Portfolio critique requested

sg1000

Thanks for the advice / comments. Think I'll split it....half in a tracker and half under the mattress.

Blackdog

As you are with HL and are considering using trackers then take a look at Legal & General International Index Trust which has a net ongoing charge of just 0.08% if you want global exposure.

TakeCareOfThePennies_2

sg1000 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice / comments. Think I'll split it....half in a tracker and half under the mattress.

Did someone slap you on the face with a piece of Scottish salmon or something ?

That's one nifty about-turn there. But a sound decision in the end I'd say. Good on you !

sg1000

TakeCare, I'm trying to save...wouldn't waste a good piece of Scottish salmon to slap me with. It was a kipper :-)

badger09

Blackdog wrote: »

As you are with HL and are considering using trackers then take a look at Legal & General International Index Trust which has a net ongoing charge of just 0.08% if you want global exposure.

0.08%

http://www.hl.co.uk/funds/fund-discounts,-prices--and--factsheets/search-results/l/legal-and-general-international-index-trust-r-accumulation-inclusive

This one is net 0.49%. Or is there another with 0.08%?

sg1000

Badger, I found the one Blackdog was talking about. It is, indeed, 0.08%

SG

brasso

sg1000 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice / comments. Think I'll split it....half in a tracker and half under the mattress.

Your allocation percentages are a little perplexing but the actual choices in terms of diversification are not too bad, IMO. Woodford UK, Asia-Pac, smaller companies UK & US, all OK for someone with time. Don't know about the Nano-Cap. The question mark is over Neptune Russia. Depends how long you've had it. If you bought at the wrong time you'll have suffered. Mind you, if you still have it, I'd hang on now. I bought some a couple of months ago and it's nudging back up.

Couple of thoughts: apart from a few exceptions (e.g. Woodford and Terry Smith) I've mostly moved away from actively managed funds in recent times. Like many, I like the low cost Vanguard funds and have quite a spread of them, including the popular, auto-rebalancing Vanguard LifeStrategy funds and those with a dividend focus. And you're 100% in equities when you might want to consider an element of bonds and other more defensive asset classes.

I'm surprised you're only 23% up after 5 years though.

masonic

badger09 wrote: »

0.08%

http://www.hl.co.uk/funds/fund-discounts,-prices--and--factsheets/search-results/l/legal-and-general-international-index-trust-r-accumulation-inclusive

This one is net 0.49%. Or is there another with 0.08%?

'Inclusive' means dirty class in HL-speak doesn't it? I don't think that fund class is still available to buy. Clean class is here.

sg1000

Thanks for the input, Brasso.

Only up 23% due to the fact that I started with very small amounts.

Although I have been paying in for five years, this started as a £50 per month punt on First State. Has since increased to £250 monthly, split between several funds, but I have gradually increased as I have been able to afford, so £50, £100, etc. It is only the last five months I have been submitting the £250, again split between a couple of funds.

The First State is currently up 45% and the Neptune up 30% (I bought when I didn't think it could go much lower at the beginning of this year).

Without stating my total investment, it is less than £20000, which is probably small change to some of you.

What I don't quite get is when the time to change occurs. Pals have been saying to cash in the First State for the last few years, yet it continues to rise. In fact, everything I have is positive, except the Malborough nano cap...which is more to do with the buy / bid spread.

SG

gadgetmind

sg1000 wrote: »

the "IFA" was, so I was to believe, independent, but put me on to a Sinfonia Multi asset fund which proved to be in the fourth quartile for all the time I had it (seven years).

Yeah, but the IFA got their up front fees, and 7 years of trail commission, so no harm done. :mad:

Back to your portfolio. You need to learn about asset allocation and rebalancing. Holding lots of random equity funds can work during good times, but you need a portfolio for all seasons.