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What Financial Lessons are you Learning in 2017?

Cotta
Cotta Posts: 3,667 Forumite
edited 15 June 2017 at 10:49AM in Savings & investments
Hi All,

Probably more specific to your own situations but what have you learnt thus far this year?

Two key points for me are:

1. Carry out regular saving each month, treat it as an expense and don't touch the account it's in.

2. Build your pension - it's never too soon.

As always I'm interested in others findings.
«1345

Comments

  • 1. Keep learning about investing - and accept that I may need to pay others to do the job until i'm happy that i'm not going to cost myself multiples of the advisor fees i've saved.

    2. Keep an open mind about the options available - don't close avenues off because they aren't winning on one particular metric.
  • JohnRo
    JohnRo Posts: 2,887 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    1. Focus on the long term plan
    2. Take nothing for granted, nothing is permanent
    4. Be adaptable, flexible and prepared for changes
    5. Focus on the long term plan
    'We don't need to be smarter than the rest; we need to be more disciplined than the rest.' - WB
  • Thrugelmir
    Thrugelmir Posts: 89,546 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    An unfashionable investment will ultimately become fashionable if the underlying business model is sound and geared for the longer term.
  • darkidoe
    darkidoe Posts: 1,129 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Currency fluctuations affect stocks valuations big time especially if invested in global equities. This makes trying to assess how your portfolio is doing very confusing.

    Save 12K in 2020 # 38 £0/£20,000
  • melbury
    melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    That interest rates are way overdue for an increase.
    Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

  • Do not be greedy. Do not be influenced by other investors.
    Another night of thankfulness.
  • Eco_Miser
    Eco_Miser Posts: 5,054 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Mr Micawber was right.
    Eco Miser
    Saving money for well over half a century
  • bostonerimus
    bostonerimus Posts: 5,617 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Eco_Miser wrote: »
    Mr Micawber was right.

    Yes indeed. Live Below Your Means, keep investing simple and you will do ok.
    “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
  • Linton
    Linton Posts: 18,529 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Hung up my suit!
    After many years focussing on growth I am learning that there is a point in one's life at which wealth preservation becomes a major consideration. Enough is sufficient, more isnt always better.
  • Linton wrote: »
    After many years focussing on growth I am learning that there is a point in one's life at which wealth preservation becomes a major consideration. Enough is sufficient, more isnt always better.


    This is a question I've been wrestling with.


    My SIPP is at a point where 3% drawdown will be more than sufficient for my spending. However, i'm not planning to touch it for another 15+ years which then leads me away from aiming to match inflation to taking on slightly more risk mitigated by the 15 years to smooth out shorter term market volatility.


    Historical returns for different asset class mixes are a useful guide but I'm wary of looking in the rear view mirror.
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