Only freedom will do

ahem_47

Ed - great to hear you are giving the "financial planning" route some thought.

Get over your prejudice about the kind of person you perceive IFAs to be (I can not believe I am saying this) and listen to the things people are saying in response to your perception. If you think they are "nobs" just think how easy it will be for you to break through.

You have to drop your prejudice though or you won't enjoy it and you'll be back in the realms of not getting the world of work.

I love reading your considered contributions (like the one on NG's thread) but I get mildly frustrated with some of your intransigence :rotfl: :rotfl:; this and your slum landlord spring to mind

PS - you were concerned how Mrs E was going to be when you returned to work; get the impression she is coping ok :T

gallygirl

ahem_47 wrote: »

Get over your prejudice about the kind of person you perceive IFAs to be (I can not believe I am saying this)

Making an appointment with an IFA as we speak

pavlovs_dog

edinburgher wrote: »

. Even 'trainee' roles require some experience, so I need to get over that hurdle somehow. In addition, I want to get a feel for the subject before talking to recruiters etc. If I don't enjoy it (I think I will), I'd rather waste £££ than end up in another crappy job on far less money.

Does that have to be face to face, or could you take on clients online, via phone, skype etc. to gain experience and references in the first instance?

In the spirit of JFDI, why not read around the subject? Brush up your subject knowledge as you tread water (metaphorically speaking). You could always blog idiot's guides to XYZ articles as a means of collating your thoughts. Or skulk the boards in search of SOAs and use that info as a mock case study - what would you prescribe them if they were genuine clients?

AlexLK

edinburgher wrote: »

Not too much sleep, I had the 'Saturday lie in', Mrs E and I have got into a great routine of getting one morning 'off' a week. Feeds at 03:00 and 06:00 for me, she's currently grumbling in her little chair. I adore the sleeping grin that follows a quiet 'it's ok!' in her ear with a kiss on the forehead, she has inherited my smile :A

The training options are probably quite varied, but I have made a conscious decision to try and self-fund for at least a few modules to show willing. Even 'trainee' roles require some experience, so I need to get over that hurdle somehow. In addition, I want to get a feel for the subject before talking to recruiters etc. If I don't enjoy it (I think I will), I'd rather waste £££ than end up in another crappy job on far less money.

Goldie, it makes me feel eminently sane to hear someone as balanced and respectable as yourself considering physical violence. My equivalent would be the small gong that is struck every time our call centre meet their targets. Yes, cliches are the order of business :rotfl:

Alex, I think my view has been coloured by the fact that the IFA I know best is (while caring and dedicated to their family), a bit of a spiv. Think shiny clothes, boasting, BTL, general showoffery

Basically, all I need is the confidence that I know the topic. As Mrs E has pointed out, a lot of my concerns at the moment are related to the fact that I am not interested in the world of IT. This makes me guilty and makes me doubt myself. It's a different ballgame when I am comfortable with the subject matter.

A bit of study will no doubt help me get into the groove. As I have discussed with Mrs E, the only way to ensure that my plan fails is to do nothing about it through fear of failure!

Sunday looks a lot brighter

Excellent post.

I think you self funding a few modules of study (no idea what exactly it is that your study to be an IFA) would give you a good idea of what you are potentially getting yourself into without leaving your current job. Mind, I'm not sure I'd listen to me if I were you, I'm still at university studying a second (and probably more useless) MA and have a 5 year or 10 year plan, depending on potential PGCE, of what to study next. :rotfl:

ahem_47 wrote: »

Get over your prejudice about the kind of person you perceive IFAs to be...

This is quite possibly the best piece of advice given.

edinburgher

Get over your prejudice about the kind of person you perceive IFAs to be (I can not believe I am saying this) and listen to the things people are saying in response to your perception.

Point taken (with a cup of coffee)

PS - you were concerned how Mrs E was going to be when you returned to work; get the impression she is coping ok

Definitely, she has taken to this motherhood malarky like a duck to water.

Does that have to be face to face, or could you take on clients online, via phone, skype etc. to gain experience and references in the first instance?

