Part 307: Birthdays and Cinema

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE.  This week I look at the cinema industry, and share some stories from my birthdays.

Weekly Update

This week saw me complete another trip around the sun.  Older, but not necessarily wiser.  I’m at that point now where my birthday feels less about being older and more about taking stock of where I’m at.  When you are little, you always want to be older.  The point at which that stops and you want to be younger again is when you are no longer young.  

My birthday falls on 11th September, and I’ve had some interesting birthdays in my time.  The obvious one is 9/11; an event which separates what came before and what came after.  It’s a dividing line in our history.  I’m not going to dwell on the negatives of that day because I think better writers have said it all before.  It was a tragedy, and good people died senseless deaths.

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2017 – Catania

I’ve told this story a few times, but more recent readers might not have heard it before.  Back in 2017, I was heading to Malta at the start of September, and Oana was in Romania seeing her family.  The plan was that I would spend some time in Malta with my family, and then fly on to Romania and spend some time there before flying back to the UK with Oana.  

It just so happened that the only flight from Malta to Bucharest was on my birthday.  So, I spent some time with family in Malta, and at 3am on September 11, I made my way to the airport.  There wasn’t a direct flight to Bucharest.  Instead, I had a short flight, maybe twenty minutes, from Malta to Catania, and I then had to catch a connecting flight about an hour later to Bucharest.  I had booked with an agent, Kiwi, I think they were called, and I completed the first leg of the trip with Air Malta and the second leg with Blue Air.

The flight from Malta to Catania was horrible.  We barely broke through the clouds.  It was bumpy, noisy, uncomfortable, and more than a few people were crossing themselves and muttering prayers.  It was not a good flight.  When we landed, I was in a mad rush to exit the plane because I had to get my suitcases and then recheck them for the next flight, for some reason.  I had one large case, a smaller case, and a backpack.

I managed to get my cases and get to the check-in area.  I looked at the departure boards for my flight, and there was nothing about mine.  A few other people were looking confused as to where this flight was.  It was due to depart at roughly 8am, if I remember correctly.  That time came and went, and no one in the airport knew anything about the flight.  

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I got chatting with some other passengers, and they were in the dark about it all as well.  I managed to get through to someone at the agency I booked with, and they didn’t know anything either.  They said they’d look into it and call me back shortly.  When they called back, they had bad news.  The flight had been rescheduled.  Not delayed.  Rescheduled.  It had been rescheduled for 19:00 that day.  Now, because it wasn’t a delay, I was not eligible for compensation.  The airline claimed we had been informed.  I checked through my emails, junk and spam folders, as did the other passengers.  None of us had any contact from the airline. 

So, here I was, in Catania airport with two suitcases, on my own, with over a full working day to wait for my flight.

Catania airport is, in fairness, shit.  At the time, it had one pharmacy, one cafe, some sort of buffet-style canteen, several car hire desks, and that’s it.  Not even anywhere for me to store my luggage.  It wouldn’t have been so bad if I had been able to store my cases and go explore the island, but I was exhausted as I’d not slept the night before, and it was hot, and I was pissed off.  I decided to wait it out at the airport.  

In my time at Catania, I read a book, searched for alternative flights and routes, read some stuff online, and wandered the airport, such as it was.  The flight was further delayed rescheduled until just after 21:00.  I had the most depressing birthday coffee and cake in history. 

Whilst there, time lost all meaning.  I didn’t know if I’d been there a day, a year, or if it was without end.  The airport simply was, and I was trapped there.  

I was alone, forgotten, without escape upon the hard horn of the world. There I lay staring upward, while the stars wheeled over, and each day was as long as a life-age of the earth. Faint to my ears came the gathered rumour of all lands: the springing and the dying, the song and the weeping, and the slow, everlasting groan of over-burdened stone. And so at the last Gwaihir the Windlord found me again, and he took me up and bore me away.

Apologies, I went full Gandalf for a moment. 

Anyway, the point is I was there for a while.

When the time to check my bags came, I asked the agent if I could have a window seat as far back as possible.  I wanted to be as far away from everyone else as possible and just get my head down and sleep for the flight.  

I boarded the aircraft, and it was like something from the 70s; which century? Don’t know.  

My seat was on the right side, almost in the last row.  I got seated and rested my head against the cabin.  A short while later, a very large lady sat down on the aisle seat in my row.  The middle seat was empty, and the call came over that boarding was complete.  Now, because nothing could possibly go my way on this journey, the lady in my row called her even bigger friend to come and take the middle seat.  I was trapped.  Further to that, my seat broke and was reclined for the whole journey.

