Vanguard Life Strategy

MadMat

JohnnyJet wrote: »

Why have most people that choose the VLS fund gone for the 80% choice? Like the previous poster I was considering the 60%, but am I missing something? I wanted a fund to move some cash into which was fairly low risk and has the potential to grow by more than the 3% on offer in a cash ISA.

For me, I think I'd ”naturally” have headed for the 60, or even 40 version, I'm naturally quite risk adverse, but as I'm coming to the investment scene later than I should have, I'm 41, and targeting age 55 for a lifestyle change, I'm forcing myself to accept a little more risk than I think I'd normally be comfortable with.

Mat

takesyourchances

JohnnyJet wrote: »

Why have most people that choose the VLS fund gone for the 80% choice? Like the previous poster I was considering the 60%, but am I missing something? I wanted a fund to move some cash into which was fairly low risk and has the potential to grow by more than the 3% on offer in a cash ISA.

I went for the 60% as it was middle of the road with the VLS, so far from opening it has been going well, as you can see I have opened other funds for exposure I would like that is not in the VLS, so my equity to bond exposure is higher now as I added more equity to my portfolio on top of the VLS.

At the moment with my additional side funds added my overall portfolio is more 80% equity and 20% bonds etc with adding the side funds when looking on the HL portfolio Xray.

This could be a consideration if you are thinking of adding another exposure to a VLS fund when selecting the percentage level as the overall percentage amount will change in your portfolio. As I increase my VLS core up the equity to bond could be maybe towards 70/30 overall and will vary from time to time when adding amounts.

I am going to add another £300 tonight to my VLS fund, as this will raise my VLS core fund up a little and I have just over £300 left in my overall ISA limit to April and this will use it up nicely

Hope that helps.

JohnnyJet

Thanks for the info. I will probably go for the VLS 60% due to having other high risk funds (JPM Natural Resources, Aberdeen EM). I can then increase and decrease these as and when I feel like it without overdoing the risk.

takesyourchances

JohnnyJet wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I will probably go for the VLS 60% due to having other high risk funds (JPM Natural Resources, Aberdeen EM). I can then increase and decrease these as and when I feel like it without overdoing the risk.

Glad that was of help, the VLS 60% would give that bit more balance for you it seems with the other funds you have and more risk, I seen before that the JPM Natural Resources has been up and down a lot, the Aberdeen EM seems very good, it was a strong consideration for me when adding an EM fund, but the introduction of an extra fee soon for new money put me towards opening the First State EM, but the Aberdeen fund is a nice EM fund to be holding.

The Xray is very good on HL and you can see what your equity to bond allocations are overall with extra funds along side the VLS.

Good luck with it

JohnnyJet

MadMat wrote: »

For me, I think I'd ”naturally” have headed for the 60, or even 40 version, I'm naturally quite risk adverse, but as I'm coming to the investment scene later than I should have, I'm 41, and targeting age 55 for a lifestyle change, I'm forcing myself to accept a little more risk than I think I'd normally be comfortable with.

Mat

I'm a similar age to you and also am looking at 55 for at least a reduction in the hours I work. I would have been on track if it wasn't for a nasty builder. Trying to get back on track by taking more risks with my investments and pretty much starting from scratch again.

41 is definitely not too late to start as long as you are able to commit enough money and choose the right funds. 55 for me may be a bit optimistic, but that is my earliest I am aiming for.

black_taxi_2

johnny--Nasty builder did me for 8k---showed me false documents he was gas safe registered

takesyourchances

Now that a lot of us in this topic have a VLS in place now and some of us have filled our ISA limit for this tax year, how about some motivational inspiring ideas for the coming tax year with plans, lump sums, drip feeding plans, additional fund plans maybe things like that

For me personally I am very pleased to have taken out what I have this year and filled my limit, a few months ago I had not started investing in a S&S ISA so very happy with what I have learnt from this forum and have read on the net and in books

I have the rest of the smarter investing book to read still and will finish it and will be putting away for April's drip feeds and increasing my core VLS up a bit more, I think I will be on a drip feeding run to October before i take out the next fund of choice on the side.

With the new tax year only a few weeks away maybe sharing ideas and our plans will be of good benefit at this period. I am hoping to fill my next ISA limit 50/50 and it will be an excellent goal to reach 10K invested for me in my S&S ISA.

Thanks.

JohnRo

I'll continue to feed non-ISA monthly regardless. Have just last week bunged a five figure sum into the VLS 100% though so given my powers the market will sit up, take note, and precipitate a global crash over the next few days but that fund has got a 10 year horizon for me so I'm indifferent either way.

My ISA tracker funds will be getting the full lump sum rebalance in April, that'll no doubt cause a further massive market crash soon after but they're all LTBH so sod it.

I've come round to the view it's better to just shove any lump sum money in there asap and then feed in what you can when you can. At the end of the day I'm happier holding what little wealth I have in equities rather than depreciating hollow promises from government backed banksters.

takesyourchances

JohnRo wrote: »

I'll continue to feed non-ISA monthly regardless. Have just last week bunged a five figure sum into the VLS 100% though so given my powers the market will sit up, take note, and precipitate a global crash over the next few days but that fund has got a 10 year horizon for me so I'm indifferent either way.

My ISA tracker funds will be getting the full lump sum rebalance in April, that'll no doubt cause a further massive market crash soon after but they're all LTBH so sod it.

I've come round to the view it's better to just shove any lump sum money in there asap and then feed in what you can when you can. At the end of the day I'm happier holding what little wealth I have in equities rather than depreciating hollow promises from government backed banksters.

Good luck with the VLS 100% it is a very good mixture in that bundle and a good lump sum going in lets hope you don't bring about a global crash :rotfl:

Short term movements we need to forget about, 10 year horizon is a good period of time and I am the same, at least 10 years or more.

I had money sitting in a savings account and decided to use the rest of my limit up this month and get the extra funds I was interested in set up, glad to have done that now, in the process I have brought my VLS core down to 59% core with my latest openings, so I think I will want to bring the VLS up to around 70% with the 4 side funds I have, so this is what I want to do over the coming months with the drip feeds while adding smaller drips to the rest.

I don't think I will be adding lump sums in the coming months and will just be adjusting drips as I have somethings coming up over the summer including a big holiday, so it will be decent drip feeding amounts.

The the government backed banksters are stiffing us all and I would rather have money invested now in global equities and business than solely on pitiful below inflation rates, once my short to medium term cash needs are taken care of I will maybe use more of my ISA limit in the future towards the S&S ISA than cash.

I think I will aim towards 70% core with the VLS with 4 side funds, I would like the First State Asian Pacific leaders around October and that would be 5 side funds so I need to think out allocation percentages, with 5 side funds could even run the core at 65%, Things like this I need to work out over the course of this year.

Good stuff

guitarman001

It's good to share ideas etc, but don't spend too much time on this! Leave them be and go live your life lol!!

My funds are up ~2.8% since putting money in just a couple weeks ago! OK, might dip.. but still... better than the bank so far!

I chucked £1k at my student loan yesterday. Used to be £15kish. Now £5.3k. I know, I shouldn't... but I'd like to see it paid off.