Best long term investment...

HouseQuest

We're saving my kids child benefit each month and want the best place to put it long term. We mean a good 20years plus and so were thinking a stocks and shares ISA with the money feeding in each month on top of the lump going in at the start.
Any other suggestions for other good long term investments? We have ruled out property for now and want low maintenance options, but happy to accept medium risk as its long term.

Sorry its a bit vague, the kids we are saving for kind of take up a lot of the time I used to read around things!

Thanks

Tom

jimjames

Not sure what other options you'd have but S&S ISA is a good idea for long term and plenty of options for what to go in it.

AnotherJoe

I think that's by far the best investment strategy, and I'd be looking for global based funds, who knows where the best places to be invested in will be in 20 years so be a fund will cover that. I'm doing similar for a grandchild.

You can if you want also dabble in property via fund that specialises in property, I have some money in blackrock global property. Less risky (and far less hassle) than the BTL route which I guess is what you meant when you said property?) .

DrSyn

You mention S&S ISA's, low maintenance and not having a lot of the time I used to read around things!

Well you could look on youtube for videos on what you may be interested in.

These 5 videos might interest you. There are good place to start any way.

http://monevator.com/this-former-hedge-fund-manager-reveals-how-you-can-invest-for-life-in-five-quick-videos/

silvermum

Hi HouseQuest
If you're looking for an investment platform I've just left a link on the referrals board to the current 'refer a friend' offer which Interactive Investor are doing at the moment:
Here's the deal:
Invite a friend to join Interactive Investor and we’ll give each of you £30 of trading commission when your friend opens a Share and Fund or ISA account (terms apply).

To qualify for the incentive your friend will need to enter the code below in the promotion field when they open a Share and Fund or ISA account (terms apply). Once opened, we will credit both your accounts with £30 of commission credit, after the next quarterly fee is processed.
Be quick though - the closing date for this promotion is 31 December 2016.

Use code : 96F32559

With regard to your options, I'd second DrSyn's recommendation to have a look at Monevator and especially the discussions about low cost tracker funds.

I am similarly investing for my children and my strategy is:
1) Use passive fund/index trackers with very low annual management costs (e.g. 0.25% and under)
2) Keep platform charges as low as possible (hence why I'm with Interactive Investor).
These guys publish useful tables to compare costs of different platforms at different levels of investment:
http://www.langcatfinancial.co.uk/blog/you-call-that-a-platform-re-price-aj-bell-youinvest-flashes-its-new-charges/

You could have a look at things like:
Vanguard FTSE Developed World ex UK Equity Index Equity
Vanguard FTSE U.K. All Share Index

L&G also have a range of low cost trackers

Alice_Holt

I like the large global Investment Trusts for long-term investment.

Some offer regular childrens savings accounts - i.e. http://www.jumpsavings.com/
https://www.bailliegifford.com/individual-investors/how-to-invest/childrens-savings-plan/

silvermum

Alice_Holt wrote: »

I like the large global Investment Trusts for long-term investment.

Some offer regular childrens savings accounts - i.e. http://www.jumpsavings.com/
https://www.bailliegifford.com/individual-investors/how-to-invest/childrens-savings-plan/

Can I ask why you like them? It looks as if the BailleGifford only offers a choice of 7 funds and is quite expensive with annual charges up to 1 % ?

digannio

If you want a no-maintenance, off-the-shelf solution that's well diversified across assets and geographically at a reasonable cost you could do a lot worse than choose one of the Legal & General Multi-Index funds. Worth a look anyway.

Apodemus

HouseQuest wrote: »

We're saving my kids child benefit each month and want the best place to put it long term. We mean a good 20years plus and so were thinking a stocks and shares ISA with the money feeding in each month on top of the lump going in at the start.
Any other suggestions for other good long term investments? We have ruled out property for now and want low maintenance options, but happy to accept medium risk as its long term.

Sorry its a bit vague, the kids we are saving for kind of take up a lot of the time I used to read around things!

Thanks

Tom

Good plan! Your kids will thank you for it! My mother put all the child benefit into an investment trust, which after various amalgamations became Murray International Trust (MYIB). I've still got the shares and in a few more years the dividends will form part of my retirement income!

HouseQuest

Thanks guys. You seem to have confirmed its the right broad choice..just picking the right platform/investments now! I think I want some ethical guarantees, but Ill read and watch first. I really hope we can help our kids out as you have been Apodemus!

Apodemus

HouseQuest wrote: »

... I really hope we can help our kids out as you have been Apodemus!

Perhaps the greatest help was knowing from a very early age that I had a stake in the stock market and that investment was a normal part of life.