The flight wasn’t too bad.  It was very late, and I was able to look down on the lights of the Italian coast.  We landed in Bucharest some time after midnight.  

Worst.  Birthday.  Ever.  

Customer Service

I posted last week about Halifax being a bit poor.  Well, they’ve sorted it all.  The mortgage is done, and the complaint is resolved, and once they finished dealing with all that, they flew to the Middle East and sorted out everlasting peace, before curing cancer, and cracking fusion power.

In case you didn’t realise, the previous paragraph starts with ten words of truth and then a whole load of bullshit thereafter.  We are still waiting for Halifax to do what? Don’t know.  

They need to find a team that can overcome an issue with my mortgage.  The issue with my mortgage is, seemingly, that it’s a mortgage.  Now, I know that asking a mortgage lender to make changes to the mortgage I’ve had with them for thirteen years is somewhat daring, but I thought they might be able to step up to the challenge.  I was wrong.

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The last communication we had with them was that they needed to find a team in the business that can deal with the fact that our mortgage has several parts.  It’s had several parts for almost the whole duration.  How long does it take to find a team to do this? Don’t know.

I’ve got a feeling they’re going to come back and tell me it has to be an internal remortgage, which is something I’ll not be happy about.  This involves a whole other load of work and time, and it would only be because their systems can’t handle a simple mortgage review.  If we could switch to another lender, we would.

On the subject of poor service, we’ve had another plumber ghost us.  He came to look at the job: a replacement flush and a replacement tap.  Now, he’s gone radio silent.  I don’t understand it.  

Automation and Mental Bandwidth

Every day, we make hundreds of tiny decisions. What to wear. What to eat. Whether to check that email now or later. Each one feels minor, but together they drain something precious: mental bandwidth.

Steve Jobs famously wore the same black turtleneck and jeans every day. It wasn’t about fashion, but focus. By removing one trivial choice, he freed his mind for bigger decisions.

The same principle applies to money, mental health, and even the pursuit of financial independence. By automating and simplifying the small stuff, we preserve energy for the big things: our relationships, our health, our passions, and our long-term goals.

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The Science of Decision Fatigue

Psychologists call it “decision fatigue.” Each choice we make chips away at our limited cognitive energy. By the end of the day, it’s why you might find yourself eating junk food or endlessly scrolling Netflix; the mental fuel tank is empty.

These micro-decisions don’t just slow us down; they also weigh on our mental health. A cluttered mind is a stressed mind. When every day feels like a thousand tiny battles, it’s no wonder we’re exhausted.

Automating Your Finances

Money is one of the biggest sources of decision stress. How much should I save this month? Should I invest now or later? Am I spending too much?

The good news: most of this can be automated.  Direct debits and standing orders can be set up to make sure your committed expenditure is sorted as soon as you are paid.  You can set automatic payments to your investments.  The vast majority of our regular financial transactions can be automated.  So why do people insist on manually doing this each month?

When I first set up automated investing, it was like flicking a switch in my brain. No more second-guessing, no more market-timing impulses. The money moved without me lifting a finger, and my focus could shift to things that actually matter.

Automating Your Daily Life

It’s not just money. The same principle applies to daily living.  Some high-profile entrepreneurs, like Steve Jobs I mentioned earlier, will have a simple wardrobe to cut down on unnecessary decision-making.  Meal planning can also take some of the daily stress out of your life.  If you know what you are eating each day, and your ingredients are sourced according to this, you don’t have any more instances of spending ages deciding what to eat.   

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As someone who was diagnosed autistic as an adult, I’ve found routines particularly powerful. Reducing unnecessary variables makes life calmer, smoother, and far less draining. Instead of wasting energy on whether to have toast or cereal, I can conserve it for work, writing, or being present with the people (and pets) I love.  

There’s so much in daily life that I just don’t really give a shit about because it’s just not important enough for me to spend ages thinking about it.

Mental Bandwidth as Currency

In the FIRE community, we often talk about money as freedom. But mental bandwidth is just as valuable.

Think of it as a second savings account. Every small decision you eliminate is like a deposit. Over time, those deposits compound into clarity, creativity, and calm.

That mental energy can then be invested in what truly matters, like writing a book, building relationships, or taking care of your physical and mental health.

Automation vs. Autopilot

Of course, there’s a balance to strike. Automation doesn’t mean abdicating responsibility. You still need to review your finances, your goals, and your systems from time to time.

The trick is to set it and review, not set it and forget it forever. You’re not trying to live like a robot. You’re trying to clear clutter so you can live with more intention.

Steve Jobs didn’t wear a turtleneck because he lacked imagination. He wore it so he could focus his imagination where it mattered most.

