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Not financial advice. This site shares one person's personal experience with spending and investing — it is not a recommendation for you. All investing carries risk. Full disclaimer

What I Bought

What I Bought This Week.

Real trades. Honest reasoning. Every week I share exactly what I bought, which platform I used, and why I made each decision. Not advice — just one person sharing what I bought.

Real trade confirmationsETFs, shares & fundsUpdated every week

What I do — not what you should do. These are my personal investments. Nothing here is financial advice or a recommendation. All investing carries risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up.

I Always Reinvest Everything. Every single dividend, every coupon payment, every penny of income from every fund and share I own gets reinvested. No exceptions. I don't take a cent of income from my SIPP or ISA — it all goes straight back into buying more units. Accumulation ETFs do it automatically. Distribution payments get manually reinvested the moment they land. The goal isn't income today — it's more units tomorrow, more dividends the day after, and a compounding loop that runs silently for decades. That's where the real wealth gets built.

Archive Summary

At A Glance

Every week I post real trades with real amounts. Here's the archive so far.

S&P 500 (VUAG)

Trading 212 (ISA)

ETF

S&P 500 (VUAG)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

2x Long Spotify ETF (SPOG)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

Constellation Energy (CEG)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Nebius Group (NBIS)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Take-Two Interactive (TTWO)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

ServiceNow (NOW)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

SoFi Technologies (SOFI)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Zeta Global (ZETA)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Strata Skin Sciences (SSKN)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Vistra Corp (VST)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

S&P 500 UCITS ETF Acc (VUAG)

Vanguard

ETF

FTSE All-World (VWRP)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

FTSE All-World (VWRP)

InvestEngine

ETF

Nasdaq 100 (EQQQ)

Trading 212 (ISA)

ETF

SpaceX (SPCX)

Trading 212 (ISA)

ETF

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Trading 212 (ISA)

Share

Meta Platforms (META)

Trading 212 (ISA)

Share

Meta Platforms (META)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Palantir Technologies (PLTR)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Alphabet (GOOGL)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

FTSE 100 (ISF)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

Emerging Markets (EMIM)

Trading 212 (ISA)

ETF

FTSE Developed World

Vanguard

ETF

Dividend ETF (FGQI)

Trading 212 (ISA)

ETF

European ETF (IMEU)

InvestEngine

ETF

VanEck Semiconductor (SMH)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

CoreWeave (CRWV)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

T-Rex 2X Long META (MEAT)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

Reddit (RDDT)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Regent (RGNT)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

Share

Vanguard Diversified Portfolio Growth (VDPG)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

Vanguard Global Aggregate Bond (VAGS)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

Vanguard UK Gilt ETF (VGOV)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield (VHYL)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

FTSE All-World (VWRP)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

iShares MSCI World Small Cap (WLDS)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

iShares Nasdaq 100 (CNDX)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets (VFEG)

Trading 212 (SIPP)

ETF

For educational purposes only. These are my personal investments. Nothing here is financial advice or a recommendation. All investing carries risk — values can fall as well as rise.

Vanguard Holdings

My Vanguard Portfolio

The serious, long-term part of my portfolio — low-cost index funds held on Vanguard. I log in maybe once a quarter.

Regular Buy

S&P 500 UCITS ETF (Acc)

VUAG

This is my main holding within Vanguard — the Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF, accumulation version. Dividends are automatically reinvested. Broad exposure to 500 of the largest US companies in a single fund. Boring, cheap, effective — exactly what I want from a core holding.

VanguardETFS&P 500
Regular Buy

FTSE Developed World UCITS ETF (Acc)

VEVE / VHVG

My monthly direct debit lands here — £400 straight into the Vanguard FTSE Developed World ETF. Covers large and mid-cap stocks across developed markets (US, UK, Europe, Japan, Australia, Canada and more). About 65% US-weighted. This is the "set it and forget it" part of my portfolio. I don't tinker with it.

VanguardETFDeveloped World

Platform

Vanguard UK

vanguardinvestor.co.uk

Platform Fee

0.15% / year

Capped at £375/year

My Approach

Buy & Hold

Direct debit, forget about it

This is what I do — not what you should do. Vanguard is one of several platforms I use. Nothing here is a recommendation of any platform or investment. All investing carries risk.

