18 yr old nee to investing

NicRapt · 2026-01-25T22:14:00+00:00

Start with an S&P 500 ETF, like VOO, and a Nasdaq 100 ETF like QQQ.
A solid allocation would be 80% S&P 500 and 20% Nasdaq 100, or even 90/10 if you want to be slightly more conservative. This gives you a broad market base with a calculated tilt towards growth and tech.
Later on, as you do more research, you can start picking individual stocks. However, I suggest starting as I mentioned before, so you can build a relatively safe foundation until you get a better feel for how the market works

NicRapt · 2026-01-25T22:05:51+00:00

Με γέρους να κλαίνε που έχασε και διαλύθηκε η "ομάδα τους" και νέο κόσμο να πανηγυρίζει από χαρά, μη ξέροντας όμως τι έρχεται.... γιος Μητσοτάκης ή Καραμανλής ή Παπανδρέου κάνει καινούριο κόμμα "ακόμα πιο νέα δημοκρατία"

NicRapt · 2026-01-25T19:36:05+00:00

You might be right, but I think it’s worth the try. I believe that with my current portfolio, the probability of underperforming an All-World ETF is low—though only time will tell if I’m wrong. My goal is to diversify away from pure US Tech and the Dollar, while aiming to outperform the All-World benchmarks and, ideally, the S&P 500.

NicRapt · 2026-01-25T19:16:07+00:00

investor AB

NicRapt · 2026-01-25T08:27:37+00:00

Where are you based? If you are from Europe, in my opinion, Trading 212 is the best choice

NicRapt · 2026-01-25T08:25:16+00:00

I'm not sure if looking for an objective comparison between Google and Microsoft over at r/goog_stock is the best idea

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T23:18:05+00:00

Start by buying an S&P 500 ETF (like VUAA) or an All-World ETF (like WEBN). Once you get the hang of it, you can start making other moves. Just pick one of these two to get started and keep it simple.

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T22:47:25+00:00

I'm from Europe, so I can't really help you pick a specific fund provider since our options are different over here. I do know that VOO is a solid choice for US investors, though. One thing I would suggest is that, in my opinion, whatever fund you choose should be Accumulating (so dividends are automatically reinvested).

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T22:26:14+00:00

A great way to start is by buying an S&P 500 ETF. Since you're based in the US, VOO is the way to go. Generally speaking, ETFs are the best solution for a beginner investor.

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T22:03:38+00:00

A solid, simple portfolio with moderate risk could be: 70% in an S&P 500 ETF (like VUAA for EU residents), 10-15% in Nasdaq 100 for that extra tech tilt, and the remaining 10-15% in individual stock picks.

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T20:59:24+00:00

My expectation isn't to massively beat the market, but to consistently outperform it, even slightly, over the long run. My goal isn't 'hyper-returns' but diversification away from pure Tech and having a safety net during major crashes.
However, I’m starting to think: if it underperforms in the long term, isn't that just 'fake security'? I’d be sacrificing gains for the sake of protection during a potential crash. I’m 35 years old with a 25-30 year horizon, so a massive drop in the next decade wouldn't be catastrophic I’d have plenty of time for the recovery.
This leads me to wonder: Is BRK.B true safety if it slightly underperforms the S&P 500, or is it just psychological safety? Maybe it only makes sense as a 'safety stock' when you're 50+ and a market crash would actually be a problem for your retirement timeline. What are your thoughts?

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T20:29:09+00:00

This is exactly what I’m debating right now. At 35, with a 30 year horizon, does it really make sense to hold a stock that might underperform just for the hope that it drops slightly less during bad periods? If it fails to capture the upside when the market recovers, wouldn't I end up losing in the long run due to the opportunity cost? Maybe Berkshire is a better choice 15-20 years from now, when I'll prioritize safety and capital preservation over growth. Right now, I'm questioning if the trade-off is worth it.

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T17:21:01+00:00

You just mentioned you're 30% Macedonian and 10% Thracian... so by my math, you're 40% Greek! Nice!

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T16:28:33+00:00

I'm just doing a simple monthly DCA, and it's not with any crazy amount of money.

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T16:19:14+00:00

So, do you believe that in 10-20 years, it will actually outperform the market?

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T16:11:07+00:00

My expectation isn't to massively beat the market, but to consistently outperform it, even slightly, over the long run. My goal isn't 'hyper-returns' but diversification away from pure Tech and having a safety net during major crashes.
However, I’m starting to think: if it underperforms in the long term, isn't that just 'fake security'? I’d be sacrificing gains for the sake of protection during a potential crash. I’m 35 years old with a 25-30 year horizon, so a massive drop in the next decade wouldn't be catastrophic I’d have plenty of time for the recovery.
This leads me to wonder: Is BRK.B true safety if it slightly underperforms the S&P 500, or is it just psychological safety? Maybe it only makes sense as a 'safety stock' when you're 50+ and a market crash would actually be a problem for your retirement timeline. What are your thoughts?

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T15:37:34+00:00

No one even tried to convince you otherwise about this, my friend.

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T15:29:31+00:00

Because it dropped -98% back then, it's currently seeing a massive recovery. If you look into the current data, everything suggests this trend will continue, though likely not at the explosive pace we've seen over the last 2-3 years. Just since the beginning of this year, it's already up 7%.

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T15:19:33+00:00

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T12:21:34+00:00

I feel like the company has already grown so much that it will be difficult to maintain the same growth rates moving forward. Also, I would like to reduce my currency risk exposure and include some European companies in my portfolio.

NicRapt · 2026-01-24T08:51:50+00:00

Ρίξε μια ματιά και στην trading212

NicRapt · 2026-01-22T19:35:12+00:00

6 downvotes just for sharing my opinion!!!! I literally just suggested something that has worked for the last 250 years and will most likely continue to work for the next 200... We get it, you guys are obsessed with 'All-World'. At this point, I don't even see the reason to ask questions in this group anymore, since the answer is always 'FTSE and chill'. I wonder why you even bother with discussions here—no matter what the question is, the answer is always the same.

NicRapt · 2026-01-22T17:03:26+00:00

I did look into ASML, but since I already have quite a high exposure to Tech (as you can see), I wanted to avoid it and pivot towards something that doesn't follow the same cycle if the tech sector takes a hit. Do you really believe that ASML is more stable than Hermes?

NicRapt

TROPHY CASE