Shoes or stocks?

Would you rather spend your money on shoes or stocks? Whether you are a spender or a saver, it's essential to know if you are striking the right balance between indulging on a whim and putting away money for the future. TD Waterhouse, the UK's leading execution-only broker, has teamed up with TD Waterhouse Canada, the leading discount brokerage in Canada and TD AMERITRADE, a leading online brokerage in the U.S to present the Shopping or Saving? Quiz geared at women in all three countries.

"While we all know it's important to save money, the instant gratification of shopping can sometimes trump the peace of mind that comes from long-term investing," says Sarah Dobson, UK Investor Centre Representative, TD Waterhouse, "but if you've ever woken up the following day with a "spending hangover", you know the pleasure doesn't last long."

Finding the right balance between enjoying disposable income and building an investment portfolio to meet long-term goals is key. It's never too early to start investing, and the earlier, the better, as additional time can allow an investment to potentially grow which means you may be able to benefit from compound interest. Although it may initially feel like a sacrifice, paying yourself first means that instead of simply living for the moment, you could possibly build the foundation for a wealthier life in the long term.

Ms. Dobson notes that there can be many correlations between building a great wardrobe and building a solid portfolio. "Everyone likes to buy an ‘on trend' piece or label but the foundation of your wardrobe should be those classic, timeless items that never go out of style." She added: "The same is true for your investments - the bulk of your portfolio should be the equivalent of your LBD (little black dress): high-quality, attractive and reliable, rather than trendy."

For many, the Internet can be a great resource - where both novice as well as seasoned investors can access cost-effective, flexible self-directed investment products, such as an ISA or Regular Investment Account - through an execution-only broker.

Just as many people are savvy online shoppers - using good research to find the best deals - and could apply these skills to educate themselves and become a well-informed online investor, relying on easily accessible and user-friendly and accessible tools, resources and support.

The Shopping or Saving? Quiz is designed to help would be investors think about whether they are striking the right balance between shopping and saving for their future. The quiz is available online at vote.pollstream.com/0464 along with tools geared to the UK, Canada and the US. These can help calculate and project a hypothetical long-term investment goal, to see whether you are on track, and if not, how to get there. A word version of the quiz also accompanies this press release.

Please note: the value of an investment can go down as well as up. Investors may not get back all the funds they invest.