March 28, 2025

My Investments Update – April 2025

Nick Investing events, reviews 0 Comments

Here is my latest monthly update about my investments (slightly earlier than usual due to other commitments). You can read my March 2025 Investments Update here if you like.

I’ll begin as usual with my Nutmeg Stocks and Shares ISA. This is the largest investment I hold other than my Bestinvest SIPP (personal pension).

As the screenshot below for the year to date shows, my main Nutmeg portfolio is currently valued at £25,065. Last month it stood at £25,850, so that is a drop of £785.

Apart from my main portfolio, I also have a second, smaller pot using Nutmeg’s Smart Alpha option. This is now worth £4,027 compared with £4,151 a month ago, a fall of £124. Here is a screen capture showing performance for the year to date.

Finally, at the start of December 2023 I invested £500 in one of Nutmeg’s new thematic portfolios (Resource Transformation). In March I also invested a further £200 from referral bonuses. As you can see from the YTD screen capture below, this portfolio is now worth £783 compared with £803 last month, a fall of £20.

As you can see, March has been another disappointing month for my Nutmeg investments. Overall I am down by £929. This is mostly due to the continuing instability in world markets, caused by the the trade tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump and other economic and social factors.

Nonetheless, the value of my Nutmeg investments is still up £1,477 in the last twelve months. And their value has increased by £3,559 or 13.52% since the start of January 2024. So the recent falls do need to be taken in context. Ups and downs are always to be expected with stock market investments, and over time they tend to even themselves out. In general the worst thing you can do is panic and sell up when downturns occur, as you are then crystallizing your losses. Indeed, I am considering topping up some of my investments now while values are depressed. That’s just how I’m thinking, of course, and doesn’t constitute investment advice!

You can read my full Nutmeg review here. If you are looking for a home for your annual ISA allowance, based on my overall experience over the last eight years, they are certainly worth considering. They offer self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), Lifetime ISAs and Junior ISAs as well.

Moving on, I also have investments with P2P property investment platform Assetz Exchange. As discussed in this recent post, the company recently rebranded as Housemartin.

My investments with Housemartin continue to generate steady returns. Housemartin focuses on lower-risk properties (e.g. sheltered housing). I put an initial £100 into this in mid-February 2021 and another £400 in April. In June 2021 I added another £500, bringing my total investment up to £1,000.

Since I opened my account, my HM portfolio has generated a respectable £238.70 in revenue from rental income. Capital growth has slowed, though, in line with UK property values generally.

At the time of writing, 15 of ‘my’ properties are showing gains, 2 are breaking even, and the remaining 19 are showing losses. My portfolio of 36 properties is currently showing a net decrease in value of £52.78, meaning that overall (rental income minus capital value decrease) I am up by £185.92. That’s still a decent return on my £1,000 and does illustrate the value of P2P property investments for diversifying your portfolio. And it doesn’t hurt that with Housemartin most projects are socially beneficial as well.

The overall fall in capital value of my Housemartin investments is obviously a little disappointing. But it’s important to remember that until/unless I choose to sell the investments in question, it is largely theoretical, based on the latest price at which shares in the property concerned have changed hands. The rental income, on the other hand, is real money (which in my case I’ve reinvested in other HM projects to further diversify my portfolio).

To control risk with all my property crowdfunding investments nowadays, I invest relatively modest amounts in individual projects. This is a particular attraction of Housemartin as far as i am concerned. You can actually invest from as little as £1 per property if you really want to proceed cautiously.

As I noted in this blog post, Housemartin is particularly good if you want to compound your returns by reinvesting rental income. This effectively boosts the interest rate you are receiving. Personally, once I have accrued a minimum of £10 in rental payments, I reinvest this money in either a new HM project or one I have already invested in (thus increasing my holding). Over time, even if I don’t invest any more capital, this will ensure my investment with Housemartin grows at an accelerating rate and becomes more diversified as well.

My investment on Housemartin is in the form of an IFISA so there won’t be any tax to pay on profits, dividends or capital gains. I’ve been impressed by my experiences with Housemartin and the returns generated so far, and intend to continue investing with them. You can read my full review of Assetz Exchange/Housemartin here and my article about the rebranding to Housemartin here. You can also sign up for an account directly via this link [affiliate].

In 2022 I set up an account with investment and trading platform eToro, using their popular ‘copy trader’ facility. I chose to invest $500 (then about £412) copying an experienced eToro trader called Aukie2008 (real name Mike Moest).

In January 2023 I added to this with another $500 investment in one of their thematic portfolios, Oil Worldwide. I also invested a small amount I had left over in Tesla shares.

As you can see from the screen captures below, my original investment (total value £888.36 in pounds sterling) is today worth £1,072.80, an overall increase of £184.44 or 20.76%.

Note: eToro now displays the value of investments in your native currency, although you can change this if you wish.

You can read my full review of eToro here. You may also like to check out my more in-depth look at eToro copy trading. I also discussed thematic investing with eToro using Smart Portfolios in this recent post. The latter also reveals why I took the somewhat contrarian step of choosing the oil industry for my first thematic investment with them.

As you can see, my Oil WorldWide investment is currently showing a profit of 12.31%. That’s a welcome improvement since the portfolio was rebalanced by eToro. The investment team at eToro periodically rebalance all smart portfolios to ensure that the mix of investments remains aligned with the portfolio’s goals, and to take advantage of any new opportunities that may present themselves.

My copy trading investment with Aukie2008 has been doing better, with an overall 32.06% profit. To be fair, I have held the latter investment a bit longer.

My Tesla shares, which I bought as an afterthought with a bit of spare cash I had in my account, have done particularly well since I bought them, with an overall profit of 144.84%. If only I had put a bit more money into this!

You might also notice that I have small holdings in Prosus NV, a Dutch internet group, and South Bow, a Canadian energy infrastructure company. To be honest I don’t understand how I acquired these, but I assume they are some sort of bonus I was awarded. In any event, I am happy to have them in my portfolio!

eToro also offer the free eToro Money app. This allows you to deposit money to your eToro account without paying any currency conversion fees, saving you up to £5 for every £1,000 you deposit. You can also use the app to withdraw funds from your eToro account instantly to your bank account. I tried this myself and was impressed with how quickly and seamlessly it worked. You can read my blog post about eToro Money here. Note that it can also serve as a cryptocurrency wallet, allowing you to send and receive crypto from any other wallet address in the world.

If you would like more information about setting up an eToro account, please click on this no-obligation website link [affiliate]. Don’t forget that you also get a free $100,000 virtual portfolio, which you can use to experiment with trading and investing strategies. I have certainly earned a lot from mine.

Moving on, as I said last time, I am no longer writing for the Mouthy Money website, as they have decided to take their content creation in-house. From a personal perspective I am obviously disappointed about this, but I had a good run with them and wish them every success going forward. You can still read all the articles I contributed to Mouthy Money over the years by visiting my profile page on the website. How long they will keep this in place I really can’t say!

I also published several posts on Pounds and Sense in March. Some are no longer relevant, but I have listed the others below.

In Beat the Postage Stamp Price Rise!, I pointed out that stamp prices are rising again on 7th April 2025. This will actually be the the SIXTH rise in the price of first class stamps in just three years. See what prices are going up, along with my recommendations for mitigating the effects of the increases.

And in From Saving to Spending – The Retirement Mindset Shift I discussed a subject that has been on my mind recently as I enter my 70th year. This is how to negotiate the mindset shirt from saving to spending in retirement, and how (hopefully) to get the balance right.

The Pros and Cons of Investing for Dividends discusses a strategy that has been growing in popularity with older investors particularly. Dividend investing offers the potential for generating income combined with capital appreciation. In this post I examine the pros and cons of a dividend investing strategy and set out a few tips and guidelines for those new to this.