I'd need to be qualified before I could work under supervision, there are quite strict rules about such things. I do, however, love your JFDI solution as a starter :T

Mind, I'm not sure I'd listen to me if I were you, I'm still at university studying a second (and probably more useless) MA and have a 5 year or 10 year plan, depending on potential PGCE, of what to study next.

As someone who went to university twice (just glad the second course was only a year long), I'd think very carefully before jumping back in to anything bar vocational training :eek:

Watty1

Sorry to hear you have been bit by the black dog. The major life change and subsequent disturbed sleep is bound to play a role. Hang in there Ed, it will get better.


So glad you've decided to look into the financial planner option. So many of us have been suggesting it.


When I was about 27 I met an IFA. He set up my pension for me via the company I worked with. I still remember his name and I thought all IFA's would be like GB. He was lovely, kind and thoughtful. He talked me out of an investment opportunity that would have made him (and me maybe one day) money on the basis that it was not good for me emotionally at that time and that if I walked away someone else would resolve the problems that led to the opportunity being there. He was so supportive at that time (I was in a heck of a mess having had a partner that had died leaving huge debts and a house his mother lived in mortgaged to the hilt with no way of clearing that mortgage). GB helped tidy everything away, stopped me attempting to buy the mother's house and encouraged me to move forwards. He made nothing for his time and his advice but his integrity shone through. He was totally right.


Later a member of my team drove me bonkers by keep moving into shared flats that didn't work out and I had to give her time off to resolve this various disasters. I took her to see GB as she was adamant she couldn't afford a solution. He helped her work out her finances and explained budgeting patiently. He then found her a mortgage she could afford to buy a tiny studio flat. I doubt the commission he made on that mortgage would have paid him for the time he put it explaining budgeting to a 22 year old French girl whose grasp of English was sometimes erratic. But for her - the advice was and has been priceless - that little studio flat long since paid off by rental tennants is currently funding her re-training as an accountant.


I think YOU would be an IFA like GB. I don't know you in person but I sense you would like him. The absolute best in IFA's.


(Sadly GB left the profession after making a mistake which was not legal but was done with the best of intentions. Had he not I never would have run into the smart suited spives that were loud bumptious and useless because I still would be working with him).


Give it a go Ed. Lots of us know you can do it. And we'll provide the cheerleading support when you doubt yourself.

nattypants

Though clearly gutted that you didn't call her NATTYPANTS

Mwah to you all :happyhear

edinburgher

I think YOU would be an IFA like GB. I don't know you in person but I sense you would like him. The absolute best in IFA's.

Thank you Watty, touched by that and loved reading the story, he clearly made a big impression on you. There is so much governance involved in giving financial advise that I am not surprised that someone could slip up, a sad end to what sounds like a great career where he had the chance to make a real difference :T

Though clearly gutted that you didn't call her NATTYPANTS

Because it sooooo says that on your passport NP :rotfl: Good to 'see' you.

I was a bit disappointed with dinner yesterday. I had attempted to make Vietnamese pho and while it looked very authentic, the recipe will need a bit of work. The broth was made from oxtail and marrow bones, onion, ginger, carrot, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, fish sauce and sugar. Despite all this (and 4 hours of simmering), it was a bit tasteless. I think that I need to add more meat next time and to reduce it after the main simmer has finished. I also found some pointers online that might improve the process. Mrs E has suggested the cracking idea of a recipe diary to help me improve dishes that are keepers, but need tweaked

• £15.14 to savings
• P2P account topped up with £9.62 (will try and top up to nearest £10 every Monday)
• Planning on sitting down with the budget spreadsheet tonight, there are a few rows that are growing much healthier balances than I had envisaged, may be room to trim accordingly

muddywhitechicken

I'll send Mr MWC's pho recipe later - it was delicious but if I remember correctly had rather a lot of shin of beef and fillet steak in

Goldiegirl

edinburgher wrote: »

Goldie, it makes me feel eminently sane to hear someone as balanced and respectable as yourself considering physical violence. My equivalent would be the small gong that is struck every time our call centre meet their targets. Yes, cliches are the order of business :rotfl:

I've just told Mr Goldie that one of the people that live in my computer has just described me as balanced and respectable. I did NOT appreciate the hysterical laughter that followed this statement!:rotfl:



The gong thing would also make me feel vicious...... why can't they leave us in peace! :rotfl: