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With savings rates at rock bottom and offering little protection against inflation, many Isa savers might be looking to use at least part of their Isa allowance this year for investing. Deterred by the difficulties of picking individual stocks and wanting a greater spread of risk, many small investors look to funds. But they then get a shock when they realise that their investments have to earn 2-3 per cent annual returns before they pay the fees of the manager who runs them. Investment trusts are a popular choice among savvy investors - there is no initial charge and smaller annual fees mean they eat up much less of your returns than funds. And they often outperform their fund counterparts, while carrying a slightly higher degree of risk and volatility. Defensive asset: Invest in property freeholds which charge ground rent to leaseholders New and first-time investors should always consider their overall financial situation and make a careful judgement about how much of their sav

Many of the world’s most successful investors have achieved great wealth and stellar reputations by learning from mistakes that have threatened to ruin them. More often than not, the lessons of disastrous decisions have meant throwing away rulebooks, abandoning conventional wisdom and taking a very different approach to other investors. Very few have been more successful at doing that than celebrated Canadian investor David Dreman. In the fourth article in this series, Ben Hobson, feature editor of guru investing strategy website Stockopedia, looks at how Dreman switched from chasing popular glamour to beaten down rogues – and made a fortune out of it. Don't be distracted: David Dreman lost money on 1960s glamour stocks - after getting his fingers burnt he devised a system to hunt among shunned shares instead. How one famous investor made a fortune by doing the opposite of everyone else 'Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget Rule No.1.' There’s a deli

A police official thought a man looking drunk and charged the man with DUI where as in real the man turned out to be sober man. Jessie Thornton, 64, was pulled over this weekend in Surprise, Arizona for drunk driving. But Thornton wasn’t drunk. He took a breathalyzer test and registered a 0.000 blood alcohol level. Still, officers arrested the sober man for a DUI because they just knew that he was drunk. A sober man DUI case is trending among surprising stories in the news this week, as MSN reported this Monday, June 10, that a 61-year-old was recently arrested for a DUI for simply looking drunk, and the victim believes it’s because he is black. Thornton said: “’An officer walked up and he said ‘I can tell you’re driving DUI by looking in your eyes.’ I take my glasses off and he says, ‘You’ve got bloodshot eyes.’ I do the breathalyzer and it comes back zero, zero, zero.”  The 64-year-old man was then taken to the police station where he was examined by a DRE, drug recognition exp

Investors know they have a better chance of good returns buying 'cheap' - a term investment experts use when they see the potential for particular assets to grow. But how do you work out whether something really is cheap? And is bargain hunting necessarily the best investment strategy? Cheap might mean good value - but you can also end up with a stinker, while something a little bit more pricey is really taking off. We asked financial experts Patrick Connolly of AWD Chase de Vere, Darius McDermott of Chelsea Financial Services and Adrian Lowcock of Hargreaves Lansdown to explain the measures they commonly use to judge whether investments are cheap or expensive. They also offered their opinions on whether the top deals around right now - Europe, Japan and commodities - are worth buying. Cheap as chips: Europe, Japan and commodities How do you measure cheapness?PE ratio (price divided by earnings)   This can be used to measure the historical cheapness of a stock

Florida boat crash : At least 18 person has been injured in a 2-boat collisions just west of Sands Cut in Elliott Key Sunday evening, according to officials. The boats were heading into dock at about 6:30 p.m. when they collided, said Jorge Pino, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Three people suffered serious injuries and one was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, said a statement from the FWC. FWC spokesman Jorge Pino said at least 18 people were injured in the crash. Originally, authorities had said three boats were involved, but then later said it was actually two boats. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The Miami Herald reports the crash happened about 6:30 p.m. Sunday when a 36-foot Carrera powerboat with about 16 people aboard hit a boat carrying two people. Officials say the second boat sank. Authorities were not certain what kind of boat it was. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino says &

Sober man DUI : 61-year-old retiree was arrested and charged with a DUI, even though his blood alcohol level came back a 0.00. And no, there was no glitch in the Breathalyzer test. The reason he was arrested? The officer told Thorton: “I can tell you're driving drunk by the look in your eyes.” Here's how it all went down. Thorton was pulled over around 11 p.m. on his way to pick up his ER nurse wife. Officers in Surprise, Arizona said they witnessed him crossing the white line in his lane. That's when this happened: "He (the officer) walked up and he said 'I can tell you're driving DUI by looking in your eyes,'" Thorton told ABC 15 in Arizona. Thorton, who had been working out at a nearby LA Fitness, told the officer his eyes were bloodshot because he'd been swimming at the gym's pool. "He (the officer) goes, 'Well we're going to do a sobriety test.' I said, 'OK, but I got bad knees and a bad hip with surgery in two days.&

