrete stock picks or ETFs that you’d actually put your own money into today, and what’s the biggest mistake you made when you were in my shoes?
