Introduce yourself šŸ‘‹

Hi Hamish :wave:

Itā€™s great to have you here & I agree, ETFs are awesome! It sounds like youā€™re getting to grips with investing pretty quickly already :slight_smile:

When it comes to individual companies, you might find our new #stock-take series gives some clues about what sorts of things to consider.

Hopefully youā€™ll find this forum & everyone else here really helpful while youā€™re starting out. Feel free to ask if you have any questions.

1 Like

Awaiting with interest!

1 Like

Hi just joined this hoping to learn more on trading. Iā€™m George from Northumberland.
Iā€™m retired and trying to educate myself on crypto and blockchain which is where many and various industries seem to be heading. So would like to ask if anyone can advise of companies that operate, provide blockchain knowhow services to other businesses?

4 Likes

Hello! Iā€™m Matt, I live in the Forest of Dean and am looking forward to the release of the Android app. I have little experience with investing so am looking forward to delving into this community and learning as I go!

5 Likes

Hello and welcome @jmamccarthy , @Geobow and @MH2612 !

1 Like

George, there was a long discussion about cryptos here Cryptocurrencies - Megathreadāš”ļø a while ago. Two places to look might be: the very crypto-positive Pomp https://offthechain.substack.com/ and the fairly crypto-negative David Gerard Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain ā€“ Blockchain and cryptocurrency news and analysis by David Gerard . I lean toward the latter because I think blockchains are typically complicated and expensive (esp in electricity) solutions to problems that donā€™t actually need distributed uncensorable networks. And buying cryptocurrencies themselves feels more like gambling than investing. To me anyway. Good luck.

2 Likes

Rod, Thanks for links

Agree buying crypto is a bit of a gamble, same as stocks & share. I am looking for someone or company that builds the mechanics / developers who sell their services to other businesses.

2 Likes

Hi , Iā€™m mark .

Iā€™ve been investing in crypto for a year or so .
Looking to getting into stocks . Iā€™m after purchasing around 20 US stocks so looking for a broker that ainā€™t gonna fee the ass out of me .
Joined up with EToro and Fineco .
Then Iā€™ve noticed this W-8BEN thing , confused everything .

Hope everyoneā€™s well , looks like a great community .

2 Likes

Iā€™ve been there! Itā€™s amazing. The place is basically The Shire.

Welcome Matthew, George, and Mark!

3 Likes

You figured that bit out now?

1 Like

No not really .

If I fill out one W-8BEN , does that cover me for every broker or do I have to fill one at each broker .
I filled one in with EToro ( electronically signed ) . But with Fineco they said I donā€™t need to do one , and they said that before I did the EToro W8ben form .

Youā€™ll need to complete the form with each broker Iā€™m afraid :fountain_pen: fortunately ours only takes a minute or two to get through, in the app.

4 Likes

This is a blatant lie. Took my a few seconds, will take you 10 to 20 if you actually read before signing :grin:

2 Likes

Not that youā€™re advocating signing important things without reading them first :grin:

4 Likes

Hello new user here thought I would say a quick hello and the reason I am here.

My name is ben, I from a young age was interested in horticultural matters and studied at Plumpton college in soil management and green keeping, I worked on many golf courses as a green keeper and while I enjoyed my 20ā€™s working for a bit then going travelling for a bit.

The was something missing and it felt like life made no real purpose. On meeting my girlfriend 3 years ago who is a vegan and something of a do gooder things started to fall into place and I realised what I was missing was a sense of purpose and making a difference in the world.

We have done some volunteering and were lucky enough to go out to The Gambia this winter. Lucy was doing volunteering in schools and teaching women out there how to sew. It is very sad but the women in The Gambia do not have many skills and have never been taught anything skills that can help them earn money.

The growing tourism trade is bringing money into the country but most of the produce is brought in from other countries, so now the is a chance we can help them to make money for themselves and create a stronger economy.

I volunteered on a farm and with a couple of other Europeans who were out there as well, we were sat around in the evening discussing how we could try to make things better there. Agriculture is my passion and it was amazing to help the Gambians learn and improve farming techniques, the soil is actually some of the most fertile I have ever seen but very poorly managed.

The biggest issue for them is that currently 80% of their food is imported and though a small country they could and should do so much better. One of the issues is the lack of machinery it is like they are farming as we did in the 18th century. The EU sends some funds in grants but it is not enough and me and the guys out there could not help but feel an opportunity was being missed out.

My reason for being on this site is I have always believed in capitalism I grew up in a centre right household who believed in hard work and with parents who invested in stocks and shares. But they as National trust members always took me and my sister to the places where the owners had actually contributed back into society. It makes more and more sense to me that as important as making money is, I want to invest that take a serious view into trying to make the world a better place.

I believe that the must be a way for us to invest in companies that wish to invest in the developing world, but companies that can make a difference and not just pillage these countries.

So I am loving this site and the way it can give people the chance to directly invest, I think what you guys are doing is great. I would love to hear from anyone who is interested in ethical investing and also those who have any ideas on how we can invest in Africa to really help the continent. A place I fell in love with and am missing so much, not due to go back till October.

Sorry for the slightly rambling post. All the best, Ben.

10 Likes

3 posts were merged into an existing topic: How important is Ethical Investing?

Hi there!!

Quickly introducing myself here.

Iā€™m Diogo a full-time Business Management - Finance student and a part-time Product Management at very cool fintech in Liverpool Street (not far from your offices!)

I love investments and see money multiplies (when everything goes right :smile:).

Looking forward to learning even more from this community!

@Freetrade_Team1 is there any chance to have an office tour/ meet the team?

Diogo

2 Likes

Hey Diogo, itā€™s great that you found us here :smile:

Weā€™re big fans of cool FinTech companies too!

Iā€™ll send you a DM about catching up. But since you mentioned it, Iā€™ll take the chance to shamelessly plug our monthly community meet-ups as one of the best places for anyone to meet the team, thereā€™s always lots us us there :dancing_women:

1 Like

Hi all,

Iā€™m Lee, Head of Digital for a finance company, and digital marketing geek.

Always been interested in investing, but the fees have usually been too high for ā€œsmallā€ investment amounts or the apps have been far too over complicated.

Just downloaded the app after finding it on Product Hunt, and loving it.

Hopefully youā€™ll be adding the AIM market soon :slight_smile:

Looking forward to getting to know other!

Lee

8 Likes

Hi there, Iā€™m Simon.

Iā€™ve been a member of Freetrade for a little while now, but waiting to be able to transfer my current ISA before diving in properly.

Count me for in chats here though. Money going into my ISA has dried up somewhat since the arrival of kids, but hoping that I might be able to get going with that again shortly.

Looking forward to getting to know you all!

5 Likes