Investments - Strategies, Ideas, Options & advice

[Red devil]

Like how efficiently Hull (for example) ran the modernisation programme of its council housing stock after the huge KCom flotation windfall, as just one example? Installing new heating system and double glazing into abandoned properties soon to be demolished?

They ran them pretty well where I am. Don't let me list the many private landlord slums that are out there. The selling of council houses and the prevention by Government to allow the councils to replace their stock has led to the housing crisis we have today

 

[Crazyface]

Does anyone know if its possible to move a pension that's paying out (to me) to another one thats maybe better. If so, do you have an recomendations of where to move it to?

 

[RichA]

I've always been a saver rather than an investor but have recently dipped a toe in the water.
I opened 2 GIAs a few months ago - one cautious and one balanced.

Obviously these are long-term things and shouldn't be judged on a few months' performance but, with the cautious account performing so poorly, I dug into the individual elements that make it up and their historic performances. It's left me scratching my head a bit.
The historic growth over the last 10 or so years of cash trust, overseas corporate bonds, overseas government bonds and global property shares - these making up the bulk of the cautious GIA - is worse than a high street savings account.
So what's the point?
I feel like I'm better off sticking most of our savings in the highest rate accounts I can find and putting a smaller amount in global shares or FTSE and US ETFs.

I'm new to this. Am I missing something?

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Does anyone know if its possible to move a pension that's paying out (to me) to another one thats maybe better. If so, do you have an recomendations of where to move it to?

In my experience, once you’ve started drawing it, that’s it
Which is why it pays to get proper advice that gives you all the options before you start taking your pension.

It might cost a few thousand, but is well worth it in the long run

 

[Voyager EMH]

Does anyone know if its possible to move a pension that's paying out (to me) to another one thats maybe better. If so, do you have an recomendations of where to move it to?

The company that is paying out to you would have to pay a huge sum to another provider to take your annuity off their hands. I struggle to see how or why they would do this unless there was something in it for them. Another huge fee for you, maybe, in order for this to happen. That would make it financially unviable for you, I imagine.
These companies generally don't do anything out of goodwill and seem to require huge fees and charges levied on the Joe-public customer.

If you want it to happen - you pay for it to happen - it ain't gonna happen any other way - it ain't gonna happen then?

 

[woofers]

I've always been a saver rather than an investor but have recently dipped a toe in the water.
I opened 2 GIAs a few months ago - one cautious and one balanced.

Obviously these are long-term things and shouldn't be judged on a few months' performance but, with the cautious account performing so poorly, I dug into the individual elements that make it up and their historic performances. It's left me scratching my head a bit.
The historic growth over the last 10 or so years of cash trust, overseas corporate bonds, overseas government bonds and global property shares - these making up the bulk of the cautious GIA - is worse than a high street savings account.
So what's the point?
I feel like I'm better off sticking most of our savings in the highest rate accounts I can find and putting a smaller amount in global shares or FTSE and US ETFs.

I'm new to this. Am I missing something?

I don’t think so. I’ve never seen the attraction of corporate or government bonds, gilts, etc other than very conservative or relatively safe places to put some money away.
When interest rates were low, it made sense to invest in funds and shares as they would generally beat the interest rates on cash accounts.
With higher interest rates, it’s OK to put some money away in savings accounts and get a reasonable return without too much risk.
With regard to stocks and shares I avoid individual company shares, there’s too much volatility for my liking. I have my savings in Funds, and over time I have realised that low cost trackers are effective and suit my needs, Global 100, International 100, FTSE 100, European, Pacific and US. There’s also the option of tracking specific areas such as Tech, AI, Health and Pharma etc. Choose your weightings and distribution as you see fit.
Obviously trackers won’t outperform the market, but neither do most managed funds.
I’m not trying to beat the market, I’m happy to get a better return than cash savings.
There are two types of investor - one doesn’t know the market, the other doesn’t know they don’t know the market.

 

[The Squirrel]

I've always been a saver rather than an investor but have recently dipped a toe in the water.
I opened 2 GIAs a few months ago - one cautious and one balanced.

Obviously these are long-term things and shouldn't be judged on a few months' performance but, with the cautious account performing so poorly, I dug into the individual elements that make it up and their historic performances. It's left me scratching my head a bit.
The historic growth over the last 10 or so years of cash trust, overseas corporate bonds, overseas government bonds and global property shares - these making up the bulk of the cautious GIA - is worse than a high street savings account.
So what's the point?
I feel like I'm better off sticking most of our savings in the highest rate accounts I can find and putting a smaller amount in global shares or FTSE and US ETFs.

I'm new to this. Am I missing something?

By definition a cautious portfolio won’t have a high return. It does have one useful quality which is to be a hedge against Sterling risk. Likely nearly all your savings/assets/earnings are in £ while a lot of your costs - even indirectly (anything that’s imported even if sold to you in £) - are in other currencies. One risk we face is that at some point in the future Sterling may devalue significantly for some unforseeable reason. Most people would do well to have a significant chunk of both their savings and investments in non-sterling (a mixture of $ and € is probably good enough as a proxy for ‘everywhere else’).

Also means you should accept that it may go down in value (in £ terms) if £ strengthens. This isn’t a bad thing - if that happens then literally everything else you earn and own has become more valuable in global terms!

Last thought - if they’re in a GIA then are you maxxed out with ISA contributions? Otherwise no good reason not to use your ISA allowance for these.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I've always been a saver rather than an investor but have recently dipped a toe in the water.
I opened 2 GIAs a few months ago - one cautious and one balanced.

Obviously these are long-term things and shouldn't be judged on a few months' performance but, with the cautious account performing so poorly, I dug into the individual elements that make it up and their historic performances. It's left me scratching my head a bit.
The historic growth over the last 10 or so years of cash trust, overseas corporate bonds, overseas government bonds and global property shares - these making up the bulk of the cautious GIA - is worse than a high street savings account.
So what's the point?
I feel like I'm better off sticking most of our savings in the highest rate accounts I can find and putting a smaller amount in global shares or FTSE and US ETFs.

I'm new to this. Am I missing something?

With interest rates dropping, the return on savings accounts will be affected.
Low risk vehicles are ok if there is a crash brewing, but predicting when is notoriously difficult. Also inflation will eat into your returns.

As has been said, if you have a stocks n shares isa, if you haven’t put in your full 20k this tax year then transfer from the GIA and then do another 20k after 6 April. Vanguard and Moneyfarm are worth looking at, there are many others, look for medium risk rather than low

This takes all your isa returns out of tax, the stocks n shares isa will out perform the GIA , transfer 20k each year until the GIA runs out.

If you want to keep some safe and liquid, consider premium bonds.

This does not constitute advise, just some options for you to explore