LM portfolio as at 03/12/2021:
| Code | Sector | Date Bought | Cost | Value | Gain/Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LM026 LM026-2 LM026-3 |
ETF | 14/10/2020 09/12/2020 06/07/2021 |
£3430 | £3760 | 9.79% |
| LM028 LM028-2 |
'No specific industry' | 16/11/2020 10/08/2021 |
£2280 | £3040 | 33.47% |
| LM034 | Food & Drug Retailers | 18/01/2021 | £1020 | £1170 | 14.22% |
| LM037 LM037-2 |
Life Insurance | 03/03/2021 05/07/2021 |
£2290 | £2520 | 10.27% |
| LM038 | Banks | 10/03/2021 | £1020 | £1140 | 11.85% |
| LM039 | Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | 30/03/2021 | £1030 | £1100 | 7.14% |
| LM040 LM040-2 |
General Financial | 27/04/2021 22/11/2021 |
£2290 | £2740 | 19.30% |
| LM041 | Real Estate Investment Trusts | 27/07/2021 | £1270 | £1450 | 14.01% |
| LM042 | Construction & Materials | 27/07/2021 | £1270 | £1330 | 4.88% |
| LM044 | Support Services | 27/09/2021 | £1270 | £1130 | (10.90%) |
It's quite jarring how hearing a certain song will immediately make me think back to a specific time and place in my life. Often it's in the car and the next tune on the playlist will form vivid memories of being that time back in that house when I lived with that group of friends.
When those memories come I then start thinking about lost potential... I should've worked harder at that age (22)... I should've saved more... I could've easily done two jobs and maximised my income... if only I'd not spent so much on beer/cigarettes/DVDs/video games/going out three times a week... I really shouldn't have wasted so much time chasing that girl... I should've worked my backside off and paid off my debts...
It all boils down to one thing - if I knew then what I know now it'd all be so different.
Of course the problem is that I didn't know all this back then, and there was no way I could've known this because knowledge is only gained through experience.
Being fair to myself, I did work hard at that age. I was at uni 40 hours a week and working 20 hours a week. On finishing uni I would get changed in the toilets and then go to work 6pm til 10pm. That was Monday to Thursday and then I would go into work on Sunday as well.
So I only really got Friday night and Saturdays off. Realistically there wasn't really the opportunity to work over and above the hours I was doing without my health suffering.
Perhaps I should've saved more but realistically, how much could I save when only working 20 hours a week and at uni full time?
It's a miracle I didn't go even further into debt than I did. Aside from some credit card debt and an overdraft I was managing my money quite well considering I had rent and bills to pay.
Yes, I did spend a lot on beer and cigarettes, and going out. But that's what you're supposed to do in your early twenties. Some nights out were disappointing and I wish I hadn't bothered. Hindsight is not very helpful, there was no way of knowing a night out would be crap until you actually went out! I've got to remember the really good times and many of those were very cheap indeed.
Camping trips especially are a good memory... and very inexpensive. Plus I lived with friends so we had lots of cheap nights in.
As for chasing the wrong person - you live and learn. And besides, if I hadn't got together with that person I would've always been wondering what if
In the end I cleared all my debt a few years later in my mid-20s then bought a house shortly after that. I got my finances in order and had several prosperous years which meant that when the separation and divorce happened, I was able to afford to quickly move out and rent somewhere.
Of course I would've done a couple of things differently but I can't say I regret very much. Those early years of struggle really set me up well for later life.
The portfolio
LM033 was sold on 29th November after it dropped below the 200 day SMA and stayed there for 3 days. I had held this share (Caretech Holdings - CTH) for almost a year and even added another unit in August as it had been performing well but it started dropping from September.
Check the chart and you'll see a lovely peak at the start of September and then it has fallen since. Just a small loss on that one - 50 quid or so.
There was a new investment on the 22nd November - a pyramid on LM040.
The remaining investments in the fund still look good, just one in negative territory at the moment so I am happy.