Steps to FIRE

MyBestJumper

I don't mind at all! Great username too - I think it's safe to say most usernames have now been taken on here!

Not a very FIRE-y couple of days unfortunately as for various reasons I had to cancel not one but FOUR hours tuition so £100 down.

Plus side I've started a free online course which will be useful f

MyBestJumper

Ooops, pressed send!

It'll be useful for my business.

Trying to strike a better balance with work and family. I'm self-employed and I find myself spending most of my time thinking or talking about next steps. Have made a very conscious decision to be more 'present' as much as I hate these terms and have had a lovely day as a result.

So, I've said that I want to clear the mortgage in six years. Chatting with friends today about other issues confirmed this target but our income at present is very low still. This will be a real stretch and involve a lot of work. Firstly, obviously, turnover and profit on our businesses (DH also self-employed) needs to increase by quite a lot. Current target is to triple turnover so spending lots of time planning and scheming ways to do that

MyBestJumper

£50 earned today including a new student who has rebooked. Also completed 2 hours exam board training which I wasn't paid for but which will be very useful when it comes to exam marking.

Slowly, slowly!

Firegirl

Great getting a new student but shame you had to cancel a few classes.

6 years - that time will fly by!!!! Just make sure you have fun on the Journey.

earthgirl

Great news on the student.

6 years! wow!

With you every step, maybe I'll make it at the same time as you

elantan

Wooohoooo another FIRE

Welcome

MyBestJumper

Thank you!

More of the same I'm afraid! More tuition done, more essays marked, plodding on. Have been working tutoring with the NHS. Lots of fun spending time in the corporate world but even more fun getting on my bike and cycling home after an hour or two! Still waiting for them to pay me though, booo. But when they do we'll be on our way for another instalment on our family loan repayment - yay! I'm hoping that I'll be used again too. I've worked very hard with this student and seen big improvements so I hope I'll be remembered.

I have a question: DH and I don't spend as much time alone as we'd like - in fact our last night out together was over 5 years ago! What cheap/free things do people do to keep connected? DH isn't much of a fan of art galleries or museums (although) I am and we have loads of walks in the countryside with the children so that wouldn't feel that special either really. Our children range in age from baby to teenager so it feels like someone is always around so things like a date night at home or an early morning coffee in the garden wouldn't work because at least one of them would be muscling in! Any ideas?

Luckyinlife

great job so far :] amazing
Can i ask how do you find the BTL ?

You got to make time for you guys you could just go for a walk and grab a ice cream going to new places will always be good dont have to be far. if you want to go for food i like the harverster £20 for 2 meals inc desert i dont think its expensive if done once or twice a month

ourcornercottage

Could the big kids babysit the little kids? You could mystery dine to get free or cheap nights out.

If you can't go out have a cinema night at home? Or in summer months a candlelit dinner in the garden with no pesky kids!!!

MyBestJumper

Thanks. Some good ideas there.

Luckyinlife, the BTL is fine. Not amazing, not awful, just fine. I became an 'accidental landlord' as it was our old home that nearly sold and fell through at the 11th hour. Our families helped us out with continuing with the purchase of our now home with the view that old house would quickly sell again. Anyway, it didn't so I put it up with a letting agent just to see what would happen. It let very very quickly, much more quickly than I ever imagined and as a result I didn't really have time to understand everything fully. As I'd never even been a private tenant, it was a very steep learning curve but we got there in the end! It now ticks over earning about £200 pm after the (I.O) mortgage is paid and all other expenses and apparently has increased in value by £10k. It's a very long term thing though. Once we're MF here we'll look to pay the mortgage off over there and then, eventually, it'll be an income. On paper I shouldn't be doing it but I am and it's going fine. I don't mean I'm doing anything illegal by that by the way, just that when I've read guides to owning a btl I shouldn't be able to afford it but I do so it's fine. Got a six month buffer in a separate savings account plus have paid for improvements in addition to routine LL obligations so it's okay