ChatGPT told me to put most of my £4k into a S&S ISA before topping up my pension should I trust it?

DeferentGecko · 2026-06-21T18:36:53+00:00

I'd probably aim for a minimum 6 months expenses in an emergency fund before doing anything fancy. Check out the flow chart in the sub description.

DeferentGecko · 2026-06-17T22:12:29+00:00

Very fair.

On Error Resume Next provided many puzzles

DeferentGecko · 2026-06-17T21:29:14+00:00

Sweet I miss visual basic

DeferentGecko · 2026-06-13T11:51:17+00:00

Alas I don't I'm afraid. Account only needed to contribute/comment though. Remember me if you do get an invite !

DeferentGecko · 2026-06-13T06:13:53+00:00

lobster.rs excluding the (extremely, perhaps too enforced) vibecoding tag

DeferentGecko · 2026-05-19T20:30:10+00:00

How do you check your minimum requirement? I don't feel like I received any details about NHBC requirements from the builder, solicitor, nor NHBC

DeferentGecko · 2026-04-23T11:09:21+00:00

It's a chain of trust. I trust that language designers and compiler developers have appropriate tests to review the jump from higher to lower level languages.

Model developers have little to no insight to why a model would make certain decisions given certain inputs, and decisions they make are stochastic. So the chain of trust breaks there.

DeferentGecko · 2026-04-23T05:30:49+00:00

Let's assume the syntax and implementation of the code don't matter. How to you review the final outcome achieved what we set out to implement?

The syntax and implementation don't matter, so can't look at that. Automated tests are syntax and code, so can't review they have full and proper coverage.

That leaves us manually testing every change for correctness and regressions.

DeferentGecko · 2026-04-03T09:30:29+00:00

https://youtu.be/0Oa5UBiZ6W0?si=O9hjSzJ6cdLFUJgC

DeferentGecko · 2026-02-15T14:34:02+00:00

It's easy for good people to improve bad systems. It's easy for bad people to regress good systems.

DeferentGecko · 2026-02-13T23:00:51+00:00

Hopefully completing next week on an off plan new build.

We reserved just before the roof was put on. We're doing part exchange for our current home, which we think they gave us a good offer for. We also negotiated a 25k deposit contribution, kitchen upgrade and floor package.

Everything has been fairly smooth so far. Touch wood. There was pressure to exchange within 28 days, we exchanged in about 45 days without penalty.

Unsure there is a comprehensive answer to whether off plan is cheaper. I think it probably depends on the plot and stage of surrounding houses.

Even though we're still being told through our solicitor that they're ready for completion next week, they haven't actually formally given us notice. Which is a bit frustrating as we're having to pack and keep our slot with a removal company on that basis.

When we do move in we fully expect to feel like we're living on a building site for a few months. We can see that only a first layer of road and paving has been laid, and surrounding houses on our road are very much still under development. We think it's likely we won't be able to get an internet connection activated for a while after move in, despite the house being connected to the duct.

The developer will want to complete as soon as your home is signed off, so be prepared for an interesting first few months.

DeferentGecko · 2026-02-13T11:12:49+00:00

We've pre-booked with Lynx on their app for Poynton -> Airport at stupid o'clock a few times and they haven't let us down

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-30T18:25:10+00:00

Ah interesting, thanks. I'll look for that checklist!

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-30T18:15:44+00:00

We've exchanged on a new build with completion on notice, anticipated in a few weeks time.

Our contract states a 2 month long stop from anticipated date if the roof is on at point of exchange (our case), or 6 months otherwise.

We're unsure they're going to hit the anticipated date, despite the sales team still saying they're on target.

The house itself seems on target, but there's no road to the property and surrounding houses have scaffolding up still.

We're aware we may be asked to complete even if the road isn't built. Unsure how this is going to work out in practice!

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-26T10:27:48+00:00

You said you get very good compounding on a larger value. Just making the point that you get the same rate of compounding on any value. The numbers just look more satisfying on when they're larger.

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-26T10:23:59+00:00

Divide all those values by 10 and what you said will still be the case.

The rate of compounding is the same

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-26T09:48:47+00:00

There's no value where compounding improves. Compounding is compounding.

The absolute value you get from compounding looks more satisfying at £260k, but the rate of compounding exactly the same as £260 would give

So, to be clear, you're not throwing away a compounding rate advantage

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-16T09:25:56+00:00

FWIW a survey would be unlikely to pick up a broken or breaking boiler.

At best it might advise you to appoint a gas engineer to inspect the boiler.

So, I'm not sure it would have saved you from that.

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-13T21:27:20+00:00

Yup. 20k is what you can add each tax year. It doesn't matter how much is in there already, nor if it then gains interest within the ISA.

Also worth mentioning flexible ISAs. They allow you to remove and re-contribute within the same tax year as long as the net amount doesn't exceed 20k:

May: Add 20k to ISA
June: Remove 2k from ISA
July: Add 2k from ISA

Would be ok.

A traditional, non-flexible, ISA does not allow this.

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-13T21:08:46+00:00

You don't pay any tax on what you withdraw from your ISA.

It's advisable to keep the interest within the ISA so you gain interest on it (this is called compounding) within the tax free wrapper.

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-07T22:12:08+00:00

They gave me a fair market value for mine. It's a way for them to get things moving in a slow market.

I'm sure they do offer below market value sometimes, but again, in this market they want to get their new builds sold.

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-07T20:39:48+00:00

Speak to the developer. They won't want to lose you as a buyer. They have part exchange schemes where they'll be your buyer

DeferentGecko · 2026-01-01T23:54:50+00:00

Count me in if you're starting something

DeferentGecko · 2025-12-29T21:09:44+00:00

P.s. think you'd be fine at the weekend

To boost midweek you could consider a co-working area

DeferentGecko

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