2020++ - smiling and waving and looking so fine

mark55man

My 5 year targets - 5 years ago were  for fail.  for success . for neutral

Weight and Health
Lose 1kg a month to end up at 100KG or under in 2021 and under 200lbs in 2024 - (no roller coaster emoji)

Steps / Keep fit - at least 3 times a week over 10000 and always over 5000 -

budget and financial goals

2020 - clear CC debt -

2020 - banish the overdraft and my louche attitude to it - overdrafts are evil not financial lubrication

2024 - clear Mortgage (current slightly aggressive trajectory) -

be more green 

reduce consumption and more recycling (frregle, ebay, whatever)

greener personal environment - car / garden / house -

community and volunteering

At least one day a month charity or community volunteering

Online and ongoing support for activity groups, especially food bank and homeless

organisational and household goals. 

declutter one trip a week

less procrastination - eat more frogs more often -

Better use of existing utility and work related benefits/coverage

Restart an outdoor hobby 

mark55man

SO 5 years on - globally we have had war, famine and plague but we seem to be getting through them all. the following seem important personally

• Steps and Weight
• Mojo work and play
• Debt and Finances
• House and Environment

Steps and Weight - well over 2024 I lost a stone, but well short on my longer term targets.  I think the pandemic firstly helped then hindered.  Then work got crazy busy and bith steps and weight loss efforts have been a running nag and not a prime focus.  I do need to do better, and constantly think of ways to improve but never really 100% commit

This leads to a question of mojo - as I near retirement (although like Zeno's arrow I never seem to quite get there), I am struggling with motivation in all areas - plateaued in my career, and overwhelmed by some of the DIY / decluttering I have.  But recognising this is key to resolving it, I have decided to work full time until middle of next year, then part time until early 2027a few months before my OH can leave her commitments

Debt and Finances.  Entering 2025 I have CC debt and mortgage.  The CC debt was intentionally used to enable more spending during my sabbatical and the mortgage is now £35K with 2 years to run.  I will run with both for a bit, although I am now putting a little less into my pension and taking more as salary so they shouldn't increase.  Also will expect a low 6 figure as an inheritance which will close those off in due course

house and environment We have spent a little money on getting help for refurbishing some rooms, and have made progress in tidying but still a lot to declutter.  We got a small skip and used it to remove a lot of garden debris - that made a big difference getting ready for spring

So what next for this diary - well will keep it going for the duration.  That will reflect the continuity in my journey and then when I do retire I will probably start a new one then just to keep me honest

Good luck and happy new year to all

savingholmes

It sounds like you are finding balance = which is what many of us are striving for. I like the idea of gradually tapering your hours - it gives you financial security, social structure - and helps you adjust along the way. I'm not sure I'd cope with a big bang approach - although with your mini sabbatical you got to trial that. How was it in practice? You certainly sounded very busy.

FootyFanDan

Happy new year Mark, loved following your journey.

mark55man

Thank you Dan and SH - yes I haven't really done a sabbatical what was it like sort of post.

I will give that some thought but essentially I was quite busy and I really needed and enjoyed it, but I learned that I wasn't quite ready and wouldn't be until my OH was able to retire herself

mark55man

Couple of weeks into the year so reporting back

Steps and Weight - steps a bit down given how far below zero its been!  Still over 1.5m since this time last year but static at that point. Our redone dining room, now the snug, is simply too snug to leave apparently.  But to counter that I did rejoin the gym and spent 90 minutes there today - 60 minutes walking and inclines and 30minutes indoor rowing - 5Km for each to show how slow I am nowadays.  Weight is level as we have been munching our way through XMAS leftovers - very nice but done with now

This leads to a question of mojo - 2 weeks have been OK - a new challenge at work and getting through stuff at home.  So the slight motivational disjoint following sabbatical and heading back to work is largely under control.  All last years business!! 

Debt and Finances. Priority here is about £6K that is not on 0% and about the same again that is at 0% - I should be able to clear pretty quickly now that back at work and paid off my youngest's care programme.  Its the first interest I have paid on CC in a long while which is painful and its quite interesting watching my Credit score slide (only gently, and it doesn't matter to me in any case)

house and environment Things looking tidy - I spent a little more with my handyman to tidy up the front of the house (last time was the back).  Now its up to me to keep it in order, and I will just have to person up and get on with it (once its a bit warmer of course)

alt80

Good to hear from you mate. The weather was awful this weekend here, definitely better getting your exercise at the gym when it’s like that rather than a lot of walking outside. My wife managed to fall on some black ice last week - thankfully did not hurt herself.

Have you got any transfer options for the £6k interest bearing debt? Unless you’re going to clear this month or within a timeframe that will beat any transfer fee, I’d move it. You might as well not give the banks a free gift. 

mark55man

Thanks Alt - yes you are right interest is like £60  a month - so I should do it.  I guess i had hoped to avoid doing that again

savingholmes

I'd transfer it - or if you wanted to avoid the fee/ part of the fee get a 0% spends card and effectively transfer for free - but can be a slippery slope.

mark55man

I agree about the slippery slope, its a good analogy- I put myself in the danger zone intentionally during the sabbatical but didn't quite think it through coming out of that into the most expensive time of year so have skidded a bit further down the slope than planned.  but its fine in the bigger picture - just a heftier stupid/lazy tax that I have had to pay for a while