My Go-To Investments

VUAG & VWRP Are The Main Engines

If I could only own two investments for the rest of my life, it would be these. VUAG and VWRP are the main engines and my main go-to — the backbone of everything I do across my SIPP and ISA. Together they own practically every meaningful listed business on the planet. I try to buy as much of them as I possibly can.

S&P 500Main Engine

S&P 500 UCITS ETF (Acc)

VUAG

500 of America's best companies — Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta, and 495 more — in a single fund at 0.07%. The accumulation share class reinvests every dividend automatically. Pure, uninterrupted compounding.

Ongoing Charge0.07%£70/year on £100k
All-WorldMain Engine

FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (Acc)

VWRP

3,700+ companies across nearly 50 countries — developed markets, emerging markets, the whole lot — at 0.22%. This is the global anchor. When America leads, VWRP rides it. When international markets shine, VWRP already owns them.

Ongoing Charge0.22%£220/year on £100k
Infographic explaining why to buy VWRP and VUAG ETFs for long-term diversified investing, featuring couple watching sunset
Why I buy VWRP & VUAG — simple, diversified, long-term freedom. Boring today, freedom tomorrow.

500 of America's Best

VUAG owns Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, Berkshire Hathaway — and 493 more. You're not betting on a company or sector. You're betting on American capitalism itself, at 0.07%.

3,700+ Companies, 50 Countries

VWRP owns the whole world — US, Japan, UK, Germany, emerging markets, the lot. When America underperforms, the rest of the world carries it. When the dollar weakens, non-US holdings hedge it. The ultimate 'don't-know-what-happens-next' fund.

I Buy Both Every Week

Every week, without fail, I add more to VUAG and VWRP. It's not market timing — it's a ritual. America + the world. Two engines, one strategy. Might not be optimal. Works for me. Every day getting better.

Where I Hold VUAG & VWRP

Trading 212 SIPP

My pension — the biggest VUAG and VWRP positions I hold. Topped up weekly, rain or shine. This is where the main engines live.

Trading 212 ISA

Tax-free wrapper. Also holds both VUAG and VWRP, topped up regularly. Same engines, different wrapper.

Why VUAG Is My Go-To

I've been investing long enough to know that the biggest risk to my returns isn't a market crash — it's me. My own behaviour. The temptation to wait for a dip. To find something 'better'. To get clever and outsmart myself. VUAG removes all of that. It's a single decision — "I will buy the S&P 500 every week" — that I never have to remake. The price is whatever Mr Market is offering that day. The amount is whatever I can afford that week. The outcome, over 20 or 30 years, is the return of American capitalism minus seven basis points a year. That's a bet I'm willing to make with the majority of my pension.

Is it concentrated? Yes — 100% US equities. Is the dollar a currency risk for a UK investor? Yes. Could we see a lost decade for US stocks? Absolutely — Japan taught us that lesson. I don't dismiss any of these risks. But I manage them not by avoiding the S&P 500, but by also holding global funds (VWRP), bonds (VGOV, VAGS), and other assets alongside it. VUAG is the engine — it doesn't have to be the whole car. But without the engine, the car doesn't move. And I try to buy as much of this engine as I possibly can.

Recent VUAG Buys in the Archive

I Think I'm AddictedEvery Week, Rain or ShineThe Engine Keeps RunningMore VUAG, RDDT & RGNT

This is what I do — not what you should do. The S&P 500 can go down as well as up. Past performance doesn't predict future returns. Currency risk is real for UK investors. I'm sharing what I buy — not recommending you buy it.

Trading 212 Pies

Why I Use Pies

Trading 212's pie feature is one of my favourite investing tools. You pick your holdings, set the percentage split, and every contribution auto-allocates at your target weightings. No second-guessing. No spreadsheets.

Auto-Allocation

Set your target percentages once. Every time you add money, the pie buys whatever's below target — automatically. No decisions, no hesitation, no timing.

Built-In Discipline

Pies force you to think about allocation upfront, then stick to it. Want 50% SPOG, 25% CEG, 25% NBIS? Set it and the pie enforces the discipline. You can't get carried away and overweight the thing that's just had a good week.

Multiple Pies, One Account

I run different pies for different strategies inside the same SIPP. Core ETF pie. High-conviction satellite pie. Experimental pie. Each gets its own allocation, and I can see at a glance how each strategy is performing.