We round up tips from the Sunday newspapers. This week tipsters tackle Halfords, Tesco and Betfair. Midas Extra is our premium share-tipping and investing service, with exclusive share ideas, in-depth fund investing analysis and regular commentary on what the economic outlook spells for your investments.Find out more and sign up here. Under the spotlight: The shares the Sunday tipsters are looking at. The Mail on Sunday Car parts and bicycle chain Halfords is a promising retail stock pick for investors, given the recent change of leadership at the group. Former Pets at Home boss Matt Davies, who took over as chief executive in October, is expected to revitalise sales after trading stalled at the group under the previous management.   More... Share dealing: cheap flat-fee service How to be a DIY investor and take control of your money to build a richer future He will unveil his strategy for the group alongside full-year figures on May 23, but has already started making chan

Economic recovery is still painstakingly slow in Britain, but the signs are much more encouraging in the US. This is good news for Tyman, which makes seals, locks and other parts for doors and windows in the UK and America. The group last week announced the £130 million acquisition of Truth Hardware, a Minnesota-based business whose door and window products neatly complement its own. The deal is a bold but clever move by Tyman and the , at 207p, should prove a rewarding long-term investment. Tyman has come a long way over the past four years. Formerly known as Lupus Capital and run by Greg Hutchings, the flamboyant ex-boss of conglomerate Tomkins, the firm floundered after the financial crisis and almost collapsed.  Demand: Jamie Pike, left, and Louis Eperjesi should do well as the US housing market begins its recovery Months of turmoil ensued, but ultimately Hutchings resigned, the board was rebuilt and the group began to find its feet. Jamie Pike, formerly chief executive of

We round up tips from the Sunday newspapers. This week tipsters tackle Direct Line and Tyman. Under the spotlight: The shares the Sunday tipsters are looking at. The Mail on Sunday Signs of economic improvement in the United States is good news for Tyman, which makes seals, locks and other parts for doors and windows in the UK and America. The group last week announced the £130 million acquisition of Truth Hardware, a Minnesota-based business whose door and window products neatly complement its own.   More... Share dealing: cheap flat-fee service How to be a DIY investor and take control of your money to build a richer future The Truth deal can be seen as fresh evidence of Tyman's transformation from basket case to growth story. It is a bold but clever move by Tyman and the shares, at 207p, should prove a rewarding long-term investment. Profits have risen from £1.9million in 2009 to £23million last year, while dividends were resumed in 2011, with 4.5p announced for 20

Touchscreen phones are all the rage these days and it seems that everyone under the age of 40 either has one or wants one. These screens are made almost exclusively using a transparent conductive film known as indium tin oxide (ITO). This works well enough on phones but it is less effective on larger devices such as tablets. It is also expensive and in short supply, but historically there has been no alternative. Now there is and it comes from a British plastics firm called Carclo. The group has invented a way to make touchscreens work using conductive ink technology. The potential for this is huge and Carclo shares should motor as profits surge. CIT works using an extremely fine metal grid, where each strand of metal is about a tenth of the width of a human hair. Invisible to the naked eye, this grid is applied to a screen and responds to touch. It is cheaper than ITO and is also more effective, so it can be used on screens of any size. The makers of mobile phones, tablets and compu

To many, gold is seen as an insurance policy against rising inflation. To others, it’s a safe haven against wild financial storms. Yet increasingly, investors see gold as an opportunity to make a quick buck when worldwide turbulence delivers a jolt to its short-term demand — and pushes up its price. And its limited supply and an increase in demand from China could see it soar again soon. Gold’s appeal to so many different types of investor has long helped to buoy its price. During the chaos in Cyprus, gold rose to around $1,600 (£1,060) an ounce — a three-month high. It has also received a lift from policies of  so-called quantitative easing, run here and in the U.S. This is where governments effectively grant their central banks a licence to print money in a bid to kick-start growth. ‘Part of the effect of quantitative easing is to keep interest rates low but this makes investing in the home country’s currency unattractive — so giving added lustre to alternative assets instead su

