Retiring at 50: September 2018

Sunday, September 30, 2018

Getting set for #Gotober

October is going to be my first full month at work. 21 days in work which should mean 21 times £3 saved a day. and at least 21 times 3 miles a day walking to work, plus anything I can do in between.

In total I have

walked 93 miles
not spent £63 at work

I started all this part way through August. and due to the holidays I have only been at work for half of September.

So lets get things going and #Gotober will be the hashtag.

Also in a weeks time should see how much selling my Dr Who items have added to the grand savings target.

Sell and save the money rather than hoard. <<< link to items being sold

Scores on the doors <<< link to total saved

Friday, September 28, 2018

Sell and save the money rather than hoard.

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

September summary of money saved

I still have the end of the month summary to do, such as the shares which I won't know until at end of play Friday I will know the latest share price, so that will be factored in to the end of the month summary.

But there are certain things which wont change there is £9 to add from the last 3 days of work (as I have no work until October) and a pound a day since starting the Supercharged 1p challenge <<< which you can find more info about at the link provided. So there have been 19 days since start to 30th September which would be £19.

£28 in total to put away panel at the side will show totals and projections.

September walking summary so far.

62 miles in August and 31 miles in September 93 miles in total.

September has been light due to the two week holiday, I had hoped to fit some walks in when we were off, but it has been fraught so have put it on the back burner. As I am back to work on the 1st October, that is when I will get back into my stride (pardon the pun)

So for the moment I am just totalising ready for then.

Saturday, September 22, 2018

Holiday

Time to make a wish, and here is a glorious rainbow that we had on our holiday for you to make your wish against. Obviously mine was to retire at 50 so I can be with our lass.

We didn't do as much walking as I thought we would, thanks mostly to storm Ali, so have nothing to add to the miles done so far, as for the walking we did do, I forgot to monitor.

As for money saved. there is £9 to add from the last 3 days of work and a pound a day since starting the Supercharged 1p challenge <<< which you can find more info about at the link provided. So 10 days would be £10. £19 in total to put away, which I will do the first Wednesday in October. so I have the days between now and then, a day at work and anything else I have come across.

In regards of the 1p challenge I am today 11 days in so saving £11 which on the 1p a day method would have been 66p so currently £10.34 ahead of the curve. Which is what I wish to do to help to get to the £50 grand goal, if you look at the panel at the side you will see the total saved. the projected total if I kept it up as usual, and then the progress I have done to exceed this.

Now back to enjoying the holidays.

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#rainbow over #wooler pic.twitter.com/5equavFwnh
— retireatfifty (@retireatfifty) September 19, 2018

Sunday, September 16, 2018

How to boost a supercharged 1p challenge

On Wednesday I started my own 1p challenge, which I was going to extend over 6 years which in itself gave a projected total of over £23,400.

The premise being that on day 1 you save 1p, day 2 you save 2p, day 3 you save 3p and so on until day 365 you save £3.65. Now on Monday I rounded it up to a £1 as I didn't really want to be putting a penny in the savings account, and had said I would round up the total to the nearest £. But then I thought, wouldn't it be good to save more?

So here is the plan, from day 1-100 I save a £! a day, from day 101-200 I save £2 a day, and from 201-300 save £3 a day and so on, this will boost the projected total. Which is an aim for each of my differing areas I aim to source money from and save. So the panel on the right will have current savings, projected savings, and changes in projection. The first amount of savings won't be added until the first week of October, but it will be great to see them boosted even further.

Would love to read your own thoughts, or any ideas you have for saving money.

21 days of walking to and not spending money at work

Stats.

So far in September I have walked 31 miles which is 93 miles in total since starting this blog

I have stopped myself from spending £63 at work (£27 of which in Sept) on sweets and snacks I don't really need.

Thoughts.

This Saturday is the last day of September of which I was going to be at work, it is not until the 1st October to which I return to work. I will however still be walking so when we are on holiday I will be monitoring how far we walk and add that to the total above. So should easily smash through the 100 mile mark whilst off.

