Your savings and investment porfolios

jizba

I would be very interested to hear what sort of portfolios members on this site have, it may give others ideas as to what are good and poor investments, what has and has not worked for particular members etc.

My own portfollio is rather mundane as I am really only starting off but it is as follows.

£2000 in premium bonds.
£3000 in a cash ISA.
£1000 in Ice Save.

As I said not very interesting but I am looking for ideas for my next investment.

Xbigman

£2000 in premium bonds.
£3000 in a cash ISA.
£1000 in Ice Save.

I'm not sure I'd call that an investment portfolio, its more a list of savings. Having savings is completely different to having investments. No criticism intended.

For myself I realized how poor an investment cash is, so I went down the HYP route. Investing directly in high yield shares.
Regards


X

steve_cov

jizba wrote: »

£2000 in premium bonds.
£3000 in a cash ISA.
£1000 in Ice Save.

I am in a not dissimilar position, though I can't be doing with Premium Bonds! I have three years' ISAs and a little more tucked away with Icesave and a slush fund in a savings account with the same bank as my current account.

Until you can afford to lose any money you invest in stocks and shares, cash is the safest, most liquid option. Should you need to get your hands on it at short notice, you can. Interest rates don't offer the kinds of gains which you might (stress might) make on the stock market, but they are pretty much guaranteed to be above inflation forever.

Remember that stocks and shares are a gamble and are not a short-term investment in any case. So-called "high-yield" shares are a bigger gamble than most.

When I have accumulated a little more, I might consider a riskier investment with greater rewards. For the time being, cash is fine. I don't mind tying up some of my savings in a longer-term deal, but I realise that I might need cash quickly so I also save in instant access accounts.

dunstonh

First time I have heard portfolio being used for 100% cash.

There are options in between cash and stocks and shares. Plus stocks and shares is not one level of risk. It is a sliding scale and you dont move 100% into any one option.

Not using other investments and sticking 100% in cash can do more damage over the long term. Especially if you arent keeping up with inflation.

debbie42

steve_cov wrote: »

they are pretty much guaranteed to be above inflation forever.

That would be a nice account. Any hints as to who's offering it?

StevieJ

debbie42 wrote: »

That would be a nice account. Any hints as to who's offering it?

Maybe not for ever but for the foreseeable.

http://www.nsandi.com/products/ilsc/index.jsp

EdInvestor

steve_cov wrote: »

Remember that stocks and shares are a gamble and are not a short-term investment in any case.

If you want your money to keep pace with inflation long term, I'm afraid you have to take a calculatefd risk with at least some of it.

So-called "high-yield" shares are a bigger gamble than most.

Where did you get that idea form? A diversified portfolio of high yield shares (or an equity income fund equivalent) is one of the less risky ways of investing in the stockmarket.

dunstonh

If the yield is too high, then they can be considered riskier. Growing yield is often better.

EdInvestor

If you choose a share only because it has a high yield, without taking any other aspects into consideration, then certainly that could be the case.

But it could equally be the case with a share which had no yield at all.

montycat_2

Hi ,
Here is my portfolio.Just to give you an idea of my Portfolio.
I have kept some figures quiet though.

I have £3000 in mini cash ISA
£3000 in an equity ISA
£3000 in an ICICI savings account
a5 figure sum in a 2 year Bond paying 5.8%
an even larger 5 figure sum in a Norwich Union Investment Trust (5 year commitment).Medium risk

I have cash available immediately ,for the near future ,anfd for the further off future.

I hope this helps

save-a-lot

Hi

I, (and my wife) have :

£9,000 in NS&I Direct ISA (cash mini ISA 6.05%)
£21,000 in a fixed rate bond with the West Bromwich BS
~ £20,000 in shares for the company I work for (need to get all those eggs out of one basket)
and
£2,500 in Citibank high interest account

I do want to become more adventurous and start some investments however.