Hope is not an Effective Financial Strategy

shangaijimmy

greent wrote: »

Steer them away from medicine and law type courses and post-grad stuff!

So far DS1 would be marine biology, or anything sciencey. DS2 would be anything to do with destruction, like driving a demolition bulldozer (judging this by the time it takes for him to break a new toy).

zcrat41 wrote: »

This is all a bit scary to those f us reading who've just finished the preschool years with relief! I thought the hard bit was behind us!

Lets be honest as much as the kids are quite likeable, they are little leeches or parasites!!

shangaijimmy

So we had a financial advisor type person come into work today to present to us about what they can do to help with pensions, investments etc... To me it was awful and I learned that I am so grateful what I have learned on here. But oh my it was like a car crash listenning to some colleagues quite openly talk about money and seem so lost!

As ever he talked in acronyms and jargon (despite an opening promise not to), and i ended up translating half of it into normal English. Spent the rest of the afternoon explaining a few money things to people and then encouraging them to book a 1:2:1!

Good that work have done it to be fair (its off the back of some company pension changes), but I did feel fairly pleased with the position that we are in. I can't confess to be the font of all knowledge but I seem to know more than out financial controller and payroll lady!

Suffolk_lass

shangaijimmy wrote: »

So we had a financial advisor type person come into work today to present to us about what they can do to help with pensions, investments etc... To me it was awful and I learned that I am so grateful what I have learned on here. But oh my it was like a car crash listenning to some colleagues quite openly talk about money and seem so lost!

As ever he talked in acronyms and jargon (despite an opening promise not to), and i ended up translating half of it into normal English. Spent the rest of the afternoon explaining a few money things to people and then encouraging them to book a 1:2:1!

Good that work have done it to be fair (its off the back of some company pension changes), but I did feel fairly pleased with the position that we are in. I can't confess to be the font of all knowledge but I seem to know more than out financial controller and payroll lady!

I remember preparing a google-docs course for people at work to look at ahead of retirement that encouraged them to think about what they want to do with their time, as well as their money. I did this after attending a pre-retirement course. The presenter was talking 3 years ahead whereas some of the attendees were finishing that month, and that very week in one case and just none of them had done any planning whatsoever.

You know what they say - "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is King!" :eek:

shangaijimmy

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

You know what they say - "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is King!" :eek:

I've never heard that phrase before!! Love it!

Car Insurance paid this morning, slightly cheaper than last year so happy enough with that (although slightly disappointed at no cash back). My funding circle sales of loans finally cleared yesterday after 2 months of being up for sale. I've been withdrawing from this for the last few months and I had £150 left for sale so not massive money but significant enough. I've popped that across to the S&S Isa along with another £50 that I was able ti withdraw from the loan payments whilst the sales went through. I only have a few quid left now of loans that are in bad debt. I've made a bit of cash, but not much. Whenever I'm able to withdraw this (which may take a while as 2 loans have 35 payments left), I'll OP whatever there is.

Still weighing up pension v's OP decisions. I'm definitely making some adjustments I just need to to decide on what percentage of shift. The main sticking point is the mental side of it, as for the last 4 years paying off the mortgage has been a major financial goal. Its a major household shift of focus and I don't want to rush the decision making side of it. :money:

shangaijimmy

Well a weekend of decorating is ahead of me...and now I've typed it I am committed to the task! I'm also committed as Mrs SJ has bought a new bed for DS2 and it arrives on Monday! I'm off work today so have booked DD in with grandparents so that I can be ruthless and put all his accumulated carp in the tip! His room will be streamlined...

This now puts pressure on getting DS1's room decorated as well, so I've promised him it will be done in August.

Karmacat

Best of luck with that, SJ! Erm, does DS2 *know* that a lot of his stuff is destined for the tip? Not sure how old he is

shangaijimmy

Hmmm, I've actually been quite restrained. But to be fair he has less carp than i thought, lets just say it was well spread out! Feeling very unmotivated for this decorating malarky!

Suffolk_lass

It's getting going that is the big thing with any of these decorating things. I was laying in bed this morning listening to the plans of people regarding Sunday's cricket final and remembering the decorating of our DS's bedroom - I was pregnant so it was 27 years ago (and a couple of months). TMS was our radio companion. We were all out for under 100 in about 4 hours against the Windies - painful but compelling. We got it all finished except the painting of the radiator. The tin of enamel paint was on top and as he brought the ladder out, DH knocked it on the floor and the top came off... whatever happens - it can't be that bad!

I know you love your sport. Maybe look at this way - the cricket radio commentary is better than the TV, and the TdF - today is a long flattish stage to the Massif Central and tomorrow and Sunday will be great on the ITV4 Highlights programme at 7pm. The Netball hasn't hotted up yet, the football has finished, and the F1 is (imho) a bit dull to stick with. That leaves the tennis. Serena in an hour (lunch break?) and the Men's - well if that is your thing, I should work late Saturday so you can watch it - it could be a bit of a war of attrition - especially if Nadal beats Federer (he should, on form) as it will be lots of baseline with little to liven it up. I hope that helps...

Karmacat

Wow. Just wow. That's really impressive. And inspiring, if I may say

shangaijimmy

Suffolk_lass wrote: »

I know you love your sport. Maybe look at this way - the cricket radio commentary is better than the TV, and the TdF - today is a long flattish stage to the Massif Central and tomorrow and Sunday will be great on the ITV4 Highlights programme at 7pm. The Netball hasn't hotted up yet, the football has finished, and the F1 is (imho) a bit dull to stick with. That leaves the tennis. Serena in an hour (lunch break?) and the Men's - well if that is your thing, I should work late Saturday so you can watch it - it could be a bit of a war of attrition - especially if Nadal beats Federer (he should, on form) as it will be lots of baseline with little to liven it up. I hope that helps...

Hmmm I love the attempts at motivation... Unfortunately I can only negatively reframe it and consider the amount of sport that I am missing

Not sure if I'd mentioned but official painting start day is Saturday and I've been hit with a football match for DS2 at 10am and then a siblings afternoon out. Now the afternoon out was originally a 3pm train, but I've now been informed its a 1pm train. So I'm up at 6.00am for a brew and some breakfast (after working 9am-10.15pm yesterday by the way, and being grumpy for missing Fed v Nad), to give me a 2hr slot 7.00-9.00 to get started. I'm also potentially going to lose Sunday for decorating in case I'm in a body bag all day :beer:

So all in all, roll on Tuesday when its hopefully all done and my mini 4 day break is over