As ChasDave has mentioned,the LSE site is helpful as it has a forum used by actual share holders,and they have a incredible depth of knowledge of their chosen shares.I follow some of them,having started using fantasy money and their advice was excelent and timely.
This is them Share Prices, Stock Quotes, Charts, Trade History, Share Chat, Financial News - London South East

Some more advice here How to Buy and Sell Shares on the Internet - UK Net Guide clearly an advert for the company also lots more via Google.

Likewise Google "Boileroom scams" this from the FSA Share fraud and boiler room scams

Maybe if enough of us get interested we could start a Share Group/Club ?
ProShare Investment Clubs

It all looks awfully complicated.

Originally Posted by Cabana

It all looks awfully complicated.

There's an industry devoted to your believing that.

Cabana
It's no more complicated than:

Ascertaining that you've got some money to spare (and that you can afford to lose if it all goes gear-up)
Picking up the phone to Barclays or Hargreaves Lansdown or whoever
Setting up an account
Buying shares in whatever firm floats your boat
Sit back and absorb the profit or loss
Errm, that's it.

Please don't hesitate to PM me if I can provide any further info

Best wishes

Chas

My gang* are all currently using Sharecentre as an online broker - The Share Centre | Buy & Sell Shares With A Share Account (but only just getting into it so the learned and more experienced ARRSErs may shoot it down?)
I've been playing with the free £15k practice account for the past few months in preperation for taking the plunge. Its pretty idiot proof but the fees reflect its simplicity.

I realise this may be stating the obvious, but whenever I'm trading I have a spreadsheet running in the background that takes into account all the costs (broker, tax etc - Per chasndave's post). I've got it set up so that you can input purchase price and it outputs the minimum sell price to turn an actual profit.

Re: What to choose? I can't reiterate enough do your own homework. Its far too easy to take a tip from a friend and lose everything. Despite us having a verbal "no liability" clause between us, there have been serious tantrums and one occasion of fisticuffs amongst us. Vice versa - avoid giving out tips if possible. It can end so, so badly.

* Group of assorted friends/acquaintances/business contacts rather then the motorcycle and/or drug dealing variety.

OOh, I like this thread. I may lurk and soak up some knowledge and tips but this could definitely be another little hobby for me.

Nicely played gentlemen.

Walkyrie
Ref giving and listening to share tips - it isn't the "giving and listening" that's the problem - it's when you or your mate / Mum-in-law / bloke down the pub then goes off, does no research of their own whatsoever, and blindly invests money in something they have no idea about. Hence the "if you don't understand it, don't invest in it" mantra. To do otherwise, you may as well visit The Jockey on the Chatsworth Estate and get a tip from big Frank Gallagher about "Lightning Bolt" in the 3:45 at Haydock.

Likewise, and if I am beginning to sound like a stuck record then I apologise, but put no money into shares that you cannot afford to lose. If you stick to those two pearls of wisdom you shouldn't go far wrong; and if tips and advice result in fisticuffs and tantrums then I'd suggest that you leave it be.

Well it was only my experience watching some people on the fringes of my life. It wasn't bloke-down-the-pub tipping. It was clever, well researched people taking tips on what were good investments. When it unexpectedly fell (think BP/Gulf of Mexico) rage got the better of some people. I suppose its a general warning on human nature.

And don't worry about sounding like a stuck record. I don't think you can say it enough.

I'm interested in investing small amounts of money into shares. What should iI use to buy them.

My bank natwest have a descent scheme, so was thinking of going with that.

DMan.

Originally Posted by DMan

I'm interested in investing small amounts of money into shares. What should iI use to buy them.

My bank natwest have a descent scheme, so was thinking of going with that.

DMan.

Remember you have to defray the cost of buying the shares and basically build it into your investment. So if a trade is £10 and you invest £100 you make a profit at the £110 point, not before. Much easier if the trade is £10 and the investment is £1000 - hoping that the shares gain that is.

This hasn't come up so baldly on the thread before so I'm rather using this reply to make the fact abundantly clear. No intent to patronise!

Natwest aren't bad but ISTR that you didn't get much of a web-relationship with your portfolio. Not sure if that's changed...