Review of All About The Money podcast article.

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.

Holidays and fun

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

Summertime is coming (allegedly)

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)

May update

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

Some anxiety

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

Another week has passed

I’ve had a good week. My work treated me to tickets to England v Scotland at Twickenham. It was an astonishing game which will stick with me for the rest of my life. I really do wish my Dad had a chance to see it. It would have been an expensive day save that my company will pay for it. Can’t get better than that?! As for my FIRE quest, I’m feeling much better. My cash flow has improved, people have paid their bills to me and I have the cash to get me to the end of the month. … Continue reading Another week has passed

Feeling the pain

Last week I paid off £1200 of my credit card. It felt good to be making progress, but also scary. I’ve taken the approach that I must clear these debts as fast as possible with a target of 3-4 months being a stretch target. I’m anxious that I may be biting off more than I can chew. I now only have £1172 in my account to last me the month. I know I have at least £650 of payments coming out before the next paycheck. However, I am owed £500 in rent and have £400 of expenses to clear. In … Continue reading Feeling the pain

Why am I doing FIRE?

I am in my mid-thirties. I didn’t really think much about the future when I was in my twenties and I think my interest in FIRE is part of a realisation that life is rather short and there is a limited time to do what you want. Of course, I thought of the future, but it was perhaps a fantasy future which was what we were taught to aspire to, rather than the reality. I have led a fairly interesting life and have experienced things that the majority of people my age may not have (marriage, divorce, living overseas, loss … Continue reading Why am I doing FIRE?