Finally, in Spotlight: The Mintos P2P European Investing Platform I take a closer look at Mintos, Europe’s largest P2P investment platform. As well as the ability to generate above-average returns by investing in loans to businesses world-wide, they have added new diversification options, including bonds, ETFs and real estate. And until the end of April they have a bonus offer for anyone investing €1,500 or above on the platform. In my blog post I look at the pros and cons of investing with Mintos and provide more details about their April bonus offer.

One other thing is that we’re currently just over a week away from the end of the 2024/25 financial year. If you still haven’t used all of your 2024/25 £20,000 tax-free ISA allowance, you have just a few days left before it’s gone. It is more important than ever to use all your tax-free allowances while you can, as the government looks set to reduce some of these allowances later in the year. See my recent blog post for more information.

I’ll close with a reminder that you can also follow Pounds and Sense on Facebook or Twitter (or X as we have to call it now). Twitter/X is my number one social media platform and I post regularly there. I share the latest news and information on financial matters, and other things that interest, amuse or concern me. So if you aren’t following my PAS account on Twitter/X, you are definitely missing out.

I am also on the BlueSky social media network under the username poundsandsense.bsky.social. For the time being anyway, Twitter/X will remain my primary social media platform, but I will also post details of my latest blog posts, third-party articles and other financial news and resources on BlueSky for those who prefer to follow me there.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them below. I am always delighted to hear from PAS readers

Disclaimer: I am not a qualified financial adviser and nothing in this blog post should be construed as personal financial advice. Everyone should do their own ‘due diligence’ before investing and seek professional advice if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss.

Note also that posts on PAS may include affiliate links. If you click through and perform a qualifying transaction, I may receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect the product or service you receive or the terms you are offered, but it does help support me in publishing PAS and paying my bills. Thank you!

If you enjoyed this post, please link to it on your own blog or social media:

March 11, 2025

Beat the Postage Stamp Price Rise!

Nick Saving Money events 0 Comments

A quickie today to let you know that the price of stamps is rising again on Monday 7 April 2025. That will be the SIXTH rise in the price of first class stamps in just three years.

On this occasion a standard first class stamp is going up from £1.65 to £1.70, a 3% increase. The price of sending a large letter first class is going up by substantially more, from £2.60 to £3.15. That’s an increase of 55p or an inflation-busting 21%.

The price of sending a standard letter by second class post is increasing from 85p to 87p (a 2% rise), One small bit of good news is that the cost of sending a large letter second class is not rising and remains at £1.55.

Standard letters can weigh up to 100g and measure a maximum of 24cm x 16.5cm x 5mm. Large letters can measure 35.3cm x 25cm x 2.5cm but still have to weigh under 100g. If they weight over 100g, higher rates apply, and if they weigh over 750g they have to go at parcel rates.

The cost of many of Royal Mail’s ‘Signed For’, ‘Special Delivery Guaranteed’ and ‘Tracked’ services will also rise from 7 April, as will the price of sending parcels first and second class. You can see a full list of prices by clicking here (PDF).

Saving Money on Stamps

So is there anything you can do to mitigate the impact of the latest price rises?

Well, my number one recommendation is to stock up now while stamps are still at the old price. Standard and large-letter stamps don’t have values printed on them and will still be valid after the April price rise comes in. If you can afford to buy (say) 100 standard first-class stamps and 100 large letter first class stamps, that will save you an impressive £60 in total.

The best bet for buying stamps is – of course – your local post office. If you don’t have one near at hand, however, you can also buy in bulk from The Royal Mail Shop (minimum order £50 for free delivery)..

Amazon also sell postage stamps, though costs vary and when I checked some prices were significantly higher than at post offices. But they may be worth a look, especially if you are an Amazon Prime member.

Another option you could consider is the online auction site eBay. There can be good savings to be made here, but check reviews and ratings carefully and be wary of offers that are clearly too good to be true.

Remember, also, that older UK stamps without barcodes are no longer valid.

For more information about the price rise and all the new rates from 7 April 2025, you can access the Royal Mail April 2025 pricing guide here (PDF).

If you have any comments or questions about the above, as always, please do post them (no pun intended!) below.

If you enjoyed this post, please link to it on your own blog or social media:

March 3, 2025

My Investments Update – March 2025

Nick Investing events, reviews 0 Comments

Here is my latest monthly update about my investments. You can read my February 2025 Investments Update here if you like.

I’ll begin as usual with my Nutmeg Stocks and Shares ISA. This is the largest investment I hold other than my Bestinvest SIPP (personal pension).

As the screenshot below for the last twelve months shows, my main Nutmeg portfolio is currently valued at £25,850. Last month it stood at £26,528, so that is a decrease of £678.

Apart from my main portfolio, I also have a second, smaller pot using Nutmeg’s Smart Alpha option. This is now worth £4,151 compared with £4,267 a month ago, a fall of £116. Here is a screen capture showing performance over the last twelve months.

Finally, at the start of December 2023 I invested £500 in one of Nutmeg’s new thematic portfolios (Resource Transformation). In March I also invested a further £200 from referral bonuses. As you can see from the screen capture below, this portfolio is now worth £803 (rounded up) compared with £832 last month, a fall of £29.

As you can see, February has been a disappointing month for my Nutmeg investments. Overall I am down by £823. This is mostly due to a general decrease in share values in the second half of the month.

Nonetheless, the value of my Nutmeg investments is still up £390 since the start of the year. And their value has increased by £3,441 or 12.67% in the twelve months since the end of February 2024.

You can read my full Nutmeg review here. If you are looking for a home for your annual ISA allowance, based on my overall experience over the last eight years, they are certainly worth considering. They offer self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), Lifetime ISAs and Junior ISAs as well.

Moving on, I also have investments with P2P property investment platform Assetz Exchange. As discussed in this recent post, the company recently rebranded as Housemartin.

My investments with Housemartin continue to generate steady returns. Housemartin focuses on lower-risk properties (e.g. sheltered housing). I put an initial £100 into this in mid-February 2021 and another £400 in April. In June 2021 I added another £500, bringing my total investment up to £1,000.

Since I opened my account, my HM portfolio has generated a respectable £235.31 in revenue from rental income. Capital growth has slowed, though, in line with UK property values generally.

At the time of writing, 17 of ‘my’ properties are showing gains, 1 is breaking even, and the remaining 19 are showing losses. My portfolio of 37 properties is currently showing a net decrease in value of £50.24, meaning that overall (rental income minus capital value decrease) I am up by £185.07. That’s still a decent return on my £1,000 and does illustrate the value of P2P property investments for diversifying your portfolio. And it doesn’t hurt that with Housemartin most projects are socially beneficial as well.

The overall fall in capital value of my Housemartin investments is obviously a little disappointing. But it’s important to remember that until/unless I choose to sell the investments in question, it is largely theoretical, based on the latest price at which shares in the property concerned have changed hands. The rental income, on the other hand, is real money (which in my case I’ve reinvested in other HM projects to further diversify my portfolio).

To control risk with all my property crowdfunding investments nowadays, I invest relatively modest amounts in individual projects. This is a particular attraction of Housemartin as far as i am concerned. You can actually invest from as little as £1 per property if you really want to proceed cautiously.

As I noted in this blog post, Housemartin is particularly good if you want to compound your returns by reinvesting rental income. This effectively boosts the interest rate you are receiving. Personally, once I have accrued a minimum of £10 in rental payments, I reinvest this money in either a new HM project or one I have already invested in (thus increasing my holding). Over time, even if I don’t invest any more capital, this will ensure my investment with Housemartin grows at an accelerating rate and becomes more diversified as well.

My investment on Housemartin is in the form of an IFISA so there won’t be any tax to pay on profits, dividends or capital gains. I’ve been impressed by my experiences with Housemartin and the returns generated so far, and intend to continue investing with them. You can read my full review of Assetz Exchange/Housemartin here. You can also sign up for an account directly via this link [affiliate]. Bear in mind that, as from the current financial year (2024/25), you can open more than one IFISA per year.