We explain the best ways to invest in gold through funds, Exchange Traded Commodities (ETCs), bullion and coins. The first pure gold coins were struck by King Croesus of Lydia (present-day Turkey) during his reign between 560BC and 547BC - and gold coins have continued as legal tender ever since. Many years down the line, investors still love gold and the precious metal has proved a valuable winner in recent years. Going for gold: The precious metal has cooled after a spectacular rise, but investors say it is still one for the long-term. Update: Gold's recent run Gold hit record highs in September 2011, yet never went on to crack the $2,000 an ounce mark widely forecast at the time The spot gold price, which is typically measured in US dollars, hit a peak of $1,920 during that month. Some tipped it to soar beyond $2,000, but instead gold slipped and spent most of 2012 stuck in a range, shuttling back and forth between around $1,600 and $1,800. A sell-off since

The famous ‘sell in May, and go away. Come back on St Leger Day’ stock market adage has endured for decades, despite being bad advice. The origins of the phrase date from the time when the City was full of toffs who became more preoccupied with the social whirl in the summer than the market’s machinations. There was Cowes, Chelsea Flower Show, Wimbledon, Royal Henley, Royal Ascot, the Epsom Derby (not necessarily in that order) and finally the St Leger, the final horse racing classic of the flat season. Future forecasts: Formulating a market strategy can prove difficult In theory the idea of selling in May in the era before 24-hour trading has a certain logic. In practice even before the 1986 market shake-up, labelled ‘Big Bang’, it was about as reliable a piece of advice as you get from the average astrologer. Using stats culled from Datastream, the City’s foremost provider of historical financial data, it emerges that in the 21 years before the Big Bang, there were 15  occasion

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Transport and logistics company Stobart Group has joined the rush of firms borrowing direct from the public. Stobart, famous for its distinctive green lorries and smart drivers, is launching a retail bond paying a fixed 5.5 per cent for six years. Retail corporate bonds are becoming increasingly  popular with investors looking for good income. Tesco, Lloyds and The London Stock Exchange are among the firms to have issued them, with investors buying more than £1.5 billion of bonds already this year. Road to stardom: Stobart lorries have their own fan club Bonds are effectively IOUs from companies. Once issued, they can be traded on the stock market. This gives investors the chance to sell their holdings before they mature or to buy existing issues. But neither the income payments nor an eventual return of capital is guaranteed. They depend on the continuing health of the firm and its ability to honour its promises. Stobart’s lorries have already featured in their own reality TV sh

As Thomas Cook cuts 2,500 jobs and closes stores, rival TUI Travel, Britain’s leading holiday group, is having a strong start to the year and its have long-term potential. TUI Travel was formed in 2007 from the merger of First Choice Holidays and German business TUI Tourism. The company is one of the largest travel groups in the world, with about 30 million customers annually, and more than 240 brands, including Thomson, Sovereign Luxury Travel, Hayes & Jarvis and LateRooms. For many people, package holidays conjure up visions of scantily clad youngsters drinking too much lager, making too much noise and generally behaving badly. But many of TUI’s customers are over 50 and its family groups tend to include older children rather than younger ones. Affordable: TUI prides itself on all-inclusive trips, so families know their exact costs before travelling The company has also adopted a policy of exclusivity, so 90 per cent of its holidays are available only through TUI brands.

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Most people think of Asian companies as either high risk, high growth or both. Rarely do investors associate them with big dividends. But times are changing, as more and more Asian businesses realise how important it is to reward shareholders. Individual investors in the UK would find it hard to source these companies themselves, but the Henderson Far East Income fund does it for them. Listed in London, the investment trust offers investors access to a wide range of Asian firms that not only pay dividends but are also growing fast. The are 353p, the fund pays dividends quarterly and the stock should deliver handsome rewards over the next few years. Experienced: Mike Kerley has doubled payouts to shareholders In the past, Asian companies focused almost exclusively on growth, investing all the money they made on expansion and development. Many are now maturing, setting aside cash for investors even as they continue to grow. Henderson looks for firms that are already paying divide

  Investing in child trust funds may pay dividends in the long run. Try our calculator and don't miss our round-up of advice for picking the best CTF... ›› How to pick the best child trust fund ›› Reader service: Order CTF brochures for delivery How This is Money can help investors null Buy funds at a discount Buy/sell for £12.50 Free Isa brochures Free company reports Find an independent financial adviser Track your investments with the Power Portfolio

