vand

+25oz, Kooks, Koalas, Pandas, & Brits.
A bit disappointed I didn't pull the trigger last week as everything is more expensive now!

I don't know how many people here have a company pension, but I've paid into one every year for the last 17 years since I started working, and now every year I get my annual statement I look at the size of my pension pot and it is quite impressive to see how much it has been built up to.. but that didn't come about overnight or even over a few years. I got plenty of years left to add to it and watch it grow more.
It just shows that with steady application over many years you can achieve a lot more than most people think is possible and not really even have to suffer much hardship.

Great thread. Everyone wants financial independence and I have a similar goal, but that doesn't mean I won't continue to work as I believe work fulfills an important human requirement.
Firstly, I agree with your views on property. That goose is dead, and when (not if) the crash comes, many overleveraged people will be wiped out and the accompanying economic recession will be much worse than 2008-09. That said, I do believe that eventually owning your own home at a sensible price (ideally around x200 gross rent) is an important part of becoming financially independent, but those sort of prices wont return until there is a violent price reset.
 
I also agree that, unless you are VERY savvy, PMs are likely not the way to future prosperity. Of course, some of many of us discussing this are trying to get to that "very savvy" pointy end, but you have to be very contrarian to do so, and I'm not sure that we are at that stage of the commodities market these days as we were in 2000-2002. PMs main role is to preserve purchasing power, which is not the same as building wealth. There may be, indeed surely will be, a time where PMs have their moment in the sun and offer the chance of a big return, but for the most part it is "insurance".
The rules of building wealth are simple (but not easy):
-maximize your earnings
-minimize your expenditures
-invest wisely in proven sustainable, wealth-building assets when they are attractively priced
-diversify to spread your risk around, but only as much as you need and only invest in what you understand
-avoid chasing a fast buck and making mistakes which can wipe out your capital. A 10% loss just needs a 11% rise to recover, a 90% loss needs a 1000% rise to return.
Most of the time none of this comes easy or quickly, and in today's environment cheap money has inflated every asset price (except commodities) so your choices are limited. But if making money was easy then more people would be rich!
I also think that setting a time frame for such "blue sky" goals is not a good idea. Maximize your own potential and focus on smaller deliverables. See where you are in 2 years time. Most of us are seeking the same goals and working a lifetime to get there!

Having just read "Rich Dad Poor Dad", I am now half way through "From zero to financial independence in less than 10 years". I love the idea of cumulative interest and money working for me so It has inspired me to attempt my own financial independence within 10 years - and what better time to start than the beginning of a new year ... so I need an investment plan!
Currently I am lightly invested in PMs, a couple of Mining and Potash shares. Although I don't spend much anyway I plan to cut back even further to reach my goal.
Property has done well for many people in the past but my view is that this won't continue ... although I might be wrong as I need to research property investment further. I am also a bit cautious of PMs at the moment as I really wasn't expecting them to drop as much as they have recently, especially with all the debt around and the printing of money.
1) I assume most people on here are pretty economically clued up and financially savvy so was wondering what other people see as good areas to invest in for the coming couple of years???
2) Does anyone else have one of these plans in place?

Been a very productive month on the bookie bashing front, so 15oz silver and a bonus 0.5oz of gold added. Lovely Jubbley.

Been a very productive month on the bookie bashing front, so 15oz silver and a bonus 0.5oz of gold added. Lovely Jubbley.

Been a very productive month on the bookie bashing front, so 15oz silver and a bonus 0.5oz of gold added. Lovely Jubbley.

Been a very productive month on the bookie bashing front, so 15oz silver and a bonus 0.5oz of gold added. Lovely Jubbley.

Taking advantage of these current prices and bought another order today, +26oz added to the stack.
Currently I have a taste for 10oz BU coins, for a bit of diversity.

Taking advantage of these current prices and bought another order today, +26oz added to the stack.
Currently I have a taste for 10oz BU coins, for a bit of diversity.

Taking advantage of these current prices and bought another order today, +26oz added to the stack.
Currently I have a taste for 10oz BU coins, for a bit of diversity.

With the decent spot prices at the moment i decided to put in a Coininvest / STG order
45 x 2017 1oz Silver Pandas
2 x 2017 3g Gold Pandas
5 x 2017 1oz Silver Somalia Elephants
5 x 2017 1oz Silver Rwanda Hippo's
5 x 2017 1oz Silver Kooks
5 x 39mm Capsules for the Somalia Elephants

picked up the 1 kg rooster today. Looks awesome can't wait for it to arrive.

10 x 2009 1 oz silver Panda, 3 x 1995 1 oz silver Panda & 10 x 2008 1 oz silver Britannia.
Good effort for a Monday.

Great day to be a buyer.
30oz of BU added, cheapest batch since pre-Brexit.
Have now accumulated 780 this year, and targetting 1200+ by this time next year.

Great day to be a buyer.
30oz of BU added, cheapest batch since pre-Brexit.
Have now accumulated 780 this year, and targetting 1200+ by this time next year.

in GBP terms we just broke £1060oz - highest price of 2016 !
Russian problems on horizon, a new war monger in the white house in a few weeks, euro still in the toilet and nothing solved, highest levels of UK personal debt and highest increase on a month on month rise, same fiat billions getting printed monthly and national debts increasing
Everyone holding tight ?  anyone selling  to take some fiat profits ?

Made a handy £600 from arbing on the horses yesterday, then went and splurged it all on 37oz of silver.. as ya do.

Made a handy £600 from arbing on the horses yesterday, then went and splurged it all on 37oz of silver.. as ya do.

Made a handy £600 from arbing on the horses yesterday, then went and splurged it all on 37oz of silver.. as ya do.

Made a handy £600 from arbing on the horses yesterday, then went and splurged it all on 37oz of silver.. as ya do.

Made a handy £600 from arbing on the horses yesterday, then went and splurged it all on 37oz of silver.. as ya do.

Made a handy £600 from arbing on the horses yesterday, then went and splurged it all on 37oz of silver.. as ya do.

Made a handy £600 from arbing on the horses yesterday, then went and splurged it all on 37oz of silver.. as ya do.

Made a handy £600 from arbing on the horses yesterday, then went and splurged it all on 37oz of silver.. as ya do.