# How to use Freetrade? **URL:** \ **Category:** Fintech Chat\ **Created:** [July 5, 2019, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629 "2019-07-05T14:30:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lilli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/lilli/32/351_2.png) [@lilli](https://community.emma-app.com/u/lilli)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/1 "2019-07-05T14:30:48Z")
Hey Everyone, I have to admit I have personally never invested any money in stocks. Since joining Emma I have read a bit about it but I would still like to learn more about the benefits of investing with these sort of apps. I asked the other week about advice for investing but can you guys please tell me what I need to know about freetrade and where to begin? Thanks Lilli ---
**Author:** ![KarlD89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KarlD89](https://community.emma-app.com/u/KarlD89)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:40pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/2 "2019-07-05T14:40:54Z")
Hi Lilli, I can’t provide much information unfortunately. I started investing with Freetrade when the beta rolled out on Android in April. There’s so much to learn about investing and I know so little thus far, but Freetrade as an app and service makes it incredibly simple, and improvements are coming all the time. As Freetrade is mobile first, it’s all done through the app, so to get up and running, there is very little that you need to do, just follow the steps. I made my decision to go for stocks and ETFs that pay dividends, as if I can build up enough of these, I can use it as a second income in retirement. You should sign up to Freetrade! It’s this app you can use to invest for free. Plus, when you sign up, we both get a free share - might be Apple or Tesla! [https://api.freetrade.io/freeshare/?code=STVVLEGJXC&sender=1jMDA7zK](https://api.freetrade.io/freeshare/?code=STVVLEGJXC&sender=1jMDA7zK) ---
**Author:** ![lilli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/lilli/32/351_2.png) [@lilli](https://community.emma-app.com/u/lilli)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/3 "2019-07-05T14:42:34Z")
Thanks @KarlD89! As the first person to reply I will use your link to sign up. Might be a stupid question but what do you mean they pay dividends? ---
**Author:** ![KarlD89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KarlD89](https://community.emma-app.com/u/KarlD89)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/4 "2019-07-05T14:50:05Z")
Thank you 🙂 Dividends is when a company pays a portion of their profits to stockholders. Upon starting this investment method, I did a little research, and there is a lot to be wary of. Freetrade’s blog and community has plenty of information and that is where I have learned most of what I know, they also have a list of good sources to read/listen to that I will try to find ---
**Author:** ![KarlD89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KarlD89](https://community.emma-app.com/u/KarlD89)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/5 "2019-07-05T14:53:33Z")
This is a Google spreadsheet that contains many sources for research, should teach you plenty > **[Freetrade and friends' ultimate list of investing education and research 💡](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jnYKZLNW9ajIpCDwyPD9pJkvNJTbyL5NbXobZ7fzeIk/edit?usp=drivesdk)** > > The List > > > 👓 Source,👻 Main Format,🔬 What is it about?,📢 Blog / site,📫 Newsletter,🎧 Podcast,📚 Book,🐦 Twitter,🐸 Facebook,📷 Insta,🎥 YouTube > 20 Min VC,Podcast,Short interviews with venture capitalists.,\ **Author:** ![lilli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/lilli/32/351_2.png) [@lilli](https://community.emma-app.com/u/lilli)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/6 "2019-07-05T14:53:36Z") Ah okay that makes sense. That’s what I am worried about, I don’t want to invest too much and then lose it. I want to make sure it is worth my time in the long run… ---
**Author:** ![lilli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/lilli/32/351_2.png) [@lilli](https://community.emma-app.com/u/lilli)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/7 "2019-07-05T14:53:50Z")
Thanks I will definitely check this out 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KarlD89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KarlD89](https://community.emma-app.com/u/KarlD89)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/8 "2019-07-05T15:02:33Z")
That’s my worry too. I have only been investing small amounts each month. The piece of advice that seems to appear everywhere is ‘time in the market beats timing the market’. With investing it will obviously go up and down, but rather than trying to time any purchases, making regular purchases and leaving it seems to be the best method. I’m only starting myself, so that’s the extent of what I know really, I’m sure there are many other helpful members of this community that will know a lot more than I do ---
**Author:** ![lilli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/lilli/32/351_2.png) [@lilli](https://community.emma-app.com/u/lilli)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/9 "2019-07-05T15:03:59Z")
Thanks @KarlD89 I really appreciate it have you invested in several different companies? How do you decide who to go for? ---