  See how the annual and initial charges and a trail commission can affect the returns on your investment - assuming your investment grows by 7% annually. And don't miss:Calculate the benefit of using a discount broker =4; return (b_ok); } function trunc(formElement){ var sValue = formElement.value; formElement.value = Math.round(sValue*100)/100; } function getCalculatedValue(){ var capital = new Number(document.f1.lumpsum.value); //var newCapital = 0; var initialcharge = new Number(document.f1.initialcharge.value); var annualcharge = new Number(document.f1.annualcharge.value); var trailcommission = new Number(document.f1.trailcommission.value); var numberyears = new Number(document.f1.numberyears.value); numberyears = parseInt(numberyears) Trail commission INVESTMENTS This shows what charges will do to your investment - Isa or unit trust/Oeic - assuming it grows by 7% a year. All figures are before tax. Lump sum eg. 7000, no commas £ Monthly inv

Our calculator shows what charges will do to your investment, whether it is a unit trust or Oeic fund, an investment trust or an Exchange Traded Fund. Our calculator assumes your investment will grow by a generous 7% a year, although be warned many investments don't. All figures are before tax... And don't miss: Should you invest in an Isa, a pension, or both?How to invest in funds, investment trusts and ETFs =4; return (b_ok); } function trunc(formElement){ var sValue = formElement.value; formElement.value = Math.round(sValue*100)/100; } function getCalculatedValue(){ var capital = new Number(document.f1.lumpsum.value); //var newCapital = 0; var initialcharge = new Number(document.f1.initialcharge.value); var annualcharge = new Number(document.f1.annualcharge.value); var numberyears = new Number(document.f1.numberyears.value); numberyears = parseInt(numberyears) Isa/fund charges INVESTMENTS This shows what charges will do to your investment - Isa or unit

  The first rule when it comes to buying funds is never go directly to the provider – the best deals lie with the middlemen. Fund providers will typically slap you with an upfront fee, which you pay every time you invest in the fund and which can be as high as 5%. With a £1,000 investment you would therefore automatically lose £50.   • TABLES: Best-selling funds   On top of this there is an annual management charge, which in some cases can be as high as 2%, but is typically around 1.5%: Read more about the pros and cons with our basic guide to fund supermarkets. The solution is to buy via a fund supermarket or discount broker, which will reduce the upfront fees and the best providers will even hand back some of the ongoing annual fees. Follow our checklist to see if buying investments this way is right for you and how to find the cheapest providers... Is a fund supermarket right for me? This depends on what you are looking for – if you want financial advice, th

Giles HargreaveManager, Marlborough Special Situations In five years turned £10,000 into £18,316 Mr Hargreave is a master of unearthing little-known firms that are growing rapidly. His largest holding in this £553 million fund is Ashtead Group, which rents out equipment such as traffic lights at roadworks and power generators. Other top picks include Dechra, which makes medicine for cats and dogs and has increased profits for nine years in a row. Place your bets: How our fund managers might look with your money. From left, Giles Hargreave, Tom Dobell, Nigel Thomas, Julian Fosh and Anthony Cross Since the fund was launched in 1998, Mr Hargreave has turned each £10,000 invested into a staggering £140,240. Analysis for Money Mail shows that his selection of particular stocks has boosted the pot by seven times compared with rivals who run similar types of fund. Mark Dampier, head of investments at fund broker Hargreaves Lansdown, says: ‘Giles is everything you want from a top stockpi

B. G. writes: I had a savings account with Eastbourne Mutual Building Society. In 1977 I went to work overseas and have been abroad most of the time since. Now I am back in the UK, but all efforts to trace the society have been unsuccessful. H.M.replies: Your savings have made quite a journey. The Eastbourne Mutual Building Society merged with Sussex County Building Society in 1990 and was renamed the Southdown Building Society. In 1992, Southdown was taken over by Leeds Permanent, which in turn merged with Halifax Building Society in 1995. Halifax then converted to a bank in June 1997 and is now part of Lloyds Banking Group. The Building Societies Association's website (bsa.org.uk) includes a search facility to help you locate savings accounts and mortgages from defunct building societies. The free mylostaccount.org.uk can also help to trace missing bank and building society accounts. Or you can call the BSA on 020 7520 5900 to obtain a lost building society account form. For los