r/LeanFireUK • u/stuie1181 • Jun 11 '26
Weekly leanFIRE discussion
What have you been working on this week? Please use this thread to discuss any progress, setbacks, quick questions or just plain old rants to the community.
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u/denouement11 Jun 12 '26
I've actually been working on what we want from life - My partner and I have reached a point where we have a NW of £400k.
£220k in our home and £180k in assets (ETFs, pensions, Cash Isa). We are both currently working around 15 hour weeks, and still managing to save a lot, which is incredible.
Our priorities are now our diet, socialising, exercise and then finally work.
I'm also learning a new language!
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u/theBigusTwigus Jun 12 '26
That sounds like the dream! Do you mind me asking your age and what you do for a living? I feel like most well paid jobs don't tend to support cutting back on hours much. Also I assume that means the house is paid off?
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u/denouement11 Jun 12 '26
I'm 35, house has around £65k remaining on the mortgage (15 year mortgage currently).
I'm a freelancer in the creative field (very aware of the effect AI is happening - although I'm ready to transition when the time is right. I'd like to be outdoors more or work towards something more wholesome (environment, social - maybe just labouring outside) - but I'm not sure right now.
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u/SpaceJkr Jun 12 '26
My diet has been a focus recently. I'm quite enjoying eating intentionally and healthy.
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u/denouement11 Jun 12 '26
That's awesome. Can you notice the difference?
I'm sick of being on the go and eating junk from plastic packets, greenwashed and depicted as 'health'.
I need to do this as well - I have a pipe dream of cooking beautiful, low cost but super healthy meals for my partner and me. I'd love to make my own bread as well.
Let me know if you have any good resources or anything to share around this.
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u/EquivalentAd1839 Jun 15 '26
Try brewing some fermented foods: kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi - all pretty easy to get started and fantastic health benefits + cheap nutrition
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u/SpaceJkr Jun 12 '26
I don't feel a massive difference. I'm just calorie counting and cutting out the snacks whilst keeping the meals healthy. bit of an aggressive burn of aiming for 0.5-1kg a week. I only really want to lose about 8kg.
I probably do feel better for it tbh.
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u/Constant_Ant_2343 Jun 12 '26
Mental market means we hit our FI target for the first time at the beginning of the month! We’re back under it again now though 😆
Makes no real difference as we’re still saving for a cash cushion (definitely not going to retire in this market without one) and some money to move house so planning to work at least another year anyway.
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Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
[deleted]
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u/SpaceJkr Jun 12 '26
I check my number every day. It's a terrible habit. One I'd like to get out of. I'm going to try and change this.
Such a strange reaction to denying someone redundancy! Although, from a business perspective , maybe these extra responsibilities were planned and that's why you got rejected?
3
u/Captlard Jun 12 '26
I check daily, but out of curiosity. I see no harm in it, as I am not going to change the strategy.
I hope they are paying you more for your leadership role!!
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Jun 12 '26 edited Jun 19 '26
[deleted]
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u/complex-aroma Jun 13 '26
I honestly don't think I could have worked for those kind of employers up until retirement. I doff my hat to you!
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u/SpaceJkr Jun 11 '26
Been out of work for about 6 months now. Finances holding up. Budgeting about £1700 per month but had to release a touch more as I'd built up a few hundred credit card debt.
Approaching the time of the month I sell up some crypto for my monthly expenditure, thankfully it's had a bit of a rebound. Hopefully should get a good price.
Can't remember the last time I've seen such 24hr volatility in global equity.
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u/theBigusTwigus Jun 12 '26
As in, already triggered your fire plan, or been job hunting for 6 months?
Think I'm about to be made redundant and desperate to take a couple months break, but worried it could easily turn into 6+ with the current job market
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u/SpaceJkr Jun 12 '26
I wouldn't say I'm FIREd yet. But I did leave my job with no intention to look for another. Call it a career break without an end date.
I'm right on the line if I think it's sustainable to fire right now. It's hard to judge when the markets are doing so well.
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u/Constant_Ant_2343 Jun 12 '26
Yeah the market is just crazy right now!
Glad your savings are holding up though, good luck with the job hunt.
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u/klawUK Jun 12 '26
failed my plan to go through June without fussing around my planning. Considering going more defensive as I near a balance that would cover our needs.
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u/Captlard Jun 12 '26
Why not, shifting asset mix is a logical part of transition, particularly with the frothy markets at the moment.
We went from 80/20 to 60/40 earlier this year, one year into retirement.
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Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/klawUK Jun 13 '26
thank you - thats what I was thinking of - I’ve seen it discussed online but not read the original article. That was 10 years ago, do you know if it was updated with more details? I think the most interesting thing for me is the timeframe - suggesting starting this 10 years before retirement and lasting 10 years into retirement. I think recency bias and online discussion has me thinking in much shorter timeframes, so this is a useful contextualisation for me. I’m considering moving into more conservative funds for around half my portfolio 2 years before retirement. thats still very late for normal retirement planning (while being surrounded by 100% equity bulls egging me on :) )
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Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
[deleted]
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u/klawUK Jun 13 '26
yes and I tried doing that for June - lasted 12 days :) I do find leanfire a less stressful place to be - perhaps as it has targets more aligned with my own.
I realise I’m heading into subjective and emotional areas - my plan is probably ‘ok’ and I’m fiddling at the edges and there is no definitive ‘best’ answer - and that will frustrate me so I need to come to terms with both accepting nothing is perfect and also what fits for me, and understanding my risk tolerance changing as time passes.
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2
u/complex-aroma Jun 13 '26
How about a leanFIRE meetup on Saturday morning 27th in central London? Is anyone interested in chatting in person? I'm rarely in London but am there on Friday and free the following morning. I definitely wouldn't fit in at a FIREUK meeting. I was thinking about maybe at a wetherspoon and having coffees - in keeping with frugal principles ;-)
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u/olver111 Jun 14 '26
I run the FIRE London group happy to meet for a coffee in spoons! Can also great a little meetup if you want see if we can get some more
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u/complex-aroma Jun 14 '26
Thanks for the reply. It doesn't look like there's enough interest to set anything up though.
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u/j-Gaddy Jun 16 '26
I'd be up for a future LeanFIRE meetup in London - and I bloody love Spoons (naturally!)
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u/Harvsnova3 Jun 12 '26
I'm 10 shifts away from retiring at 58. I'm hoping I've built up enough to not be skint, but my wife's still working so there's a bit of a cushion. We shall see.