As for saving? Well I won't have the £3 a day to put away but I will have my Supercharged 1p challenge <<< click the link to read more, which I have found a way of boosting. Which is going to be what my next blog post will be all about.

Happy with 15 days away from work, and happy I have completed 21 days unbroken walking and not spending money at work. Onwards and upwards.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

20 days of walking to and not spending money at work

Stats.

So far in September I have walked 28 miles which is 90 miles in total since starting this blog

I have stopped myself from spending £60 at work (£24 of which in Sept) on sweets and snacks I don't really need.

Thoughts.

The reason why I think I will do well at this project above all other projects in the past, is down to simply taking things one step at a time and getting into the routine. Before you know it, you are 2 years in and have saved a good amount of money, hopefully a lot fitter as well.

I have played games on my phone for years, so why not do this project. What is the worst that can happen? If I don't do as well I will only have saved a little bit and potentially stayed the same, in fitness and weight levels. But if I do nothing, then I have the same amount if not less money and be the same level of fitness or more than likely even less fit and unhealthy.

It seems a win, win. Can't say I am one for motivational stuff. But, plan for failure and that is what you get, and I feel sitting around and doing nothing would have only have led to that conclusion.

Soon me and our lass will be on holiday, so fitness up but saving down all that we will be saving is the Supercharged 1p challenge <<< click the link to read more. Plus the money I put away for the share plan. So one more day of walk to work and not spending money on sweets, and then into freestyle mode. Be interesting to see what crops up.

Friday, September 14, 2018

19 days of walking to and not spending money at work

Stats.

So far in September I have walked 25 miles which is 87 miles in total since starting this blog

I have stopped myself from spending £57 at work (£21 of which in Sept) on sweets and snacks I don't really need.

Thoughts.

People look at various tasks, and find them impossible to do, they see a huge mountain in front of them and wonder how are they going to scale it? The answer, one step at a time.

I have started then put away lots of projects, but noticed I had played certain games for years. That got me to thinking, that if I can play a game on my phone for years. Forge of Empires (2 years and counting) Simpsons-Tapped out (3 years and counting). Then why can't I be more productive.

This is why I am excited about the Supercharged 1p challenge <<< click the link to read more.

It will then add to the goal of saving money for when I am 50. If you say that I will save £50,000 in 6 years. You would say that, it is very difficult if not impossible, and bring out every reason to support the fact, the 6 years would fly by and you would be in the same position, wishing you had been able to save £50k.

Where as if you take it one step at a time, 1 penny at a time slowly building up, bringing what ever else you have to it as well, and see that momentum grow, and with it the sum of money, which in itself will gain more money via interest. Then even if I don't get the £50,000 I will be somewhere very close to it, but much further forward than if I had done nothing.

Well that's my thoughts, would love to read yours. Plus any ideas you have as well.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

A supercharged first day for the supercharged 1p challenge

Yesterday I blogged about how I was going to Supercharge 1p challenge <<< click the link to read more.

So yesterday turned into a very good day.

Another 4 miles walked which brought my total so far to 84 miles (22 miles of them in Sept)

Then I started the 1p challenge, now I rounded the penny up to the nearest pound, so moved across the £54 I had saved from not spending money at work. the £1 from the challenge and I got a £100 for the phone which I had won (had only been expecting £60) at one point thought I would be going home with the phone as the first trading in store I waled into didn't even want to give me a price for the phone. But good fortune was on my side, and I found an independent trader, who like me probably saw it's value on ebay (£150 plus) and gave me a £100.

Now you might be asking why didn't I sell on ebay? Yes! I should but to be honest I wanted the money without the hassle, and who is to say it would sell? You see lots of things saying they will sell for that but I have had plenty of items come back unsold.

So £155 deposited into the savings account. £1.50 was already in there and 6p interest so to be honest I lumped it altogether under interest.

