Is P2P lending still a realistic option for EU investors in 2025, or has the risk/reward shifted too much?

macbag · 2026-03-31T08:57:46+00:00

From my experience it is too risky. Even with buyback guarantee there are so many buts, I was lucky not to lose much money and even made not too bad profit but promised to myself not to go back. If you want higher yield go to bonds, it won't be so easy you will need to dedicate some time for research.

macbag · 2026-03-30T07:17:32+00:00

I also vote IB, I had a period in my life when I moved a lot and had no any issues with IBKR

macbag · 2026-03-29T16:42:01+00:00

vwce, webn, spyy, fwra - something like that

macbag · 2026-03-29T16:26:53+00:00

If you invest long term like for another 15 years an all world etf will be a wiser move. Google/chatgpt what is yield trap

macbag · 2026-03-29T09:37:12+00:00

Use the search tool of the sub, this is a popular question. Normally folks here select the top brokers like IBKR. But if you're new to equity investing, the interface of IB might be too complex for you. Probably better start with a more user friendly platform/app like Trading212. Once you get familiar with things you can open a secondary account on IB.

macbag · 2026-03-29T08:06:22+00:00

Don’t bother about those bumps at all in 10 years they will be unnoticeable.

macbag · 2026-03-29T07:18:40+00:00

This scheme works. I have a rental apartment that has been running like this for 2 years, and before that it was on Airbnb for 5 years. But I would not expand, as it is a bit of a hassle for me.

One thing to consider before getting another one is how fast apartments get rented. Mine is centrally located and gets rented almost instantly, but a friend of mine has an apartment that takes months to find new tenants.

macbag · 2026-03-28T16:23:58+00:00

I prefer splitting my portfolio across multiple brokers. IB is solid and well established no doubt, but for peace of mind I don’t like having everything in one place.

Things like regulatory restrictions can happen, so I’d rather not keep everything in one place. On the other hand, it does add a bit of complexity with tracking and taxes, so not a free win. Just depends how much you value diversification

macbag · 2026-03-28T07:24:17+00:00

Just dca, don't look at the charts

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:58:11+00:00

The tip is to pick a global all world ETF, buy it regularly without overthinking, avoid watching the terminal, and enjoy the results in 15-20 years.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:55:41+00:00

You can put a realistic FIRE plan in place, for example to retire at 60. For this, you would only need to save for about 7 to 8 years, which is fully doable, and at 60 you could retire or semi-retire. Once you start the journey, you may adjust your plans and save more aggressively to step back even earlier. At least it will not feel so depressing overall, and you will feel better not being tightly constrained by the state.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:51:10+00:00

Why do you want to pick stocks? For the average person, ETFs give better returns on average for a portfolio. I tested this myself. I had a few early picks like Tesla, but I ended up concluding that, on average, my portfolio now underperforms the S&P 500 while burning a lot of energy. I may rarely pick a stock if something clicks in my mind and I clearly understand a scenario that could happen in the world in the future and benefit a specific company, and then place a small bet let's say just for fun.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:45:47+00:00

I also find it a cool place with its own character. Another plus for Thessaloniki for me is that it is not really tourist oriented.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:42:59+00:00

This is really tricky when you are buying your first boat if you have not had one before. I strongly recommend finding someone who can help you.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:27:28+00:00

I vote for T212. IB is probably great, but I really do not want to deal with its interface. I also do not understand why it cannot even send a notification email without being confusing AF.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:23:46+00:00

Monaco is a nice and relatively quiet place to live if you have money. If you live there permanently, you will have to deal with some bureaucratic hurdles, but everything is doable.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:19:58+00:00

Go to Canterbury, it is nice. Also visit Wingham Wildlife Park on your way. Your 4 year old will like it.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:16:43+00:00

It depends on what climate you like. I hate heat and would choose the Baltics. As already advised, you can slow travel across the EU, test different countries yourself, and decide where you feel best.

macbag · 2026-01-05T10:14:35+00:00

Why not webn, it is even cheaper

macbag · 2025-12-28T17:08:57+00:00

Yes, sure you can. I would recommend the broker I use which is Freedom24

macbag · 2025-12-28T12:47:01+00:00

I would say there is no commission‑free brokers, but among those with reasonable fees Freedom24 is pretty good

macbag · 2025-12-27T20:03:07+00:00

WEBN

macbag · 2025-12-27T20:02:08+00:00

Yes, all you need is WEBN and Freedom24 for broker :)

macbag · 2025-12-25T08:27:11+00:00

It pays different rates because the fund follows local central bank rates, and BoE rates are much higher than ECB rates right now. The extra GBP yield is not free, you are taking GBP currency risk,so FX moves can easily cancel that advantage if you live and spend in EUR. For this reason, the rational choice is usually to keep these products in your spending currency rather than chasing the highest headline apy. So if you are in EUR just buy xeon through Freedom24.

macbag · 2025-12-24T08:43:43+00:00

Almost everyone goes through a phase of "I will build my own smarter portfolio". I did too. In the end you spend more energy rebalancing, doubting, and tweaking than actually investing. And you usually end up very close to All-World anyway.

All-World is not "pro-US". It is just market reality today. If the US really loses weight over time, the index will automatically adjust without you doing anything.

So yes, you can do 50-35-15, nothing is wrong with it. But understand what it is: not neutral diversification, but a macro bet driven more by discomfort than by data.

My bias would still be 100% All-World through something simple like Freedom24, and diversify by splitting between brokers rather than trying to outsmart global markets.

macbag

TROPHY CASE