10 years to clear £334K - our FIRE journey

Aimingforthegoodlife

Oh we have fruit trees, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries and I am always pleased with all the fruit we get! So exciting!

CCW007

We've got a plum tree which produces an amazing amount of fruit and they are lovely plums too (fnar fnar).  Got apple tres but a miscommunication with the gardeners we had helping clear up the garden meant that two of the four trees were pruned rather drastically so no chance of fruit off them this year.  Bought some strawberry plants to go in some planters I already have.  Fingers crossed for a good growing year!

GC has gone to pot - need to tally it up but way over already.  Not helped by drinking the last three nights after only drinking three times in the first quarter of the year

Started a Ziffit pile, will go through some of the books, DVDs and CDs I have to clear out and see what I can get for them - up to £2 already.  £40 in change ready to pay into bank.  Nothing doing on selling on FB / gumtree / eb@y but will persist.

Bought a car yesterday - new job will require 80 mile round trip twice a week so need something economical.  Plan is to sell my car (EV so it doesn't get much more economical with my 5p overnight rate but I don't love it and it will never be worth more than it is now, coming to the end of its warranty so good time to part company), drive the new to me car for a while then see what I can get on salary sacrifice or lease later on in the year once I'm settled in new job.  Got a good price on new car but it needed servicing and two new tyres so that adds up.  However this will free up some significant capital which is helpful right now.

There may be some rather exciting (and scary) financial news coming up soon, time will tell if it comes off.

Parkrun yesterday - managed to do considerably better than last week and there was cake so all good on that front.

CCW007

Money moved from savings to clear three credit cards.  Only two to go, one for me and one for OH.  Will make money shuffling and tracking much simpler!

Alchemilla

Exciting,scary financial news sounds fascinating.

That is some mortgage! What's your house like? 

CCW007

It's a 4 bed detached cottage with 1/3 of an acre in Wiltshire - couldn't stretch to a smallholding but this is closest thing we could get and it's enough space to have ducks and chickens and grow a few fruit and veg.  House is a do-er upper - we knew it was a 5 year project and we're still working on it 7 years later   Not a straight wall in the house but it is lovely.

Right, back on the wagon now until my birthday in June - forgot how expensive booze is It's also derailed my weight loss so back to healthy eating this week.  Can't believe it's the last day of our 10 days off, it's gone so quickly!

Plan today is to prep car for sale (hoover, clean, make sure there are no dents I haven't noticed / mentioned), meal prep for the week and generally get ready to go back to work (boo).

Alchemilla

I ADORE Wiltshire. My home county.

CCW007

Wiltshire is lovely, have really appreciated it more since the pandemic hit.

£30 refund in from incorrect TT charge in recent remortgage.  £90 spent on new battery for new car.  Ho hum.

Aimingforthegoodlife

We have just under an acre, though not in the countryside, we are countryside adjacent I love the freedom land gives, and in this weather it makes my heart really happy! Realising the dream is so worth the money and the stress! I totally understand what you mean with booze, it goes down easy but definitely increases other things! Keep up the amazing work! Oh, also, my step mum made plum jam and plum brandy with my plums (oh err) last year! So good!

CCW007

Oops, been a while since I posted.  Mortgage payment going out on Tuesday so nothing to update until then. 

Selling on FB / ebay not going well, considering doing a car boot tomorrow which I don't want to do (on my own as well) but could bring in some useful cash and help declutter.  Having a sort out of wardrobe and got some new items to take but I know people like a bargain / to barter and I need to consider whether I'm prepared to let stuff go at a price which will sell or if I'll end up just bringing stuff back home with me.

edinburgher

Sounds like you've got it all planned out, now all you need to do is stick to the plan

Your SIPP has a very healthy balance - is that your main source of pension, or is your DB pension a decent amount too? 

I am feeling your pain re. Vet bills - Tabby girl due her follow up appointment re. Burst abscess on her posterior - £230 for an emergency appointment as the sight of a gaping wound where you could see the leg muscle tends to panic cat parents  Hopefully the insurance will cover most of it 🤞 I love my cats (and fish, although they're not very chatty). That said, I'll not be getting more pets in future, Maine Coon boy nearly one year old, he might have another 15 years in him