In 2022 I set up an account with investment and trading platform eToro, using their popular ‘copy trader’ facility. I chose to invest $500 (then about £412) copying an experienced eToro trader called Aukie2008 (real name Mike Moest).

In January 2023 I added to this with another $500 investment in one of their thematic portfolios, Oil Worldwide. I also invested a small amount I had left over in Tesla shares.

As you can see from the screen captures below, my original investment (total value £888.36 in pounds sterling) is today worth £1,056.29, an overall increase of £167.93 or 18.90%.

Note: eToro now displays the value of investments in your native currency, although you can change this if you wish.

You can read my full review of eToro here. You may also like to check out my more in-depth look at eToro copy trading. I also discussed thematic investing with eToro using Smart Portfolios in this recent post. The latter also reveals why I took the somewhat contrarian step of choosing the oil industry for my first thematic investment with them.

As you can see, my Oil WorldWide investment is showing a profit of 8.77%. That’s a small but nonetheless welcome improvement since the portfolio was rebalanced by eToro. The investment team at eToro periodically rebalance all smart portfolios to ensure that the mix of investments remains aligned with the portfolio’s goals, and to take advantage of any new opportunities that may present themselves.

My copy trading investment with Aukie2008 has been doing better, with an overall 31.18% profit. To be fair, I have held the latter investment a bit longer.

My Tesla shares, which I bought as an afterthought with a bit of spare cash I had in my account, have done particularly well since I bought them, with an overall profit of 163.81%. If only I had put a bit more money into this!

You might also notice that I have small holdings in Prosus NV, a Dutch internet group, and South Bow, a Canadian energy infrastructure company. To be honest I don’t understand how I acquired these, but I assume they are some sort of bonus I was awarded. In any event, I am happy to have them in my portfolio!

eToro also offer the free eToro Money app. This allows you to deposit money to your eToro account without paying any currency conversion fees, saving you up to £5 for every £1,000 you deposit. You can also use the app to withdraw funds from your eToro account instantly to your bank account. I tried this myself and was impressed with how quickly and seamlessly it worked. You can read my blog post about eToro Money here. Note that it can also serve as a cryptocurrency wallet, allowing you to send and receive crypto from any other wallet address in the world.

If you would like more information about setting up an eToro account, please click on this no-obligation website link [affiliate]. Don’t forget that you also get a free $100,000 virtual portfolio, which you can use to experiment with trading and investing strategies. I have certainly earned a lot from mine.

I had six more articles published in February on the excellent Mouthy Money website. The first is titled Travelling to Europe This Year? Here’s Why You Need a GHIC Card. If you’re unfamiliar with the GHIC or how it differs from the previous European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), this article reveals everything you need to know, from how to apply to why it’s so important for your travels.

Also in February Mouthy Money published How to Check Your Tax Code and Correct it if Necessary. Understanding your tax code and ensuring its accuracy can prevent you from overpaying (or underpaying) tax. In this article I explained everything you need in order to check and understand the code you have been allocated.

And in Make Extra Money Renting a Room I turned the spotlight on this traditional (but none the worse for that) method for making some extra money. If your circumstances allow it, letting a room in your home can be a great way of generating a sideline income. It will provide a regular, ongoing income stream, which could prove a lifeline in these financially challenging times. And you can choose between getting a full-time lodger or offering short-term lets. Better still, under the Rent a Room Scheme you can make up to £7,500 a year this way entirely tax free!

In What is the Trading Allowance and How Can You Profit From It? I discussed this valuable allowance for UK residents looking to earn extra income from trading or side hustles. Even if you have a full-time job already, under the Trading Allowance you can earn up to £1,000 a year without having to declare that income to the taxman or paying tax on it. Read my article for the full lowdown!

And in Could You Benefit From the Help to Save Scheme? I discussed this lesser-known government initiative which, if you’re eligible, can give your finances a valuable boost. The Help to Save scheme aims to help people on lower incomes build up their savings. Offering generous tax-free bonuses, Help to Save can provide significant benefits for qualifying individuals.

Finally, in Could a Smart Thermostat Save You Money?, I revealed how these clever devices can save you money on your energy bills. I recently had one fitted myself. In this article I reveal which I chose (and why) and share some tips based on my own experiences. My heating engineer Dave, who installed it for me, also gets an honourable mention!

As I’ve said before, Mouthy Money is a great resource for anyone interested in money-making and money-saving. From the range of articles published in February, I particularly enjoyed Where to Find the Best Money-Saving Resources in 2025 by regular MM contributor Shoestring Jane. Jane writes mainly about money saving and frugal living. You can see all of her articles for Mouthy Money via this web page.

The not-so-good news about Mouthy Money is that due to a change in their business strategy they will no longer be commissioning external content writers such as me and Jane. From a personal perspective I am obviously disappointed about this, but I have had a good run with them and wish them every success going forward. I will continue to follow Mouthy Money with interest and recommend PAS readers do the same. I am also available for other writing work in the personal finance sphere if anyone else should need me!

I also published several posts on Pounds and Sense in February. Some are no longer relevant, but I have listed the others below.

Debunking Common Myths About Over-50 Life Insurance is a guest post on behalf of my friends at British Seniors Insurance Services. It sets out seven common myths about life insurance for over-50s, including ‘I’m too old to get life insurance’ and ‘Life insurance for over-50s is too expensive’, and explains why these commonly-held beliefs are incorrect.

Marriage in Later Life – A Guide to the Financial and Legal Implications is another guest post, this time by my colleagues at HCR Law. In this eye-opening article, their family law specialist, Victoria Fellows, sets out some important considerations to take into account if you are thinking of marrying (or remarrying) in later life.

In How to Make Money From Stoozing, I discuss this method of making extra income by taking advantage of interest-free offer periods on credit cards. If you are well organized you can make hundreds of pounds by doing this, but there are certain pitfalls to avoid. My article sets out everything you need to know and shares some useful resources.

Don’t Miss Out! Use Your £20,000 ISA Allowance Before It’s Too Late is a reminder that the current tax year ends on 5 April 2025 – and if you don’t use your 2024/25 tax-free ISA allowance before that date, it will be gone forever. In my article I explain the main types of ISA and reveal the ones I invest in myself. I also reveal why using your ISA allowance may be especially important in the current tax year if certain rumours are to be believed.

Finally, in Get Your Will Written Free of Charge in March, I discuss Free Wills Month, which actually starts today (3rd March 2025). This event brings together a group of well-respected charities to offer members of the public aged 55 and over the chance to have their wills written (or updated) free using participating solicitors across the UK. If you don’t currently have a will, this no-obligation opportunity is well worth checking out.

I’ll close with a reminder that you can also follow Pounds and Sense on Facebook or Twitter (or X as we have to call it now). Twitter/X is my number one social media platform and I post regularly there. I share the latest news and information on financial matters, and other things that interest, amuse or concern me. So if you aren’t following my PAS account on Twitter/X, you are definitely missing out.

I am also on the BlueSky social media network under the username poundsandsense.bsky.social. For the time being anyway, Twitter/X will remain my primary social media platform, but I will also post details of my latest blog posts, third-party articles and other financial news and resources on BlueSky for those who prefer to follow me there.

As always, if you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them below. I am always delighted to hear from PAS readers

Disclaimer: I am not a qualified financial adviser and nothing in this blog post should be construed as personal financial advice. Everyone should do their own ‘due diligence’ before investing and seek professional advice if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss.

Note also that posts on PAS may include affiliate links. If you click through and perform a qualifying transaction, I may receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect the product or service you receive or the terms you are offered, but it does help support me in publishing PAS and paying my bills. Thank you!

