mv
Member of DD Central
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Post by mv on Apr 13, 2015 11:12:47 GMT
I have been reading this forum with interest since dabbling with P2P- thanks everybody for making it such a useful resource. I put some money in Ratesetter when the rates were better than recently. I've played with FC as this seems to be a right of passage. Mildly diverting, earned some cash back, too early to have experienced the pain of defaults. Avoided auto bidder! A bit too time intensive.
So far total investments in P2P around 10k.
I'm in my 30s. Higher rate tax payer. Wife is too but about to go on maternity leave so won't be this tax year. Have a mortgage on a flat paying 2% interest. Due to job structure/training commitments we are looking to buy a house in 3-4 years with as much saved as possible- hopefully without selling the flat.
I have 18k in santander 123, 6K in TSB@5% and 17K in an ISA@2.4 until May 2017.
I think the time scale of potentially needing money in 3-4 years is too short for S&S ISA investments. I would like to get a better return on my money than currently but am conscious of putting too many eggs in my P2P basket.
Saving stream has an appeal but the only loans available currently are the large energy plant and one in default (!)
I'm interested in what people would suggest. 20% of my money in P2P is already enough/too much? Or go for a 1 year PBL that looks more solid if it comes up? Any other platforms that deserve particular consideration?
Thanks for your consideration
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Post by marek63 on Apr 13, 2015 12:27:03 GMT
Can't advise you directly but I am sure you can think through how the basic concepts apply to you: A) Return of capital is far more important than return on capital B) P2P is illiquid. Easy to buy, hard to sell. Treat it as though you are buying properties or things that you have to auction later. It is not a bank. So you first need to ensure you have ideally 6-12 months of liquid funds available in your portfolio of savings to cover 'opportunities and disasters'. If you lost your job/got ill/etc. Then you have funds for 'investment'. Decide on the risk you are prepared to accept and diversify accordingly. And away you go. C) P2P loan selection requires time and interest to review and check your portfolio
My suggestion would be that you stick with your current allocation and continue to play and treat it as play. You will have many demands with new child/wife not working /your own career. The time and energy to nurture P2P is possibly not worth it at this stage versus playing with children, supporting partners and maximising your career prospects. If it remains an entertaining hobby for you then keep it that way. And then when you have more funds and time available and can diversify significantly you can review again.
Delete to taste. Apologies for paternalism. But time spent with the computer versus time spent with children and partners is not time you can recover thirty years later;
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mv
Member of DD Central
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Post by mv on Apr 13, 2015 13:20:30 GMT
Very sage advice, thanks.
I can't see computer time eating in to family life but I can see it as a potentially disruptive source of work-avoidance (for the higher degree I am doing) so very fair point.
I think the bottom line is that I could take on significantly more risk and spend hours tinkering over several months OR I could do one extra shift at work and earn it...
I am quite enjoying it as a hobbie though!
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Post by oldnick on Apr 13, 2015 16:21:17 GMT
Very sage advice, thanks. I can't see computer time eating in to family life but I can see it as a potentially disruptive source of work-avoidance (for the higher degree I am doing) so very fair point. I think the bottom line is that I could take on significantly more risk and spend hours tinkering over several months OR I could do one extra shift at work and earn it... I am quite enjoying it as a hobbie though! Some are investing their retirement pot and others are having a punt, just for the fun of it. Both are perfectly respectable reasons for getting involved, but the former requires more experience and caution, as there aren't usually enough years left to make up for serious errors of judgement. If it's money you can afford to lose, and you're young and wealthy, get investing. You'll learn from your mistakes and have fun along the way I hope. Spread your money widely, so perhaps not with the high minimum deposit platforms at first. As has been said before - read what contributors say about each platform. It's a bit like trip adviser (others are available) the really positive and negative biased comments usually stick out a mile, but if everybody's saying the same thing it's reasonable to trust it. Welcome to the wonderful world of p2x!
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webwiz
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Post by webwiz on Apr 13, 2015 17:05:15 GMT
If you would invest on SS, but don't like the only 2 properties currently on offer (and I can see why) there is a property available on similar terms at moneything. Most investors on that platform are already as fully invested as they want to be in property. There is also a an aeroplane if that takes your fancy.
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mv
Member of DD Central
Posts: 156
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Post by mv on Apr 13, 2015 19:21:48 GMT
Thanks, webwiz I will certainly take a look
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