The same opportunity exists for all of us. Start by automating one small thing this week. Maybe set up a standing order into your savings account, plan three meals in advance, or lay out your clothes the night before.

Simplify the small, so you can amplify the big.

Diabetes UK Step Challenge – Update

If you want to stay up to date with my progress or donate to the cause, please check out my JustGiving page:

https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/davids-fundraising-page1055

I am now well over the million-step threshold and in a good position as I get ready for the final month of the challenge.  

What I’m Doing

Listening: The Long Walk by Stephen King.

Watching: Better Call Saul (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7

Mickey 7 is finished.  At last.  It was ok, but it felt like it never really got going.  As the story concluded, I was still waiting for the story to start.  

On Audible, I have just finished The Long Walk, which has recently been adapted to film and is showing in cinemas now.  It was a very grim story, but very much the audio version of a page turner.  I was hooked all the way through.  It’s set in a dystopian United States where a group of 100 young men take part in an annual challenge.  They have to walk at a constant pace of 4mph or more.  They can’t stop.  They can’t sleep.  They have to walk.  If they slow down, they get a warning.  After three warnings, they are executed.  The last walker remaining wins.  

I read that it was the first book Stephen King ever wrote, but not the first he published.  As I said, it hooked me from the very start.  Grim and depressing, but captivating at the same time.

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £21,000.00.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £119,556.69.

Fuck It Fund: £0.00.

Pensions: £102,824.22.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £482,748.91.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,351.78. 

Total Debts: £177,351.78.

Total Wealth: £305,397.13.

The march towards FI continues and I’m edging closer to having more than half a million in assets once more.  My assets figure took a big hit when I sold my BTL last year, but it’s starting to bounce back now.  

Is Cinema a Dying Industry?

This question popped into my head most recently when we looked at tickets to see the film adaptation of The Long Walk.  There was a time when a trip to the cinema was an event. Friday night meant queuing for tickets, popcorn in hand, and watching the big screen light up with the latest blockbuster. But walk into many multiplexes today and you’ll see half-empty seats, rising ticket prices, and a creeping sense that the golden age of cinema is fading.  It can’t be that much of a surprise when a standard ticket can cost £15 for an adult.  

The Business Reality

The numbers paint a challenging picture. Cinema admissions in the UK have been on a long, gradual decline since the early 2000s, interrupted only briefly by mega-hits like Avatar or Avengers: Endgame. The pandemic accelerated that trend, shutting theatres for months and pushing audiences towards streaming. Even now, box office revenues haven’t fully recovered.

Studios are also rethinking the economics. Once, a film’s life cycle started with a lucrative theatrical release, then moved through DVD sales, TV rights, and eventually streaming. Now, with Disney+, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, many films skip the cinema entirely. That means fewer mid-budget dramas or comedies on the big screen; the kinds of films that once filled seats between tentpole blockbusters.

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Why People Still Go

And yet, it would be premature to call cinema “dead.” Films like Barbie and Oppenheimer showed in 2023 that cultural phenomena can still draw crowds in their millions. Horror movies, too, consistently punch above their weight at the box office. Cinema isn’t gone, it’s just more dependent on “event films” that feel worth the trip.

I think back to when Oana and I used to dedicate whole days to the cinema. We’d plan it like a mini-holiday: three films in a row, with breaks in between for food, drinks, and chats about what we’d just watched. There was something fun about stepping out into daylight for a quick bite, then diving straight back into a new story. It wasn’t just about the films; it was about the ritual, the shared experience, the feeling that the day was set aside for nothing but cinema. That sort of immersion is almost impossible to replicate at home, no matter how many streaming services you’ve signed up for.

We had cinema passes at the time, meaning we could see as many films as we wanted for a flat monthly fee.  This encouraged us to watch films that might otherwise have been ignored.  But you could almost see the decline in behaviour from other customers.  People talking through films, or constantly checking their phones, and you think about the time and money spent, which is ruined by some selfish asshole.  When you get a good audience, it really can enhance the experience.  A bad audience can ruin a movie.  I think more people are now content to sit at home with the ability to pause the movie whenever they want to go to the bathroom, get more snacks, or fire up IMDB to try and work out where they know that actor from.

A Business Model Under Pressure

Value doesn’t always translate into profit. Rising costs (energy, staffing, leases), competition from streaming, and shifting consumer habits all squeeze margins. Big chains survive on blockbuster weekends, while independent cinemas often rely on subsidies, grants, or community support.

