The biggest advantage you’ve got over the City

There are many benefits to a DIY approach to investment, says Bengt Saelensminde. Here, explains the most important one.

We private investors have some big advantages over the guys in the City. Last week, I mentioned one of them we can mix business with pleasure. Not all our investments need be financial. For example, I like to buy beautiful antique silver at a discount to the spot silver price traders pay in London. This way I don't pay any management fees, and I also get the pleasure of having my investment close at hand.

But there are many more benefits to a DIY approach to investment. Today I want to show you the most important one.

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Bengt graduated from Reading University in 1994 and followed up with a master's degree in business economics.

 

He started stock market investing at the age of 13, and this eventually led to a job in the City of London in 1995. He started on a bond desk at Cantor Fitzgerald and ended up running a desk at stockbroker's Cazenove.

 

Bengt left the City in 2000 to start up his own import and beauty products business which he still runs today.