2020++ - smiling and waving and looking so fine

FootyFanDan

Happy new year Mark, I am following suit with the nice morning coffee even though I should be asleep! Lol, my future self certainly ain’t going to be thanking me later tonight when I am absolutely shattered haha.

You have achieved so much in 2020 despite the unexpected way the year turned out to be, I have loved following your journey I find your insight/analysis brilliant. Here is to smashing 2021

mark55man

cheers mate - even as you get older, you should still take your pleasures when you can - but thinking of your future self is very wise and something you should do with all you decisions. 

My current self is not thanking my former self for all that he left for me to deal with - but he wasn't a bad bloke really

mark55man

So, I have taken my OP and here's a progress report - I have bolded it where it was achieved, and put a note in italics where I have something to add

5 years will bring me (very nearly) to the age when my dad passed - so fitness and health goals

• Lose 1kg a month to end up at 100KG or under in 2021 and under 200lbs in 2024 - got very close to 200lbs but then lapsed - should be good for this year
• Steps / Keep fit - at least 3 times a week over 10000 and always over 5000 - Not even close, even given everything happening this year, I need to do better at this

5 years is my target to be debt and mortgage free (currently £140K) - budget and financial goals (numbers below)

• 2020 - clear CC debt (ambitious) - cleared £19K out of £26K + a bit of overdraft
• 2020 - banish the overdraft and my louche attitude to it - overdrafts are evil 
• 2024 - clear Mortgage (current slightly aggressive trajectory) - have really started to think about this - more later

5 years to be more green (the earth is really dying - another song lyric) - environmental and carbon footprint goals

• reduce consumption and more recycling (frregle, ebay, whatever) - yes, but
• greener personal environment - car / garden / house - 2 out of 3 ain't bad 

5 years is how long we have the current parliament - so community and volunteering goals to make up for its lack

• At least one day a month charity or community volunteering
• Online and ongoing support for activity groups, especially food bank and homeless

5 years is my target to be retired - organisational and household goals. Not going to make a meal about this, but it is a factor that should be there for us all

• declutter one trip a week - started well and then waned
• less procrastination - eat more frogs more often -  - started well and then waned
• Better use of existing utility and work related benefits/coverage -  - started well and then waned
• Restart an outdoor hobby - didn't even start, even though I bought a bike

savingholmes

Great progress. I'm also hoping for a five year plan - if not to be retired - to be doing something different - or less hours in the day job. Good luck with your goals. You have achieved a lot this year - especially with your debt clearance and weight goals. 

mark55man

So for 2021 - whilst I will still keep to my longer term picture - health, wealth, and personal/global environment my priorities are going to be slightly tighter

Keep Fit & Health

• Exercise - absolutely and completely need to do this - not quite sure how, will start the year WFH so that might make it easier, although it will need a think
• Weight - am now just over 15 stone having got to 14st 6 - my first target is 200 lbs (14st 4) and then 180 (12st 12).  That last may be too much, but its not skeletal by a long way 

Debt and Mortgage -

• finish off with the CCs - CC2 (0% BT card being paid down quicker while building a balance of CC3 a 0% Purchase card).  Together £7K plus £1K on CC for work expenses last month but I'll get that back soon enough
• mortgage - have started this thread on the MFW board, as I felt it would be interesting to share that journey, but with a load of detail that would be a bit dull here.  The TL;DR is I want to be mortgage Neutral by Jun 2024 with a stretch target of 2023.  Pulling this in from 2026 is super tight, but we'll see 

Environment 

• organisational and household declutter - just need to get on - 2 of the DC now living away the other 2 not moving anywhere.  But will use WFH to attend to maintenance and decluttering frogs
• will continue for the foreseeable trying to be greener and supporting OH as she supports the community.  I think that's enough will reconsider in summer
  

OK so that's my plans for the year.  I don't think lockdown will significantly ease until Easter so hopefully will be no rebound challenges on the budget, and while I can WFH I should be able to organise more on my fitness and household targets.  After that we'll see.

Thanks for being with me on the ride so far, especially those who were with me on my previous diary.  I'm not going to go all shiny new diary on you, as I am not really changing my plans.  New years are time for renewal and refresh but sometimes not changing stuff is OK as well 

enthusiasticsaver

Good 5 year plan there. Congratulations on the successes from 2020. 

mark55man

Thanks for the support SH and ES - this diary has been so helpful to bounce ideas, even if I'm only talking to myself, but especially when I'm not.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Happy New Year
Sounds like a very productive 2020 for you, excellent debt and weight losses!
Your targets for 2021 look great!

savingholmes

It's nice when people read but I agree when people comment - they not only encourage but can help shift us out of a rut or onto a new way of thinking or help us discover new options....

mark55man

A good start to the year - did some spring cleaning and ended up with enough rubbish to go down the tip.

BUT then discovered my car tyre was pancake flat and would not reflate.  The tyre was pretty near end of life so having it replaced by a mobile unit (Tuesday) as my car doesn't have a spare (by design) and can't use a space saver.  So that's £130 for a pair of cheap tyres.  Most annoyingly - was going to put the car up on Ebay today once I'd done all the tip runs.  That will now have to wait a few days, and whilst it's great I can claim new tyres - the MOT is up on the 16th so running out of time to get it done.