**Author:** ![KarlD89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KarlD89](https://community.emma-app.com/u/KarlD89)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:12pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/10 "2019-07-05T15:12:27Z")
I have tried to invest is many different companies, in many different industries, to avoid too much of my portfolio being at risk if one industry has an issue, so I have attempted to limit the percentage of my portfolio each individual company and industry has. Freetrade released a Google Spreadsheet of high dividend stocks that are available on their platform, that I used to find the stocks that I purchased. The spreadsheet is barebones though, it only shows what the dividend was as of the end of may, so it does require some research in to the health of the company, to ensure it is sustainable and not likely to drop. > **[High dividend stocks on Freetrade](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MlNNxFGwrz_mVR4lffWLYY9FaL3YBHNZSg698nzvvZI/edit?usp=drivesdk)** > > US Dividends > > Category,Ticker,Name,Approx Dividend Yield as of May 31 (Data from Yahoo Finance) > Biopharmaceutical,ABBV,AbbVie Inc. ,5.65% > Telecom Services,T,AT&T,6.60% > Oil & Gas... ---
**Author:** ![lilli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/lilli/32/351_2.png) [@lilli](https://community.emma-app.com/u/lilli)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:14pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/11 "2019-07-05T15:14:21Z")
This is really helpful thank you! Definitely going to have a look into this! ---
**Author:** ![Recchan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/recchan/32/444_2.png) [@Recchan](https://community.emma-app.com/u/Recchan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:21pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/12 "2019-07-05T23:21:15Z")
Heya @lilli As mentioned dividends are when shareholders get a little kickback when companies make profit. Basically how it works is any money made needs to be given back to shareholders somehow, this can be done in 2 ways: - Investing into the company to raise the share price - Giving back to the shareholder directly in cash The latter is much more preferred by companies without much room for mass expansion (like Coca-Cola etc, massive companies) Personally if you want some pretty safe advice, keep maybe 3-6 months of savings and then work out the maximum you can afford to invest and invest that monthly. Leave it there. Don’t touch it. You should be playing for the long game. Not 1-2 years but 5-10. 🙂 If you have any other questions feel free to ask ---
**Author:** ![Gaoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@Gaoler](https://community.emma-app.com/u/Gaoler)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 8:10am UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/13 "2019-07-06T08:10:56Z")
Freetrade is basically stockpicking for the uninitiated. Unless you’ve got money to play with, I’d go for Vanguard Lifestrategy every time. Set up once and forget ---
**Author:** ![Recchan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/recchan/32/444_2.png) [@Recchan](https://community.emma-app.com/u/Recchan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/14 "2019-07-06T15:54:48Z")
Vanguard also sell through Freetrade though, so you can get all of your stuff in one place. ---
**Author:** ![Gaoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@Gaoler](https://community.emma-app.com/u/Gaoler)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/15 "2019-07-06T15:57:19Z")
They sell their ETFs, but the Lifestrategy is a much more advanced product! ---
**Author:** ![Recchan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/recchan/32/444_2.png) [@Recchan](https://community.emma-app.com/u/Recchan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/16 "2019-07-06T15:57:41Z")
Is it now? 👀 can I get a link?! ---
**Author:** ![Gaoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@Gaoler](https://community.emma-app.com/u/Gaoler)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/17 "2019-07-06T16:07:16Z")
[https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk/investing-explained/what-are-lifestrategy-funds](https://www.vanguardinvestor.co.uk/investing-explained/what-are-lifestrategy-funds) Choose your bond/equity split to suit your risk level, then let Vanguard rebalance and manage It does a lot of the legwork for you ---
**Author:** ![Recchan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/recchan/32/444_2.png) [@Recchan](https://community.emma-app.com/u/Recchan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/18 "2019-07-06T16:50:17Z")
I’m pretty happy managing what I invest into myself so i’ll Give it a pass, but thanks for the link! ---
**Author:** ![lilli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/community.emma-app.com/lilli/32/351_2.png) [@lilli](https://community.emma-app.com/u/lilli)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2019, 8:34am UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/19 "2019-07-08T08:34:00Z")
Thanks for your help and advice 🙂 ! ---
**Author:** ![KarlD89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KarlD89](https://community.emma-app.com/u/KarlD89)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629/20 "2019-07-09T21:13:16Z")
Freetrade have created a living post of all the indexes available on Freetrade. An index is a great way to create a diverse portfolio as they invest across a large variety of industries, without you having to do anything, you just invest in the ETF > **[A world of indexes 🌎](https://community.freetrade.io/t/a-world-of-indexes/10659?u=karld89)** > > We’ve previously written about index investing and index funds. But I thought it might be worth having a deeper dive into the stock indexes (or indices if you’re fancy) out there, most of which can be tracked with funds on Freetrade. The big indexes... [Next page](https://community.emma-app.com/t/how-to-use-freetrade/629.md?page=2)