If you enjoyed this post, please link to it on your own blog or social media:

February 24, 2025

Get Your Will Written Free of Charge in March

Nick Everything Else events 7 Comments

Did you know that March is Free Wills Month?

Free Wills Month brings together a group of well-respected charities to offer members of the public aged 55 and over the opportunity to have their wills written or updated free using participating solicitors across the UK. The next one begins on Monday 3rd March 2025.

The charities involved include the NSPCC, Dogs Trust, Samaritans, Mind, Stroke Association, PDSA, Royal British Legion, Alzheimers Research UK, Mencap, British Heart Foundation, Age UK, and many more.

The scheme covers simple wills only, including ‘mirror wills’ for couples. In the latter case, only one member of the couple has to be 55 or over. If you need a complicated will (most people don’t) you can still have this done but may have to pay a top-up fee.

I strongly believe in using a properly qualified solicitor to draw up your will. In the last few years there have been a couple of occasions when failing to do this has caused problems and delays for members of my family. An up-to-date will written by a solicitor will ensure that your wishes are respected and will avoid causing legal complications for your loved ones after you are gone.

Free Wills Month means what it says. There are no catches, although the organizers hope that you will choose to leave a donation to charity in your will. There is no obligation to do this, however.

To take part in Free Wills Month click through to the website on or after March 3rd 2025. You can then pick a solicitor from the list of companies taking part and contact them to book an appointment. Appointments are limited and on a first come, first served basis, so it’s important to call as soon as possible. Once all available appointments are taken, the campaign will close. This may happen before the end of March.

Until March 3rd you can enter brief details on the Free Wills Month website and will then receive an email reminder when the scheme opens.

If you have any comments or questions about this subject, as ever, please do post them below.

This is an annual update of this post.

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Use Your Tax-Free ISA Allowance Before It's Too Late!

February 22, 2025

Don’t Miss Out! Use Your £20,000 ISA Allowance Before It’s Too Late

Nick Saving Money, Investing events, Tax 0 Comments

As the end of the tax year on 5 April 2025 approaches, so too does the deadline to utilize the annual tax-free Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance.

The clock is ticking, and unless you take action in the next few weeks, this opportunity to maximize your tax-free savings for the 2024/25 financial year will be gone.

ISAs are a popular choice for savers and investors alike, offering a tax-efficient way to grow your wealth. With a diverse range of options available, from cash ISAs to stocks and shares ISAs and innovative finance ISAs, individuals have the flexibility to tailor their savings strategy to suit their financial goals and risk appetite.

The current ISA allowance stands at £20,000, providing a significant opportunity to shield your savings and investments from tax. This allowance represents a generous sum that, if left unused, cannot be carried forward to future years. In essence, any portion of the £20,000 allowance that remains untapped by the upcoming deadline will be lost, representing a missed opportunity for tax-free growth.

For those who have yet to fully utilize their annual ISA allowance, now is the time to take action. Whether you’re looking to bolster your rainy-day fund with a cash ISA, seeking to invest in the stock market through a stocks and shares ISA, or diversify your investment portfolio with an IFISA, there’s no shortage of options available.

Cash ISAs offer a secure and accessible way to save, providing a tax-free environment for your savings with the added benefit of easy access to your funds when needed. Meanwhile, stocks and shares ISAs open the door to potentially higher returns by investing in a wide range of assets such as equities, bonds and funds, albeit with a higher level of risk. And an Innovative Finance ISA, or IFISA for short, allows you to invest via P2P/crowdfunding platforms, further diversifying your portfolio (though again with a higher level of risk).

With an ISA you will never incur any liability for dividend tax, capital gains tax or income tax, even if your investments perform exceptionally well. Of course, there is no guarantee this will happen, but over a longer period stock market investments have typically outperformed cash savings, often by a substantial margin.

In recent years I have invested much of my own annual ISA allowance in a stocks and shares ISA with Nutmeg, a robo-manager platform that has produced good returns for me (almost 20% over the last year alone). You can read my in-depth review of Nutmeg here. I have also invested some money in a property IFISA from Housemartin (previously Assetz Exchange). You can see my latest post about Housemartin here. You can also check out my February 2025 Investments Update to see how my Nutmeg and Housemartin investments (and others) have been faring recently.

Finally, for shorter-term savings, I am currently using the Trading 212 Cash ISA. The interest rate paid by Trading 212 is reducing from the current 4.9% to 4.5% from the start of March, but it’s still competitive with other cash ISA providers and has fewer strings attached..

With just a few weeks left to take advantage of this valuable tax benefit, delaying now could prove costly. By acting swiftly you can ensure that your savings and investments are positioned to grow tax-free, setting yourself up for a better financial future.

This has become all the more important with reports (such as this one) suggesting Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering changing the rules applying to ISAs, and in particular reducing the tax-free allowance for cash ISAs to as little as £4,000.

In summary, the £20,000 annual ISA allowance for the 2024/25 tax year presents a golden opportunity to maximize your tax-free savings and investments. Time is of the essence, though. Unless you act before the impending deadline on 5th April 2025, this valuable allowance will be lost forever. If you have the money available, therefore, seize the opportunity now to help secure your financial future.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this article, please feel free to leave them below.

Disclaimer: I am not a qualified financial adviser and nothing in this blog post should be construed as personal financial advice. Everyone should do their own ‘due diligence’ before investing and seek professional advice if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss.

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February 3, 2025

My Investments Update – February 2025

Nick Investing events, reviews, property 0 Comments

Here is my latest monthly update about my investments. You can read my January 2025 Investments Update here if you like.

I’ll begin as usual with my Nutmeg Stocks and Shares ISA. This is the largest investment I hold other than my Bestinvest SIPP (personal pension).

As the screenshot below for the last twelve months shows, my main Nutmeg portfolio is currently valued at £26,528. Last month it stood at £25,513, so that is an impressive rise of £1,015.

Apart from my main portfolio, I also have a second, smaller pot using Nutmeg’s Smart Alpha option. This is now worth £4,267 compared with £4,103 a month ago, a rise of £164. Here is a screen capture showing performance over the last twelve months.

Finally, at the start of December 2023 I invested £500 in one of Nutmeg’s new thematic portfolios (Resource Transformation). In March I also invested a further £200 from referral bonuses. As you can see from the screen capture below, this portfolio is now worth £832 compared with £798 last month, a rise of £34.

January has clearly been a good month for my Nutmeg investments. Their overall value has grown by £1,213 or 3.94% since the start of the year. And their value has increased by £5,193 or 19.65% in the twelve months since 31st January 2024.

You can read my full Nutmeg review here. If you are looking for a home for your annual ISA allowance, based on my overall experience over the last eight years, they are certainly worth considering. They offer self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs), Lifetime ISAs and Junior ISAs as well.

Moving on, I also have investments with P2P property investment platform Assetz Exchange. As discussed in this recent post, the company has just rebranded as Housemartin.

My investments with Housemartin continue to generate steady returns. Housemartin focuses on lower-risk properties (e.g. sheltered housing). I put an initial £100 into this in mid-February 2021 and another £400 in April. In June 2021 I added another £500, bringing my total investment up to £1,000.

Since I opened my account, my HM portfolio has generated a respectable £229.98 in revenue from rental income. Capital growth has slowed, though, in line with UK property values generally.

At the time of writing, 15 of ‘my’ properties are showing gains, 2 are breaking even, and the remaining 18 are showing losses. My portfolio of 35 properties is currently showing a net decrease in value of £55.21, meaning that overall (rental income minus capital value decrease) I am up by £174.77. That’s still a decent return on my £1,000 and does illustrate the value of P2P property investments for diversifying your portfolio. And it doesn’t hurt that with Housemartin most projects are socially beneficial as well.

