Have a nest egg you want to invest wisely? Rita Ghose speaks to experts on how much to put away and where

'Take paid, professional advice on investment, as you would with a doctor'
Alok Churiwala, Director, Churiwala Securities Private Ltd

It would be best to take professional advice or study markets. According to the forecast, the market will be back on track in the next 24 months. In stocks, the best sectors to put your money in is the power sector that is poised dynamically, engineering sector, infrastructure and construction sector, banking sector and public sector units.
I would stay away from pharmaceuticals and companies whose price to earning ratio is high. That stock markets mean easy and quick money is a wrong notion. There are risks involved. Higher the expected return, higher is the risk. One shouldn't fall for the lure of higher returns. Keep your expectations real. Don't shy of going for paid financial advice, as free advice cannot be trusted and should be treated as hearsay. When you are sick you give your doctor fees for your health; similarly, do not ignore your finances.

Advised break up of how you should invest your savings this recession:
>>30 per cent in debt mutual funds
>>30 per cent stocks
>>30 per cent in debt based instruments
>>10 per cent direct equity

'First, keep some money in a safe place which offers liquidity'
Avinash Gupta, AVP, Equity Research Bonanza Portfolio Limited