Getting FIREd up 😀

South_coast

Aims for 2025 (get comfy, as this is a bit of a monster post)....

About 3 years ago, I read a book which was completely useless in most ways, but did start with an exercise about identifying your personal values which really stuck with me. It had a page listing out all sorts of attributes and you had to first pick out any which resonated with you, then keep narrowing it down and down until you landed on those which you felt really reflected your core values, co that you could then use those as a tool to guide your actions. 

So I started with: 
Authenticity
Autonomy
Competency
Contribution
Creativity
Curiosity
Flexibility
Happiness
Health
Honesty
Humour
Kindness
Knowledge
Optimism
Reputation
Responsibility
Stability
Trustworthiness

Which became: 
Authenticity
Autonomy
Happiness
Health
Honesty
Knowledge
Responsibility
Stability
Trustworthiness

Then: 
Authenticity
Happiness
Health
Honesty
Stability

Then I realised that these were really pairs of values, which I wrote down as: 
Health/Happiness
Stability/Security (I added this last one in myself, as I was in the zone by this point!)
Honesty/Authenticity

Which I further boiled down to a three-word vision for myself: 
Healthy
Happy
(Financially) Free

"Financially" being in brackets, as once I am actually financially free, I can drop the Financially bit and just focus on being free-free. 

Sounds easy, right? 

Except I have seriously fallen by the wayside. This is where the Venn diagram comes in. 

(It probably needs fleshing out a bit, as I clearly must do more than this in my life! However things like "Life admin" - which I seem to do a ridiculous amount of 🤦‍♀️- don't belong in any category!)

As you can see, drinking alcohol and overeating both make me very happy (and I have done plenty of both this year 😀), but they don't intersect with any other categories. 

Paradoxically, work is in there twice, both as (Work), ie needed for the (Financially) Free bit, and Not working, which makes me feel free. 

How I plan to get back/stay on track (in no particular order): 

• No UPF, even if it is free with Lidl Plus (I'm looking at you, Harvest Basket range 🙄). Though I will allow the occasional pot noodle, plus mushy peas (😍) and gravy granules (no idea how to replace this latter one)
• Running whenever I can
• Dry January
• Continue keeping an eye out for local things to do
• Aim for swimming once a month
• At least one UK and one Europe trip
• When the Edge Saver 7% bonus rate ends in May, use this to (hopefully) pay a chunk off the car finance (not even mentioned this here before, as cars are "off the books" in terms of assets and saving for The Future, but suffice to say it is sizeable). Or, if things are still looking ropey for balance transfers, pay a chunk off the July 25 card instead
• Stop using my instant access saver once the new tax year starts, and just use the Chip ISA for my everyday savings so I don't have to think about the PSA (I won't exceed the ISA limit). It's a better rate anyway, and it's flexible so I will be able to put back whatever I take out
• Max 3 slices of bread and butter when having boiled eggs!
• No cheese binges until Easter 
• Transfer £4k into the LISA when the new tax year starts
• Find ways to wind down after work which don't involve alcohol. It's the first hour that's the killer, after that I'm generally fine

Phew, I think that's enough to be going along with for now 🤣!

Jessy103

Ooo that's a really interesting way of looking at things! 

You have got a lot to sink your teeth into but you always do it, so I have no doubt you'll do all of that and more! You got this 💪

South_coast

Awww, thanks lovely 🥰

debtfreeoneday

Had to smile at the three slices of bread and butter limit. 

Awesome progress. Great goals. Well done SC

South_coast

I think I enjoy the bread and butter more than the eggs! I always (used to 😀) defrost at least one extra slice of bread, then scoff most of it while the eggs are cooking 🤦‍♀️

astrocytic_kitten

I love the values idea, what a great way to
make sure you’re on track! I do have some concerns about the cheese goal though. Easter is a long time away…are you sure?!

When I was breaking the habit of wine after work I read something about how it was more the ritual of pouring a drink into the cold glass signalling the start of the evening. So I started pouring a ‘special’ drink (I think it was normally just tonic water over ice, or a lime and soda), and that worked for me.

South_coast

LOL, don't panic, it's not "No cheese AT ALL" until Easter. That would be terrifying 😱! It's just "No settling myself down with a pile of cheeses, crackers, baguette and chutney and eating until I feel my arteries hardening, forcing down some wine....then doing it all again tomorrow" until Easter, so slightly different 🤣!

That's interesting about the ritual aspect/special drink suggestion. Might give that some thought 🤔 

astrocytic_kitten

South_coast said:

LOL, don't panic, it's not "No cheese AT ALL" until Easter. That would be terrifying 😱! It's just "No settling myself down with a pile of cheeses, crackers, baguette and chutney and eating until I feel my arteries hardening, forcing down some wine....then doing it all again tomorrow" until Easter, so slightly different 🤣!

This describes a large number of my meals over the last week 😆

South_coast

Good morning team 😀!

So the ISA interest of £434.60 has been added this morning and I have had an extremely exciting time paying off credit cards 🤣! Minimum payments should now be in the region of £830/month, which is a much more palatable figure, and hopefully I will now start to appear more desirable for some balance transfer cards in the next couple of months once it's all filtered through onto the credit reports 🤞

South_coast

OMG, am wishing I wasn't boycotting posting screenshots of questions from that survey company. Have just had one that was completely ridiculous 🤦‍♀️