And then there’s the cost to consumers. A “cinema day” like Oana and I used to enjoy might easily run to £100 or more once you factor in food, drinks, and maybe even transport. By contrast, that same £100 could pay for a full year of Netflix or Disney+. It’s not hard to see why many people are making the trade-off, especially when money is tight.

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The Future of the Big Screen

So is cinema dying? Not exactly. It’s evolving into something different.  Rather than something you can do for cheap entertainment, the concept now seems to be luxury; reclining seats, personal table and service, premium food and drink.  

For me, it feels like cinema is shifting from being casual entertainment to something more deliberate, more curated. Oana and I won’t spend whole days in the cinema like we used to, but if we do go, it will feel as though we’ve wasted money if we didn’t enjoy it, rather than just commenting on how crap the film was before forgetting it soon after. 

Financially, it’s no longer the best value for money compared to streaming, but it offers something you can’t really put a price on: an experience.  Seeing Infinity War or Endgame on the big screen in a huge crowd was special.   The business model will not return to its pre-Covid heyday, but if the industry is smart, it might find a new place in society as a luxury form of entertainment in smaller venues, for smaller crowds. 

That’s all for this week.  Thanks for reading, and have a great week.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 306: The Death of Expertise

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE.  This week, I share my frustrating experience trying to sort out my Halifax mortgage.  I also discuss the Death of Expertise, and some more examples of poor customer service.    

Weekly Update

I swear that these weeks are passing by ever more quickly.  It seems as though I publish one post, blink, and then it’s time to write another one.  We are now well on the way to Autumn and, thankfully, we’ve had a few days of rain.  In Sheffield and the surrounding areas, the water levels in reservoirs have reduced to dangerous levels.  I saw a couple of articles in the local papers suggesting that we could have rolling cuts to the water supply if things didn’t change.  But, as I say, we’ve had a few days of rain and a couple of thunderstorms, which should have helped ease the water shortage.

As an island nation, we should start looking at large-scale water desalination.  It’s a very energy-intensive process, but the technology is improving all the time.  Although our planet is covered mostly by water, such a tiny fraction of that water is safe to drink.  Estimates vary, but it’s thought that less than 1% of the water on Earth is safe to drink.

On the subject of water, two questions have rattled around inside my head for several years.  The first question relates to rainfall and rivers.  If all global rainfall ceased, how long would it take for all rivers to dry up completely?  I’ve just checked with ChatGPT, and it seems as though some rivers could last for decades due to melting glaciers and groundwater.  

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The second question is how much drinking water is lost to water bottles that are discarded and sealed shut.  For example, you have a bottle of water which you drink, and then you twist the cap back on and throw the bottle away.  There will still be a small amount of water in the bottle, even if just a few drops.  If we think about the bigger picture with billions upon billions of bottles being discarded each year, that must amount to a sizable amount of water being trapped and lost.  Once again, I turned to ChatGPT, and it suggested that it could amount to hundreds of millions of litres each year.

Back to the week…

Anyway, back to the week just gone.  I had some routine blood tests for the various ailments I have, and the results are mostly normal.  It looks like there are a few borderline results, but nothing to worry about. 

We’ve started taking more walks around the area during the day and at night.  We’ve started to meet more of the neighbourhood cats, and we’ve even learned some of their names from talking to their owners.  Across the street, we have an orange cat and his younger friend, who is a sort of blueish grey.  They’re very friendly and we always stop and talk to them, and pet them.  

Further into the development, we have another orange cat who is always lounging on his cat tree in front of the window.  We found out he’s only young and was brought here from Dubai.  Then there’s a cat who I call “an absolute unit”.  We gave him another nickname: Chief of Kelham.  Again, he’s affectionate and always comes to say hello to us.

I could talk about these cats for hours as they’re all sweet, playful, and affectionate.  I don’t get people who don’t like animals.  What is there not to like?

On Saturday, we went to Art in the Garden, which is an annual event where artists display their works throughout the Botanical Garden.  There are sculptures out in the open, and lots of tents under which the paintings and drawings are displayed.  

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After we finished looking at the art, we went to find the squirrels as we had brought them some nuts and seeds.  We were overwhelmed by wave after wave of squirrels and pigeons.  The squirrels were climbing up our bodies, and at one point, a pigeon tried to land on my shoulder, and a short time later, landed on top of my backpack, which I was still wearing.  

It’s impossible not to smile when a squirrel takes a nut out of your hand and then stands in front of you eating it.  

After feeding time for the animals, it was our feeding time, and we went for food at Urban Pitta.  They do great salads that are made fresh and are very filling.  We sat in the park whilst eating them, and a few dogs that were out for walks came over to say hello.  One in particular made us laugh as he came bounding over with an absolutely massive stick in his mouth.  He was so excited and happy with his tail wagging.  After we praised him for catching such a large stick, he ran off to show it to other people in the park.  

