My story - determined

StuartGMC

determined1 wrote: »

Got a feeling (might be wrong) but I reckon Stuart is the man for some time management advice

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I could be smug and say you can't manage time only yourself, so it is self management... seriously though I would point you at something like Getting Things Done (Dave Allan) as a good book, but with your studies I'm not sure you'll have time to read it. I have great admiration for those studying and holding down a full-time job.

Turning to the salary issue, and here I will tread carefully as I am a manager myself , one thing I learned very early in my first job was "Look after number one". Have your goals and set them out with your manager. Does the firm expect churn of staff for example, which may mean they don't lift salaries significantly? Consider what key attributes and experience you need to move to the next level (internally and outside), how can you get this, what do you need to demonstrate achievement? You've expressed your disquiet at the rise, so now ensure you focus on all the "wins" necessary to allow you to move on - keep a positive attitude at work and in your work ethic. Keep an eye open for an special "projects" you can volunteer to get involved in, to raise your profile, especially if it builds your network and may open doors to other job opportunities.

Finally one comment learnt in the second job when pay rises stopped and they threatened a pay cut, always budget predicated upon rising prices and a fixed income.

I know the above may not be what you want hear now but hope it helps.

uzubairu

Cheer up mate.

All this preparation will pay dividends in the future, and it may not be with your current employer.

At your young age you have already achieved on 2 fronts (academic and mortgage reduction) whilst holding down a full-time job.

Get your Chartered Accountant exams/experience while you can and you will hopefully open doors for yourself in the future.

jemw

Hi Determined

I know you must be feeling very gutted at the moment, but wanted to echo StuartGMC and Welshlassie's comments

Keep up the good work

determined1_2

Just running a test to see how to post up an image. This is how my mortgage graph will look as at 01.09.2009. Normal stats to follow of course!

Top line would have been normal repayment schedule. Bottom line includes payments to date but with no assumed further OPs.

Would people like an updated graph each month as well as the stats? - good visual representation I feel

twinklie

I like! :j

jemw

looks good

PipPip

Determined - I'm sure all will work out well for you. I am a chartered accountant myself, although due to travelling a lot working for E&Y I did not get on the property ladder until the ripe old age of 35, three years ago but I am in the process of trying to pay off a 25 year £300k mortgage in under 10 years. Wish I had done it aged 20 like you but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Keep studying and one day it will pay dividends. I set myself the target of earning £1k pa for every year of my age, which I did until 25 but then moved in corporate finance and by aged 28 it was already £2k for each year of age and by 30 it was £3k. The multiple seems to have stuck about there though for the time being!

twinklie

Wow...PipPip. Couldn't chuck some of that my way could you?? I've just been looking at my student loan. Despite paying it for a while now I still can't get the outstanding amount below £25K.

I know everyone says it doesn't matter etc but that £54 every month would work wonders towards my mortgage. As it stands I'll be paying off my mortgage long before my student loan by the looks of it.

PipPip

Most of it that the taxman does not take gets chucked at the mortgage and the high cost of living in Paris (butchers yesterday morning: 800g of stewing steak, 800g of lamb for a stew, 1 small chicken, 8 sausages: total price 66 euros. Unbelievable. We spend c£600 per month on relatively modest food shopping for basically 2 adults as our eldest eats morsels of food and youngest is breast feeding.). Also my income is it, my wife is currently home looking after our 3 month and 28 month olds. Yes we have plenty left over each month but we still we live as cheaply as possible as we are on a mortgage free mission plus longer term goal to retire to rural France with £1m in the bank to live off, aged 50. A dream but we are dream chasers and so far we are on track.

twinklie

Wow PipPip you sound like a man after my own heart! Sounds like a wonderful plan. We have a plan to emigrate at some stage but it depends what options present themselves to us. We are in full on research mode, but it would currently be better for us to start our family here than after emigrating due to maternity leave/benefits.