Stocks & Shares ISA

[Rick2468]

I’m going to go across to Vanguard in the new financial year.   Their life strategy funds have performed well over the years and they have a good reputation.

I signed up with a virtual trading 212 account to see how some of the shares I am interested in are going to perform over the next month.  I wouldn’t dip my toe in to shares by more than £1k at this point in time.  I don’t have the time to research P/E and other metrics to make proper judgements on them.

Thanks for all the feedback, it’s been very helpful.

Good luck. It seems that you have done some solid research and from my point of view what you are doing looks sensible. I am not an expert but I have got 15 years of investing my own money and tried a few things so hopefully my view means something! What is the fee on your life strategy fund? When I started investing I was spread between a number of funds in equities and corporate bonds so portfolio probably resembled something that I would consider to be a life style fund (but my terminology may be out of date). After a few years I got frustrated that the bonds were not performing nearly as well as the shares so I have gone big and just done stock market now but it is risky. If I was closer to retirement I would (probably) be much less risky.

When I traded individual stocks I had to pay around £40 to buy them then nearly the same amount to sell them. And I only invested £2000 max in any individual share to limit exposure so the transaction fees were nearly 5% which I had to gain back on return. The shares I bought did do well which was a confidence boost but the fees meant I was no better off then investing in funds.

[lostandfound]

When I read of transaction fees of £40 to buy shares(?!), I think I must be missing something?

One of my accounts is with Barclays, it annoys me that to change details such as my phone number with them I must call an 0845 number, OTOH they charge £6 per trade ...

[Markus]

£6 per trade seems reasonable in this day and age.  Fidelity charge £10 and I believe most other platforms charge similar amounts (HL charge £11.95)

I have done as much research as I can and right now I have spread my investments between 5 funds which all have done fairly well over the last 3-5 years and have a 5 star Morningstar review.  In terms of buying shares, Etoro and Trading 212 seem the best way forward as you can even purchase factional shares in companies such as Amazon without any fees.  I believe they make their money in forex, spreads which incur fees. Etoro platform seems to be in dollars but at this present time it’s not bad given that conversion fees will mean £1k will get you close to $1400.  I have interest in companies like PayPal (which has done really well over the last month) and Pubmatic (in the last month has seen its share price more then double.  I’m using a virtual account for both until I get to grips with how they operate but it’s very well laid out and easy to operate via the app on your phone.

[lillythesavage]

I know nothing about this but have a story, though it was all over the press in December.

A friend of my Son, and 8 friends made 488 million pounds from a single office in one day split by the money invested, Sons mate was ring leader and got 74 million, the lowest share was 22 million.

If you read the December press it states US lawyers were trying to build a case, but this was earlier in the year, and no case was found. They have all the money.

They were betting on oil prices.

[Blackpool Rock]

Thought this Football Index had been mentioned on here but didn't find it from a quick skim read of the thread so perhaps it's on another one.
Anyway has anyone dabbled in this or got an account  Looks like any money in your account is now locked and my guess is that people won't see it again or certainly most of it which will make a mockery of all the shit they tell you about your money being held in a separate account etc

It's billed as being more like stock market investing but let's be totally honest here it's actually more like spread betting on football players

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[Moby Dick]

Saving for a rainy day eh.
Sure you can spread your wealth between tax incentivised ISAs, Pensions, and even premium bonds but remember you are a long time dead.

Spunk your deposits in a receptive WG gob whilst the sun is shining.
Sharing is Caring. 

[filthy.john]

AJ Bell

[Markus]

Do you want to elaborate on AJ Bell? Any recommendations for decent performing funds?

I am in a few including Baillie Gifford but they are really underperforming at present, partly due to their investment in Tesla. It’s long term so eventually it will turn around I hope.

For the next financial year, I may go in to Vanguard. I’m involved in Individual shares with Etoro but it’s predominately US stocks. Some of them could be decent value in a few months ahead now that the stimulus package has been signed off.

[filthy.john]

Do you want to elaborate on AJ Bell? Any recommendations for decent performing funds?

I am in a few including Baillie Gifford but they are really underperforming at present, partly due to their investment in Tesla. It’s long term so eventually it will turn around I hope.

For the next financial year, I may go in to Vanguard. I’m involved in Individual shares with Etoro but it’s predominately US stocks. Some of them could be decent value in a few months ahead now that the stimulus package has been signed off.

I've got all my money in the Allianz and Polar Tech Inv Trusts through AJ Bell S&S ISA. There has been a huge dip this last fortnight in the tech sector but I'm content enough to put my eggs in that one vasket for the long term and have done so for the last 3 years. Incredible year on year performance even with the recent dip.

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[Blackpool Rock]

I've got all my money in the Allianz and Polar Tech Inv Trusts through AJ Bell S&S ISA. There has been a huge dip this last fortnight in the tech sector but I'm content enough to put my eggs in that one vasket for the long term and have done so for the last 3 years. Incredible year on year performance even with the recent dip.

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There was also a general dip in a lot of sectors other than Tech too as valuations were simply too high so these market corrections do happen though the last couple of days things looked to be slightly up again 

You are right that Tech has taken more of a hit recently but looking at the stuff I bought a couple of years back and then transferred other under performing funds into this time last year the return is still excellent and some are over 50% in the last 12 months

As you say it's a long term position but it's good to have some diversification too, my UK smaller equity has done well the last 4-6 months since Brexit was known to be coming to an end, markets hate uncertainty and the bad news had been priced in for the previous few years but now the brakes are off again

[Blackpool Rock]

Thought this Football Index had been mentioned on here but didn't find it from a quick skim read of the thread so perhaps it's on another one.
Anyway has anyone dabbled in this or got an account  Looks like any money in your account is now locked and my guess is that people won't see it again or certainly most of it which will make a mockery of all the shit they tell you about your money being held in a separate account etc

It's billed as being more like stock market investing but let's be totally honest here it's actually more like spread betting on football players

External Link/Members Only

Update on this story, some people have lost 1000's when they moved the goalposts
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[mh]

Update on this story, some people have lost 1000's when they moved the goalposts
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Was clearly a Ponzi style scheme. "To pay out dividends, it required more customers to deposit money."

And whether or not it was a Ponzi style scheme, it is clearly gambling. Yes stocks and shares are gambling but there is at least a requirement on abiding by regulations. In an unregulated, footballer related scheme, the severity of an injury known about only by insiders could wipe out a player's value and there's no requirement on the club to publicise it. Just imagine you poured your money into Brazil's Ronaldo before the 1998 World Cup Final.