Investment opportunities

[Virago]

To be honest, $1,000 isn't much to be dabbling in the stock market with - any potential gains will likely be swallowed up by broker fees. Also, the stock market is unlikely to give you any short-term returns - if you want your money back again in a few months, you're wasting your time.

As has been pointed out, there's no low-risk investment options giving high returns. The news reports almost every night are filled with wailing punters who, blinded with greed, have put too many eggs in one basket, and are outraged when the basket is dropped.

If you want to lock that money in for a while, talk to a couple of banks about options. Otherwise put it into Bonus Bonds - you might get lucky...

[Bald Eagle]

I've got just over $1K lying around and I'd like to invest it (legally!). I was thinking of investing in the stock market (not the one with farm animals, the other one), but what will give me the best return without a very high risk of losing it all? How do I go about buying shares? I've got a bit of time on my hands so I don't mind looking into various opportunities, but I just don't know where to start!

buy Telecom shares. They have a monopoly and they have the govt by the short hairs. With todays UBF announcement the two for one share deal likely to come out of the company split will be a good return.

[p.dath]

I've got just over $1K lying around and I'd like to invest it (legally!). I was thinking of investing in the stock market (not the one with farm animals, the other one), but what will give me the best return without a very high risk of losing it all? How do I go about buying shares? I've got a bit of time on my hands so I don't mind looking into various opportunities, but I just don't know where to start!

If you want low risk, stick with a simple term deposit.

[Virago]

buy Telecom shares. They have a monopoly and they have the govt by the short hairs. With todays UBF announcement the two for one share deal likely to come out of the company split will be a good return.

Yeah, but that's no sure thing. I'm sure those who bought Telecom shares four years ago thought their money was safe too:

http://www.nzx.com/markets/nzsx/TEL/price-history

(Or those who bought a few years earlier when the price was over $8... )

[unstuck]

Bonus bonds.

[White trash]

Greenplan if you want longish term investment that's fairly easy to expect a reasonable return. May need a little more than a grand though.

[jim.cox]

I have been looking into it. Gold is around $1800 an ounce these days.

Yup, and at present you ought to be able to pick up a couple of sovereigns - or four halves - for that grand of yours

[avgas]

If you have a grand and don't mind adding to it (say $20 week) I recommend a unit trust account (or at least thats what I think they are called these days).

You basically pick a risk level and they pool your money with everyone else in that category and invest it for you picking the various shares etc.

Last time I worked it out mine has doubled in value which is pretty good considering I froze the payments into it before the crash. Works out roughly about 10-20% p/a.

Downside is the same as any investment - money is locked up and takes a few weeks to get out. But most banks run these now (Mine is with Westpac)

What ever you do, don't buy currency right now - its like buying "hot rocks"......sure they might be scolding hot right now, but will be pretty useless when they cool.

[avgas]

Greenplan if you want longish term investment that's fairly easy to expect a reasonable return. May need a little more than a grand though.

$4500 last time I checked.

[Maha]

Pity you dont live in Wellington, you could spend it on some pink paint to tart up the new welcome mat...

[Hoon]

$1000 isn't much...take a risk - Bitcoins. They were US$1 a month ago...now up to US$7

[Brett]

Sorry mate, high returns and low risk are exclusive of one another. IF you want to have a crack at the sharemarket, you would be best to set up your own trading account with ASB and look for an emerging oil and gas company in Western Australia that stands a good chance of hitting pay day. ASB charge $25 per transaction for the smaller trades (ie under $50k I think).
It is not unreasonable to find a share worth 0.5cents that finds a good resource and the share goes up to 2 or 3 cents. EGO (stock code) Empire Oil and Gas is one such company, it was as high as 4.5cents but has since eased back to 2.5cents. BUT, if you had bought at 0.5cents and sold at 4.5cents, you would have made a cool $8k.

Just remember, not all are winners, I personally lost money initially on EGO (long term still going to deliver big returns, just not short term via day trading).
Do your own research, there are plenty of day traders etc out there who will feed out their opinions to ramp up or drive down demand for a share.

Perhaps another idea...find a product you can buy wholesale and sell individually on likes of trademe. Made plenty of money like this as a kid on trademe/trade and exchange.

[imdying]

Good set of lights and fans, carbon filter, tent.... you know the way forward if you really wanna make some money bro

[Usarka]

How do I go about buying shares? I've got a bit of time on my hands so I don't mind looking into various opportunities, but I just don't know where to start!

If you're an ASB customer then a real easy way is to use ASB Securities online. But if you don't know what you're doing you should only dabble if you're ok with losing some money. Shares are a long term investment.

I have been looking into it. Gold is around $1800 an ounce these days.

When they start advertising investments on TV it's time to run.

[short-circuit]

Gold

The price has been going through the roof recently

This thread is Gold - thanks for the laugh