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Here’s where the story ends…

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Comments

  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,219 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I think reducing your hours is worth considering. You may find you are a lot less tired then and more willing and ABLE to continue longer. Also there is research that suggests a gentler route into retirement with gradually reduced working hours is the better way to go than a big bang. The other thing to consider is whether there is any opportunity to buy holidays / take unpaid leave as a half way step.
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £166.7K Equity 38.23% 12/7/26
    2) £1.8K Net savings after CCs 31/7/26 (but owed £400) so £2.2K
    3) 44.5/82K = 54.26% AVC Goal by mid 2028
  • skint_spice
    skint_spice Posts: 13,802 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    No opportunity to do either of those SH. Unfortunately!
    Mortgage OP 2026 £1860/2000
    Mortgage balance: £29,986

    Make £50 a month Jan £20, Feb £0, March £31, Apr £20, May £30,
    Jun £120, Jul £0, Aug £20, 

    Summer challenge £140/300

  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,219 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    No opportunity to do either of those SH. Unfortunately!
    That's a shame. I'm lucky in that I can and do - do that.
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £166.7K Equity 38.23% 12/7/26
    2) £1.8K Net savings after CCs 31/7/26 (but owed £400) so £2.2K
    3) 44.5/82K = 54.26% AVC Goal by mid 2028
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,219 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Woohoo - congratulations on the OP.
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £166.7K Equity 38.23% 12/7/26
    2) £1.8K Net savings after CCs 31/7/26 (but owed £400) so £2.2K
    3) 44.5/82K = 54.26% AVC Goal by mid 2028
  • KajiKita
    KajiKita Posts: 10,629 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    Awesome OP! 😊

    Could you ‘trial’ a shorter working week by booking every relevant day as annual leave for two or three weeks and see how you find it. It wouldn’t reflect the drop in pay level but it might give you a sense of how living / working that way would feel for you? 

    KK 
    As at 18.08.26:
    - When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £211,813
    - OPs to mortgage = £19,809 Estd. interest saved = £10,180 to date
    c. 16 months reduction in term
    Fixed rate 3.85% ends October 2030

    Read 61 books of target 52 in 2026 as @ 23rd August. 
    Produce tracker: £200 of £400 in 2026

    Watch your thoughts, they become your words.
    Watch your words, they become your actions. 
    Watch your actions, they become your reality. 
  • skint_spice
    skint_spice Posts: 13,802 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    The holiday system is awful, it takes months to get back to agree a day off. I could perhaps if I put day off requests for July but even then they might allow some and decline others….
    Mortgage OP 2026 £1860/2000
    Mortgage balance: £29,986

    Make £50 a month Jan £20, Feb £0, March £31, Apr £20, May £30,
    Jun £120, Jul £0, Aug £20, 

    Summer challenge £140/300

  • peb
    peb Posts: 2,162 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Absolutely do try.
  • savingholmes
    savingholmes Posts: 29,219 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Good luck with the application 
    Achieve FIRE/Mortgage Neutrality
    1) MFW Nov 21 £202K now £166.7K Equity 38.23% 12/7/26
    2) £1.8K Net savings after CCs 31/7/26 (but owed £400) so £2.2K
    3) 44.5/82K = 54.26% AVC Goal by mid 2028
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