All in all, it was a nice day out.  

Awful Customer Service – Octopus

Our electricity provider, Octopus, is shit.  We’ve been with them for a few years and, although they’ve been poor, apathy has stopped us from switching.  A couple of years ago, our smart meter stopped sending data, and we were unable to view any usage in the app.  Also, because of the distance from the meter room to our apartment, we can’t have an in-house display.  For a few months, we couldn’t view anything, and after many calls to Octopus, it suddenly started working again, but they couldn’t explain it.

Well, the same thing is happening now, and we’ve been trying to sort it out since May.  Every time I call or email them, they say that the matter has been passed to the meter team to complete checks.  However, no one can tell me what these checks are.  Recently, they said that they couldn’t send another request to the meter team for 20 days, but they couldn’t confirm when that 20-day period started.  Why 20 days? I don’t know.  

If there was an issue with the meter and Octopus could give clear, consistent information without me having to chase them, that would be fine.  Frustrating, but fine because these things happen.  The annoyance isn’t the fault; it’s the response to the fault.  

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Awful Customer Service – Plumbers

We’ve got a few little jobs that need doing, like a tap and flush that need replacing.  We also want a new sink in our kitchen.  We tried a few months back to get someone to do the job, but plumbers seem to have this need to say they will come and take a look, and then they just vanish off the face of the planet.  

I called one guy who came recommended by a family member.  He seemed ok on the phone, and we arranged for him to come a week on Friday, by which I mean September 5th.  I explained that we’d need a rough time of arrival to arrange parking for him in our building.  He said he’d let us know.  Days pass, and we don’t hear anything.  Oana called him on Wednesday, and he was a bit of an asshole, saying he’d turn up at 7am on Friday, and then saying it could be any time, and then saying he’d call on the day.  All in all, not very helpful.

Fool me once…

Another guy reached out after he saw our request for recommendations on social media.  He said he could come have a look “tomorrow”.  I said that was fine, so long as it was between 12pm and 2pm, as I had a meeting at 2:30.  He asked if 2pm was ok, and I said it was as long as he was gone before 2:30pm.  Remember, this was just to look at the job, not to actually do the work.  He never replied.

On the day, he messaged me at 13:53 saying he’d be with us in fifteen minutes.  At 14:15, with him still not here, I messaged saying we’d have to leave it because, even if we buzzed him in, by the time he got to our place and we explained what needed to be done, it would already be too late for my meeting.  

I thought his name seemed familiar, and sure enough, he had let us down before with the same sort of scenario.  

I don’t know what it is with tradespeople, but this sort of shit happens all the time.  

We didn’t need him to come that day.  He said he could do that day at a certain time, but then never confirmed it.  Also, maybe I’m expecting too much here, but if someone says they will be here in fifteen minutes, I’m expecting fifteen minutes, there or thereabouts.  

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Last time this guy let us down, he said he’d be here at 10am, but he didn’t show up or reply to messages until 1pm that day.  

Time is one thing you can’t get back, and people who waste other people’s time are rude AF.  

Awful Customer Service – Halifax

The last few times I’ve needed to sort my mortgage out with Halifax, there have been problems.  I don’t understand why.  I know what the process is, having done that job for well over a decade, and still being in contact with several people I used to work with there.  However, each time, something goes wrong.  

On August 20th, I had an appointment with an advisor, and it went on for a few hours, and we didn’t get everything finished because of a range of IT errors at their side.  I spoke with the advisor again two days later, and it was still not sorted, and at this point, the advisor was on holiday for a week.  I waited until the holiday was done, and then got back in touch.  It seems that nothing has been done to resolve the IT issue.  The latest word is that they don’t know what the problem is, but it’s not letting them put together the new mortgage set-up.  

Normally, I’d just go elsewhere, but we have a bit of an issue with this.  Our apartment block was one of those which had a fire safety assessment that was then found to be, let’s say, questionable.  As such, lenders aren’t lending against properties in our complex, and some solicitors are not taking on cases involving properties like ours.  

There’s not really anything wrong with the building, and the fire safety concerns are almost certainly minimal.  The ‘i’s need dotting, though, so we have to wait for this to all be sorted out.

Diabetes UK Step Challenge – Update

If you want to stay up to date with my progress or donate to the cause, please check out my JustGiving page:

https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/davids-fundraising-page1055

I am now well over the million-step threshold and in a good position as I get ready for the final month of the challenge.  

What I’m Doing

Listening: The Future of Geography by Tim Marshall.

