Should I open another ISA today, before the end of this financial year?

[gingerjedi]

If you open a Hargreaves Lansdown account and place your hard earned cash in their ISA product, you can earn a loyalty bonus each month. Over the past 3 months, I have accumulated 110 pounds in Loyalty Bonus, or 180 pounds since January. Not a huge amount in the big scheme of things, but good enough to bring a small income from my ISA investments. It's up to you how you splash your cash, but if you want to save, it could be an option.

And you'll be indirectly supporting the not so mighty Bristol City FC.

[Pondlife]

I drip feed in to my ISA throughout the year and forget about it for a while. When a nice sum has built up I move it into something less risk and leave it there.

I have no intention of dipping into it unless a) disaster happens & warchest is completely depleted with no other funds available. or b) I retire and want to buy a boat or an apartment somewhere warm.

[pmeswani]

And you'll be indirectly supporting the not so mighty Bristol City FC.

It's probably a good thing. If I was indirectly supporting any of the top 5, I wouldn't see my money again.

[ChimpMaster]

Given that the stock market is bloated and due for the second leg of this Bear market, what shares/funds would I possibly want to invest in?

I don't like the idea of a cash ISA, it's just too boring

[Gonzo]

I don't like the idea of a cash ISA, it's just too boring

This is true when interest rates are low.

If interest rates were a lot higher then the people with many years' allowences worth stashed away earning tax-free interest will be rubbing their hands together.

[pmeswani]

Given that the stock market is bloated and due for the second leg of this Bear market, what shares/funds would I possibly want to invest in?

I don't like the idea of a cash ISA, it's just too boring

Bonds, Overseas markets, SmallCap and Emerging Markets. At the moment, my ISA Stocks and Shares is hovering between -1% and 1%. But that's just the state of the market at the moment. Give it a year or so, and hopefully the market will pick up again. These sorts of investments need to be seen as a long term thing, and whilst the market is relatively cheap, now is a good time to invest.

[minestrone]

I view my ISAs as my pension, the 10 grand I put in this year will be taken out in 25 years time.

[d000hg]

I just had a look at my personal bank account, and I could just about stretch to opening a funds ISA, if I took a small (£3k) short-term loan from my company. I did have enough in there until recently when my spread betting losses mounted up

Opening an ISA would leave me with nothing to spend in my personal account, unless I withdrew more cash from the business account (which I don't want to do).

I don't like missing out on a year's tax free opportunity, but I'm feeling that I'd rather keep the money free and feel rich for a while, and just spend it ...or gamble it

I used to be a big advocate of ISAs and have a few years worth invested in various funds (China, Special Situations etc) but the returns now are abysmal and I'm feeling that I want to enjoy the money now instead of in 20 years' time.

In addition I reckon the stock markets are in for a serious tumble.

What say you, oh well heeled investment gurus?

IF you can get it set up in time - which might be a problem - then go for it with an instant access ISA. then you can just take the money back out if you need it at the cost of the interest (or maybe it's only the tax-free part of the interest, can't remember).

I certainly wouldn't want to lock money in savings that I might need, you'd end up losing far more.

[nomadd]

I ensure that I use up my cash ISA every year without fail. I do mine just after the 5th maxing out for myself & the wife. I take the highest interest rate on offer each year, quite happy to lock it for 3-5 years at a time. If needs be I'll have the interest paid to the wife as a form of tax free income.

I don't bother with Share ISAs as I prefer to trade own my own to my capital gains allowance(and if opportunity arises the wifes).

This^

With the added note of "and then forget about it."

Been doing this for years, and £65k now accumulated. Now consider it as part of my pension. Will keep dumping cash in it every year for the next 10-15 years. It will probably buy me a holiday in Wales and a bag of chips when I'm 70.

[lukemg]

WTAS
IF you have no other borrowings e.g.car loan, credit cards. (pay them off first)
IF you have spare cash that you can lock away for a few years
IF you can hold your nerve when the market drops 50 %
Then you can consider a shares ISA.
Watch out for high charges on funds - most dont beat the market, consider drip feed into low cost tracker through someone like HL - (look up pound-cost averaging) for at least some of the total
Mine are spread across funds round the globe and I am using SIPP to build HYP of individual shares. It's all doing ok (not spectacular but much better than cash deposits) but only because I have held my nerve in downturns (kicking myself for not buying on some of the dips over the years but its hard to do hence a monthly auto payment takes that decision away)
It's my plan B so I take a semi-active interest
Good luck all...