The other side of a flippant and immature mindset. First steps. Could be long.

BrotherUuurgh

Thanks so much all, hugely appreciated. This has helped me gain some real understanding of where I am and where I can go.

I am going to open a LISA, just debating which one would be most suitable for me. I think I'll open a Cash LISA to start with as the money should be "safer" there assuming that I'm in a position to pay a mortgage in several years time. If that's not the case, I can always transfer it to a S&S LISA and try to get some better growth come retirement. Being accessible at 60, it means I only need (want) 5 years worth of money to take me from 55 to 60. This whole thing sounds so much more doable and realistic, and a whole lot less scary!

As for self investment, I'm subscribed to the big airline recruitment alerts, but nothing as yet has come up as far as apprenticeships go. It's such a shame - several years ago now I got to the final stage interview for both Thomas Cook and General Electric On Wing Support, and they went with other candidates, both citing that I was not confident enough I've done it before, I could do it again, I'd just need to get a pot of money together to live on in the mean time to supplement apprentice wages. That's another challenge entirely.

Many thanks again all

Storcko14

BrotherUuurgh said:

As for self investment, I'm subscribed to the big airline recruitment alerts, but nothing as yet has come up as far as apprenticeships go. It's such a shame - several years ago now I got to the final stage interview for both Thomas Cook and General Electric On Wing Support, and they went with other candidates, both citing that I was not confident enough I've done it before, I could do it again, 

You articulate very well and it sounds like you've grown in confidence - in part through engaging with your financial future in a thoughtful and 'can do' way.  As others have said - you have time on your side so give it a go to try and achieve a dream.  At about the same age as you I gave up a decent job, went into debt to go back to Uni to do a masters and get into IT.  Probably my best investment to date as it got me to FI at 55 and able to pick and choose contracts that I enjoy with lots of time off in between.

barnstar2077

Invest what you can afford while still enjoying today.

Also, don't forget that the £30k you have talked about isn't set in stone.  You may decide later in life that you don't need as much as you thought as you get older and appreciate different activities and interests (although at some point you will start to love a good lunch and a bit of shopping at a garden centre, and that can soon add up! :  )

Also, a lot of people aim to have a pot large enough that they can take 3% or 4% a year and still maintain the original capital (or even increase it.)  Which is great, if you have the money, but if you are a bit more flexible about how much you want to drawdown, increasing and decreasing at times, and are not afraid to eat into some of your capital you can retire on a whole lot less (I know I will be, because my time is the most important thing to me, and I'm not getting any more of it!)