I have also looked at me google adsense account, I have had money stored up for about 18 months £34 and you need £60 to withdraw it. Who knows how well this blog will do? But I have done well with blogs in the past, and when I hit the £60 mark again I will take it out and add it to the savings.

so the total saved so far is

Actual saved total £356.56

Combined projected total £31,696.11

Goal £50,000

Watch the panel on the right hand side as adjust the projected total, and lets hope in the next 6 years I can reach my goal of £50,000

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

The supercharged 1p challenge to retire at 50

Link to calculator used

The 1p challenge is designed to help folks save money through the year. Quite simple on day 1 you put away 1p, on day 2 you save 2p, on day 3 you save 3p, each day increasing your saving by a penny, when you get to day 365 you are putting away £3.65 and through the year you would have saved over £650.

This got me to thinking what if I pushed this onto my goal of when I am 50, this is currently 2,165 days away (the countdown clock is at the bottom of the blog) it would mean saving over £20 a day at the end of the challenge, but what would it work out to? The answer £23,446.95 Which I thought was amazing, Imagine being able to do that?

So, I have made a plan, on each Wednesday, I will walk to town, which will also add miles to my health regime so a double win, I then transfer the money I have saved from my £3 at work each day, and the totals from the 7 days, so today as it is day one it would be £54.01 (£54 from the non spending at work and a penny from the challenge) but I will round it up to the nearest pound, every little helps. Each month the interest will be added from the savings account so all helps bundle up the total.

Also, from time to time I get different items to sell. I recently won a mobile phone from work. So will take that to cash converters and put that money away as well.

My goal as you will see by the panel on the right hand side is to raise a certain amount of money by my 50th birthday. It will be made up of an actual figure which is money actually saved and put away and a projected figure.

Here is a possible projected figure.

£3 each working day not spent on sweets. 200 days a year times 6 years equals £3,600

1p challenge if completed £23,500 rounded up as today not putting in a penny but a pound.

interest £500 this will be more at the end of the project when a larger amount is saved.

Shares, based on current value and the shares have in the past been double their current price, so I am hoping they will double in value after the 5 years £15,000

projected £42,100 from these figures. my aim is for £50,000 by the age of 50

Wish me luck.

18 days of walking to and not spending money at work

Stats.

So far in September I have walked 18 miles which is 80 miles in total since starting this blog

I have stopped myself from spending £54 at work (£18 of which in Sept) on sweets and snacks I don't really need.

Thoughts.

This may well be me just talking to myself, as I am still to see if anyone else had come and read the blog. But it has been a very useful resource. It has kept me strong. I have mentioned before because of the time I have spent doing this, I have not wanted to be weak, and then have to start all over again.

On Monday afternoon the strength of how long I had been doing this project really helped. my lunch had been at 1pm and I had eaten my sandwiches. come 6pm I was wanting a nibble, the day itself had not been great and I was convincing myself that a snack would perk me up. But that internal battle of look at what you would lose out on, won out. So now here I write about 18 days and counting, Quite proud in myself, which is better than a feeling from any packet of crisps I would have had.

Sunday, September 9, 2018

17 days of walking to and not spending money at work

Stats.

After completing the day of work on Saturday, this September I have walked 15 miles which is 77 miles in total since starting this blog and I have stopped myself from spending £51 at work (£15 of which in Sept) on sweets and snacks I don't really need.

Now the task is getting harder, why? Due to the fact that I no longer have the opportunity to win lunch vouchers. So yesterday was a day reliant on sandwiches and the day before left over cottage pie. My resolved was held together by free coffee and pints of water. But mostly by the fact that I have done it for such a length of time that I don't want to go back and start again.

It would have been so easy to pay for a chocolate bar from the sweet machine using my contactless card. Before I could escape the challenges of not spending money, by simply not having cash on me. Nowadays everything is contactless, everything is within reach.

I stayed strong though, and to reward my fortitude, I have put the £51 pounds to one side, in it's own savings account so I can reap the rewards for my efforts.

I feel good, and I say to you "Give it a go, you will see the rewards as well" do a little each day and you can climb your mountain.

