Author Topic: 2018  (Read 13194 times)

poppydog

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Re: 2018
« Reply #50 on: January 09, 2018, 07:51:40 AM »
These are exciting times for us though - Mrs PD and I will both submit our resignations to our respective bosses tomorrow morning - yikes!

How did it go?

It went very well!  I work for a European based global megacorp, and my boss is in Germany.  They are decent pepole and I've never suffered from some of the megacorp-type awful working practices that some of our USA based fellow MMMers report.

I'd been signposting this to my boss for some time and we've been succession planning, and my resignation has been accepted with good grace and some nice words.  Here's to 27 April!
« Last Edit: January 09, 2018, 02:08:13 PM by poppydog »

Playing with Fire UK

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Re: 2018
« Reply #51 on: January 09, 2018, 10:25:03 AM »
So pleased for you @poppydog !!

dreams_and_discoveries

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Re: 2018
« Reply #52 on: January 09, 2018, 12:34:39 PM »
So pleased for you @poppydog !!

Seconded, fabulous news - enjoy your last few months working.

poppydog

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Re: 2018
« Reply #53 on: January 10, 2018, 05:17:30 PM »
Thanks for the best wishes guys.  It’s appreciated.

PD

never give up

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Re: 2018
« Reply #54 on: January 11, 2018, 10:17:00 AM »
That’s great poppydog. Pressure off for the last few months I hope and you can just potter around finalising the succession details. Has it sunk in yet or had you been planning it so long it was almost an anti-climax?

poppydog

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Re: 2018
« Reply #55 on: January 11, 2018, 05:55:03 PM »
Hi NGU.  For years we were planning on both retiring at the end of June 2018, and it’s only recently that we decided to advance the date by two months, so it’s coming at us a little quicker than we thought.  In all truth it hasn’t really sunk in yet, and I’m not sure when it will! 

never give up

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Re: 2018
« Reply #56 on: January 11, 2018, 11:23:01 PM »
Yes I can imagine. Not quite in the same league but I paid off my mortgage a year ago and even now the significance of that milestone is still sinking in. Sometimes I forget it’s even happened and other times I feel such peace and joy I have to punch the air/do a jig of delight/attempt to moonwalk etc. Both retiring at the same time is really cool though. Something shared like that is really special.

poppydog

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Re: 2018
« Reply #57 on: January 12, 2018, 12:30:50 AM »
Well done with the mortgage NGU.  You’re miles ahead of where I was at your age.  Mrs PD and me only got together at around the age you are now and pretty much had to start from scratch.  That was 19 years ago.

We paid the mortgage off four years ago which was four years ahead of schedule.  It’s a wonderful feeling isn’t it?  We’ve been saving and investing the equivalent of the mortgage and it’s associated insurances ever since and that’s allowed to go way beyond our planned FIRE amount.

Just over three months to go.  There’s the small matter of us becoming grandparents next month to keep us occupied in the meantime!

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Re: 2018
« Reply #58 on: January 12, 2018, 01:16:22 AM »
Wow you really are in the midst of some very special times! It’s really great to see such a positive story. I’ve had a bit of a mental slump recently so stories like yours really help and I think are the biggest positive of these boards.

sea_saw

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Re: 2018
« Reply #59 on: January 12, 2018, 03:21:48 AM »
@poppydog , I'm so excited for you. I'm not impatient to quit work at the moment but I feel like your story is what it's all about. Teamwork, family, freedom to change your life as your circumstances and preferences change! You got it! You'd better keep us up to date :)

londonstache

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Re: 2018
« Reply #60 on: January 12, 2018, 03:46:27 AM »
@poppydog @never give up great to hear - giving me plenty of motivation with a long way yet to go to FI/RE!

edgema

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Re: 2018
« Reply #61 on: January 29, 2018, 05:41:03 AM »
My 2018 goal is to keep my head down for my OMY, but not wish time away and enjoy life until my FIRE date of March 2019. 14 months to go!

We are all prepared and have already moved to a MCOL area (Devon) and have our financial plan set (SIPP, ISAs and rental properties). All that is left is to "do the time".  FIRE journey started, in terms of really thinking of the RE part, about 4 years ago so not too long to go now.

poppydog

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Re: 2018
« Reply #62 on: January 29, 2018, 02:32:34 PM »
April will be my last ever salary payment, and it includes my annual bonus.  My friendly HR person told me I could drop the entire gross pay, including some unused holiday days when I retire, into the company’s DB pension as an AVC, avoiding tax and national insurance.  I’ll close down the DB shortly after and transfer to my SIPP.

I’ll save several thousands in tax, as a huge chunk of the payment would have been at higher rate.

Happy days! 

Mrs PD are still firmly on track for RE on 27 April, and our grand-baby is due in two weeks.  Exciting times!

Best wishes to all the U.K cohort here.

PD

Kwill

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Re: 2018
« Reply #63 on: January 30, 2018, 11:29:24 AM »
Congratulations, Poppydog! I hope you enjoy the break.

On my goals for 2018, I've only bought lunch at work once so far. I had an offer accepted on a flat
last week, and so far things seem OK with that.

TartanTallulah

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Re: 2018
« Reply #64 on: January 30, 2018, 01:52:24 PM »
Slight change of plan for me already. Although I'm still on track to be able to afford to retire this year, work circumstances mean I'll have to stay till the end of January 2019. And if I stay till the end of January, I might as well stay till the end of the financial year.

I'm trying to focus on the positives. An extra 6 months' pay (for I'd more or less decided I'd stay till the end of September rather than finishing at the end of June), and our cash savings won't have to be used to bridge the gap between retiring and taking my pension because there won't be a gap. Our carbon footprint for the first five years of FIRE is expanding in front of my eyes.

poppydog

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Re: 2018
« Reply #65 on: January 30, 2018, 03:07:56 PM »
Congratulations, Poppydog! I hope you enjoy the break.

On my goals for 2018, I've only bought lunch at work once so far. I had an offer accepted on a flat
last week, and so far things seem OK with that.

Nice one Kwill, best of luck with the flat.