Why We’re 100% in Equities

On By Mr WayIn Finances, FIRE, Optimisation7 Comments

Our investment strategy has always been 100% equities, with no allocation to bonds or other asset classes. There are several reasons we came to this conclusion, which we want to cover in this post.  

When we say 100% equities, this is within our actual FI funds, which are housed in our ISA and pension accounts. Our emergency funds are in 100% cash and cover roughly 6 months of living costs. For more info on how our FI funds look at the moment see our 1 Year of Blogging post.

Our 100% equities allocation consists of index tracker funds with a global spread. This reduces the risk of being over-exposed to any particular country.  

Continue reading “Why We’re 100% in Equities” →

Monthly Spending – April 2020

On By A Way to LessIn Coronavirus, Finances, FIRE, Monthly Spending2 Comments

Summary 

Our first full month of lockdown has had a huge impact on our April spending.

Our total spend for the month was £1,559. This is well within our £2,000 target. It’s actually our second lowest month since we started tracking. Beaten only by August 2019 when we were in Africa and most of our accommodation and food was pre-paid!!

We break our main expenses down into broad categories starting with the big 3; housing, food and transport. Everything else falls into the entertainment category, with any large inclusions explained in detail.  

Continue reading “Monthly Spending – April 2020” →

Frugal Food – Grow Your Own

On By Miss WayIn Coronavirus, Frugality, Optimisation2 Comments

Our Coronavirus Journey – Part 3

There has never been a better time to begin simulating The Good Life and ‘grow your own’!

The current Coronavirus lockdown has given us all the opportunity to spend more time in our gardens. We’re using this time to rediscover our green fingers!

With many supermarkets low on lots of fruit and veg, having your own supply has become more important than ever.

All you need is some decent compost that is not at an exorbitant price! We found B&Q particularly useful as they’re offering a very efficient collection service, with social distancing thrown in!

Continue reading “Frugal Food – Grow Your Own” →

Monthly Spending – March 2020

On By A Way to LessIn Finances, FIRE, Monthly Spending2 Comments

Summary 

What a strange month!! Our March spending is slightly different to normal to reflect the current situation we find ourselves in.

As we’ve detailed in our recent posts, our lives have changed massively. We’re hoping the lockdown will help us to reduce our expenses even further, especially as our income looks more unreliable by the day! 

Continue reading “Monthly Spending – March 2020” →

Seeing Opportunity in Adversity

On By Mr WayIn Baby Way, Coronavirus, Education, Finances, OptimisationLeave a comment

Our Coronavirus Journey – Part 2 

As we discussed in Our Coronavirus Journey – Part 1, we’ve been gradually adjusting to the changes in or lives since the Coronavirus outbreak started. While many of the implications are negative, we’re seeing opportunity in the adversity.

It would be easy to become overwhelmed and give up in such challenging circumstances. But there will always be new avenues to explore in unprecedented times.

Continue reading “Seeing Opportunity in Adversity” →

A Way to Less – One Year Blogging

On By A Way to LessIn Finances, FIRE3 Comments

Somehow, a whole year has passed since we started blogging on A Way to Less! We’ve learnt a lot in the last 12 months and our circumstances have changed quite significantly!

Despite everything that has changed, we continue to make progress towards our FIRE numbers and keep making small improvements to our overall lifestyle.  

Continue reading “A Way to Less – One Year Blogging” →

Monthly Spending – February 2020

On By A Way to LessIn Finances, FIRE, Monthly SpendingLeave a comment

Summary 

Our February spending went slightly over our target of £2,000 with a total spend of £2,391 because of a few big expenses. Most of these were annual amounts so should average out through the year. See the sections below for a breakdown! 

We break our main expenses down into broad categories starting with the big 3; housing, food and transport. Everything else falls into the entertainment category, with any large inclusions explained in detail.  

Continue reading “Monthly Spending – February 2020” →