My Current Pies

  • Core SIPP Pie — VUAG, VWRP, VDPG, VAGS, ISF (the engine)
  • AI & Energy Pie — SPOG, CEG, NBIS, VST, CRWV, SMH (the satellites)
  • Conviction Bets Pie — NOW, SOFI, ZETA, TTWO, GOOGL, META (individual names I believe in)
  • Two Less Coffees Pie — VWRP, WLDS, CNDX, VFEG (25% each, £10/week, the Buy Less Crap philosophy in one pie)

How I Think About It

The pies reflect how I actually think about my portfolio — not as one giant blob of 25+ holdings, but as a set of distinct strategies, each with its own job. The core pie does the heavy lifting. The satellite pies express conviction. The structure keeps me honest: if I'm not willing to give something its own slot in a pie with a target percentage, maybe I don't believe in it enough to own it at all.

Pies don't replace thinking. They're a tool for executing a strategy you've already decided on — not a substitute for having a strategy in the first place. I earn a small referral commission if you sign up to Trading 212 via my link. This does not affect the price you pay.

What I Buy

ETFs, index funds, and the occasional individual share. I name names and show amounts.

Why I Bought It

My honest reasoning behind each trade — what I'm thinking, not what you should do.

Where I Bought It

Which platform I used — Trading 212, InvestEngine, or Vanguard — and why I chose it for that trade.

Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesAMZNRegular BuyStrategyLong Term

SIPP Buy: Even More Amazon (AMZN) — Why Not? They Know What They're Doing, Big Style, Long-Term Compounding, Gotta Be a Winner!

Bought even more Amazon (AMZN) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. Why not? Seriously — why not? AWS is the cloud computing backbone of a significant chunk of the internet and still growing at a pace that makes competitors weep. The e-commerce business is an unstoppable logistics machine that's built more fulfilment infrastructure than most countries have roads. Advertising is now a $50+ billion business inside Amazon — bigger than YouTube, bigger than most standalone ad companies — and most people still think of it as 'the place I buy loo roll.' Prime Video, AI (Bedrock, SageMaker, the whole AWS AI stack), Alexa with LLM integration, Project Kuiper broadband satellites, healthcare, pharmacy, autonomous delivery, cashierless stores — the list of irons in the fire is genuinely staggering. And they're all long-term plays. Bezos built this company to think in decades, not quarters. Every time I add more AMZN, I'm betting on relentless execution, compounding infrastructure, and a management team that knows exactly what it's doing. Big style. Long-term compounding. Gotta be a winner.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsVWRPVUAGRegular BuyStrategy

SIPP Buy: More VWRP & VUAG — My Two Happy Places, Every Day Getting Better!

Bought more VWRP and VUAG in the Trading 212 SIPP today. These two are my main go-to ETFs — the Vanguard FTSE All-World and the Vanguard S&P 500 — and honestly, they just make me happy. Every top-up is a small deposit in the bank of future-me, and every day that passes is another day of compounding doing its quiet, invisible work. VWRP owns the world. VUAG owns America. Between them, I own a slice of practically every meaningful listed business on the planet. No stock picking required. No second-guessing. No staring at screens wondering whether to sell. Just two boring, beautiful, dirt-cheap index funds that keep doing their thing while I get on with living. The strategy isn't complicated — buy them, keep buying them, and let time do the rest. So far, so good. Every day getting better.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesRDDTVWRPETFsRegular BuyStrategy

SIPP Buy: Reddit (RDDT) & Yet More VWRP — Happy Days Ahead!

Bought Reddit (RDDT) for the first time in the Trading 212 SIPP today — and topped up VWRP again because happy days are built on boring index funds. Reddit is the one social platform that actually gets better the more people use it: 100,000+ active communities, AI training data goldmine, Google traffic monster, and a business model that's finally figuring out how to monetise without ruining what makes it special. Pair that with more VWRP — because owning the world is my default setting and my happy place — and you've got a buy day that genuinely made me smile. One conviction bet on the front page of the internet, one steady top-up of 3,700+ companies across nearly 50 countries. Happy days ahead indeed.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesMETARegular BuyStrategy

SIPP Buy: Yet More Meta (META) — Wow, I Just Can't Stop!

