Have you ever wanted to start investing but wanted to wait for the right time? Some people put off going public for years – or even forever – waiting for what they believe is the right moment.

I understand that. Successful investing is about buying something for less than it ultimately turns out to be worth. Therefore, it is worth not overpaying.

But the signals can be misleading. On the one hand, the economy is feeble. However, we have already seen a blue chip compared to this FTSE100 the index of leading UK shares has reached a recent high all the time high this month.

Market timing can be problematic

I think it might be helpful to step back from the question and ask exactly what “the right time” for someone starting to invest might look like?

Some of it will be personal to them. Does their financial situation give them enough leeway to start buying shares, even on a miniature scale? Have they decided why they want to invest and set goals for themselves?

Additionally, have they taken the time to learn at least the basics of vital concepts like stock valuation and portfolio diversification to aid reduce risk?

But there is also a more general issue. There may not be a singlethe best” Or “the worst“It’s time to start investing. To some extent, it depends What investments someone makes.

Many people try to time the market by guessing what they think will happen next. But these can always only be guesses.

Selecting individual shares

When I say that the right time to start investing depends on what investments one makes, it’s partly because stocks don’t move massively. Even though the overall market may seem pricey, there may still be some individual bargain stocks. Conversely, even after a market crash, some stocks can do this Still be overpriced.

This helps explain why I prefer to buy individual stocks (as part of a diversified portfolio) rather than track indexes.

One action to consider

Right now, I think investors should consider one stock FTSE100 asset manager M&G (LSE: MNG). The asset management market is immense and likely to remain so in the long term. The amounts involved mean that even fairly modest commissions can soon add up.

With its robust brand, deep experience and multi-million customer base in dozens of markets, M&G has proven it can generate cash at significant scale.

This allows it to fund a juicy dividend. The current profitability is already 6.9% – significantly higher double average FTSE 100, and the company’s declared goal is to boost the dividend per share every year.

Will it work? Dividends are never certain in any company. The only thing that worries me is that with M&G policyholders may take out more than they put in. This could hurt cash generation.

However, from a long-term perspective, I am confident about the prospects for M&G.

Preparation for investment

Of course, before someone starts investing, they need a platform to do so. This could be, for example, a shares trading account, a Stocks and Shares ISA or a trading app.

Then, after putting a certain amount of money into their chosen vehicle, they could proceed to purchase shares.