The overall fall in capital value of my Housemartin investments is obviously a little disappointing. But it’s important to remember that until/unless I choose to sell the investments in question, it is largely theoretical, based on the latest price at which shares in the property concerned have changed hands. The rental income, on the other hand, is real money (which in my case I’ve reinvested in other HM projects to further diversify my portfolio).

To control risk with all my property crowdfunding investments nowadays, I invest relatively modest amounts in individual projects. This is a particular attraction of Housemartin as far as i am concerned. You can actually invest from as little as £1 per property if you really want to proceed cautiously.

As I noted in this blog post, Housemartin is particularly good if you want to compound your returns by reinvesting rental income. This effectively boosts the interest rate you are receiving. Personally, once I have accrued a minimum of £10 in rental payments, I reinvest this money in either a new HM project or one I have already invested in (thus increasing my holding). Over time, even if I don’t invest any more capital, this will ensure my investment with Housemartin grows at an accelerating rate and becomes more diversified as well.

My investment on Housemartin is in the form of an IFISA so there won’t be any tax to pay on profits, dividends or capital gains. I’ve been impressed by my experiences with Housemartin and the returns generated so far, and intend to continue investing with them. You can read my full review of Assetz Exchange/Housemartin here. You can also sign up for an account directly via this link [affiliate]. Bear in mind that, as from the current financial year (2024/25), you can open more than one IFISA per year.

In 2022 I set up an account with investment and trading platform eToro, using their popular ‘copy trader’ facility. I chose to invest $500 (then about £412) copying an experienced eToro trader called Aukie2008 (real name Mike Moest).

In January 2023 I added to this with another $500 investment in one of their thematic portfolios, Oil Worldwide. I also invested a small amount I had left over in Tesla shares.

As you can see from the screen captures below, my original investment (total value £888.36 in pounds sterling) is today worth £1,081.19, an overall increase of £192.16 or 21.71%.

Note: eToro now displays the value of investments in your native currency, although you can change this if you wish.

You can read my full review of eToro here. You may also like to check out my more in-depth look at eToro copy trading. I also discussed thematic investing with eToro using Smart Portfolios in this recent post. The latter also reveals why I took the somewhat contrarian step of choosing the oil industry for my first thematic investment with them.

As you can see, my Oil WorldWide investment is showing a profit of 8.43%. That’s not overly exciting but the portfolio has just been rebalanced by eToro, so hopefully that will improve its performance going forward. The investment team at eToro periodically rebalance all smart portfolios to ensure that the mix of investments remains aligned with the portfolio’s goals, and to take advantage of any new opportunities that may present themselves.

My copy trading investment with Aukie2008 has been doing better, with an overall 26.56% profit. To be fair, I have held the latter investment a bit longer.

My Tesla shares, which I bought as an afterthought with a bit of spare cash I had in my account, have done particularly well in recent months. If only I had put a bit more money into this!

You might also notice that I have small holdings in Prosus NV, a Dutch internet group, and South Bow, a Canadian energy infrastructure company. To be honest I don’t understand how I acquired these, but I assume they are some sort of bonus I have been awarded. In any event, I am happy to have them in my portfolio!

eToro also offer the free eToro Money app. This allows you to deposit money to your eToro account without paying any currency conversion fees, saving you up to £5 for every £1,000 you deposit. You can also use the app to withdraw funds from your eToro account instantly to your bank account. I tried this myself and was impressed with how quickly and seamlessly it worked. You can read my blog post about eToro Money here. Note that it can also serve as a cryptocurrency wallet, allowing you to send and receive crypto from any other wallet address in the world.

If you would like more information about setting up an eToro account, please click on this no-obligation website link (affiliate).

I had another article published in January on the excellent Mouthy Money website. This is How to Make Money Through Bank Account Switching. In this article I discussed an easy method for generating handy lump sums by taking advantage of switching incentives offered by some UK banks. The banks are currently battling one another for your custom, and they are offering some enticing cash bonuses (and sometimes other freebies/benefits as well) to get you to sign up.

As I’ve said before, Mouthy Money is a great resource for anyone interested in money-making and money-saving. From the range of articles published in January, I particularly enjoyed 16 Ways to Be More Frugal and Save Money in 2025 by regular MM contributor Shoestring Jane. Jane writes mainly about money saving and frugal living. You can see all of her articles for Mouthy Money via this web page.

I also published several posts on Pounds and Sense in January. Some are no longer relevant, but I have listed the others below.

As mentioned earlier, I published a post titled P2P Property Investment Platform Assetz Exchange Rebrands as Housemartin. In this I discussed the recent rebrand of this P2P property investment platform, which I invest through myself. The post also discusses how the platform has changed since I first featured it here on Pounds and Sense.

In Here’s Why Most Over-50s Need More Protein in Their Diet I discussed a subject that will be relevant to many readers of this blog (which is of course aimed especially at over-50s). I must admit I hadn’t realised just how important this was until I saw the topic being discussed on GB News last month. I wanted to learn more and researched the subject with the aid of AI program ChatGPT. This blog post was the result.

In Take the Plum 52-Week Saving Challenge, I shared a method you can use to set aside a handy lump sum of up to £1,378 in a year. As you may gather, the method involves using the smart money app Plum [affiliate link]. This automates the whole process for you, making saving as easy and painless as possible. Read the article for full details!

Also in January I published a guest post on the subject Dos and Don’ts for Divorce in 2025. Written by an experienced divorce lawyer, this article sets out tips and guidelines to make the divorce process as pain-free as possible if, sadly, your marriage has run its course.

Finally, on a happier note, I published Planning a UK Holiday This Year? Here Are Some Ideas For You. In this article (which I update and republish annually) I set out a range of suggestions for short break (or longer) holidays in the UK, along with links to blog posts I have written about the destinations concerned.

Lastly, a reminder that you can also follow Pounds and Sense on Facebook or Twitter (or X as we have to call it now). Twitter/X is my number one social media platform and I post regularly there. I share the latest news and information on financial matters, and other things that interest, amuse or concern me. So if you aren’t following my PAS account on Twitter/X, you are definitely missing out.

I am also on the BlueSky social media network under the username poundsandsense.bsky.social. For the time being anyway, Twitter/X will remain my primary social media platform, but I will also post details of my latest blog posts, third-party articles and other financial news and resources on BlueSky for those who may prefer to follow me there.

That’s all for today. As always, if you have any comments or questions, feel free to leave them below. I am always delighted to hear from PAS readers

Disclaimer: I am not a qualified financial adviser and nothing in this blog post should be construed as personal financial advice. Everyone should do their own ‘due diligence’ before investing and seek professional advice if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss.

Note also that posts on PAS may include affiliate links. If you click through and perform a qualifying transaction, I may receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect the product or service you receive or the terms you are offered, but it does help support me in publishing PAS and paying my bills. Thank you!

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January 19, 2025

P2P Property Investment Platform Assetz Exchange Rebrands as Housemartin

Nick Investing events, reviews, property 0 Comments

As regular readers of Pounds and Sense will know, I’m a fan of P2P property investment platform Assetz Exchange and have invested through them myself. AE have recently rebranded as Housemartin, so I thought I should write an update about this.

You can read my original detailed review of Assetz Exchange (as it was then) in this post. Much of this info still applies – so I won’t reproduce it all here – but certain things (as well as the name!) have changed.

Assetz Exchange began as a ‘traditional’ property crowdfunding platform, with investors coming together to buy a property. They then shared in the rental income received – and any profit if the property was subsequently sold – in proportion to the size of their investment. When I first wrote about Assetz Exchange they offered a variety of investment opportunities, including former show homes and development projects.

Nowadays, though, the company focuses on supported housing, working closely with charities and other organizations that assist people with physical and cognitive disabilities. These have generally proven the most reliable and hassle-free investments, so Housemartin have understandably chosen to concentrate on this.

