**** Official UK investors thread **** - Page 3

BurnleyMik · #21 03-02-2007, 01:37 AM

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icesave.co.uk has the highest rate for savings.

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Yeah, check this savings account out. I believe they are totally tax-free savings. Currently at 5.75%

GoldenIP · #22 03-02-2007, 06:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
icesave.co.uk has the highest rate for savings.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, check this savings account out. I believe they are totally tax-free savings. Currently at 5.75%

[/ QUOTE ]

I signed up for IceSave a few months ago. It really is as good as they say IMO

sweeng8 · #23 03-02-2007, 12:34 PM

Very good idea for a thread....

I am a complete beginner at this, and so have a few very broad questions that I hope someone can answer.
I am currently a student in the Uk and play poker pretty much every day. I have just withdrawn about £2000 and would be interested in investing it. Is there a point in doing this, or should I wait until I have £10k or more? If there is, what would people suggest I do with it. I dont mind varience and Im not in any hurry to get it back.
Thanks

iSTRONG · #24 03-02-2007, 03:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Very good idea for a thread....

I am a complete beginner at this, and so have a few very broad questions that I hope someone can answer.
I am currently a student in the Uk and play poker pretty much every day. I have just withdrawn about £2000 and would be interested in investing it. Is there a point in doing this, or should I wait until I have £10k or more? If there is, what would people suggest I do with it. I dont mind varience and Im not in any hurry to get it back.
Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

You can start investing in an index fund (tracker) with just £500. And if you chose a global fund, it will be diversified enough to not go through huge swings. You can expect about 8% returns in average. However this is only a good option if you're pretty sure you won't need the money in the next 5 years or so. Otherwise just put it in a savings account like Icesave mentioned above.

Necromancer · #25 03-02-2007, 04:08 PM

hey istrong, love the videos BTW thanks very much.

This site is the best source of information regarding investing IMHO.

http://www.fool.co.uk/

This one is also useful for checking out index trackers and managed funds

http://www.trustnet.com/help/focus.asp?index

Regarding ISAs National Savings and Investments offers a good rate for the MINI CASH ISA with no fees for withdrawals and gaurenteed to stay 1% above the Bank of England rate for the next couple of years (dont quote me on those details as they are a bit sketchy and you would need to check the yourself)

Barcleys has an account that pays 12.5% but there are lots of strings attached (for example you have to hold your current account there and get a certain paid in each month. Their stock broking service offers trades for £12 or £7.50 if you trade more than 10 (??) times per quarter.

There are plenty of other brokers that offer trades for around £10.

sweeng8 · #26 03-03-2007, 07:57 AM

Thanks iSTRONG,

A couple of questions about index tracker funds...

You say that the value in them is leaving it for 5 years or so. Is this because you have to not touch the money, or because the value is in allowing your investment to grow by 8% each year?
Also, even if I couldnt take money out, could I put money money in as it suits me, or would I have to make another seperate investment?

Thanks for everyones help.

iSTRONG · #27 03-03-2007, 08:54 AM

The reason for the 5 years is that it smoothes out the ups and downs of the market and also because of the entry and exit fees associated with funds. And yes you could buy more of the fund as you go along.

iSTRONG · #28 03-17-2007, 06:52 AM

A quick bump to let you all know that i found a real nice mini-cash ISA (quick! we're coming to the end of the financial year!). 5.80% AER!

National Savings and Investments, Direct ISA

I believe that's the best rate currently offered in the UK. Very easy to sign up. All done online.

iSTRONG · #29 03-29-2007, 12:57 PM

I've just opened a mini-Stocks&shares ISA with selftrade.com

I want to invest £4K into ETFs. I believe i got access to all the ishares ones through selftrade.com

Are ETFs a good idea in the current economical climate?

This is a long-term investement for me; Over 5 years. I don't mind an aggressive portfolio. What's the plan?
(I know i should not be investing without having any knowledge of what I'm doing, but I want to maximise my ISA allowance for 06/07; hopefully will have finished reading my investement books for 07/08) [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

edit: btw, this is the list of trackers I go access to:

kimchi · #30 03-29-2007, 08:54 PM

Since you only have 4K to invest, I would avoid ETFs as the transaction costs will not be offset by a lower TER.

I think you should just use standard unit trust or OEIC funds with low TER and no initial charge. If you use a fund supermarket you can mix your providers within the same ISA wrapper and there's no minimum investment. This means you can diversify as much as you need.