Reply to: What to do with all my money?

[BrilloPad]

I have loads of stocks all over the place that I'll be selling imminently. Not because I believe in impending doom, just because I don't think there'll be much upward movement in them for a good few years, by which time I'll want to buy a house.

What's the safest thing to do with it? I am thinking keep 1/2 in GBP savings accounts (no more than £30k per bank because that's the Government bail-out limit!) and 1/2 in a multi-currency money market fund...(umm...except the only one I know is Investec Managed Currency).

Any better ideas?

get divorced?

[thunderlizard]

Thanks for all your replies, especially the 4 sensible ones.

CGT - thanks, actually I hadn't considered it. But it's mostly several years' worth of ISAs, tax free, and the other gains won't go massively above the threshold. So I don't think it's a problem.

Krugerrands - I did look into that, lover of shiny things as I am - as a potential Christening present. I thought the baby might appreciate having some foul weather assets to see him into the next century. But then saw that they were at £450 a pop so he got a Beatrix Potter tea-set instead.

Blaster & Luke (hope you don't mind me lumping you together: your advice is the same even though your reasoning is a bit different)-
it doesn't feel like a slump to me! FTSE 100 is 2000 points above its 5-year low, and about 700 below its 5-year high. Having bought most of my stuff since 2003 it feels more like the crest of a wave. For sure different people have different time horizons but I just want to play it safe over the next 3-4 years.
Like yours Blaster, my portfolio (about 50% asian, 25%UK, 25% European equities) does seem to have gone up about 1% today (and yesterday), but that just makes me want to sell even more. It doesn't count till it's cashed out does it?

Oh - actually I forgot about some other stuff I've got in guaranteed capital trackers (i.e. the things the experts say not to bother with, but I've been treating them as cash in bank, that's my excuse). I can't sell them, so I'll still be in the shares game in some way.

HRH-don't worry - one man's "loads" is another man's "not very much". We're all allowed to dream aren't we?

[mrdonuts]

I'm also at a loss to what to do with all my spare cash.
Do I go for a Mars bar, or a Snickers?

still a marathon in my book

[bogeyman]

Any better ideas?

Burn it - it will set you free.

Alternatively, post it in large denomination used notes in a Jiffy bag to:

Mr C D Bogey
Bogey Towers
Alton
Hampshire

[Churchill]

Fantasist Alert.

Jealousy is a terrible thing. Btw, did you manage to borrow that £5k?

[HRH]

I have loads of stocks all over the place that I'll be selling imminently. Not because I believe in impending doom, just because I don't think there'll be much upward movement in them for a good few years, by which time I'll want to buy a house.

What's the safest thing to do with it? I am thinking keep 1/2 in GBP savings accounts (no more than £30k per bank because that's the Government bail-out limit!) and 1/2 in a multi-currency money market fund...(umm...except the only one I know is Investec Managed Currency).

Any better ideas?

Fantasist Alert.

[Pinto]

I'm also at a loss to what to do with all my spare cash.
Do I go for a Mars bar, or a Snickers?

[BlasterBates]

check your portfolio Thunderlizard...

Mine went up 1% today

I think it is going to go beserk if there is anything that isn't Armageddon, the end of the world.

[lukemg]

You are selling during a slump ? Not sure that is a sound investment plan. If you have PEP's and ISA's, I would consider keeping them, next year may be rocky but I expect recovery after that, uncertainty is killing the market at the moment and this is often over pessimistic, when the news starts to come out in company results the market will adjust accordingly and I think this will be upwards.
As discussed, get it spread globally, last years 7k went to South East Asia and BRIC funds to complement UK and Europe funds which form a stable foundation in my portfolio.
Good luck either way !

[crack_ho]

Have you considered CGT?
You might not want to sell them all off in one go.

[Archangel]

I have loads of stocks all over the place that I'll be selling imminently. Not because I believe in impending doom, just because I don't think there'll be much upward movement in them for a good few years, by which time I'll want to buy a house.

What's the safest thing to do with it? I am thinking keep 1/2 in GBP savings accounts (no more than £30k per bank because that's the Government bail-out limit!) and 1/2 in a multi-currency money market fund...(umm...except the only one I know is Investec Managed Currency).

Any better ideas?

The limit is 35k by the way, and its per "financial institution", no NatWest and RBS = 35k between them etc

[ThomasSoerensen]

I have loads of stocks all over the place that I'll be selling imminently. Not because I believe in impending doom, just because I don't think there'll be much upward movement in them for a good few years, by which time I'll want to buy a house.

What's the safest thing to do with it? I am thinking keep 1/2 in GBP savings accounts (no more than £30k per bank because that's the Government bail-out limit!) and 1/2 in a multi-currency money market fund...(umm...except the only one I know is Investec Managed Currency).

Any better ideas?

Krugerrands

[BlasterBates]

I have loads of stocks all over the place that I'll be selling imminently. Not because I believe in impending doom, just because I don't think there'll be much upward movement in them for a good few years, by which time I'll want to buy a house.

What's the safest thing to do with it? I am thinking keep 1/2 in GBP savings accounts (no more than £30k per bank because that's the Government bail-out limit!) and 1/2 in a multi-currency money market fund...(umm...except the only one I know is Investec Managed Currency).

Any better ideas?

Keep your stocks Thunderlizard, preferably an international portfolio. Stocks are placed for a srong recovery, next year. UK stocks don't look so hot. Check out S & P and buy their recommendations. Stocks are the best investment at the moment (not just my opinion), as they are priced in for Armageddon with knobs on.

[oracleslave]

I have loads of stocks all over the place that I'll be selling imminently. Not because I believe in impending doom, just because I don't think there'll be much upward movement in them for a good few years, by which time I'll want to buy a house.

What's the safest thing to do with it? I am thinking keep 1/2 in GBP savings accounts (no more than £30k per bank because that's the Government bail-out limit!) and 1/2 in a multi-currency money market fund...(umm...except the only one I know is Investec Managed Currency).

Any better ideas?

Sounds like a sound approach to me. Investec are excellent imo.

[Turion]

I have loads of stocks all over the place that I'll be selling imminently. Not because I believe in impending doom, just because I don't think there'll be much upward movement in them for a good few years, by which time I'll want to buy a house.

What's the safest thing to do with it? I am thinking keep 1/2 in GBP savings accounts (no more than £30k per bank because that's the Government bail-out limit!) and 1/2 in a multi-currency money market fund...(umm...except the only one I know is Investec Managed Currency).

Any better ideas?

BTL, Can't lose. safe as 'ouses innit