We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
Health and savings journey

Cassingtonbear
Posts: 47 Forumite

I'm a 40 year old male. I hope to add another £30k to my investments through the rest of 2025. This will come from regular monthly saving.
I also aim to improve my health by changing eating habits, exercising regularly and reducing body fat over the year. I'm currently weighing approximately 77kg and approximately 21% body fat.
For me, saving and improving health go hand in hand. I spend too much on eating out and delivery food, so if I can switch that to more homecooked meals it should help me improve savings and health.
For the health journey, I will give myself points each day for motivation mainly. 1 point for a workout(weights or cardio), 1 point for no junk food, 1 point for at least 100g of protein, 1 point for 800g of fruit and veg(10 portions a day as generally recommended for improved health).
I expect to be able to save around £2500-£3000 this month.
I also aim to improve my health by changing eating habits, exercising regularly and reducing body fat over the year. I'm currently weighing approximately 77kg and approximately 21% body fat.
For me, saving and improving health go hand in hand. I spend too much on eating out and delivery food, so if I can switch that to more homecooked meals it should help me improve savings and health.
For the health journey, I will give myself points each day for motivation mainly. 1 point for a workout(weights or cardio), 1 point for no junk food, 1 point for at least 100g of protein, 1 point for 800g of fruit and veg(10 portions a day as generally recommended for improved health).
I expect to be able to save around £2500-£3000 this month.
No.13 in the 2025 saving money challenge. Target £36,000.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.
0
Comments
-
Good luck with your savings and health journey @Cassingtonbear
I look forward to seeing how you get on with the points system and 10 portions of fruit and veg a day.
0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p10 -
Thanks for the words of encouragement!
Near the end of the first day...1pt for protein, 1pt for a weights workout. They were the easy parts.
Currently at 1pt for no junk, only a few hours till bedtime.
Getting to 800g fruit and veg is tough. I've basically ran out of fruit and only have some mushrooms and bok choy left, and I've already eaten portions of those for breakfast and dinner. Don't want to cook again so I will call that a day at 600g(I've been weighing it out on a food scale).
So 3 out of 4 for the first day. Definitely a success. I wonder how many points I can get in February...
Also I've not spent anything so that is good. I'm aiming to pile up my savings from a relatively late start for retirement, and also a portion may be used to help us move to a bigger house in a better location later this year, depending on if we can sell our current place.No.13 in the 2025 saving money challenge. Target £36,000.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.0 -
Great start 👏 Are you paying savings into a pension for retirement ?0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p10 -
I'm paying almost all of my savings into a general investment account with interactive brokers at the moment. I don't have an isa or sipp as I live abroad and don't have access to those things.
I don't get a pension through work.
In the past I was making voluntary national insurance contributions but that got stopped for a reason I am not sure of. I am applying this week to get them started again, not sure if it should be class 2 or 3 contributions.
I'm also paying some money each month for ten years into an AIA plan which will provide a bit of a lump sum when I'm older.No.13 in the 2025 saving money challenge. Target £36,000.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.0 -
Feb 2nd 3pts: workout(cardio), 100g protein, no junk. Today and yesterday are the first two days this year I haven't had any junk food. Nowhere near enough fruit and veg available so impossible to get close to my fruit and veg target. On the plus side it has given me another no spend day.No.13 in the 2025 saving money challenge. Target £36,000.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.0 -
Voluntary contributions are class 3. Class 2 is for self employed.It must be difficult to get up to 10 different fruit and veg. I sometimes struggle to get to 5 😆0% credit card £1360 & 0% Car Loan £7500 ~ paid in full JAN 2020 = NOW DEBT FREE 🤗
House sale OCT 2022 = NOW MORTGAGE FREE 🤗
House purchase completed FEB 2023 🥳🍾 Left work. 🤗
Retired at 55 & now living off the equity £10k a year (until pensions start at 60 & 67).
Previous Savings diary https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5597938/get-a-grip/p1
Living off savings diary
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6429003/escape-to-the-country-living-off-savings/p10 -
Thanks for that, I will apply for class 3. It is tough getting to 10 fruits and veg. It is about totally rethinking what my meals look like.No.13 in the 2025 saving money challenge. Target £36,000.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.0 -
4/4 health points today for the first time. Weights workout, 100g protein, no junk, 800g fruits and veg. Managed it with a big online order of food.No.13 in the 2025 saving money challenge. Target £36,000.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.0 -
Poor day today as I ended up spending half the day looking at a potential new house and visiting my inlaws.
1pt out of 4. 1 for 100g protein. Slipped up on no junk by having a beer at inlaws place, back home too late for a workout. Ate a very decent amount of fruit and veg but not close to 800g.No.13 in the 2025 saving money challenge. Target £36,000.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.0 -
3pts today. Workout(weights), 800g veg, 100g protein. Had some cream puff cakes that we bought from the supermarket.No.13 in the 2025 saving money challenge. Target £36,000.
Monthly grocery budget challenge: £720
NSD challenge: target 10 a month
Fat loss quarterly challenge: 21%body fat to 17%.0
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 348.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 252.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 452.4K Spending & Discounts
- 240.8K Work, Benefits & Business
- 617K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 175.6K Life & Family
- 254K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards