First time investor - Vanguard (how often do you check your ISA?)

dunstonh

I ask as a few weeks ago I was 7% up and am now 4% down. I have a cash ISA maturing next week of £3k and unsure whether to invest all into Vanguard at once or drip feed.

You are investing in a higher risk fund. Movements of 4%, 7% etc are minor changes and you will see that sort of thing regularly. Wait until you see a 35% loss (which your fund is capable of).

Do you review your ISA say annually then decide whether to move it?

Where would you move it to?

bostonerimus

With something like VLSxx there's no need to look at your balance as rebalancing is done automatically. So just contribute regularly....maybe check that your contributions are being credited correctly, but don't bother with the balance.

easterbunni

I like to take a note of the values of pensions and ISAs, plus what was contributed, on a monthly basis and record it in a spreadsheet. Makes pretty graphs I don't worry about whether it has gone up or down.

BarleyGB

I check my investments a number of times a week (sometimes every day). Last year I watched my ISA decline about 15% over the last quarter, all of which has been recovered now (as I knew it would eventually).

I took the opportunity to top up when it was low and while not intending to time the market was lucky the buy was almost at the lowest point.

My investment is long term, I like to look regurly as I’m curious to monitor how the various funds perform in different market/global conditions. I have individual sector/geographical funds rather than global as I like to try and self manage.

Whether you look, daily, weekly, monthly or annually, you could still be seeing significant fluctuations. Your goal is growth over a 10 year plus duration.

newatc

I review my ISA and SIPP every three months to ensure everything is OK (transactions check). I might decide to do some changes at that time but that doesn't happen very often.
With your Vanguard fund, for the reasons stated by others I would leave it alone; if it was the right decision a few months ago, then it is right now.

cattie

capital0ne wrote: »

Just out of interest, who are you swirching from and to and why? Charges, Range of funds or something else?

I'm switching because of costs. Currently with Aegon via an IFA, which is on a non advisory basis & charges so far are around £830 between the 2 of them over the past 12 months. It's iweb that I'm switching to as it'll save me a few £100's per year.

capital0ne

cattie wrote: »

I'm switching because of costs. Currently with Aegon via an IFA, which is on a non advisory basis & charges so far are around £830 between the 2 of them over the past 12 months. It's iweb that I'm switching to as it'll save me a few £100's per year.

I've moved to iWeb last year - seems good so far - it's actually The Halifax that runs it but half the cost of the Halifax Sharedealing service

Knock_Rock

I would agree with another joe's post above. For ten years, with a monthly investment into the passive vanguard fund, you will be buying (on any given month), at low or high prices, so if the market tanks (blame trump.. hee).. don't panic, you will be getting great value for your money. Keep piling the money in.
The lump sum? If you are enjoying the investment research, do more.. it can be rewarding and finding the best place you think for it can be big fun. you can become obsessed with the market though , although i find it entertaining.
If not..put it all in vanguard on this years market low date.....which is.....oh no the phones ringing..
Good Luck.

Sir_Robin

I took the plunge into investing about a month ago and went with Vanguard myself with the 60% equity lifestrategy fund. It’s hard to resist peeking but its done nothing but fall, thank you Mr Trump ! baptism of fire I guess.

In retrospect I bought into the whole "don't try time the market" advise as justification for not drip-feeding although I now feel I probably should of drip fed a bit to avoid any mini-peaks.

Still got faith it will average out positive in the long run.

noclaf

I invest monthly into Vanguard LFS 100...a high risk fund however am investing less than 4% of my monthly take-home so, even during significant dips in the fund value a few months back I felt comfortable with the risk. I tend to check once per month.
Now to go back further to my twenties, I foolishly invested in AIM oil and mining stocks and lost a LOT of money doing so due mainly to selling out of positions at a loss simply because I was invested way above my risk tolerance and compounded by dealing charge losses.