Properties are generally let on long leases, with the charities taking responsibility for day-to-day management and maintenance. As mentioned, investors receive a share of the monthly rental received and any profits if/when the properties are sold (you can also potentially sell your holdings online at any time via the exchange, which serves as a secondary market). That puts these investments at the lower-risk end of the property investment spectrum (though there are, of course, still risks involved, and you should ensure you understand these and are comfortable with them before investing).

Assetz Exchange was originally part of the Assetz group of property investment companies that included Assetz Capital. In December 2023 Assetz announced it was withdrawing from the retail marketplace to work with institutional investors only. Partly as a consequence of this, the team behind Housemartin took the decision to part ways with the Assetz group and are no longer affiliated with them. Although they always operated separately from Assetz Capital, Housemartin is now an entirely independent P2P property investment platform. Regarding the name change, the company says:

“The name Housemartin reflects the company’s commitment to delivering robust, hassle-free, quality residential property investment opportunities that reward investors with monthly inflation-linked income. Just as the house martin bird is known for its sociability and adaptability, Housemartin aims to provide investors with an opportunity to pool funds with fellow investors to create much needed quality homes for people requiring support.”

Future Plans

In its new guise as Housemartin, the company has big plans for 2025 and further into the future. They intend to stick to their strategy of working with partners in the supported housing sector, including (for example) Golden Lane Housing, Lets For Life and Halo Housing. A typical current opportunity from the website is shown below.

Peter Read, the MD of Housemartin, points out that with interest rates currently falling, this makes the returns of around 7% they can typically offer investors increasingly attractive (and of course there is the potential for capital growth as well). He also points out that rentals are raised every year in line with inflation.

Housemartin are currently launching a fundraising round on the investment platform Crowdcube. They are looking to raise additional capital which will be used to help the company expand and improve its offering. Anyone is welcome to invest via Crowdcube, though as this is a share offer it’s almost certainly riskier than investing via the platform itself, with no clearly defined exit route. Personally I do not plan to invest in Housemartin this way, but you can find out more if you wish by registering on the Crowdcube site.

My Own Experience

I put an initial £100 into the platform in mid-February 2021 and another £400 in April. In June 2021 I added another £500, bringing my total investment up to £1,000.

Since I opened my account, my portfolio has generated a respectable £227.35 in revenue from rental income. Capital growth has slowed, though, in line with UK property values generally.

At the time of writing, 12 of ‘my’ properties are showing gains, 3 are breaking even, and the remaining 20 are showing losses. My portfolio of 35 properties is currently showing a net decrease in value of £62.22, meaning that overall (rental income minus capital value decrease) I am up by £165.13. That’s still a decent return on my £1,000 and does illustrate the value of P2P property investments for diversifying your portfolio. And it doesn’t hurt that with Assetz Exchange the projects are socially beneficial as well.

The overall fall in capital value of my AE investments is obviously a bit disappointing. But it’s important to remember that until/unless I choose to sell the investments in question, it is theoretical, based on the latest price at which shares in the property concerned have changed hands. The rental income, on the other hand, is real money (which in my case I’ve reinvested in other HM projects to further diversify my portfolio).

To control risk with all my property crowdfunding investments nowadays, I invest relatively modest amounts in individual projects. This is a particular attraction of HM as far as i am concerned. You can actually invest from as little as £1 per property if you really want to proceed cautiously.

As I noted in this blog post, Housemartin is particularly good if you want to compound your returns by reinvesting rental income. This effectively boosts the interest rate you are getting. Personally, once I have accrued a minimum of £10 in rental payments, I reinvest this money in either a new Housemartin project or one I have already invested in (thus increasing my holding). Over time, even if I don’t invest any more capital, this will ensure my investment with HM grows at an accelerating rate and becomes more diversified as well.

My investment on Housemartin is in the form of an IFISA so there won’t be any tax to pay on profits, dividends or capital gains. I’ve been impressed by my experiences with Housemartin and the returns generated so far, and intend to continue investing with them. If you wish you can also sign up for a no-obligation account on Housemartin directly via this link [affiliate]. Bear in mind that, as from this financial year (2024/25), you can open more than one IFISA per year so long as you don’t exceed your overall £20,000 ISA allowance.

Closing Thoughts

As I said earlier, I am a fan of Housemartin and have been investing with them for several years now. I have also spoken to their MD, Peter Read, on various occasions, and always found him open and honest.

My HM investments have performed well; and as far as I’m aware no investor has ever lost money through the platform. Obviously there are never any guarantees with investing – but if you like the idea of earning higher rates of interest than available from banks while helping vulnerable people secure a much-needed roof over their heads, Housemartin is certainly worth a look.

As always, if you have any queries about this blog post or Housemartin more generally, do leave a comment as usual.

Disclosure: As stated in this post, I am an investor with Housemartin and also an affiliate for them. If you click through my link and sign up, I may receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect in any way the service you receive or the terms you are offered.

Please be aware also that I am not a professional financial adviser. You should always do your own ‘due diligence’ before investing and seek advice from a qualified adviser if in any doubt how best to proceed. All investing carries a risk of loss.

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January 11, 2025

Take the Plum 52-Week Saving Challenge!

Nick Saving Money events, reviews 1 Comment

I have written about Plum a few times on Pounds and Sense. Today I am spotlighting their new Plum 52-Week Saving Challenge. This is designed to help you set aside a handy lump sum of up to £1,378 in a year, while making the whole process as quick and easy as possible 🙂

Let’s start with the basics for those who may be new to Plum, though…

What is Plum?

Plum is a smart money app designed to help you automate setting money aside for any purpose – from holidays to major purchases or simply for a ‘rainy day’ fund. It uses AI to analyze your spending and then makes suggestions about saving and investing.

NOTE: Capital is at risk if you invest. The value of investments can go down as well as up.

Plum is one of a range of apps that make use of Open Banking. This allows third-party apps to access your financial information – as long as you provide the necessary authorization, of course – and perform certain transactions on your behalf (if you choose to set up a direct debit). Plum uses Open Banking to access your financial information with your authorization. Ensure you are comfortable with this before proceeding.

Plum offers three levels of account. These are the free Plum Basic and paid-for Pro and Premium.

The Basic account is (as stated) free of charges. Fees apply for Pro and Premium accounts. Plum Pro costs £2.99 a month and Premium costs £9.99 a month. The Pro and Premium accounts offer a wider range of features and higher interest rates in interest-bearing ‘Pockets’. It’s important to note that these are not traditional savings accounts. This is further discussed on the main Plum website.

The current challenge is specifically for people who have a Pro or Premium account

The 52-Week Saving Challenge

The Plum 52-Week Saving Challenge is designed to help you set aside up to £1.378 in one year. Here’s how it works.

You start by setting aside £1 in the first week. Then each week you add £1 more than the previous week. So in the second week, you set aside £2, in the third week £3, and so on.

Week 1: £1

Week 2: £2

Week 3: £3 . . .

Week 51: £51

Week 52: £52

By the end of the challenge year, you will have set aside a total of £1,378. Before you start you can check out a special calendar in the app that shows exactly how much money you’ll be setting aside each week.

How to Get Started

As mentioned above, holders of Plum Pro or Premium accounts have access to a built-in feature that makes the whole challenge as easy and painless as possible. Just follow these few simple steps below…

Open the Plum app and find the Brain.
Tap on the 52-week challenge to activate it.
You can turn it on or off like a light switch. Before you turn it on, you’ll be able to see the calendar mentioned above, which shows exactly how much money you’ll be saving each week.
Plum say that if they aren’t able to create a deposit for a specific week, the amount for that week won’t be skipped. They will deposit that amount the following week instead, so you won’t miss out.

Closing Thoughts

In my view the Plum 52-Week Savings Challenge represents a great opportunity to save a handy lump over a 12-month period. You could use this to pay for a well-deserved holiday or other one-off purchase, or even put it towards Christmas 2025!

