I took to the airwaves for 60 minutes to lay down how I would invest starting today.

A special warning: investing isn't for everyone. And more importantly, the way I invest (what I buy, how much, and when I do it) probably won't work for you. I've learned that everyone is different. So just be mindful to consider your own risk levels, financial goals or objectives.

Finally, by saying that I would invest today I'm not saying I think the market will go up in the short term, nor am I guaranteeing returns or even expecting the market to go higher in the next few years. There have been times when the stock market has taken many years to go up -- and oftentimes these rises seem to be somewhat random. Meaning, in the short-term (1-3 years) trying to predict where the market or share price will go is really anyone's guess. That's why I'm a long-term investor (10+ years) -- I'm willing to wait for all of the good businesses to slowly increase their profits and let their profits be the reason the share price goes up.

Starting With the Core, Then Work Out

As I've said on Selfwealth a few times, it's sensible to start with the Core of a portfolio. This is where the low-cost, diversified and long-term investments go. For me, this often means lots of ETFs, blue chip shares and maybe some managed funds to start. So let's start there...

1. Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

VAS is Australia's most popular ETF -- and by a long way. It invests in the 300 largest shares on the Australian share market. I'm talking about BHP Group (ASX: BHP), Telstra (ASX: TLS), Woolworths Ltd (ASX: WOW) and so on.

Since it's super-well diversified (300 shares in one investment) it's never going to 'shoot the lights out'. But what I expect VAS to offer is steady, long-term compounding. Over 10 years, and including dividends, I would expect an average yearly return under 10% but above 5%. The management fees on VAS are quite low at just 0.1% per year.

2. iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

The IVV ETF invests in the USA's 500 largest companies (think: Apple, Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson, and so on). The IVV has been going for a very long time and has very low fees (0.05% per year), making it the type of thing I like in my Core portfolio.

IVV also comes in a currency-hedged version, trading under the ticker symbol IHVV. Some investors might choose to invest in one or both versions.

3. BetaShares AAA ETF (ASX: AAA)

This ETF from Betashares is quite unique -- AAA simply invests in the highest-yielding term deposits from Australian banks. As of late October 2022, the interest rate is ~2.7%.

Someone with a mortgage could get a better deal with an offset account, or in a regular term deposit, but for investors with larger balances I think the AAA ETF is a lower-risk alternative to a normal bonds ETF.

4. Global X Gold ETF (ASX: GOLD)

The Global X Gold ETF is the largest gold ETF in Australia. It simply takes investors' money and buys bars of gold that are stored in a London vault. Usually, I don't have any exposure to gold, but recently my company (The Rask Group Pty Ltd) took a very small position.

It's worth noting that the GOLD ETF is unhedged - meaning it is influenced by the currency fluctuation between the Australian and US dollars. A currency-hedged version for gold exposure can be found in the form of the BetaShares Physically-backed Gold - currency-hedged ETF (ASX: QAU).

5. Fidelity Emerging Markets Fund (ASX: FEMX)

FEMX is a managed fund, meaning it is actively managed by the portfolio management team at Fidelity. From the outside, FEMX 'feels' just like an ETF -- you can buy and sell it inside your brokerage account.

The FEMX ETF invests in 40-50 companies from emerging markets, such as China, Brazil, India, etc. These stock markets are much more volatile than developed markets like Australia or the USA, so investing in emerging markets is riskier. This is one reason why, when I invest in these markets, I prefer to have active management from a fund manager with decades of experience.

6. Washington H. Soul Pattinson & Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

"Soul Patts", as it's commonly known, is Australia's version of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK) because it's run in a similar way and by a similar type of investor (long-term, aligned, sensible).

Led by the Milner family, an investment in Soul Patts offers exposure to public and private brands and businesses that have stood the test of time -- for example, companies like TPG Telecom (ASX: TPG). Soul Patts also pays one of the most consistent dividends on the ASX.

7. Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

Xero is Australia, New Zealand, and (soon) the UK's leader in cloud-based accounting software. If you run a small business (or work for one) chances are you would have seen the round blue and white Xero logo across the place (e.g. on your payslip). Xero provides all of the back-office accounting solutions that help small businesses, like mine, solve problems and maintain cash flow.

Increasingly, Xero is moving into analytics and integrations with tools for HR and financing. Generally speaking, Xero is making its platform 'stickier' (harder for customers to give up). Despite its size, Xero is still scaling its growth -- so it's not out of the woods just yet.

8. Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

Altium is another technology business that's taking on the cloud, globally. Altium creates the software which engineers use to create printed circuit boards or PCBs. These are the small green or blue 'motherboards' that go inside phones, computers, remote controls, machines and so on.

Altium is benefiting from a few long-term tailwinds, including the Internet of Things (IoT) -- the connection of 'smart' devices -- and a transition to cloud-based software. Altium historically had its software on desktop, which can be prone to pirating and is very hard to monetise. Increasingly, Altium is switching more customers to better solutions in the cloud and on subscription -- fueling its long-term revenue and number of recurring customers.

Summary

These 8 investments will not be right for everyone because of varying risk profiles, time horizons and personal circumstances, which change from person-to-person as well as over time. So consider getting expert advice before investing.

That said, if you're looking for ideas to chuck on your watchlist, I think these 8 companies/ETFs/funds are a good place to start.

Cheers!

Owen Raszkiewicz