Bought yet more Meta (META) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. Honestly, I just can't stop — and I don't want to. The advertising cash machine keeps firing on all cylinders, the AI-powered targeting gets better every quarter, and 3 billion people across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger aren't going anywhere. At this point Meta is less a stock and more a reflex. Conviction meets compounding, and I'm just along for the ride.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsS&P 500StrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: Yet More MYSE (iShares S&P 500 Equal Weight) — Because Not Everything Should Ride on the Magnificent Seven!

Bought yet more MYSE — the iShares S&P 500 Equal Weight UCITS ETF — in the Trading 212 SIPP today. In a world where the S&P 500 is increasingly dominated by a handful of mega-cap tech names (you know the ones — I own most of them), an equal-weight approach gives every company in the index the same slice of the pie. 500 companies, each roughly 0.2% of the portfolio, rebalanced quarterly. This isn't about betting against the Magnificent Seven — as you can see from literally every other buy post on this page, I'm betting on them too. It's about adding a different flavour of US equity exposure. One that gives the other 493 companies a proper seat at the table. Industrials, financials, healthcare, consumer staples — sectors that get drowned out in a cap-weighted index get equal billing here. A sensible diversifier, a complement to VUAG, and a quiet reminder that the US market is more than seven stocks. The SIPP keeps growing, one sensible decision at a time.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsVWRPRegular BuyStrategy

SIPP Buy: Yet More VWRP — Not the Fanciest ETF in the Drawer, But It's the One That Works!

Bought yet more VWRP — the Vanguard FTSE All-World UCITS ETF (Accumulating) — in the Trading 212 SIPP today. Is VWRP the best ETF for long-term compounding? Who knows. Nobody knows. Anyone who claims to know is selling something. What I do know is it owns 3,700+ companies across nearly 50 countries, costs 0.22%, and has never once asked me to make a decision about which country or sector is going to outperform next. The US has been on a tear for a decade and a half. Will that continue? Maybe. Maybe not. VWRP doesn't care and neither do I — whatever country or sector rises, VWRP already owns it. The cheapest way to bet on human ingenuity in aggregate. Boring, imperfect, might-not-be-optimal — and exactly the kind of investment that works for me.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesETFsStrategyRegular BuyDividends

SIPP Buy: Yet More AAPL, AMZN, META & a New ETF (FGEQ) — Stacking the Compounders!

A four-pack of buys in the Trading 212 SIPP today: yet more Apple (AAPL), even more Amazon (AMZN), yet more Meta (META), and a brand new ETF — the Fidelity Global Quality Income UCITS ETF (FGEQ). Apple — still the greatest consumer technology company on earth, printing cash and buying back shares at a rate that makes your head spin. Amazon — already added more last week and here we go again, because when you believe in a business you keep building. Meta — the advertising cash machine that keeps proving the doubters wrong, quarter after quarter, with AI-powered ad targeting that competitors can only dream of. And FGEQ — the new one. A global quality income ETF from Fidelity that screens for high-quality dividend-paying companies worldwide. Not chasing yield. Chasing quality. The kind of companies that generate consistent cash flows, have strong balance sheets, and keep paying dividends through good times and bad. A sensible, unflashy, long-term income compounder to sit alongside the index trackers. Four buys, one theme: keep stacking the compounders and let time do the rest.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesETFsStrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: More AMZN, INTC & Yet More VWRP & VUAG — A Mixed Bag of America's Best!

Bought more Amazon (AMZN), Intel (INTC), and yet more VWRP and VUAG in the Trading 212 SIPP today. Amazon — still the dominant force in e-commerce, AWS, logistics, and now AI infrastructure. The operating leverage in this business is extraordinary and they're only just beginning to show it. Intel — yes, the one everyone loves to hate. A deeply unloved turnaround story trading at a fraction of what it would cost to replace its fabs and IP. The risk is real, the share price already reflects it, and I'm willing to take a small, patient bet on American semiconductor manufacturing coming back. VWRP and VUAG — because no matter what else I buy, boring, broad index funds are still the engine room of the SIPP. ETFs don't need a turnaround to work. They just need time. A mixed bag: one dominant compounder, one unloved contrarian bet, and two dependable wealth-builders that never ask for attention. All in the SIPP, all for the long run.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesStrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: McDonald's (MCD) & Yet More Reddit (RDDT) — Not Keen on the Food, But the Shares Are Good!

