The Lemon Fool

This is always an entertaining thread. After 3 months of £25 only and nothing in July, at last another 5 x £25 on a full holding, to match May and June.

Total tax year (yes, I know) to date £450, as against £225 at this stage last year. The remaining 4 months will most likely be wipe-outs.

I won £100 in 1958, on a then holding of £68, and if that £100 had been invested in the correct equities ...

As mentioned, my wife won £10k this month. What I didn't know is there's a bit of paperwork to complete for "big" prizes. Yesterday a letter came through the post from NS&I asking my wife to confirm her details (ok), asking whether she wants to take the prize or reinvest (ok - but the latter isn't an option as she holds the max) and then return the winning bond to them (which is impossible as it's a paperless account). Not sure if these are delaying tactics or just a bit of disjointed red tape (see other NS&I thread). God knows what hoops you have to jump through for the £1m prize - maybe we'll find out next month

Redmires wrote:What I didn't know is there's a bit of paperwork to complete for "big" prizes. Yesterday a letter came through the post from NS&I asking my wife to confirm her details (ok), asking whether she wants to take the prize or reinvest (ok - but the latter isn't an option as she holds the max) and then return the winning bond to them (which is impossible as it's a paperless account). Not sure if these are delaying tactics or just a bit of disjointed red tape (see other NS&I thread).

Perhaps the winning bond was an old one (I still have some) which was originally issue as a paper bond?

Though personally, when it comes to 'explanations, I always favour cock-up over conspiracy.

Are you sure it's not a scam? Why would they want you to return the winning bond, which will be included in a run of numbers presumably?

No - not a scam. I read up on the NS&I website and this is how they deal with larger prizes apparently. There was nothing on the form of a confidential nature, just a tick box to pay the prize money in the same method as usual (via bank account transfer) - or reinvest, if applicable.

If you win a prize of £5,000 or more we will not pay the prize to you automatically. We will check with you first by sending a claim form to you in the post for you to complete and confirm how you would like to be paid.

https://www.nsandi.com/how-will-i-know-ive-won

According to my records I hold the grand sum of £2000 in Premium Bonds and for a while I would get £25 from time to time. I have no idea where the paper bonds are if I have them. Does anyone know what I should do? I guess contact NS & I and get them to confirm my holding and what to do if I cannot find the certs.

Redmires. Lucky wife! It may be that you are allowed to hold more than the maximum if you are reinvesting the winnings, a bit like dividends in an ISA but I would take the money and run. Even today £10,000 is quite a lot of money.

Dod

Dod101 wrote:According to my records I hold the grand sum of £2000 in Premium Bonds and for a while I would get £25 from time to time. I have no idea where the paper bonds are if I have them. Does anyone know what I should do? I guess contact NS & I and get them to confirm my holding and what to do if I cannot find the certs.

If you have an online NS&I account they will/should all be listed online.

Dod101 wrote:Redmires. Lucky wife! It may be that you are allowed to hold more than the maximum if you are reinvesting the winnings, a bit like dividends in an ISA but I would take the money and run.

Nope. The maximum is the maximum.

December numbers are out, and it's very much a case of lightning not striking twice as we won exactly £0 between us this month.

£50 for me this month. Better than nothing but when am I going to get a real win? The £50 has already been spent on paying someone to help me gather up several bags of leaves this morning. I reckon I am due a reward myself.

Bouleversee wrote:£50 for me this month.

You are, in effect, continuing to catch me up, in percentage of "winnings"/capital sum terms.

Congratulations!
You've won £50 in December 2018's draw

Better than nothing but when am I going to get a real win?

Safer to assume you won't (until you do).

The £50 has already been spent on paying someone to help me gather up several bags of leaves this morning. I reckon I am due a reward myself.

If only you knew a group of Foolish friends who might have offered to have helped, in return for a glass of sherry (or two).

Zilch again this month. So that's a total of £400 in this tax year on a full holding. Perhaps I should move to Essex.

Bouleversee wrote:Zilch again this month. So that's a total of £400 in this tax year on a full holding. Perhaps I should move to Essex.

Me too, nothing on a full holding but my son has won £125 on £10k and he has won a lot more than I have over the last year. On the plus side, if my "investing" had protected my capital over the last six months in the way PB's have, I would be very happy indeed.

But in any event, PB's are not an investment, they are, IMHO a safe haven for shorter term cash - with a minuscule chance of winning something significant (we live in hope).

Pleasantly surprised to get £125 this month (full holding).

RC

Bouleversee wrote:Zilch again this month. So that's a total of £400 in this tax year on a full holding. Perhaps I should move to Essex.

Happy New Year!

I don't know if the gardeners are cheaper there but I have "won" £25 for mine this month (me). That puts me at £525 for the current tax year to date. You still have time to catch up.

What's the betting I don't, though?

For the full year 2018 I had a return of exactly 1.5%

XFool wrote:For the full year 2018 I had a return of exactly 1.5%

Excluding the £million you mentioned a while back.

PinkDalek wrote:

XFool wrote:For the full year 2018 I had a return of exactly 1.5%

Excluding the £million you mentioned a while back.

I don't count the big wins.

XFool wrote:For the full year 2018 I had a return of exactly 1.5%

For my wife and me, with the full holding each for the last 6 months and a bit less for the first 6 months, it was an average return of just under 1.3%.

Scott.

Two full holdings for the full year, combined wins £1350 or 1.35%. Something every month, worst month £25, best £225. Two months with a £50 prize, otherwise all £25s.
Better than a poke in the eye I suppose, especially since I was a higher rate tax payer last year. Better than most instant access deals.