Frugaling my way to FIRE

lilian1977

Percentage to £100k net worth: 95.2%

Percentage to £500k target: 19.04%

Happy Christmas all! Haven't posted for a while again, but savings have continued and investments continued to grow (slowly).

Hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday, I am once again back on the wagon and also plan to step it up health wise in the New Year - I turn 49 in August and want to be as healthy as possible going into my fiftieth year. 

lilian1977

PipneyJane said:

I shall watch with interest @lillian1977.  It’s only recently, having turned 60 two months ago, that I’ve started thinking about retirement.  That won’t be possible until our current fixed-rate mortgage expires next year.  (And then we can pay the damn thing off.)

- Pip

Good luck Pip! We paid ours off a couple of years ago and it felt so liberating.

lilian1977

Sausageroll14 said:

We had a little bonus this month so we have saved  over 10% towards our target. It's taken a very long time and alot of careful non spending and religious saving. It's never been straight sailing. So I am going to enjoy reaching this milestone. That first 20% is blood, sweat and tears and worth every single one of them!!!! 😁😁😁

Congratulations!

Humboldt

lilian1977 said:

Percentage to £100k net worth: 95.2%

Percentage to £500k target: 19.04%

Happy Christmas all! Haven't posted for a while again, but savings have continued and investments continued to grow (slowly).

Hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday, I am once again back on the wagon and also plan to step it up health wise in the New Year - I turn 49 in August and want to be as healthy as possible going into my fiftieth year. 

Happy Christmas! Well done on your progress to date, looking forward to more updates in the New Year.

lilian1977

Thank you! The problem I have with updating is I feel like no one will be interested in my mundane updates, but I know that it helps me keep on track so I'm going to make an effort this year, even if it's just for me.

This weekend I have:

Used a Tesco gift voucher (bought from Quidco before Xmas with a £3.50 cashback bonus) to pick up a few fresh bits that we needed.

Done a couple of Curious Cat surveys which paid out so have added that to my ISA.

Stayed home when people were going to the pub - I'm exhausted and think I'm getting ill anyway, but saved a few quid.

I have also registered for Dry January so that should save some money too.

Have great days everyone!

retiredinfrance

Keep on posting, please . I’m a keen reader of everyone’s journey, as are lots of others. Bon courage as we say here!xx

Rosetta92

Definitely keep on posting please. I’m needing to make similar plans and want 2026 to be the year I set a clear path to retirement, even if I’m not quite ready to actually stop working yet. 

lilian1977

Say no more, I will continue to post!

Little things today:

£1.10 from Curious Cat to my ISA

An Ebayed copy of The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober arrived - I have read and resold this before and it helped me give up alcohol for almost 10 months, so I decided to repurchase to read again, hopefully it will help me reduce, if not give up, again.

Out at the football tonight, food is 25% off if you get there an hour early so we will do that - we should really take our own but it's going to be freezing and I don't think they'll let me take I'm a metal thermos! Will start taking sandwiches when it gets warmer but for now it's our main family time so I don't mind the cost. We nearly missed out on going entirely as our car was written off yesterday but we have a courtesy car on the insurance. 

Breakfast was toast with mashed banana, half a grapefruit (Super 6 at Aldi, 29p) and coffee. Lunch was pasta which I doubled up so enough for tomorrow, with Christmas chocs for pudding!

I think that's everything. Happy days all.

lilian1977

Percentage to £100k net worth: 95.6%

Percentage to £500k target: 19.1%

Afternoon all

I hope everyone had a great New Year! We went to a couple of pubs then came home to watch New Year's TV - didn't have the champagne we'd bought as we were so tired, so putting that away for our anniversary in April. 

Just back from a weekend away visiting my parents, a few planned meals out, but now it's Monday I am starting my 2026 moneysaving with a vengeance! Breakfast and lunch from stores, already made lunch for the next two days at work as well. 

No plans this week aside from football at the weekend, so hoping for a quiet week. I can't stop sleeping - 9 hours plus for the past three nights, which is unheard of for me, especially when I'm staying in a hotel. Still feel really tired though - having a health check at the doctors this week so will mention it. 

Have a lovely week everyone. 

Humboldt

lilian1977 said:

Thank you! The problem I have with updating is I feel like no one will be interested in my mundane updates, but I know that it helps me keep on track so I'm going to make an effort this year, even if it's just for me.

This weekend I have:

Used a Tesco gift voucher (bought from Quidco before Xmas with a £3.50 cashback bonus) to pick up a few fresh bits that we needed.

Done a couple of Curious Cat surveys which paid out so have added that to my ISA.

Stayed home when people were going to the pub - I'm exhausted and think I'm getting ill anyway, but saved a few quid.

I have also registered for Dry January so that should save some money too.

Have great days everyone!

Morning @lilian1977, I hear you, I sometimes feel the same about my own thread.  However, I remind myself that the purpose of my diary is to keep me accountable, and that it's an added bonus if it also helps others in some small way.  I am currently taking a break from posting on my own thread, but will be back soon in the hope that it continues to help me achieve my goals.  Happy New Year to you!