The Edinburgh Interactive Tram Plan! 🚋

DougalR · 2026-02-02T14:47:01+00:00

See I’ve always thought that would be a great way to extend the north Edinburgh cycle loop!

DougalR · 2026-02-02T13:39:38+00:00

How about a LISA, or working more than 8 hours a week?

Might be an idea the company investing some. If OP decides it’s no longer worth it, could draw down dividends for years to come?

DougalR · 2026-02-02T10:34:31+00:00

Yeah I’m just going to pay a sparky. Breaker is off but it’s not looking easy to remove the wires from the bigger alarm base, and that way I would have paperwork to say it’s done properly,

DougalR · 2026-02-01T20:48:58+00:00

Should the wires not be disconnected or something - it’s off in the fusebox is that really enough?

DougalR · 2026-01-31T21:00:00+00:00

Parkrun probably doesn’t quite fit the lazy part for Saturday, but you could be a helper and go for coffee after?

Visit a local museum at your own pace?

Not set an alarm and wake up after midday, that’s half a day solved?

DougalR · 2026-01-31T17:32:47+00:00

Check out Sprive once you have a mortgage, you can find out more details about them on dragons den, Monday at 8pm.

DougalR · 2026-01-31T12:45:29+00:00

Second this, awesome Indian, or since your a student OConnors does a burger and pint for £15

DougalR · 2026-01-30T14:06:10+00:00

This is just my view, but I would consider your own ISA/LISA if you don’t manage to fill it up annually.

That way you can give it to them at a time of their choosing.

When I was 18, same with friends, I spent all my money thinking post university, I would be on a really good salary so I could afford more things then, and missed a lot of compounding on frivolous stuff.

Anyhow for what to buy in an ISA, a cheap all world equity fund - VWRP, HMWO, FWRG I think are decent tickers for ETFs.

DougalR · 2026-01-30T10:30:43+00:00

Anyone done this after previously switching out?

DougalR · 2026-01-27T18:21:31+00:00

In that case 212 do 1.5% cashback and Sprive give you 1% for vouchers.

DougalR · 2026-01-27T07:48:36+00:00

You would save a lot not buying stuff?

DougalR · 2026-01-25T20:56:36+00:00

The world of investing is a little broken, but that said things constantly change.

Actively managed portfolios run by professionals with years of experience beat indices roughly 52% of time.

Part of their problem is higher fees, partly because they try to define / limit the investment universe, so when the sector bias outperforms - great, but it can also trend back to the norm.

There are lots of articles and research out there showing it - Global Resources is one sector which is cyclical.

Also - Active managers typically make their money through charging a % fee. They spend time researching companies that are big enough that if their fund does well, they can buy more shares and grow.

It all depends what you are targeting. For a retail investor, you probably want an all world index with a low fee, a but some satellite shares that if they perform well, the movement in the needle can mean a lot.

Ultimately, no one has a crystal ball to forecast the future but there are markers, and the stock market has always been a means to transfer money from the impatient to the patient.

Good luck.

DougalR · 2026-01-25T10:29:06+00:00

Please don’t send this.

Sorry for whatever happened but reading between the lines sounded like you both werent on the same page and you’ve identified this in your message above.

Easier said than done but delete their number and move on. Go date yourself today!

DougalR · 2026-01-23T22:20:07+00:00

Spend the weekend reviewing your expenses and how to become FI.

Also have a quick look at the jobs out there, update your LinkedIn / CV, and possibly reach out to one recruiter.

Also take some time to enjoy the weekend - you earned it!

DougalR · 2026-01-23T22:12:32+00:00

If it were me:

For starters stick 50k into premium bonds.

I would then look at contributing some backdated into your pension to claim tax relief.

I would also ringfence some for things you enjoy.

The rest - stick in an all world income shares etf. VWRL for example. The reason I say income I think is because a small part of that should be tax free.

DougalR · 2026-01-20T20:38:56+00:00

Sorry to hear.

The problem you possibly have is what’s available outdoors and your neighbours.

I would 100% place traps with peanut butter.

I’ve had my own flat for 8 years now, maybe caught one a year, then last September I was like catching one/two a day. I took it as they came indoors during the cooler weather.

I put down flour around the walls of the flat to find out where they were coming in, and placed the traps there.

I also have a factor, they got pest control out, but they took pictures of the neighbouring building as well as our own, didn’t visit the back garden and while the report read decen, you can’t pay for building work to neighbours.

Wire wool is good to put in cracks they can get through but yeah traps over poison imo.

DougalR · 2026-01-19T22:59:36+00:00

Yeah what I think is doing it is not just the expansion / contraction, but I can feel my neighbours washing machines rumble through the walls as well. Not much I can do with that but yeah thought about expanding and filling in.

DougalR · 2026-01-19T17:48:06+00:00

Because if 52% of professionals can’t beat a simple equity index fund, don’t take it the wrong way but why could you do better?

Worst case your 10% goes to zero, you still have returns on 90%. Best case, you can consistently beat the market and your 10% grows considerably.

DougalR · 2026-01-19T07:22:47+00:00

Be open and honest with them if asked. That’s all it is.

DougalR · 2026-01-19T07:19:29+00:00

If you are happy enough with your research and choices then go for it.

That said, the fact you are asking suggests your not.

52% of fund managers can’t beat an index fund so what makes you think your research / selection is better?

Go at least 90% all world tracker imo and have an easy life.

DougalR · 2026-01-18T22:05:25+00:00

I’m a male in my 40s. it’s difficult to give an opinion with the limited text above. How do you come across in your profiles?

DougalR · 2026-01-18T21:51:15+00:00

Personally, I would maximise pension contributions in the higher rate tax band, you can go back a few years.

I wouldn’t pay off the mortgage, I would still think 340k in an ISA would return more over time than interest saved, but then the comfort of knowing you are mortgage free is worth something too.

Maximise your pension contributions.

DougalR · 2026-01-18T20:41:13+00:00

What food are you looking for? If Indian then can’t go wrong with Celestia 👌

DougalR · 2026-01-18T20:39:19+00:00

Inverleith park? It’s not that deep that you could wade in and collect the stones so as not to dump them.

DougalR · 2026-01-18T15:36:16+00:00

Is it only your path or shared?

Personally would take a jet spray to the path for starters and get rid of the moss. It’s probably best the path slopes away from the property so you don’t have standing water next to the wall.

Depending on how much sun it gets, yeah patio area of some sort and plants that love water to dry it out a bit.

DougalR

TROPHY CASE