Guide collection
Investing Foundations
Investing Foundations reviews, comparisons and buying guides from Rational GB.
No. 01
How to Start Investing in the UK: An Evidence-Based Beginner’s Guide
Start investing in the UK in 2025/26: ISA allowances, named low-cost index funds, real platform fees, FSCS limits and the long-run evidence on returns.
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No. 02
Active vs Passive Investing: What the Evidence Actually Says
UK evidence on active vs passive investing: SPIVA data, fund fees, persistence and the narrow case for some active. A calm, research-led verdict.
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No. 03
How to Buy Your First Index Fund: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
A sober, step-by-step UK guide to buying your first index fund: ISA vs SIPP, choosing a platform, Acc vs Inc units, fund vs ETF, and placing the order.
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No. 04
Lump Sum vs Pound-Cost Averaging: Which Wins, and When
UK evidence: lump sum beat drip-feeding 68% of the time. What pound-cost averaging really buys you, and how to phase in inside your ISA.
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No. 05
Asset Allocation Explained: How Much Should You Hold in Stocks vs Bonds
A UK guide to setting your stocks vs bonds allocation by risk capacity, not age, with gilt tax rules, the 2022 60/40 stress test and rebalancing.
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No. 06
How Much Should You Invest Each Month? A Simple UK Framework
There is no single right number. Use this UK order-of-operations to decide if you should be investing yet, then set a monthly amount you can keep up.
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No. 07
Risk Tolerance and Time Horizon: Choosing a Portfolio You Can Stick With
A UK guide to picking an investment risk level you can actually hold through a crash: attitude to risk, capacity for loss and time horizon explained.
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