Bought McDonald's (MCD) and yet more Reddit (RDDT) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. McDonald's — not too keen on the food, but the shares are a different story. It's one of the greatest real estate and franchise businesses on earth, with 40,000+ locations in over 100 countries, a royalty stream that prints cash in good times and bad, and a dividend that's been raised for 47 consecutive years. Not a burger company — a franchise royalty machine that happens to sell burgers. Reddit — may as well, eh? The front page of the internet keeps growing users, building its advertising business, and licensing data to AI companies. Two very different businesses, one simple approach: buy what works and keep adding.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsVWRPVUAGRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: Yet More VWRP & VUAG — Why Not, Makes Me Happy in the Future!

Bought yet more VWRP and VUAG in the Trading 212 SIPP today. VWRP — the Vanguard FTSE All-World ETF (Accumulating), owning 3,700+ companies across nearly 50 countries. VUAG — the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (Accumulating), 500 of America's best businesses at 0.07%. Two funds, one simple idea: keep buying the world and let compounding do the heavy lifting. Why not? Every top-up is a gift to future-me, and future-me will look back at these regular buys and be glad we kept going. No drama, no timing, no second-guessing. Just consistent, boring, beautiful ETF top-ups that make me happy now and will make me happier later.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesStrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: Yet More AAPL, MSFT & BLK — Keep Building, Keep Believing!

Bought yet more Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and BlackRock (BLK) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. Three compounders, three businesses that keep earning my capital year after year. Apple — the ecosystem and buyback machine that's been printing wealth for decades. Microsoft — the enterprise software and cloud giant that's embedded in every business on earth. BlackRock — the world's largest asset manager, the picks-and-shovels of global investing, now a position I'm building steadily. Three very different revenue engines, one shared DNA: businesses that are bigger, more profitable, and more relevant today than they were five years ago — and likely will be five years from now. Keep building, keep believing, let compounding do the rest.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesFintechStrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: Yet More PYPL — The Turnaround Keeps Working!

Bought yet more PayPal (PYPL) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. The turnaround that nobody believed in keeps delivering — branded checkout growing again, Venmo monetisation improving, Braintree's unbranded processing scaling, and the new CEO Alex Chriss making the tough calls that needed making. This is still one of the highest-conviction individual stock positions in the portfolio, and at today's levels I'm happy to keep adding. The narrative is still catching up to the numbers, and that gap is where the opportunity lives. Here's why PYPL keeps earning my capital.

2 min readRead more
Vanguard (SIPP)
ETFsVHYLVWRPRegular Buy

Vanguard SIPP Buy: Yet More VHYL & VWRP — Keep It Simple, Keep It Going!

Bought yet more VHYL and VWRP in the Vanguard SIPP today. VHYL — the Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield ETF, a global income stream compounding quietly in the background. VWRP — the Vanguard FTSE All-World ETF (Accumulating), the ultimate one-fund solution covering developed and emerging markets. Two ETFs, two slightly different jobs, same underlying philosophy: keep it simple, keep it going. No drama, no stock-picking, just broad global diversification and the power of consistent top-ups.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesETFsStrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: BlackRock (BLK) & Yet More META — Why Not!

Bought BlackRock (BLK) and yet more Meta (META) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. BlackRock — the world's largest asset manager, the picks-and-shovels of global investing, earning fees on trillions whether markets go up or down. Meta — the advertising cash machine that keeps compounding, at a price I still like. Two very different businesses, one simple rationale: long term, got to work well, seems like a plan to me. Here's why both earn their place.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (ISA)
SharesSmall CapStrategy

ISA Buy: Twin Vee PowerCats (VEEE) — Odd One, But Sounds Good Long Term!

Bought Twin Vee PowerCats (VEEE) in the Trading 212 Stocks & Shares ISA today. Odd one, this — a small-cap boat manufacturer making power catamarans in Florida. Not your typical ISA holding alongside the ETFs and mega-cap tech names. But the thesis is simple: small amount, small risk, and you never know. Twin Vee makes nice catamarans, the brand is growing, and the recreational boating market isn't going anywhere. Worth a try, worth a small position, and sometimes the odd ones turn into the best ones. Here's why VEEE earns a tiny spot in the portfolio.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsVUAGRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: Yet More VUAG — Happy Days, Simple Investing!