Using the app automates the whole process, making it as quick and painless as possible. But of course you can switch it off any time if your circumstances change.

As always, if you have any comments or questions about this blog post, please do leave them below.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. If you click through any of my links and set up an account with Plum, I may receive a modest commission for introducing you. This will not affect in any way the terms you are offered.

Plum is the trading name of Plum Fintech Limited, which is registered with the FCA (FRN 836158) to carry out payment services activities as a Registered Account Information Service Provider, to carry out payment services activities. Plum is a distributor of Modulr FS Ltd and an agent of PayrNet Ltd for the purposes of the Plum Card. Modulr (FRN 900573) and PayrNet (FRN 900594) are regulated and authorised as Electronic Money Institutions by the FCA. Plum Money is the trading name of Saveable Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA (FRN 739214) to carry out investment and credit broking services. T&Cs apply. Visit www.withplum.com.

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January 9, 2025

Guest Post: Dos and Don’ts for Divorce in 2025

Nick Everything Else events, guest post, families 1 Comment

My guest post today concerns a subject none of us wants to think about, but one that can have huge financial (and other) ramifications, especially if not handled well.

Traditionally divorce lawyers see a peak in enquiries in January. Indeed, the first Monday in January is sometimes known as ‘Divorce Day’. This uptick may be partly to do with people putting off taking action till after the festive season is over. Nevertheless, divorce is undoubtedly a matter on the minds of many people at this time of year.

If – sadly – you find yourself in this position, my guest today, Simon Bassett, head of the family team at RWK Goodman, has put together some Dos and Don’ts to help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible for you.

Over to Simon, then…

Dos and Don’ts for Divorce in 2025

Dos

Focus on your long-term goal – your happiness and the children’s happiness.
Build a support network – divorce can be a daunting process so build a support network of trusted family members and friends and consider using a therapist or divorce coach – we find that our clients who have good support make better decisions and are less likely to procrastinate.
Choose your solicitor carefully – like any working relationship, you need find someone you can work with and build a rapport with. Seek recommendations from friends and colleagues and if the fit doesn’t feel right, find another.
Try and keep the divorce amicable and out of court by using non-court methods such as mediation. Not only will this be better for your children and your own emotional health, it will also save you money in legal fees and speed up the process.
Sort out your paperwork – if you have your finances in order, e.g. details of all your expenditure, income and pensions, this will save you masses in divorce fees.
Be grateful for what you had – the end of a relationship should not be viewed as a failure. Some relationships simply run their course, so be grateful for what you had, e.g. there were many years of good times, and what the marriage produced, the children.

Don’ts

If you are certain your marriage has come to an end, don’t delay taking action. Things may get messy, but they will get better!
Look back and obsess about what went wrong.
Compare your divorce to other people’s – every divorce is different.
Don’t ignore your solicitor – if they recommend something, it will be based on many years’ experience and the advice will be specific to you and designed to achieve the best possible outcome.
Don’t email your solicitor every time you have a heated exchange with your ex!
Don’t be greedy – the courts take a very dim view of people who exaggerate what they may need post-divorce.
No matter how tiresome your ex is, don’t ever be negative about him/her in front of the children. Remember that you are your children’s role model.

Simon Bassett is the head of the family team at RWK Goodman and has over 30 years’ experience advising clients on divorce and other family law issues.

Many thanks to Simon for his valuable advice. Although I’ve not been in this situation myself, I have friends and relatives who have. From what I have seen, the process is far less stressful for all concerned if matters can be conducted in a civilized – and even amicable – way.

You can contact Simon and his colleagues at RWK Goodman via their website. They have offices in London, Bath, Oxford, Swindon, Bristol, Marlborough and Thame.

As always, if you have any comments or queries about this post, please do leave them below.

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January 4, 2025

Planning a UK Holiday This Year? Here Are Some Ideas For You!

Nick Everything Else events, reviews, travel 6 Comments

For many of us 2024 was another difficult year, with a cost-of-living crisis driven especially by rising gas and electricity costs.

With the festive season behind us now and the worst months of the winter still (probably) to come, many of us are understandably desperate for something to look forward to in the year ahead.

Some will be planning to head abroad in search of sunnier climes. But others may be deterred by the cost of going overseas and the additional hassles it may entail.

So today I thought I’d share links to my blog posts about some UK holiday destinations I’ve visited in the last few years, in case you wish to consider them for short breaks – or longer – in the year ahead. Clicking on any of the links below will open my post about the place concerned in a new tab, so you won’t have to keep clicking the Back button to return here.

The Destinations

Llandudno

Llandudno in North Wales is somewhere I have been visiting regularly for over ten years now. It’s a traditional British seaside resort with a long pier, Punch and Judy show, sweeping promenade, and plenty more (you can see the stunning Victorian seafront in the cover image). It’s very popular with both older people and young families. As well as my main review, my October 2020 Coronavirus Crisis Experience Update includes details of a short break I enjoyed there just before the Welsh government imposed another lockdown 😮

Minehead

Minehead is a North Somerset coastal town. I enjoyed a short break there in 2020 as well, at a time when lockdown rules were relaxed. It was my first visit to Minehead and I particularly enjoyed visiting the National Trust property Dunster Castle, which is just a couple of miles down the road. Sadly the West Somerset Railway which starts (or ends) in Minehead was closed due to the pandemic when I went, but I’d love to go back for a trip on this heritage steam railway sometime in the future.

Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth is in mid-Wales on the Cardigan Bay coast. I have visited it three times now, the first two staying at the Marine Hotel and the most recent at a self-catering apartment called Sea Brin. Aberystwyth is quieter and less commercialized than Llandudno (mentioned above), and the fact it’s a university town means it has quite a cosmopolitan feeling. It’s a good place to chill out, but there are plenty of interesting things to see and do as well.

Aberdovey

I visited Aberdovey for the first time in April 2023. It’s a small town on the mid-Wales coast. It’s about ten miles north of Aberystwyth and five miles south of Tywyn, the home of the Talyllyn Railway (see below). It’s a charming, laid-back place, perfect for a relaxing short break. It has a beautiful beach (with watersports for those who want them) and some great cafes and restaurants. I wouldn’t go there for the night-life, though – even the chip shop closes at 8 pm!

Hewenden Mill Cottages, Yorkshire

I had a particular reason to visit Hewenden MIll Cottages, as my sister Liz and her family live just a couple of miles down the road in Wilsden. Even if I didn’t have family connections, though, I would definitely recommend them for a short break. The accommodation consists of a converted mill and a number of former workers’ cottages, all in a beautiful woodland setting. The apartments and cottages are spacious and well equipped. From here you can visit Haworth – home of the Bronte sisters – and the Victorian model village of Saltaire. The area is also great for walking and cycling.

I went back to Hewenden Mill in October 2021 for a family reunion. I stayed in a cottage on the main site (picture below). I went for a long weekend but ended up staying almost a week. This was from necessity rather than choice, as the petrol crisis struck and I was unable to buy fuel to get home. The management at Hewenden were wonderful, though, and said I could stay on as long as I needed for no further charge. I therefore recommend them even more highly now!

Aberdunant Hall Hotel, nr Porthmadog

The Aberdunant Hall Holiday Park and Hotel (to give it its full name) is about four miles from the North Wales coastal town of Porthmadog You can stay in the hotel itself (which is quite compact) or in accommodation around the park. I stayed in what they call a Forest Pod, which is roughly the equivalent of half a caravan. It was okay for a short break but if you went as a couple the cramped conditions could put a strain on your relationship! If I went again I would book a room in the hotel or maybe one of the Woodland Escape Suites in the park. I still enjoyed my stay there, and found the location convenient for visiting a range of places including Portmeirion (where the sixties TV series The Prisoner was filmed) and the Ffestiniog Railway, which runs from Porthmadog to Baenau Ffestiniog. It’s also on the edge of Snowdonia, with lots of opportunities for walking and mountain climbing.

