Getting on your feet...

I am hoping to hear some experiences regarding initial investments in any way shape or form that recent graduates have had in a short time period of 1-2 years out of undergrad.

I graduated last May from a "non target" and worked a temp position at state street bank doing something completely unrelated to the start of my career path. I am currently working as an analyst for a major government defense contractor working mostly on variance analysis, forecasting, and current/potential profitability scenarios for a variety of subcontractors that do business with us. I have my 401k Maxed out to the limit of 15% of my bi-weekly paychecks and have diversified my 401k investment portfolio with a somewhat aggressive approach.

My hopes for responses lies in my option to have a "self managed brokerage fund" with the fidelity trading platform (this is who our 401K is through). I have the ability to trade with this platform and have a ONE time option to include my profits into my 401k at my convenience. I currently do not have any money invested in the stock market at all, and have been reading about index ETF funds and their potential to closely follow a major index, and they appeal to me due to their ability to be traded daily opposed to a mutual fund.

I dont have the time during the day to manage and daily trade a small portfolio of stocks, mainly because I am not allowed to have my phone on me at all during the day. I am by no means asking to have any contributors to this thread spill their guts and publicly announce their portfolio composition, simply any good suggestions on modest investments that do not need to be micromanaged throughout a workweek.

3 Comments
 

Look outside the realm of traditional investments, you can assign your 401k to be self directed and use that money to invest in for example real estate.

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