Author: The Wealthster

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Payslip calculator

The Wealthster

While wondering what to do about my pension a couple of weeks back, and starting a new job, I decided that I had no clue what my new take-home pay would be. I spent some time (a lot of time) making this handy payslip calculator. Pay-Slip-Calculator-v1-2 It will calculate the tax, NI, student loan, and pension deductions from your PAYE salary and give an idea of what your take-home would look like. It is useful for playing around with pension percentages to see what impact it will have on your income without having to ask payroll. Its very simple to … Continue reading Payslip calculator

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November update

The Wealthster

Time flies when you are having fun as the saying goes. October was a big month for me but it went by very quickly indeed. I finally finished a job I was hating where I had to wait out my three month notice period. I had a week off at home chilling, resetting and getting my life in order before starting at my new job. I am very happy with the move so far. I’m working on some great projects and my colleagues seem super nice so far. Plus I’m paid more which will accelerate my journey to FIRE. The figures … Continue reading November update

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Review of All About The Money podcast article.

The Wealthster

I just had the displeasure of reading one of the most childish articles on personal finance I have ever read. It’s an article I wrote when I was aged 23. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4Gsq4lf46lWz2tB74LH9KQq/why-im-sick-of-being-told-to-save-money OK, so I didn’t write it, but I probably had the same attitude to money as this young lady back then, and I know what happens when that attitude continues on as you get older. You get in huge debt believing that you will never get old and have plenty of time to make your first million. As you are reading my site, and I’m sure you are interested … Continue reading Review of All About The Money podcast article.

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Pension Pondering

The Wealthster

I had some time on the weekend to consider the best approach to my pension contributions. I found myself going down a rabbit warren of spreadsheets and tax legislation and thought it might be an idea to share what I found. What are pensions? Pension is a term used to describe money which is protected from tax and is intended for retirement. Currently, you may only access your pension funds once you reach 55 years old. Other features include: Mandatory enrolment for all employees who are eligible. Tax-free contributions are limited to £40,000 per year. Max limit of £1,030,000 total … Continue reading Pension Pondering

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October update

The Wealthster

I haven’t done a net worth update post for a while, so now seems like a good time to get back into the habit. I have, however, been tracking my net worth in the background and can say that it has been quite motivating to see my progress. From when I started tracking this a year ago, I have seen a 20% increase in my net worth, which I think is fantastic. It is almost all from paying off debt and increasing savings. I have three pensions which have increased by about £9k in the past year. I am looking … Continue reading October update

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Holidays and fun

The Wealthster

I have just returned from what seems like a month of holidays. I went to San Francisco to visit my good friend and his girlfriend, with my girlfriend. We stayed in their lovely flat in amongst the fog in Richmond, SF, near the Pacific ocean. They then came to the UK and stayed at our place for a few days before we all went to Munich for Oktoberfest. This is the first big holiday I have done while on my FIRE journey. It was always going to be expensive but I think it was totally worth every penny. Having spent … Continue reading Holidays and fun

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Summer update

The Wealthster

July has been and gone. I spent a lot of time feeling smug about paying off my debt and because I got a new job. I think July has been a time of me giving myself a break financially. I’ve allowed myself to spend a bit of cash on holiday and on doing things I want to do. I went on holiday with my lovely girlfriend to Scotland where we did some hiking. I bought a decent mountain jacket and waterproof trousers which cost about £375. It kept me dry and I fully intend to do more mountaineering soon. I … Continue reading Summer update

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The day I paid off my debt

The Wealthster

Today I made the final payment on my credit card. It felt scary to do it. I had all kinds of anxiety thinking things like “I’m going on holiday at the end of the month, do I have enough?” Well, the answer is yes, I do have enough. It’s a feeling I’m not used to having, but I have enough because I’ve sorted out my financial life.   There have been so many times in the past 6-7years where I’ve been struggling to get through the month, or worse just spending recklessly It’s deeply ingrained anxiety that I’ve lived with … Continue reading The day I paid off my debt

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Emma, my new best money friend.

The Wealthster

Budgets are fantastic tools to allocate your monthly income against certain items and keep on track with your spending. I have used budgets for many years and they have indeed helped me manage my money better. I have an Excel spreadsheet that has my income at the top from which I deduct all my expenses, leaving me with a remainder figure. At the moment that remainder is in theory quite large thanks to all the cutbacks I have made in my quest for financial freedom. But the quandary I find myself in is that the remaining money I actually have … Continue reading Emma, my new best money friend.