What's the best investment you've ever made?

Mango Joe

As someone who has always been a day late and a dollar euro short I need to learn from the people on here who have made great choices along the way.

So, whether it's a car, raffle ticket, educational decisions, a crafty house purchase or when you bought that few acres when everyone else said you were stupid or mad ......What's the best investment you've ever made?

Padre_Pio

Went back to college.
Invested a few years and maybe 20k total.

Paid back multiples over the past decade and counting

rom

Padre_Pio wrote: »

Went back to college.
Invested a few years and maybe 20k total.

Paid back multiples over the past decade and counting

Same, that and pension

2011

I bought a small house in bad condition in a good area and turned it into a slightly larger house in good condition. Then I sold it for a lot more.

With the money I made I bought a larger house. Unfortunately the economy fell off a cliff, if I had just got the timing a bit better I would be mortgage free now.

However it worked out reasonably well as I now have a home I am very happy with and a small outstanding mortgage. My saving grace is that I never borrowed a lot of money.

In the middle of all of this I went back to college and graduated with a degree at 40. A good investment too.

Harry Palmr

Buying a 15 euro mini mattock.

Helptobuy

Long story (but not the real long version)!!
Bought a run-down pub once on borrowings. Built up a great trade - food and drink. Got too fond of the liquid product and ran it into the ground again.
Sobered up, straightened up the business but still carried a lot of debt. Accountant wanted me to liquidate but I refused because I had a lot of local suppliers, young staff etc and didn't want to screw them over my fcuk up!!

Ended up getting an offer I couldn't refuse just before last recession. Paid everyone off. Had very healthy deposit for house, mortgage will be paid in 2023.

Have been debt free (and alcohol free) since. Happy in a different career (that doesn't involve weekend work)!!

Long story short......looked like an awful dodgy investment but worked out in the end. In fact I'm glad all the nonsense happened - changed my life for the better!!

banie01

I've never managed to make great investment choices, but I have had some incredible strokes of luck.
I got into the bar trade in the Canaries in the late '90s and got out of it at just the right time, more thanks to others' stupidity than anything else.
Irish farmers decided to offer the place I was involved in over there and upped it until it was madness to refuse.
I think they lasted @18months after we sold it.

When I moved back to Ireland, I worked for an MNC who even paid for me to finish Uni.
We had enough to buy our house, so we managed to be mortgage-free at 27
My wife missed the bar trade, and my Dad was looking to diversify, so a bar was opened in late 2005, an option to buy at 1.2mil was negotiated, and honestly felt like a master of the universe given the way the trade was going at the time.
Roll on early 2007. My wife died incredibly suddenly. I had no grá for the bar. Sold out my position, resigned my directorship and with it any obligation to exercise the OTB.
Then came the crash!
Honestly, how lucky was that like!

Stocks wise, I did well from BoI and then went all to ETF's to try and stay as passive as possible.
That's out the window now, though.
I'm a 41y.o pensioner now due to medical circumstances, so, like others here have mentioned. I went back to education. Currently a 2nd-year law student and enjoying it more for its challenges than I am planning any future career.
I don't know if I'll ever be fit enough to return to full-time work, but I hope that perhaps advocacy or volunteering can be part of the plan in the future.

Nowadays, I have a stupid amount of money thrown at AMC and GME, only equities I hold, and I cycle in and out of crypto.
I'm not a daytrader, I tried that and failed miserably :P
I tend to buy, hold for a 10% profit, then go back to cash and wait for another urge to strike me.

If I was to look at my finances with my professional hat on?
I'd advise a family member to seek a POA, it's fairly manic at times but I do okay.
The family is comfortable and I will even leave an inheritance someday, its more than I ever had and I hope my lad does better again.

Snoozecruise

Wow - some of these investment stories are amazing! Need to start reviewing my life finances now!

OP- Best investment so far is going to college at 21, I just about sat a leaving cert never had any intention of going, however I would have been stuck in a very unfulfilled rut if I didn't take the first step to go back.

Gregor Samsa

My kids. Costing me a fortune in money and time now, but boy am I going to cash in on them when I'm old. They have no idea.

Cal4567

Always paying more each month off the mortgage. Was given that advice by someone I only briefly worked with in the early 1990s about the time we bought the house. He quoted really scary figures if you just paid the bank level each month.

Started paying off 50 quid more a month, then it became 100 to 200. We didn't take any holidays abroad for a few years as well, or change the car (it seemed as if everyone else was doing both), it was all about the house. For the last 4 years of the mortgage, we had the ability to increase it to 300. Been mortgage free for about a decade. Taken a few more holidays, but still find cars just a necessity rather than splashing out on a new model every 3/4 years. Just look after your car.

Tzardine

Worked in the middle east around 2008.