Friday, September 7, 2018

15 days of walking to and not spending money at work

First the stats. After completing the day of work on Thursday, this September I have walked 9 miles which is 71 miles in total since starting this blog and I have stopped myself from spending £45 at work (£9 of which in Sept) on sweets and snacks I don't really need.

Now this may start looking repetitive, logging each day, as I do my walk, and not spend my money. But it helps to reinforce what I am doing and lets me physically see the progress I am making. It has helped a couple of times when I have felt weak. Also when my food vouchers run out, which have been filling the gaps and making it easier to not spend my own money. I can say to myself "You really don't want to spoil all the good work do you? Do you really want to start from the beginning again?"

So it might not make for entertaining blogging, but it is helping me to reinforce my thoughts of "Keep on going!"

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Latest scales and I have lost a pound

Not money but weight. slowly but surely but it is in the right direction.

#WednesdayMotivation might be only a pound lighter than last week but as @Tesco would say "Every little helps" pic.twitter.com/NGYTJLa0wa
— retireatfifty (@retireatfifty) September 5, 2018

14 days of walking to and not spending money at work

First the stats. After completing the day of work on Monday, this September I have walked 6 miles which is 68 miles in total since starting this blog and I have stopped myself from spending £42 at work on sweets and snacks I don't really need.

Now to the thoughts. Monday had been the most stressful to date. I had taken a lunch which consisted of a tupper ware box of stew. But had been expecting to get another lunch voucher I had won at work, this didn't materialise so it left me with just the stew and a 12 hour shift. Before starting this project I would have walked across to the canteen and purchased a plate of chips to go with the stew. Then more than likely through the day, a packet of biscuits, a bag of crisps or a bar of chocolate. All of which no good for my body and would just leave a whole list of transactions on my bank account.

Whilst in the break room with my box of stew, feeling a bit down, and trying to stay strong, a work colleague came in with a big bag of crisps and a chocolate bar. I said "That's a healthy lunch" and we got talking to how I was trying to get fitter and spend less and they mentioned without prompting the same issues I had noticed. That when looking at their bank account they would see numerous transactions for the canteen at work, and feel the clothes getting tighter and tighter.

It made me feel good, to be able to wax lyrical about how I had been able to start this project, and was now 14 days in and although small amounts they all added up. It also gave me the uplift to just go back to work and not give into temptation.

The moral of the story? Keep strong and don't give in as you will be rewarded, this is a long term fix so don't give in for short term pleasure.

Monday, September 3, 2018

13 days of walking to and not spending money at work

Number 13, they say unlucky for some. Well I would have wrote about day 12 but on Saturday the Internet was down, so we have skipped to 13. Saturday has probably been the most trying day yet. Took a dinner to work, but still felt hungry before and felt tempted afterwards. It was when I first failed on the NO ADDED SUGAR quest. So that didn't make it passed 2 days. I wasn't going to buy sweets but I did need a shot of coffee. Was like a junky needing their fix, got craggy and restless, not sure if it is a pattern you get into so its something you get used to doing, so breaking that pattern and replacing it with another activity will make it better or I really did need a shot of caffeine?

But I did do another 3 miles of walking which means 65 miles in total since starting this and that was the first 3 miles of September I have 62 miles to beat from August. Here >>> August in stats a link to the month in stats, not bad for a full month.

As for not spending money at work. that totals £39 now of which £3 is for September, that was the opportunity cost for me going in my head, do I get a free coffee to relieve the pangs or buy some sweets? the NO ADDED SUGAR was a shorter term risk so I kept the longer running not spending money. But I need to get back on track for the diet, and my own well being. A slimmer, fitter me will enjoy retirement longer, will enjoy life more and our lass will be happier and not worry about my size.

Well, onwards and upwards.

Sunday, September 2, 2018

August in stats

62 miles logged walking

£36 not spent at work

Twitter 7 followers

18.3k impressions

373 page views of the blog.

Not bad for the first month and not a full month either.

Aug 2018 • 31 days

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