Low Risk & Long Term Investing Thread. (help me!)
 

so ive been looking at Vanguard.com, anyone use them? im looking for very low risk longer term investing - a starting lump sum being needed is ok, but im looking for things i can put a little more money in to each month.. looking for a little bit more than your normal roth/ira and savings accounts, i want my money to be working for me at least a little bit...

i have also looked at sharebuilder.com but i don't want to have to worry about picking stocks or anything, if im gonna research and pick stocks i might as well have my own account with a broker (and i do plan to have one eventually)

Any experience or advice you can share is greatly appreciated.

:upsidedow

How can you be contacted? ICQ # or e-mail???

My ICQ is 293644144

bump :upsidedow

Put it into index funds if you want a low risk investment with a long term horizon. I think vanguard has one that tracks the s&p 500.

exactly what i think i am going to end up deciding on! :thumbsup

Property is pretty much low risk and long term. You can always be safe with bricks and mortar unless you are buying in Florida during the hurricane season!

Yeah, index fund is good. Or you can go with a money market fund for super low risk. But it wont appreicate much

does a money market fund make more than interest on a savings account?

Real Estate. That's what I do and I have a great deal of knowledge about this.
ICQ 146197462

yea but its still not much if you account for inflation.

Also check out some REITS and emerging markets mutual funds.

Yes, usually about a % point. money market funds use short term CD's and bonds to get a bit higher rate.

I am in the Frank Russel emerging market fund currently. Good fund, there a bit overweight in china, which is the right choice right now.

I also know the portfolio manager on this fund personally, and Jim is a great guy.

However, this is a higher risk investment, not what I would consider low risk, or even medium risk.

Beats all other stuff hands down. :thumbsup

Historically the stock market beats real estate in the long term. You are talking about long term, then you definately want an index fund. I'd actually put half in an index fund and then put the other half in some other investment. Maybe 25% and 25%. Bonds or something like that. And yes, real estate would be an option here.

thanks everyone

so on mutual funds let me get something straight -- you can either purchase them through a broker or you can actually put your money in with the company? it seems it would be best to have the investment with the actual company managing the money right? why would i wasn to buy mutual funds through a broker?

True. But higher capital outlay.

anyone know where i can find a list or directory of various companies like vanguard.com , rusell.com etc?

Correct, there is no need for a broker unless they are psychic. However, some funds have load fees (commissions), etc. Vanguard Funds is your best bet, for low cost and a variety of choices.

Here's a list of load funds verse no-load funds:
http://www.fundadvice.com/explode.html

Here's a list of the Vanguard Funds showing performance:
http://flagship5.vanguard.com/VGApp/hnw/FundsByName