Lake Vyrnwy

Lake Vyrnwy is a few miles over the border from Shropshire into Wales. I went there in 2019 after watching a TV show about the history of this artificial lake, which was originally created to provide a water supply for the people of Liverpool in the 19th century (it’s now naturalised and if you weren’t aware of its history you wouldn’t know it was man-made). I stayed at the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel and Spa, which is near the dam at the western end of the lake. This was originally built to accommodate senior managers and engineers on the construction project, though it has of course been extended and modernised many times since. If you want to visit Lake Vyrnwy, it’s the best (possibly the only) option. I happened to choose a bitterly cold weekend just before Easter for my visit, which spoiled it a bit. Still, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery and some great walks. It’s probably not a place to take children, however, as there might not be enough for them to do.

The Talyllyn Railway

The Talyllyn Railway (also mentioned under Aberdovey) is a heritage steam railway in Wales. It starts in the town of Tywyn in mid-Wales, so in October 2018 I booked a short break there. To be honest there isn’t a great deal else to do in Tywyn, but it makes a good base for a day on the railway. And the railway itself takes you through some stunningly beautiful countryside. If you buy one of their very reasonably priced Day Rover tickets, you can get on and off at any station along the route. I highly recommend an hour or two at Dolgoch, which has some great walks and lovely waterfalls.

Warner Leisure Hotels

Warner Leisure Hotels have 16 country and coastal resort hotels across England and Wales. They have a strict adults-only policy, and appeal mainly to an older clientele (based on my experience, the average age is around seventy). As well as accommodation they offer a variety of leisure activities, including day trips, quizzes, guided walks, archery and bowls, social dancing, swimming, and so on. Most of these activities are included in the price, as is the evening entertainment. I have stayed at Bodelwyddan Castle in North Wales and Alvaston Hall in Cheshire. Some aspects I liked, others I wasn’t so keen on, as you can read in my review. You can also see their latest offers by clicking on the banner ad below [affiliate].

The Lake District

About four years ago I took a short break in the English Lake District. I stayed at the Waterhead Hotel, just south of Ambleside, at the north end of Lake Windermere (England’s largest lake). The hotel is located literally a few yards from the lake (hence the name, of course). If you haven’t visited the Lake District before, the area should definitely be on your ‘To Do’ list. There are many miles of beautiful countryside to explore, along with attractions such as Beatrix Potter’s house and Wray Castle. And, of course, you must buy a day ticket for the Windermere lake steamers. You can travel the length of the lake in style on these vessels, while sipping a hot chocolate (or something stronger) and listening to commentary on the scenery passing alongside. Highly recommended 🙂

The Isle of Man

I visited the Isle of Man for the first time in April 2024, staying in the island capital Douglas. I went on a heritage-railway-themed break offered by Newmarket Holidays. So naturally I had trips on the Isle of Man Steam Railway and also the Manx Electric Railway. The latter takes you from Douglas to Laxey and onward to Ramsey. Laxey is the home of the iconic Lady Isabella waterwheel, the largest working waterwheel in the world. The IOM is about the same latitude as Liverpool so obviously the weather can be variable, but I was lucky enough to get wall-to-wall sunshine during my stay. I flew to the island from Birmingham Airport which took about 45 minutes, but you can also get a ferry from Heysham or Liverpool. The Isle of Man is charming and verdant, and largely unspoiled. Definitely worth considering if you’re looking for something a little bit different for a short (or longer) holiday.

Llanbedrog

I visited Lanbedrog for the first time in July 2021. It’s a village on the Llyn (or Lleyn) Peninsula in NW Wales. I stayed at an Airbnb property, the first time I had done this (Llanbedrog doesn’t have any hotels as far as I know). It’s by the coast, roughly half way between Pwllheli (famed for its Butlins camp, now run by Haven Holidays) and trendy Abersoch. It has a beautiful sandy beach which would be perfect for families with young children (or grandchildren). I very much enjoyed my three-night stay and found it a perfect place to relax and chill out after months of lockdown. The National Trust mansion (and garden) Plas yn Rhiw is about seven miles away.

Criccieth

I stayed in Criccieth in North Wales for the first time in June 2022, although I have visited the town in the past. It is a lovely place to relax and chill out. It has excellent road and rail connections, and there are also some high-quality tourist attractions nearby, including Portmeirion and the Ffestiniog Railway. Criccieth itself is best known for its castle which dominates the town. Although it’s a ruin, many of the walls are still standing and you can enjoy some amazing views across the bay, as far as Harlech Castle and beyond.

Lavenham

I visited Lavenham in Suffolk for the first time in August 2022. It is said to be England’s best-preserved medieval town, with over 300 listed, timber-framed houses. There are various historic buildings such as the Guildhall and Little Hall you can look around. Lavenham also boasts a variety of highly rated pubs and restaurants, and some lovely tea rooms and coffee houses as well! 🍮

Barmouth

Barmouth is a traditional Welsh seaside resort about ten miles south of Harlech. I visited in September 2022, staying at an elegant Victorian Gothic hotel called Tyr Graig Castle. Barmouth has a clean, attractive promenade and beautiful sandy beach which goes out a long way. There is plenty to do for families, including a funfair and amusement arcades. There are various restaurants and fast food outlets along the seafront. There is also a railway station with regular trains to Pwllheli in one direction and Aberystwyth and beyond in the other. Nearby attractions include Harlech Castle, Portmeirion and the Fairbourne miniature steam railway 🚂

Bath

I visited the historic city of Bath in June 2023. There is lots to see and do, although top of many people’s lists will be the stunning Roman Baths. Bath Abbey is well worth a look too, and you can admire the beautiful Georgian architecture around the city for free! Read my top tips for anyone visiting Bath in this post, including the excellent self-catering accommodation I stayed at.

Other Resources

Here are links to a few other blog posts that may be of interest if you are planning a UK holiday this year…

Booking a Holiday With Airbnb

In recent years Airbnb has become increasingly popular for self-catering holidays. You can book anything from a spare room in someone’s home to a whole house or apartment. My recent short breaks in Lavenham and Llanbedrog (see list above) were in Airbnb properties. You can read all about the booking process in my post.

Find Your Nearest Cashpoint with the Link ATM Locator

Finding a cashpoint in an unfamiliar town (or village) can be challenging, so you might find this free app a useful resource to download. It has helped me avoid embarrassment on several occasions.

Ten Tips for First Time and Solo Cruisers

If your thoughts are turning further afield, you may be considering a cruise holiday as an option. Even if you can’t go abroad, I can testify from personal experience that a cruise of the British Isles (like these, perhaps) can be very enjoyable and enlightening. My blog post sets out a range of tips and advice that will be particularly relevant for first-time and solo cruisers.

Finally, coach holidays are another very popular option among older people especially. I don’t have much experience of this myself, but my friends at Over 60s Discounts have a great article about coach holidays for over-60s in the UK. This includes a list of popular UK destinations and details of several companies offering low-cost coach holidays.

Closing Thoughts

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post and it has given you a some ideas for UK holidays.

Obviously I am a 60-something male and nowadays usually travel on my own. So if your circumstances are different from mine, I understand that some of the destinations mentioned above might not hold as much appeal. In addition, I live in Staffordshire, so the places I go are all reasonably accessible from there.

Finally – as I noticed when reading back my list – I do have a bit of a penchant for places with heritage steam railways nearby, so please bear that in mind as well 😀

Of course, I’d love to hear your views about any of the destinations mentioned, or any other places in the UK you would recommend for a short break or longer holiday. Please leave any comments or questions below as usual.

Note: This is a fully revised update of an annual post.

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