Watching: Better Call Saul (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7

I will finish Mickey 7, eventually.  The problem is, every time I go to bed I’m just too tired to read.  I must have been working on this book for almost two months now.  

We finished Breaking Bad and El Camino, and have now started Better Call Saul.  I’m not sure why we never started it before, but we’ve finished the first season and are halfway through the second.  We’re enjoying it but I don’t agree with those who argue it’s better than Breaking Bad.  Maybe I’ll feel differently when we are further in, but Breaking Bad was something special.

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £21,000.00.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £119,222.89.

Fuck It Fund: £0.00.

Pensions: £101,753.35.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £481,344.24.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,351.78. 

Total Debts: £177,351.78.

Total Wealth: £303,992.46.

A steady week with my figures, as I’m in the middle of the pay cycle, where not much happens.  It’s going to be great when Oana gets her first wage in this new job, so we can start putting more money into our FI funds. 

The Death of Expertise: When All Opinions Are Treated as Equal

We live in an age where everyone has a platform. Social media has democratised communication in ways that would have been unthinkable a generation ago. Anyone with a phone and an internet connection can broadcast their thoughts to the world in real time. On the surface, this seems like progress: people have the right to an opinion, and those voices can now be heard.

But there’s a problem. Increasingly, people confuse having the right to an opinion with all opinions being equally valid. They aren’t.

Take medicine. If I needed heart surgery, I wouldn’t seek advice from someone who has watched a couple of YouTube videos. I’d want a cardiologist with years of study and experience. The YouTube viewer has the right to their opinion, but that doesn’t mean it carries the same weight as the professional who has spent decades honing their skills. Yet online, both voices often appear side by side, each presented as if they deserve equal attention.

Why the Confusion?

There are a few reasons why this flattening of expertise has taken hold.

Firstly, social media has removed traditional hierarchies of knowledge. A climate scientist and a conspiracy theorist both get the same 280 characters. The format doesn’t distinguish between evidence-based research and off-the-cuff speculation.  I forget where I read this, but someone made the point that news channels are guilty of presenting different opinions as being equal.  When talking about climate change they might have one climate expert and on the other side, a climate change denier.  By presenting each view equally, they ignore the fact that the overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that anthropogenic climate change is real.  

Secondly, there’s a growing suspicion of institutions and authority. “Elites” are viewed with mistrust, often painted as self-serving or corrupt. In this climate, expertise can be dismissed not because it’s wrong, but because it comes from an expert.  There’s this increasing belief that there is an underlying conspiracy to, well, everything.

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Finally, echo chambers play their part. People naturally gravitate towards communities that confirm what they already believe. Once inside that bubble, a poorly informed opinion can be amplified, reinforced, and repeated until it feels like the truth.  If you associate with climate change deniers and only read, listen, and watch content from that community, you may start to believe that you are in the majority.  

You can have your own opinions, but you can’t have your own facts.

The Consequences

The “death of expertise” has serious implications.

Misinformation spreads faster than correction. Public debates become polarised, with people shouting past one another instead of engaging meaningfully. And in professional fields, whether medicine, finance, or engineering, the danger is that bad advice, given with misplaced confidence, can do real harm.

In my own world of mortgages, it’s not unusual for someone to take professional advice and then go away to consult friends or family members who aren’t mortgage experts. Often, they’ll come back full of doubts, not because the advice was wrong, but because someone close to them confidently said, “That’s not how it works.” These conversations usually come from a good place; friends and family want to help, but good intentions don’t equal good information. The end result is confusion, hesitation, and sometimes missed opportunities.

The Value of Expertise

Of course, experts aren’t infallible. They can and do make mistakes. But the key difference is that expertise is built on evidence, training, and accountability. When a doctor, lawyer, or financial adviser offers guidance, it’s not plucked from thin air. It comes from years of study, practice, and the responsibility to be held to account if they get it wrong.

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This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t question authority. Healthy scepticism is vital in any society. But questioning should be grounded in humility; an awareness that some people genuinely do know more than we do in certain areas.  I’m something of an amateur enthusiast when it comes to astronomy and astrophysics, but I wouldn’t try to teach an actual astrophysicist how to do their job.

A Call for Informed Opinions

Everyone has the right to an opinion. That’s not in dispute. But we need to stop pretending that every opinion carries the same weight. Some are grounded in knowledge and experience; others aren’t. The challenge in our modern world is learning to tell the difference. We need to be more confident in, politely, calling out bullshit opinions.  Antivax opinions should not carry the same weight as those who have a working brain.  Flat Earth believers should not have the same significance placed on their opinion as someone who understands that we’ve known the Earth is, roughly, spherical.

