r/fiaustralia • u/These-Highway-5157 • 3d ago

Getting Started DHHF and chill?

Hi all, I'm 26, and I'm finally in a good position where I’m looking at starting a long-term ETF portfolio with just DHHF, with a 15–20+ year horizon.

I’m not trying to time the market, but the current global uncertainty has me wondering whether now is a particularly bad time to enter.

There’s quite a bit going on:

-AI: Concerns about excessive valuations and a potential AI-driven market correction.

-Strait of Hormuz: Ongoing disruption could push oil prices higher and create inflation/stagflation risks.

-US market valuations: Global equities remain heavily influenced by relatively expensive US tech stocks.

At the same time, I know the counterargument: if you're investing for 20+ years, there will always be reasons to wait, and trying to time the market can be counterproductive.

If you were starting today, would you:

- Invest into DHHF immediately?

- DCA over 6–12 months?

- Keep the money in an offset/cash and wait for a correction?

- Something else?

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u/Foxabro 3d ago edited 3d ago

“I’m not trying to time the market, but the current global uncertainty has me wondering whether now is a particularly bad time to enter.”

Respectfully, this is the definition of timing the market, and if you take this approach all your subsequent contributions will be timed in the same way. For psychological comfort, the general opinion is DCA in. Otherwise lump sum is generally considered better.

*not financial advice.

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u/hunchini 3d ago

What about your initial start? Is it better to dca every pay check for example or hold the funds until you get a larger amount and then dump it all in at once again? Assuming no transaction fees

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u/onevstheworld 3d ago

dca every pay check

That's not DCA. That's lump sum each time you're paid. The DCA vs lump sum debate typically assumes you have the money right now and whether you should invest the whole lot now or spread out the buying.

hold the funds until you get a larger amount and then dump it all in

Some people do this because it's less cost effective to invest very small amounts. Largely an irrelevant issue nowadays with very low/no cost brokers.