I have been tracking my income and expenses in MoneyStepper’s spreadsheet. Although I have a few more expenses this month (Xmas gifts on credit cards and unexpected motor expenses + annual insurance payments), I have still managed to get a savings rate of 67% which I am really pleased with. According to the spreadsheet my net worth has increased by 5.7% , so a positive start to the year.
This over 50% SR may also be due to the fact that I have calculated the remainder from this year’s £15k NISA allowance limit and I have a little bit spare. I have therefore invested this ‘spare’ allowance in topping up my funds NISA this month using the dividends I received on the 8th Jan. I need to make sure I have used all my tax-free savings options this year before I buy any more shares outside a tax wrapper.
I have also received some of my late employer’s pension contributions, the Pensions Advisory Service is chasing up the remainder for me. If they do pay up that should add a few hundred pound to my personal pension account which over the next few years should accumulate some additional value towards my FI status.
I am beginning to calculate my SWR as I have been using 3.5% rather than 4%. Am I there yet?
Can I give up work?
I am really unhappy with my current job – I have raised concerns with my line manager but they are not listening. The response seems to be – “tough – go on then resign – if you dont like it as its not changing”. The basis being, I was interviewed for a specific role and given another on arrival (it should have been a “short-term” placement) but I am still there and it doesnt look like there is any plan to move me back.
They are not giving me any feedback on whether I am doing well or not in this placement – they avoid the question. Their management style is ‘bullying’ and stress inducing and so in my eyes, I am doing badly and need to do better. I seem to be getting slapped every week, as is everyone else. I am doing a job that I am not actually qualified or experience at doing – so I am making mistakes and errors due to my lack of knowledge and having to pay the price with ‘verbal slaps’ for getting it wrong or not doing it as they expect.
Team moral is low and getting lower by the week. People I am working alongside are talking of leaving due to this ‘culture’. They too seem to be doing jobs that are very different to what they were told they would be doing and are also unhappy.
The lure of FI is growing strong due to this and I am even just thinking of leaving, then look for a different job in a few months time, I am not quite sure I have reached the magic figure to say I am truely FI but I have a good comfort blanket. But then, am I really not going to work again? I will probably do something, it just will not pay as well as the job I have now.
I even received my National Trust magazine with an article about volunteering and how doing this has led to a number of volunteers taking up paid roles with the NT. Some of these people appear to have been made redundant or retired and decided that doing something different via the volunteering angle gave them the personal rewards that working for ‘The Man’ did not.
I have also seen an ad for a local volunteer for a charity I support. Maybe these could be opportunities to get a break from the ‘Office Grind’ and think about a change in my life path.
Off to ponder my choices…