July-Sept Q3 2021 Net Worth Update

It has been a good quarter personally and financially, socialy am getting out and about seeing friends and venturing back into the office one day a week. I would have killed to go into the office a few months ago but it all feels a little too much like hard work. I have also been focussing on getting fit and fit and training, community activities and my cat sitting side hustle

My studying for my second 20 CII credit module towards a qualification in personal finance R02 Investment Principles and Risk is still languishing by the wayside – I have refocussed my attention on training and community activities but it is still there as a possibility.

Finance wise a good quarter with an average savings rate for the quarter of xx (above my goal of 60%), total increase in net worth, £8,882 that is 5.5% increase since last quarter and 19.2% year to date. I took this data point right around 28/9 after which returns haven’t been so good!

MCR FIRE Meet ups had its first face to face meet up in August which was great, there was about 20 of us there at the height of the evening and a few of us stayed till throwing out time! We met online in July where two of our members Bertha and John told us ‘How they got started on their FI journey’ and September was not as advertised but we had an impromptu ‘FI Speed Dating Evening’ where members got to talk to other members about FI including ‘what is our worst investing mistake’ , ‘how do you engage our family in our FI journey’. We are now in a routine of one month face to face, next month online.

My main financial stress has been the ongoing saga of the sale of a buy to let property, it is still on tracks but what feels, like at times, not moving. As last month, some very expensive work needs doing as a condition of the sale. Everything is in place now with Planning Permission, Buildings Controls sorted and the work should start next week. So am really hoping it will all be done and dusted by Q4.

Have done some great things this quarter including

• A long overdue visit to 2 old friends L and P
• A 5 day cycle from Newcastle to Manchester
• Walks with friends including A and LandS
• A gin tasting evening with T, J and A
• Organising a launch event and a craft trail for a small Pocket Park near me
• Running guided walks as part of a local arts festival
• Weekend visits to a friend in Peterborough and one to a friend in the Eden Valley

Actions from the last quarter / Q2

• Complete my bootcamp 8 week plan and lose another 7lbs
  • Done and enjoyed it so much am doing it all again! I now have a new goal of getting some abs – am unsure how realistic it is!
• Keep getting out in the outdoors including doing a 20mile walk along the Edale skyline
  • Done me and my friends had a lovely full days walking from Hope to Hope via Win Hill, Ringing Roger, Mam Tor, Hollings Cross….
• Complete my learning for R02 and have my test booked in
  • Not done, lets bump that to next month
• Complete the work on my flat, finally sell it and invest the money
  • Not done, lets bump that to next month
• Earning another £300-£400 in my side hustle
  • Done, and some earned £719 side hustle income this quarter and while it won’t make me a millionaire, I really enjoy it, am cat sitting and it will really help with a few extra treats when I reach FI

Actions for next quarter

• Complete my bootcamp 8 week plan and lose another 7lbs to include having a plan to get them abs
• Have a plan for if / when complete my R02
• Complete the work on my flat, finally sell it and invest the money
• Earning another £300-£400 in my side hustle
• Think seriously about whether I will FIRE in June by 55th birthday. I need a pension valuation, another review, refresh and reflect on finances, and more importantly a real life plan of how I will spend my time.

How was your Q3?  Hope it went well and good luck with Q4, its nearly Xmas!