Uncategorized2 Comments

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

Calculation, Tracking, Uncategorized1 Comment

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

UncategorizedLeave a comment

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

UncategorizedLeave a comment

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

Finance, Uncategorized5 Comments

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

Finance, Uncategorized1 Comment

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.

Uncategorized1 Comment

Summertime is coming (allegedly)

The Wealthster

Here we are in mid-June already. The 12C and pouring rain would lead anyone to believe it was mid-March, but that’s the UK for you.  It’s been a busy few weeks for me as I have travelled to Luxembourg several times for work and also had numerous new ideas and ventures come my way. Firstly, the debt situation has continued to improve. I now only have £1440 of credit card debt left to pay. I was immensely proud of myself for getting this far and feel like this period of hard-core debt reduction is nearing its conclusion. That is getting … Continue reading Summertime is coming (allegedly)

Finance, Tracking, UncategorizedLeave a comment

May update

The Wealthster

May has been a long month by all measures. Many things have come to a head and I’ve felt both directionless and demotivated at times, and extremely excited about the future at others. Firstly, the issues with the company have made me reassess what I am doing career-wise. I think I’ve mentally checked out of the company, and although I have half-heartedly applied for new jobs, it’s only a matter of time before I do so properly. I just feel there is no point in working hard for a company that is on the brink and is being run so … Continue reading May update

Finance, Uncategorized1 Comment

Some anxiety

The Wealthster

The past three weeks have been rather difficult for me. Despite my genuine excitement at being able to ‘see the light at the end of the tunnel’ for my debts, some external forces have upset this happy FIRE ship. On Tuesday shortly before Easter, when I arrived at my company’s office, there was a bouncer on the door and a notice saying we could not go in. Rather perturbed, myself, the Chairman and other employees didn’t really know what was going on. I work for a small consultancy business with big ambitions, and one that has taken some big risks. … Continue reading Some anxiety