We had the option to be paid in gold or money. I took about 50% of my wages in Gold. Gold was $1,000 an oz when I 'bought' it and I sold it in 2012 at just over $2000 an oz.

Made a good few quid.

Mango Joe

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Buying a 15 euro mini mattock.

Had to Google this - Did your €15 investment in a mini mattock then lead to a very profitable career in Landscaping?!

Sunny Disposition

Post crash property. Most of it is sold again now, make around €1 million all told pre tax, for doing very, very little. Apartments in particular were almost free. Wouldn't go near property now though, remote working is going to put downward pressure on the market in the long term and houses are already too expensive.

Mad_maxx

Tzardine wrote: »

Worked in the middle east around 2008.

We had the option to be paid in gold or money. I took about 50% of my wages in Gold. Gold was $1,000 an oz when I 'bought' it and I sold it in 2012 at just over $2000 an oz.

Made a good few quid.

gold didnt get to $2000 during that period , it peaked in the autumn of 2011 at no more than $1900

the beer revolu

2014 I invested as a minority shareholder in a start up distillery.

I ended up working there and even getting paid after 2 years:D
I now have a decent salary.

All going well, I'll retire wealthy - it's ours to fcuk up.;)

Mango Joe

Sunny Disposition wrote: »

Post crash property. Most of it is sold again now, make around €1 million all told pre tax, for doing very, very little. Apartments in particular were almost free. Wouldn't go near property now though, remote working is going to put downward pressure on the market in the long term and houses are already too expensive.

Daft.ie is like a horror Website right now - Damp, dark shoebox properties in the Ghetto are going for several multiples of what any sane person would value them at.

Generations of political dominance by inbred nepotists nurtured carefully and lovingly by an apathetic and gullible electorate has given us a housing situation which is truly bleak and depressing.

Can anyone hazard a guess at what the property market is going to do in say a 5 year period post-covid?

Sunny Disposition

Mango Joe wrote: »

Daft.ie is like a horror Website right now - Damp, dark shoebox properties in the Ghetto are going for several multiples of what any sane person would value them at.

Generations of political dominance by inbred nepotists nurtured carefully and lovingly by an apathetic and gullible electorate has given us a housing situation which is truly bleak and depressing.

Can anyone hazard a guess at what the property market is going to do in say a 5 year period post-covid?

It's hard to know, but it's in a very bad place already around Dublin anyway. Definitely don't buy unless you want to live in the house yourself, and even then be very wary. Remote working is likely to be the biggest change since industrialisation, which may sound excitable, but its true. If 20% of office employment is remote this time next year then the market is going to be in total flux. Anyway, property in urban areas is a risky bet right now. Its been rising quickly for years.

Muahahaha

I once bought a Nespresso milk frother for 20 quid off Adverts, used it for a full year and then sold it for 50 quid, was pretty happy with that one

mulbot

Crypto. Am about to pay off my mortgage that I took out in 2017.

Purple Mountain

Gregor Samsa wrote: »

My kids. Costing me a fortune in money and time now, but boy am I going to cash in on them when I'm old. They have no idea.

I always remind my young lad to save hard to put me in a nice nursing home.

Sunny Disposition

mulbot wrote: »

Crypto. Am about to pay off my mortgage that I took out in 2017.

Seems to be huge money made out of it, but obviously it can't keep going upwards forever. Tell us a bit about your experience?

Bought an action figure for €4 at a car boot sale a number of years ago. I've turned down offers of €1,600

Mango Joe

Muahahaha wrote: »

I once bought a Nespresso milk frother for 20 quid off Adverts, used it for a full year and then sold it for 50 quid, was pretty happy with that one

Just think that if you had bought 33,333 Nespresso milk frothers for 20 quid off Adverts, used them for a full year and then sold them for 50 quid you'd have made a million quid in pure profit.

BingCrosbee

Pulled out of buying a supermarket apartment and shop unit being built from scratch the day before I had to sign off on the loan. The guy who bought it, a wanker, bought other stuff also and became a well dressed asrehole and now owes 13 million

Sunny Disposition

Sunny Disposition wrote: »

Seems to be huge money made out of it, but obviously it can't keep going upwards forever. Tell us a bit about your experience?

It’s an environmental catastrophe and Ponzi scheme that relies on greater fools to keep pumping money in.

Mango Joe

Deleted User wrote: »

It’s an environmental catastrophe and Ponzi scheme that relies on greater fools to keep pumping money in.

I'd have no qualms about getting into Crypto and getting out at the right time a few hundred thousand richer...... Never been able to identify an opening though.

There was a post on here by some fella a while back - Got in in the very early days for lunch money and cashed out a while later to buy a house for cash and a lifetime membership in his local golf club.

