Beginners Guide To Investing Any beginners guide to investing is by its very nature a basic guide but it is important that anyone new to investing gets a few key points clear before they start. So in this beginners guide to investing we will cover some of the essential points but please keep in mind that investment in the stock market is a complicated and potentially risky business. That is because the truth is that even the most prudent investments carry a degree of risk with them. If you don't feel comfortable with the possibility of losing your money then it's more than likely that the stock market isn't for you. The next step in getting started is to make certain that you understand the need to leave your money invested for a reasonable period of time. If you are finding that you have outstanding balances of two, three or more credit cards you will probably be well advised to look into taking out a debt consolidation loan. This will enable you to spread your borrowing over a fixed period of time. It will also ensure that you are paying a much, much lower rate of interest than you would be paying on your cards. The LSE even today is acknowledged as the leading stock market in the world. It was to London that the first American Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, turned when he wanted to begin development of economic power in the New World. Hamilton founded the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street in the late 18th century where it was joined around fifty years later by what is now the American Stock Exchange. A second aspect needs to address whether you will make regular set payments or if you're just planning to put in lumps of cash whenever you can afford it. It's usually a better idea to start by saving regular monthly amounts as it gets you into the rhythm of saving and pretty soon you will find that you don't really notice the amounts going out each month. That's not to say that you can't invest without learning about the stock market but it will be a far riskier proposition. You don't need to know every last detail about how the markets operate but knowing the basics will enable you to spot potential problems far more easily. There are a number of different ways of learning about the stock market and you should choose one which is best suited to your own particular learning style.