Stocks and shares

Bengaboy · 11 May 2008 at 05:13

I've just turned 18 this Friday, and have always been interested in buying shares in the company I work for.

What are the best places to buy them from and how does it work? Do they get a commision from it or whatever?

Cheers guys

Vanilla · 11 May 2008 at 08:39

As a general rule I would never buy the shares of a company you work for because you decisions may be tinted by emotions.

A lot of local banks now have the ability to buy shares - for example with HSBC you can buy them online just like doing your online banking.

Expect to pay 10-15 pounds per trade.

RDM · 11 May 2008 at 08:52

If it is a large company there is a possibility that they run a sharesave scheme, which is actually a very good way of buying shares as you normally get them at a discount.

Vanilla · 11 May 2008 at 09:11

RDM said:
If it is a large company there is a possibility that they run a sharesave scheme, which is actually a very good way of buying shares as you normally get them at a discount.

Yes, some company share schemes are great.

I pay 15% of my salary into my company share scheme. At 6 month intervals I buy the shares at the lowest point and get a further 10% discount. For example:

On Jan 1st Share price is $10.
I buy into the scheme at 15%.
On July 1st Share price is $20 (6 months, forced to take the shares)
My 15% is spent on shares at the $10 level AND with 10% off. SO I buy shares that are worth $20 for $9.

At the very worst (i.e share prices go down) I still buy the shares at 10% below market. Better than any savings account

James07 · 11 May 2008 at 09:42

Id personally go for Santander, there going places that bank, when i worked for Abbey i got all the news from Santanders group and they are always buying new companies and getting given tasks i.e. managing companys finances.

I would go for Abbey or Santander, not only them though. HBOS who are a part ot the Halifax also look good as they dropped some points in the Banks lending scare not long ago..