What should not be ignored is that it’s possible to have uninformed, batshit opinions about one thing, say homoeopathy, but to also be an expert in another area, such as tax law.  Just because someone is an expert in one field, it does not mean they are an expert in all fields.  

In short, we don’t need fewer opinions. What we need are more informed ones.  We need to understand that all opinions are not equally valid, and being an expert in one field does not automatically add validity to all your opinions.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 305: The FI Bucket List

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE.  This week, I discuss our FI Bucket Lists. Also, things guaranteed to wind me up, and some crazy gains over the last few weeks.

Weekly Update

Last week, I mentioned that we’d been on a long walk with a good friend from university.  On that walk, I was bitten more than a hundred times by insects.  At the time I didn’t feel anything, but was the walk came to an end, I could see the little red marks on my legs.  That night, and for the next few days, my legs were itching like crazy, and the bites looked pretty gross.

Many more bites on the other sides of my legs.

On Monday, we went for another walk, but a bit more chilled out and not for six hours in the Peak District.  We went to Norfolk Park for the fair, but it wasn’t our scene, so we walked on a little more and stopped at our favourite Mexican for a little bite to eat.  

The working week was pretty hectic as it was the last few working days until the end of the month, but it meant the days passed by quickly.  Since I started this new job, I’ve found that the weeks are going by insanely fast, but maybe it’s not the job and it’s just the fact that I’m getting older.  

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Saturday was a great day and very tiring.  Oana loves to cycle and has wanted me to join her for a bike ride for ages.  I agreed to go this Saturday and really enjoyed it.  I rented a bike from a place near us and we rode along the canal towards Meadowhall with a few little detours before heading back along the Five Weirs Walk.  I’ve never struggled for leg strength or stamina, but, and there’s no other way to say this, sitting on a bike for a few hours hurts my ass.  

I think I’ll get my own bike in the coming weeks, or maybe wait until next spring, as I enjoyed the ride much more than I expected to.  

When we dropped the bike off, we went to Tesco, but something strange happened.  Maybe ten or fifteen minutes after getting off the bike, I had a searing pain in my right hip.  It was severe enough that I couldn’t walk because trying to take a single step felt like someone was twisting a screwdriver inside my hip joint.  A few minutes later, it was gone, and I’ve felt fine since.

After we dropped our shopping off and freshened up, we went out for some lunch at our favourite fried chicken place and then had a look around Waterstones.  It was a nice day with Oana, and it felt like a little preview of FI living.

The Petty Things That Annoy Me (And Probably Shouldn’t)

I like to think of myself as fairly laid-back. I don’t go looking for arguments, I don’t flip tables when the Wi-Fi drops for five minutes, and I’ve made peace with the fact that I’ll never find a comfortable pair of jeans. But every so often, one of life’s tiny annoyances sneaks in and pokes my brain like a toddler with a stick.

Here are some of the things that irrationally wind me up:

“Should of” instead of “should have.”

This one feels like a personal attack on the English language. Every time I read “I could of gone”, I hear the distant cry of a grammar teacher giving up on life.  In an unrelated internet argument, I picked someone up on their abuse of the English language; stop, it’s already dead.  They replied that language evolves, and it’s my fault for not understanding their dialect.  Well, I’m sorry, Anonymous Participant (yeah, they were arguing anonymously), but “illiterate” is not a dialect.  

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Americans calling pasta “noodles.”

Look, I get it. Different cultures, different words. But there’s something deeply wrong about describing a carefully crafted Italian dish as “noodles with red sauce.” That’s not noodles. That’s pasta. Noodles live in a pot with dehydrated vegetables and regret.  

People who say “like” before every statement.

“So, like, I was, like, walking down the street, and, like, this dog, like, barked at me…” By the end of the sentence, I’ve aged 40 years, and the dog has graduated from university at Barker’s College.  

The misuse of “literally.”

You didn’t literally explode with excitement. If you had, we’d all be wearing hazmat suits right now.  Unless you actually burst into flames at my savage retort, you didn’t “literally die of laughter.”  If you’re still here telling this story, you didn’t “literally die of embarrassment.”

People blocking train or lift doors.

You know the ones. They plant themselves right in front of the doors like Gandalf shouting, “YOU SHALL NOT PASS” while an entire carriage of commuters tries to squeeze past them.

Clapping when the plane lands.

I know it’s meant to be celebratory, but it always feels odd. Nobody claps when the bus driver doesn’t crash.  When people do this, I’m just left thinking, “Congratulations, you survived sitting down for a few hours whilst someone else did all the work.”  Actually, now that I think about it, I might have been too harsh with this if you were flying Boeing.  Yeah, if you survive a Boeing flight, clap all you want.  

