Vanguard Life Strategy

blizeH

bigadaj wrote: »

All your eggs are in one basket but its the largest basket you can get. These funds aim to follow the world market and so you get a large chunk of America and Europe, so what you miss out on is diversification and variety. Many people might see real growth in emerging markets, or like a punt on commodities or smaller companies. All of these aren't really covered by the ls fund, so whilst it is excellent as a core holding, you might want to add funds in the areas I've noted, and elsewhere, as these would be higher risk. But higher reward and so might give you more growth.

Ah! Thank you... I guess it is a good fund to stick with then, my only concern is that looking here for example - http://www.trustnet.com/Factsheets/Factsheet.aspx?fundCode=ACFDT - there is a real lack of Asian funds... not sure if that's a good thing or bad though

Robie

Long time reader of this particular thread. I have not invested in Vanguard before but am thinking about it after reading so much about it. I am with HL currently for all my S&S deals.

Now, is it the *right time* to invest in the Vanguard or for that matter any funds right now when the indices are high already? Should one wait until there is a drop in the market?

Thanks.
Robie

black_taxi_2

i remember when so called experts called 2009 a bubble,then 2010 due for a correction

time in market not market timing

takesyourchances

Linton wrote: »

I think you may be a little too focused on the Far East and underweight on small companies in Europe, US and UK. Also, although I like Small Companies I would like to see a bit of something different - perhaps some more industry as opposed to geographic sectors. Examples such as Natural Resources, Technology, Biotech/Health, Finance (it must recover sometime!) However this is really a detail. Probably more important to get started on your strategy than analyse too deeply for too long.

I was having a look at UK Smaller Companies, I am not to sure on what industry to look at, I will have a scan over the next while.

This UK Small Company fund seems to have been very interesting, any thoughts on this within my mix as I have Asian Small Cap, Japanese Small Cap and the Global Small Cap which has 17% UK, 40% US.

http://www.hl.co.uk/funds/fund-discounts,-prices--and--factsheets/search-results/c/cazenove-uk-smaller-companies-class-b-accumulation

I am not to sure on mainland Europe, I still have a bit of a phobia with the Euro mess there to feel drawn to a separate fund on Europe outside the VLS holding and partial holdings in the Global Small Cap mix.

Thanks.

gadgetmind

takesyourchances wrote: »

I am not to sure on mainland Europe, I still have a bit of a phobia with the Euro mess

I went in big when it was kicking up a real stink, and I used ITs on a fat discount.

takesyourchances

gadgetmind wrote: »

I went in big when it was kicking up a real stink, and I used ITs on a fat discount.

You certainly got in and out at the right time with your European IT, I think there is a bit more stink to come out of Europe, I just cannot see how all these countries can run off the Euro at lots of varying levels and some of the debts surrounding these eg Ireland etc. Germany and then Greece are at polar opposites and the rest in the soup, I think more will give as one can pull the other and the rest down and how long can this all last and the bail outs.

Your timing was good amidst the flames

As for holding a fund in Europe, I don't know as I would like to hold for a good while and feel there is better regions.

As I have a reasonable Asian focus now I was thinking after Linton's reply that a UK small cap could maybe pull some balance back a little in my side fund mix.

Thanks.

mark55man

where next gadgetmind - commercial property was covering lots of inches the weekend papers (FT, ...). know a good IT for that?

takesyourchances

mark88man wrote: »

where next gadgetmind - commercial property was covering lots of inches the weekend papers (FT, ...). know a good IT for that?

I was exchanging a few posts with gadgetmind a while ago on property, I have been considering the BlackRock tracker for a couple of months. I feel there is always a need for property and commercial rents.

http://www.hl.co.uk/funds/fund-discounts,-prices--and--factsheets/search-results/b/blackrock-global-property-secs.-eq.-tracker-accumulation

mark55man

think I may have missed the boat on that one - may still be ahead of the herd, but definitely behind the clever money. 40% up in 14 months and 20% in the last 3 - nice work

takesyourchances

mark88man wrote: »

think I may have missed the boat on that one - may still be ahead of the herd, but definitely behind the clever money. 40% up in 14 months and 20% in the last 3 - nice work

Yes it looks a nice riser in the last 14 months and recently, I was thinking of it a couple of months ago but was building my other funds together in the portfolio. It could still be worth holding on small drip feeds, I feel that commercial property has it's purpose.

Also the fees are low with the tracker and not the larger sum needed like an IT and can be drip feed.

I am still considering this one myself.