this has been something i have always kept a keen eye on, yet to be honnest havn't acted upon. Which in heinseight has been a costly annoyance. So before jumping in with any investment just thaught i would put up my plan for scrutiny.
a few notes first though (more detail in further sections):
- around £30k to 'play' with.
- i am quite bearish.
- wish to spread risk as much as possible, over sectors / regions.
- aim to buy house within 2 years (when market bottoms out), - a big factor, though something i don't want to affect the plan too much with, as it is a long term plan.
PORTFOLIO:
CASH - 50%
STOCKS / SHARES - 40%
COMMODITIES - 10%
CASH
short term - 25%
medium term - 25%
long term 50%
short term
bills, living expenses, emergency cash etc...
basically kept in a current account.
medium term
easy access cash, kept in a 'higher interest' internet account, basic purpouse to float between long / short term cash aims when needed or good investment oppertunity appears.
long term
high interest bonds, ISA, currencies.
bonds for 1-5 year periods, ISA for tax free good interest (want to be using my full allowance here), currencies are very interesting, something i would aim to trade.
notes on cash: - although this is a long term plan, i feel now is a bad time to invest in the long term plan, due to low interest rates and a weak pound, though the ISA would still get the full allocation due to the ability to pay in restricted ammounts every year. the immediate place for the long term allocation would be placed in a medium term plan of an internet account.
STOCKS / SHARES
this is an area i will have to do a great deal more research into, however i do have a basic outline of how to spread the portfolio. Admittidaly i will be looking into 'managed funds' spread over various regions with differing risk levels and both income / growth funds.
i have also dabbled with a virtual stock portfolio with pretty good results, though will only do this with minimal cash for real.
this i understand is a volotile time to be looking into the markets, though i would rather be buying into the markets now than at there peak.
COMMODITIES
basically a safeguard for any portfolio, gold / silver / platinum etc....
a physical holding would be an option, though i would probably be looking at more of internet gold exchange and physical storage provider, as a basis to trade from.
At the moment gold looks overpriced, though silver looks an immediate option, though i am kicking myself for not going with my gut on gold and platinum when they were £430 and sub $700 respectively not long ago.
base metals are also something to look into, though i havn't researched much yet.
again i may invest in silver immediately, and look into base metals, but can see this sector of my portfolio reserved in the 'mid term cash' for better opportunities.