With a relentless flow of headlines about high government borrowing costs, the possibility of an AI bubble and dizzying share valuations for some companies, could now really be the right time for someone to start buying shares?

Quite possibly, yes! Here’s why…

Getting to grips with a key investing concept

To start with, it is important to understand one key idea: market timing.

Market timing basically means buying when shares are cheap, or selling when they are near a peak.

It can seem easy because we are familiar with such behaviour from other parts of life, such as picking up groceries when they are on special offer.

When someone starts buying shares, the idea of market timing for shares can also seem easy. Investors can look at a chart showing how a share price performs and immediately pinpoint past peaks and troughs.

Reasoning that a share is near an all-time low or all-time high – information that is easily available – can reinforce this idea.

But market timing is impossible to do with certainty. Otherwise, swathes of sophisticated investors would already be doing it!

We often hear that past performance is not necessarily an indicator of what will happen in future. That may sound hackneyed but it is true.

It is also true that just because you think a share should be worth a certain amount, for whatever reason, does not mean that its price will come to reflect your view – soon, or perhaps ever.

Moving beyond timing

Why does this all matter for a stock market novice who wants to start buying shares?

Whether they realise it or not, a lot of people tie their choice to start investing to some form of market timing.

In fact, though, there is not necessarily a good time or bad time to start buying shares.

Rather, it depends on what shares you buy and what you pay for them.

Nor does beginning to buy shares need to be expensive; it is possible to start investing with just a few hundred pounds, or potentially even less.

Of course, getting going requires a few other steps too, such as understanding the basics of how the stock market works and setting up a practical way to start buying shares, like a share-dealing account or Stocks and Shares ISA.

One share to consider

One share I think it is worth investors considering at the moment is Card Factory (LSE: CARD).

Having sold for as little as 58p in the past year, the share’s current price of around 75p illustrates my point about me looking for a bargain even if a share is not as cheap as it has been previously.

Still, selling for eight times earnings and with a dividend yield of 6.7% (meaning each £100 invested now will hopefully earn £6.70 in dividends annually), I reckon the high street retailer is a potential bargain.

Dividends are never guaranteed, however. Neither is the health of Britain’s high streets, a risk to the number of customers visiting Card Factory. Stinging postal price increases are another risk.

Potentially though, the company’s online Funky Pigeon brand may help combat those risks. Meanwhile, Card Factory has a proven business model, large customer base and well-developed supply chain including its own UK manufacturing facility. That can help keep a lid on costs.

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Christopher Ruane owns shares in Card Factory.