Stocks and shares ISA - Stick or twist?

Beddie

susansue said:

I have been thinking about this again, and please correct me if I have got it all wrong. 

 Over my 2 years of investment the management fee has cost me 0.9% PA, and the fund value is 3% below original. The average rate of inflation was 4.2% (ONS figure). So considering the real value of my fund, in year one -6% , (management fee & inflation erosion). In year two a further -6% so in real terms my fund needs to rise 15 % for me to break even. Also add to this the fact that it was not difficult to find other Investments which would have yielded 2% over this period, the figure rises to 19%. (ok, the last part is less concrete!) 

What do you think?

I think you are plainly not suited to investing, as you are finding losses unacceptable and are looking around for something or someone to blame. That's fine, it's not for everyone.

Stick to savings accounts.

susansue

" I think you are plainly not suited to investing " Your arrogant assumption is wrong.
I have investments spread  across various platforms, including gold, a large holding in a NS&I bond returning 6.2%. and P2P's returning more. This was my first venture into Stocks & shares, and the only platform where I pay a management fee. I had expected that such management would, if not ensuring profit, at least mitigate loss. It seems to have done neither. Hence I am also missing out on the ISA tax benefit. I am deciding whether to stick or twist, hence the title of this thread.
May I remind you of the dictionary definition of investing:
Put (money) into financial schemes, shares, property, or a commercial venture with the expectation of achieving a profit.

dunstonh

" I think you are plainly not suited to investing " Your arrogant assumption is wrong.

to be fair, I think Beddie is actually right.

This was my first venture into Stocks & shares, and the only platform where I pay a management fee. I had expected that such management would, if not ensuring profit, at least mitigate loss.

your (arrogant) assumption is wrong.    (sorry, you set that one up )

May I remind you of the dictionary definition of investing:
Put (money) into financial schemes, shares, property, or a commercial venture with the expectation of achieving a profit.

And that is not wrong and that will almost certainly happen over the long term.

If you don't have experience in business or management then you have probably been sheltered from risk vs reward decisions.   So, you have to put a bit more effort into understand that values go down as well as up in the short term.

However, you say you hold gold.  That has had many short term and even long term periods of losses.   So, you would at least think that you research and understanding into gold would give you the knowledge that investments go down as well as up.

Albermarle

I have investments spread  across various platforms, including gold, a large holding in a NS&I bond returning 6.2%. and P2P's returning more.

Investing in gold is definitely investing, but an NSI bond is not, it is saving, which is different.

P2P is a niche area and is kind of like risky saving. You get a reasonable steady return, but the chances of the platform going belly up are quite high.

jimjames

susansue said:

" I think you are plainly not suited to investing " Your arrogant assumption is wrong.
I have investments spread  across various platforms, including gold, a large holding in a NS&I bond returning 6.2%. and P2P's returning more. This was my first venture into Stocks & shares, and the only platform where I pay a management fee. 

Are you really sure that you pay no management fees for P2P? That sounds very unusual, how do they make their money? P2P borrowers and lenders can go bust and lose money too.