Meetup groups

older_and_no_wiser

Does anyone use the Meetup app? If so, are there any local groups in your area covering the topics we discuss here and things like early retirement, tax efficient savings etc.

I find these topics aren't really openly discussed and finance is a very secretive activity.

I recently got chatting to someone at my squash club and accidentally found out we both love all things investing and saving for retirement. We chatted about the different YouTube channels and podcasts and we both listened/watched the same stuff. It was so good finding this common ground. Like a secret society!

So i was thinking that a Meetup group would be great for meeting and chatting with other like minded people in your area. Exchanging ideas and experiences.

I would like to start such a group in my area but interested if anyone else has done the same and how it's worked out.

DullGreyGuy

I've always found the app really poor for finding something you specifically are looking for, I think part of the problem is that there are just too many groups in London.  Secondly some have very different event and group names so its tiresome trying to work out if an event is of interest or not 

 A quick search for investments in London within the next 4 weeks comes up with a few hundred results but many are clearly irrelevant ("The Toastmasters Club Meeting", "N7 Life Drawing" etc) and a large proportion are about "self improvement" (ie investing in yourself). Of the ones that are actually about investing it's about 60/40 split between investing in property and "investor and startup meetings". Couldn't see any about normal investments. 

 Retirement, Pensions and Tax bring up even worse matches, the 3rd most relevant event is "5Rythums Dance Class"


So, either the idea doesn't work as a group or of the thousands of events in the next 4 weeks across London coincidently all the relevant groups aren't meeting or the search is terrible. I know for free events, outside of these topics, there is very poor attendance rates from those that have said they are attending... most events in the searches are in double or triple figures of people saying they will attend but on the day the numbers are vastly lower. 

older_and_no_wiser

DullGreyGuy said:

I've always found the app really poor for finding something you specifically are looking for, I think part of the problem is that there are just too many groups in London.  Secondly some have very different event and group names so its tiresome trying to work out if an event is of interest or not 

 A quick search for investments in London within the next 4 weeks comes up with a few hundred results but many are clearly irrelevant ("The Toastmasters Club Meeting", "N7 Life Drawing" etc) and a large proportion are about "self improvement" (ie investing in yourself). Of the ones that are actually about investing it's about 60/40 split between investing in property and "investor and startup meetings". Couldn't see any about normal investments. 

 Retirement, Pensions and Tax bring up even worse matches, the 3rd most relevant event is "5Rythums Dance Class"


So, either the idea doesn't work as a group or of the thousands of events in the next 4 weeks across London coincidently all the relevant groups aren't meeting or the search is terrible. I know for free events, outside of these topics, there is very poor attendance rates from those that have said they are attending... most events in the searches are in double or triple figures of people saying they will attend but on the day the numbers are vastly lower. 

That's good info. Thanks for that. I'm in the South Manchester area. I go to a couple of discussion and social groups and even if there's only several people, it's a really good experience. Often too many people makes it difficult for a good discussion. 

I may put some feelers out to see what comes back - or just start a group up and see who shows. I could "advertise" it within the groups I'm already a member of and see who's interested.

jimjames

There's a few Facebook finance groups, maybe mentioning in one of them might find like minded people who want to meet up for discussions

JohnWinder

Interest UK folk from another forum:

https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7388761#p7388761

DullGreyGuy

older_and_no_wiser said:

DullGreyGuy said:

I've always found the app really poor for finding something you specifically are looking for, I think part of the problem is that there are just too many groups in London.  Secondly some have very different event and group names so its tiresome trying to work out if an event is of interest or not 

 A quick search for investments in London within the next 4 weeks comes up with a few hundred results but many are clearly irrelevant ("The Toastmasters Club Meeting", "N7 Life Drawing" etc) and a large proportion are about "self improvement" (ie investing in yourself). Of the ones that are actually about investing it's about 60/40 split between investing in property and "investor and startup meetings". Couldn't see any about normal investments. 

 Retirement, Pensions and Tax bring up even worse matches, the 3rd most relevant event is "5Rythums Dance Class"


So, either the idea doesn't work as a group or of the thousands of events in the next 4 weeks across London coincidently all the relevant groups aren't meeting or the search is terrible. I know for free events, outside of these topics, there is very poor attendance rates from those that have said they are attending... most events in the searches are in double or triple figures of people saying they will attend but on the day the numbers are vastly lower. 

Often too many people makes it difficult for a good discussion. 

Yes, not suggesting you want 100 attendees but it's just the uncertainty of it that makes it difficult to plan for. You can cap numbers at say 20 acceptances but then it's not great when you book several tables at a pub/coffee shop to hold it and only 5 people attend. Similarly if you don't cap it and do get 100 acceptances how many do you book space for in your venue?

Putting a charge in is a double edged sword as it increases chances of people turning up, the higher the fee the more certainty, but will also put some people off if they don't think it represents value or they cannot afford it etc. 

Albermarle

I would be a bit worried that someone from somewhere like SJP or Fisher would turn up touting for business.
Or someone more sinister....