Was It a Mistake to Buy Apple Inc. (AAPL)?

The timing
But I do have one doubt — whether it was wise to dive in just after the 2012 Q4 results, or whether I should have waited another quarter or two. With hindsight, I could have got in at a better price had I waited. But over the 20 years or so that I’ve been investing in shares, one thing I have become convinced of is that trying to time your investments is a mug’s game.

So I got shares that I think were a bargain, even though they went on to become a bigger bargain. I can live with that.

Finally, my idea of the kind of shares that should make up the core of a beginner’s portfolio is the same as my choice for an ISA, or a retirement portfolio — or in fact, any portfolio. I’d start with good strong companies that should stand the test of time and potentially reward you for decades.

The article The Beginners’ Portfolio: Was It a Mistake to Buy Apple? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Alan Oscroft has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple.

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