Bought yet more VUAG in the Trading 212 SIPP today. The S&P 500 accumulator just keeps doing its thing — low cost, broad diversification, no drama, no stock-picking, no fuss. Just owning 500 of America's best companies and letting compounding do the heavy lifting. At this point VUAG is less of a decision and more of a habit — and that's exactly how I like it. Happy days. The boring middle never looked so good.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesStrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: More AMZN & NOK — Seems Good to Me!

Bought more Amazon (AMZN) and Nokia (NOK) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. Amazon continues to dominate e-commerce, cloud computing, advertising, and now AI — four massive businesses under one roof, all still growing. Nokia is a quieter position: the 5G and future-6G infrastructure play, a turnaround story in telecom equipment with a decent dividend and improving margins. Two very different companies, one simple rationale: seems good to me. Here's why both earn their place.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesStrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: Yet More META, PYPL & GOOGL — This Is Becoming Crazy!

Bought yet more Meta (META), PayPal (PYPL), and Alphabet (GOOGL) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. This is becoming crazy — in the best way. Three of my highest-conviction positions, all getting topped up together. Meta is printing cash from advertising and building the AI infrastructure to dominate the next wave, PayPal is the turnaround nobody believed in until it started working, and GOOGL just keeps being Google — the advertising juggernaut, the AI contender, the YouTube cash machine. Three businesses, one theme: keep buying what's working. Here's why all three keep earning my capital.

4 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsStrategyRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: Yet More SMH — Semiconductors Going Great, Keep Compounding!

Bought yet more VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. The semiconductor sector has been on fire and this ETF has been one of the best performers in the portfolio. Nvidia, TSMC, ASML, Broadcom, AMD, Qualcomm — the picks-and-shovels of the AI revolution, the digital infrastructure builders, the companies that power every chip in every device. Start small, keep adding, never give up — compounding is the way to go. Here's why SMH keeps earning my capital and why consistency beats timing every single time.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (ISA)
SharesRegular Buy

ISA Buy: More Apple (AAPL) — Why Not!

Bought more Apple (AAPL) in the Trading 212 Stocks & Shares ISA today. After topping up AAPL in the SIPP earlier, I'm adding in the ISA too — why not? The ecosystem, the buybacks, the services growth, the brand loyalty, and the quiet compounding that's been working for decades. Apple is a position I want in both tax wrappers, and at these levels I'm happy to keep building. Same thesis, different account. Steady as she goes.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesETFsRegular Buy

SIPP Buy: More AAPL, XNAQ & FWRG — Why Not!

Three more buys in the Trading 212 SIPP today: more Apple (AAPL), more Nasdaq 100 (XNAQ), and more First Watch (FWRG). Why not? Apple's ecosystem and buyback machine keep compounding, XNAQ is the Nasdaq at a lower price point than EQQQ for regular top-ups, and First Watch keeps growing locations and winning breakfast. Three positions I already own, three reasons to keep adding. Simple, boring, effective.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesStrategy

SIPP Buys: OPTX, USAR & More GOOGL — Keep Going, Keep Building

Three buys in the Trading 212 SIPP today: new positions in Syntec Optics (OPTX) and USA Rare Earth (USAR), plus yet more Alphabet (GOOGL) — a long-time favourite that keeps earning my capital. Precision optics for defense, rare earths for the energy transition, and the Google advertising-and-AI juggernaut at a price I still like. Three very different businesses, one common thread: keep going, keep building. Here's the thinking behind each one.

4 min readRead more
Trading 212 (ISA)
SharesAIStrategy

ISA Buy: New Position in Zeta Global (ZETA) — AI-Powered Marketing in the ISA

Opened a new position in Zeta Global (ZETA) in the Trading 212 Stocks & Shares ISA today. Zeta is an AI-powered marketing cloud platform — not another ChatGPT wrapper, but a company that's been doing AI-driven data analytics and customer personalisation for years, long before the hype cycle. Growing revenue, improving margins, and a platform that Fortune 500 marketers rely on. Here's why ZETA earns a spot in the ISA.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (ISA & SIPP)
SharesStrategy

ISA & SIPP Buy: More First Watch (FWRG) — Breakfast Is Booming

Bought more First Watch Restaurant Group (FWRG) in both the Stocks & Shares ISA and the Trading 212 SIPP today. The daytime dining concept — fresh, seasonal breakfast, brunch, and lunch, no dinner service — is growing steadily across the US with a loyal following and a genuinely differentiated brand. I'm adding to a position I believe in, across both accounts. Seems like a good idea. Here's why First Watch keeps earning my capital.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesSpeculative

SIPP Buy: New Position in Polar Power (POLA) — You Never Know!

