Wednesday Reads: 9/6/2021

A round up of interesting or cool stuff I’ve read.

Interesting links that caught my eye this week:

Money Flamingo – The Life-Changing Magic of Semi-Retirement
Mrs Flamingo espouses the benefits of her semi-retired lifestyle. In particular, the flexibility offered and the ability to smooth your transition to retirement (as opposed to going immediately from a 40+ hour work week to zero!).

Yahoo – Want a comfortable retirement? That’ll cost you £305,000
£305,000 seems kind of low at first, but on further reading it’s specifically for those retiring at 65 (not early retirement!) and relies on the state pension to make up the difference. With over 30 years until I’m eligible, I’m not convinced that I can rely on the State Pension in it’s current form. Nonetheless, I think this article makes achieving a decent retirement seem achievable for the average person.

Action Economics – Take Massive Imperfect Action
A similar message is “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.” Rather than fussing over the minor details, you’re generally better off just getting started (be it investing, exercising, writing, etc).

Incognito Money Scribe – Prioritizing Goals with Death
“What death seems to teach us about living a good life isn’t necessarily to prioritize the achievement of goals and all the accolades and rewards that come with them. But rather to honor your values, follow your passions, dedicate yourself to only things that give your life the most meaning — today, tomorrow, always.”
I can empathise; back when Covid was new, unknown, and everyone appeared to be at risk, I had a very real fear that one of my parents might catch it and that the worst would happen. Thankfully that did not come to pass, but nonetheless it instilled in me a sense that life needs to be lived with no regrets!

Thomas Kopelman – What You Need To Know Before You Invest In Anything
A useful recap of basic advice for new and experienced investors alike.

Tutor2FI – When Will My Life Begin?
An insight into the type of life that I’m sure many of us can relate to. Working long days in the pursuit of enough money to finally be able to take a step back and relax. But how long is that sustainable?

Monevator – How to manage multiple portfolios
“I have a SIPP and ISA, and run a SIPP and ISA for my wife. That’s four portfolios. I’m not sure it’s prudent to pick the same set of funds for each, or even the same kind of asset split across all four.”
A useful article addressing the above question, drawing some conclusions that I hadn’t thought of. In particular, the risks of one spouse’s pension greatly exceeding that of the other.

Elementum Money – A (Probable) Guide to Happiness
An interesting overview of the different types of happiness. I wrote similar musings on happiness a couple of months ago, but Elemuntum Money delves into the subject with much greater detail!

Guardian – ‘A career change saved my life’: the people who built better lives after burnout
A variety of examples of people who switched careers for the better.

Fates on FIRE – A GREAT FLING WITH SPRING!
A great example of the things you can achieve when you take life by the horns. And it’s not even a grand, world changing thing. But starting a band, volunteering, exploring the local area… all very inspiring after the last year!

Thanks for reading. Hope you’re all having a great week!