Vanguard Life Strategy

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

Are you sticking with funds or have you thought about individual shares and or investment trust/s?

ColdIron

The Cazenove fund has been a superb performer for the last 18 months, you should be kicking yourself that you didn't get in earlier

takesyourchances

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

Are you sticking with funds or have you thought about individual shares and or investment trust/s?

I don't think I would pick individual shares I prefer a bit of a spread rather than picking one company. I would consider an investment trust, the funds are letting me drip feed regular lower amounts which suits as well.

If I went to 65% core I think there is space for 1 more to keep all satellites at 5% as I don't see the point in any lower exposure.

An IT could be a consideration down the line, I understand there is a dealing charge so if I am right it would make more sense to open with a larger amount as it is not suitable for smaller drip feeds with the dealing charge. Yes I think an IT is a consideration maybe later on with a larger opening amount.

Thanks.

takesyourchances

ColdIron wrote: »

The Cazenove fund has been a superb performer for the last 18 months, you should be kicking yourself that you didn't get in earlier

I know indeed! looking at this fund you are right! to be honest I am kicking myself I did not start my S&S ISA investing 18 months or longer ago as only started it at the beginning of this year. But was doing other property ventures so now I am finished those.

Lets hope the next 18 months and beyond is good for the Cazenove fund as I am in this for the long haul

Thanks.

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

takesyourchances wrote: »

I don't think I would pick individual shares I prefer a bit of a spread rather than picking one company. I would consider an investment trust, the funds are letting me drip feed regular lower amounts which suits as well.

If I went to 65% core I think there is space for 1 more to keep all satellites at 5% as I don't see the point in any lower exposure.

An IT could be a consideration down the line, I understand there is a dealing charge so if I am right it would make more sense to open with a larger amount as it is not suitable for smaller drip feeds with the dealing charge. Yes I think an IT is a consideration maybe later on with a larger opening amount.

Thanks.

I have an investment trust I invest in through a mixture of lumps and drip feeds. It's called Edinburgh Investment Trust. I use a sharesave scheme on my online broker and it deals in this trust at a cost of £2 plus SDRT.

I *think* funds also include SDRT and dealing costs but its all concealed in the annual fee. I think VLS have a some kind of cost or dilution levy.

I have only one fund (recently purchased) in my portfolio now which is called Unicorn UK Income. This I chose due to the fact that it holds four shares I would like to hold - so instead of buying individually I decided to buy into them in the fund which has given access to others.

takesyourchances

A_Flock_Of_Sheep wrote: »

I have an investment trust I invest in through a mixture of lumps and drip feeds. It's called Edinburgh Investment Trust. I use a sharesave scheme on my online broker and it deals in this trust at a cost of £2 plus SDRT.

I *think* funds also include SDRT and dealing costs but its all concealed in the annual fee. I think VLS have a some kind of cost or dilution levy.

I have only one fund (recently purchased) in my portfolio now which is called Unicorn UK Income. This I chose due to the fact that it holds four shares I would like to hold - so instead of buying individually I decided to buy into them in the fund which has given access to others.

I have heard of the Edinburgh Investment Trust and it seems well known. If adding one more holding I would really need to think it out, US Small Companies is a consideration but I have a reasonable percentage of US in the SL Global Small Cap fund. An IT could be a consideration for a niche area with a lump and larger drip feeds.

It is just good to hear opinions but no hurry to jump at anything else as got plenty to get on with after the UK Small Cap opening and raising my core level up.

Also heard of that Unicorn fund you opened. I prefer a bit of a spread which is why I went for the VLS and funds over putting faith in single companies etc so good idea covering your needs in the Unicorn fund.

Yes the VLS has a dilution lev.

I have a simple SIPP which I recently opened with a single VLS 80% in time I might add a few more side exposures but certainly for the next while I am keeping it sole and I will also top it up when I use up my ISA allowances.

Thanks.

Carpi09

How is it going Takesyourchances?

Still looking positive?

takesyourchances

Carpi09 wrote: »

How is it going Takesyourchances?

Still looking positive?

Hi Carpi, hope all is going well with the property you are going for.

Yes things are still looking positive, few movements up and down when I log in but nothing of concern and keep going forward

Added the UK small Cap fund which I posted about, think that is me pretty much for a good while and just keep adding now. Next £300 S&S drip feed going in Monday and it will bring me to over £10K invested so far.

Just keep doing what I am doing and pay each month

Do you think you will be back at the VLS again once your property is sorted out?

Cheers

takesyourchances

Hope everyones VLS adding is going ok. I added a 300 lump sum to my VLS and 300 to my Standard Life Global Small Companies fund, I have 750 left of my ISA limit so have reduced my drip feed to 150 per month to March to bring me to the new tax year.

Has anyone any opinions on the First State Global Infrastucture fund?

I have 6 side funds of Asia, Small Companies and Emerging Markets, if going for one more might consider an industry niche focus and was looking over the Infrastucture fund and Infrastucture is something required. It has a reasonable yeilding dividend and seems to be a defensive type holding and I have growth focused holdings etc. Anyone hold this or have an opinion of this as a 5% portfolio holding with 65% VLS core?

Just thinking ahead and pleased to get my ISA limits used and will put some more cash away while my drip feeds lower and get few other projects done I need some cash for also.

Look forward to any thoughts on this.

Thanks

latecomer

I have finally moved money out of the my cash ISA - want intending to put all of it into the Royal Mail IPO first but of course got banjo'd by the government. Hence I have rather more case in my Halifax sharebuilder account than I intended - also haven't yet decided whether to hold the RM shares for the longer term or at least until we see what happens with the FTSE, dividend and of course the strike(s). But given its ~ £1000 I'm not that concerned for now.

I'm now back to thinking about the S&S ISA and Vanguard in particular. I'm considering just going into the Vanguard LS100 with about 80% of the amount I was going to invest and then reading Tim Hale's book over the next few weeks to figure out what I should be doing with the rest. The one thing I am struggling with is the asset allocation - something that I read alot about but still have no idea how to come up with the numbers. How did everyone else do it?

The plan would be to add to the ISA regularly and possibly reduce the Vanguard LS level in the future once I've got a better idea of whats I'm doing.