Dead jealous.

Strumms

Nothing out of this world but I bought a guitar in 2001 for £900.. now worth about €3,200... maybe slightly less with wear and tear.

monseiur

Purple Mountain wrote: »

I always remind my young lad to save hard to put me in a nice nursing home.

An old neighbour of mine used to say 'Be nice to your kids, as they'll decide which nursing home you'll end up in' !!

badabing106

10,000 chaturbate tokens paid dividends for me this year

BingCrosbee

I bought my house in 1997 for 115000. They were looking for150000 but his company told him take whatever he got and they would make up the difference. He was MD of a local company being transferred to the States. I did the Auctioneer a favour once and so he told me the craic. I bought the house and definitely worth over 600000 now and all paid for. Pure timing and good luck.

BanditLuke

Bought some Bitcoin when it was around 120 a coin back in early 2013 (wow 8 years ago seriously??). Won't call it an investment because i knew absolutely zip about crypto back then and it was all on a friends advice (that unfortunately passed on way before his time) who knew much more about investing than me. Sold a dozen coins a year later when the price rocketed and i thought i was the bees knees lol little did i know. Thankfully held on to the majority and don't plan on selling until it reaches at least double the present price which iv'e calculated should let me retire in two years at 50.

Smee_Again

Myself. I took a 25% paycut and a role well below my abilities to join a start up in 2010, stayed a few years, was promoted a few times and left with a sizeable amount of options and enough cash in the bank to complete a post grad that then lead to my current employer.

I later sold the options which went towards a mortgage just before a scandal broke about the company and the share price fell 97% over a year. I've since taken a bigger position for a fraction of what I sold at and expect the price to increase 5 fold in the next years.

frankyboy1986

I scrimped and saved like crazy to to buy a 2 bed duplex with a 1 bed apartment underneath together for 170,000 in 2010 In Dublin 15

Between savings and borrowing from friends and family and even selling my car and other personal belongings i managed to gather up approx 40k.

had an ok job as a sales rep for an alcoholic drinks company at the time but was only making 32k or so and job wasn't the most secure job.i also took up a second job in nightclub to supplement my income.

Had incredible difficulty to get a mortgage but eventually did.

Eventually got the duplex for myself and rented out the 1 bed apartment.

In January this year sold the 1 bed apartment for 170K

So essentially got a free 2 bed duplex !

Best investment I ever made

rossie1977

Roku 3

Robxxx7

Banksy prints .. signed and unsigned -> My retirement portfolio

Bought in 2006/7 for little money back then (in comparison) -- worth a hell lot more now

mulbot

Sunny Disposition wrote: »

Seems to be huge money made out of it, but obviously it can't keep going upwards forever. Tell us a bit about your experience?

Been buying from 2015 on, cashed in some along the way, lost quite a bit tho after the last bull market, and I bought back in just after it had bounced slightly back up from its low point,and have continued to buy. I'd love to hold all of it but I never wanted a mortgage and said if I can ever find enough to clear it I'll do that. So I'm just about to pay it but I've some crypto left, that I'll be holding, and will continue to buy for the near future, at least.

Mango Joe

mulbot wrote: »

Been buying from 2015 on, cashed in some along the way, lost quite a bit tho after the last bull market, and I bought back in just after it had bounced slightly back up from its low point,and have continued to buy. I'd love to hold all of it but I never wanted a mortgage and said if I can ever find enough to clear it I'll do that. So I'm just about to pay it but I've some crypto left, that I'll be holding, and will continue to buy for the near future, at least.

See this is one of the things that I can't understand - With investments generally is it not unheard of to have people continuously sinking cash into something over long periods without a crash ending the party at some inevitable point?!

Not everyone can be a winner - By the above logic so I could just start buying a load of Bitcoin and patiently wait to be a Billionaire?

Something is not adding up.

Also are all of the people with significant amounts of money invested in GME and AMC not going to end up destiture when that bubble bursts? I'm not aiming this towards anyone in particular but keep seeing this both here an on Reddit and surely its not sustainable?

wfdrun

Deleted User wrote: »

It’s an environmental catastrophe and Ponzi scheme that relies on greater fools to keep pumping money in.

Warren Buffett cryptocurrency
“Cryptocurrencies basically have no value and they don't produce anything… In terms of value: zero,” Buffett had told CNBC last year. “I don't have any cryptocurrency and I never will,” he had said. In 2019 as well, Buffett had called bitcoin a 'gambling device'. “There's been a lot of frauds connected with it.20 Mar 2021

mojesius

I bought a back massager for 50 euro on Amazon, which over the years has saved me an absolute fortune on massage therapists, physios, doctor appointments, drugs. More importantly, it has saved my health and well-being.

corner of hells

I found a print in rubbish skip , took it home and had it valued at 1500 euros.

