Money in the Bank

Not too bad; up 3% in the last three months and 13% year to date. The MSCI world index was unchanged in the last three months so I’m ahead of the posse.

The best bit is my quarterly management fee was £76, a bargain. Better still, the new boy broker isn’t allowed to give me investment advice as my portfolio is “execution only”. Ever since I stopped listening to the siren calls of a succession of brokers my finances have flourished. I should add, I draw all the dividends from this account and sometimes capital. One has to live.

In another part of the financial forest my ISA chugs along and my SIPP has done rather well. The whole point about a pension fund is to sit down and admit you’ll be dead at ninety-something-or-other. Then subtract your age from ninety-something and divide this number by the value of the SIPP. That’s the theory but actually the SIPP creates more money than I can spend. We lead a frugal life in Barons Court.

The last two paragraphs contradict each other.

I’m pleased to announce a staff promotion. Derek, formerly window cleaner, is now the Red Adair of Barons Court. He came yesterday morning, fixed the wifi, cleaned the gutters, had a cup of coffee and cleaned the windows. How about that! No, you cannot have his telephone number.