Opened a new position in Polar Power (POLA) in the Trading 212 SIPP. This is as odd as they come — a micro-cap company making diesel, natural gas, and solar hybrid power systems for telecom towers, military, and off-grid applications. Tiny, obscure, and definitely not in the index funds. You never know — sometimes the weirdest little companies end up in the right place at the right time. Tiny position, eyes wide open, here's the quick take.

2 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesStrategy

SIPP Buy: More PayPal (PYPL) — Steady but Sure Wins the Day

Topped up PayPal (PYPL) in the Trading 212 SIPP. Not the most exciting buy in the world — no crypto volatility, no AI hype, no takeover speculation. Just a profitable payment network processing over $1.5 trillion in volume annually, trading at a fraction of its pandemic highs, quietly buying back billions in stock. Steady but sure wins the day. Boring compounds beautifully. Here's why PayPal keeps a seat at the table.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsPiesRegular Buy

SIPP Pie: Two Less Coffees — VWRP, WLDS, CNDX & VFEG at 25% Each

Set up a new Trading 212 Pie in the SIPP — four ETFs, 25% each, fed every week with the money I'd otherwise spend on two coffees. VWRP (FTSE All-World) for the global core, WLDS (MSCI World Small Cap) for the small-cap tilt, CNDX (Nasdaq 100) for tech exposure, and VFEG (FTSE Emerging Markets) for the growth frontier. Automatic, diversified, and cheaper than a couple of flat whites. Here's the thinking behind each slice.

4 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesStrategy

SIPP Top-Up: Yet More Meta — The Advertising Cash Machine Keeps Printing

Bought yet more Meta Platforms (META) in the Trading 212 SIPP today. Already own it across the ISA and SIPP, already topped it up recently alongside Palantir and VHYL, and here I am buying more. The advertising cash machine, the AI infrastructure build-out, the billions of daily users — the thesis hasn't changed, and my conviction hasn't either. Here's why Meta keeps earning more of my capital.

3 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsGlobalStrategy

SIPP Pie: Two Less Coffees — VWRP, WLDS, CNDX & VFEG at £10/Week

Created a new pie in my Trading 212 SIPP called 'Two Less Coffees' — 25% each in VWRP, WLDS, CNDX, and VFEG, with £10 per week going in automatically and dividends set to reinvest. It's the simplest expression of the Buy Less Crap philosophy I can think of: skip two coffees a week, invest the difference, let compounding do the work. Here's exactly what's in the pie and why each ETF earned its 25%.

5 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
SharesETFsDividends

SIPP Top-Ups: More Meta, More Palantir & More VHYL — Conviction, Data & Dividends

Three top-ups in the Trading 212 SIPP today: more Meta Platforms (META), more Palantir Technologies (PLTR), and more Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield ETF (VHYL). Adding to a conviction position in the advertising cash machine, doubling down on the data analytics powerhouse, and feeding the dividend income engine. Here's exactly what I bought and why each one earned more capital today.

5 min readRead more
Trading 212 (SIPP)
ETFsDividendsStrategy

SIPP Top-Ups: More VGOV, Yet More VAGS & More VHYL — Bonds, Bonds & Dividends

Three top-ups in the Trading 212 SIPP today: more Vanguard UK Gilt UCITS ETF (VGOV), yet more Vanguard Global Aggregate Bond UCITS ETF (VAGS), and more Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF (VHYL). Bonds for ballast, dividends for income, and a pension that gets a little more balanced every time I add to it. Here's why each one earned more capital this weekend.

4 min readRead more

For educational purposes only. This content provides general information about spending habits, saving and personal finance. It is not financial advice or a recommendation to take any financial action. Always consider your own circumstances before making financial decisions. I am not regulated by the FCA and nothing here constitutes regulated financial advice. I will receive a small commission referral fee from some platforms I mention. This does not affect the price you pay.

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