Mango Joe

mojesius wrote: »

I bought a back massager for 50 euro on Amazon, which over the years has saved me an absolute fortune on massage therapists, physios, doctor appointments, drugs. More importantly, it has saved my health and well-being.

Hitachi?

Muahahaha

Robxxx7 wrote: »

Banksy prints .. signed and unsigned -> My retirement portfolio

Bought in 2006/7 for little money back then (in comparison) -- worth a hell lot more now

If the signed print is worth more than 32k you should check out the tax scheme for art, it allows you to avoid capital gains tax for when you want to sell it which at 33% of your profits will run into thousands. Basically you lend the print to an approved art gallery who displays it for ten years and after that you are exempt from capital gains when you go to sell it. The handy thing is the gallery take on the responsibility of insurance, storage and fire risk and at the end of its display period you get to avoid a huge tax bill when selling it. The UK has a similar scheme too and no doubt galleries there would be very interested in displaying a signed Banksy print.
https://www.charteredaccountants.ie/taxsource/1997/en/act/pub/0039/nfg/sec0606-nfg.html

kildare lad

BanditLuke wrote: »

Bought some Bitcoin when it was around 120 a coin back in early 2013 (wow 8 years ago seriously??). Won't call it an investment because i knew absolutely zip about crypto back then and it was all on a friends advice (that unfortunately passed on way before his time) who knew much more about investing than me. Sold a dozen coins a year later when the price rocketed and i thought i was the bees knees lol little did i know. Thankfully held on to the majority and don't plan on selling until it reaches at least double the present price which iv'e calculated should let me retire in two years at 50.

I remember playing online poker around 2010 and the site used to advertise bitcoins . I paid no heed to it as didn't have a clue about anything like that . I think about now the odd time , if only I bought a couple of hundred euros worth , I'd be retired now

Cal4567

Probably my second best investment was the pension. Wasn't as cute as many and only started contributing from my mid 30s. Last 30 years almost. Wished I'd put more in but more than happy. Herself as well.

If you're in your 20s and don't think it worthwhile, put aside those thoughts. Even modest amounts. It all adds up.

Zaph

Eircom shares. Borrowed a few grand from my father and bought them when they were issued. Sold them about a week or so later. Gave my dad something out of the profit as a thank you and and pocketed I think about €700 myself. Obviously most people's experience was somewhat different, but because I had borrowed the money my intention was always to sell them almost immediately and just try to make a quick buck.

BailMeOut

I bought a bunch of Google shares on the first day of trading for around $100 each in 2004 and still have them today but now valued at over $4500 for each.

Galwayguy35

SSIA scheme back in 2001, wasn't even paying in the full whack and still came out of it with a good few grand more than I paid in.

Won't see a scheme as good as that again I reckon.

Sgt Hartman

Nothing on the scale of some of the posters on this thread, but myself and the partner did manage to secure the purchase of our house 3 months before everything went tits up thanks to Covid. I don't think we would have gotten the mortgage in the current climate so we count ourselves lucky. We're really happy where we are at the moment. I think if I were still renting in that tiny hole in Dublin at my age, especially in this pandemic, I would have jumped off a cliff by now.

Hopefully with all the improvements we've already made to our place, as well as an urban improvement grant pending for our area, we might be able to make a nice profit if we decided to sell in the future. Not only financially though, it was also a great investment for both our physical and mental well being considering where we were this time two years ago.

mojesius

Mango Joe wrote: »

Hitachi?

No, this is the one, random brand: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shiatsu-Shoulder-Massager-Electric-Kneading/dp/B06XWQ3FY4/ref=asc_df_B06XWQ3FY4/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310805575161&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6767338710408257269&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=20496&hvtargid=pla-627692917877&psc=1

Sorry, on touch site so couldn't hyperlink

Ubbquittious

I got 0.02 of a bitcoin for free in 2011. Worth overr 1k now


Was very tempted to buy a few, they were only a couple of euros at the time but I didn't have my own debit card at that stage and would have had to borrow from someone

mulbot

Mango Joe wrote: »

See this is one of the things that I can't understand - With investments generally is it not unheard of to have people continuously sinking cash into something over long periods without a crash ending the party at some inevitable point?!

Not everyone can be a winner - By the above logic so I could just start buying a load of Bitcoin and patiently wait to be a Billionaire?

Something is not adding up.

Also are all of the people with significant amounts of money invested in GME and AMC not going to end up destiture when that bubble bursts? I'm not aiming this towards anyone in particular but keep seeing this both here an on Reddit and surely its not sustainable?

You need to know when to get in and out. Also I day trade alot of the Altcoins, its worked for me so far, I'm happy to stay with it.