Pretentious food posts.

I’m all for a nice food pic, but when someone writes “that hit different” under a photo of a beige plate of lasagne, I can’t help but roll my eyes. It’s dinner, not a spiritual awakening.

Now, do I lose actual sleep over any of these things? Of course not. But do I quietly mutter under my breath every time I see “should of”? Absolutely. Life is full of big problems, but these are just the silly little ones that make the world feel like a sitcom.

Oana’s New Job

So, Oana starts her new job on Monday but there’s a problem. Her desk and chair have been claimed by someone else:

Diabetes UK Step Challenge – Update

If you want to stay up to date with my progress or donate to the cause, please check out my JustGiving page:

https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/davids-fundraising-page1055

I am now well over the million-step threshold and in a good position as I get ready for the final month of the challenge.  

What I’m Doing

Listening: The Future of Geography by Tim Marshall.

Watching: Better Call Saul (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £21,000.00.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £119,820.10.

Fuck It Fund: £0.00.

Pensions: £102,112.17.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £482,300.27.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,351.78. 

Total Debts: £177,351.78.

Total Wealth: £304,948.49.

I’ll tell you what’s insane: twenty weeks ago, my total wealth was £265,334.22.  That’s an incredible increase from then until now.  Next week, Oana starts her new job, and with us back to being a two-income household, we’ll be able to invest more heavily once again.  

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Our FI Bucket Lists: Dreaming Beyond the Numbers

When I first discovered Financial Independence, it was all about the numbers. Spreadsheets, savings rates, compound interest; all the mechanics of getting to a point where work becomes optional. But over time, I’ve realised FI isn’t really about the money at all. It’s about what money makes possible. It’s about having the freedom to spend time the way you want, to chase experiences that feel meaningful, and to finally bring long-held dreams to life.

That’s why Oana and I have started to think more about our FI bucket lists; the big and small things we’d love to do once we have complete freedom of time. Some are realistic, some are wildly ambitious, but all of them inspire us to keep going on the FI path.

My FI Bucket List

Sail the world.
An around-the-world cruise has been on my mind for years. Waking up to new horizons, new cultures, and endless ocean views feels like the perfect way to celebrate a life built with intention.  When people say they don’t know what they’d do with their time if they retired, I’m often left speechless.  There’s a whole world out there to explore.  

A winter on the Norwegian fjords.
I picture a cabin nestled in the snow, looking out over icy waters.  There’s a sense of stillness and silence that comes with a landscape under snow.  A nice cabin, with plenty of books, coffee, and Lego.  I think Oana and I would enjoy this.

Write, and finish, a book.
I’ve had more ideas than I can count. FI means the time and focus to finally see one through, from the first rough draft to holding a finished book in my hands.  I’ve got several ideas at various stages of completion.  The problem is finding enough quality time where I’m not mentally exhausted.  

Witness the Northern Lights.
To stand under a sky alive with shifting colours would be nothing short of magical.  There’s something about the idea of watching the solar wind smashing into our magnetic field that brings space to life.  

See the Milky Way in its full glory.
Away from light pollution, tracing the arc of our galaxy across a dark sky. A reminder of just how vast our universe is, and that our vast galaxy is just one amongst billions of others.

Visit space.
This one may be a stretch, but even the possibility is exciting. To look back at Earth from orbit would be the ultimate reminder of how fragile and precious life is.  Space tourism is something that could become affordable for many people in the coming decades.  I’d love to experience it, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

Oana’s FI Bucket List

Oana’s dreams blend adventure with creativity, learning, and a deep love of animals. Her vision of FI is full of exploration, but also rooted in joy from the simple, everyday things.

Homes across seasons.
A summer retreat in Norway, a winter home in Malta, and a base in Brașov, Romania. Living with the rhythm of the seasons, and enjoying the best of each.  Almost like a digital nomad.

Extended travel.
Spending months, not weeks, exploring South Africa and Mexico, wandering through Japan and South Korea, and immersing in the landscapes of Iceland and Greenland.  There’s a difference between visiting somewhere briefly as a tourist and experiencing life there as a resident.  

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A round-the-world cruise.
Not a quick trip, but the full experience, however long it takes, embracing the journey in its entirety.

Learning for joy.
Courses in botany, animal psychology, basic survival skills, languages like Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese, even exploring crafts and online business. FI as a chance to become a lifelong student.  Not using FI as an excuse to stop working, but as a foundation to work on what interests her.

Simple skills and adventures.
Learning to knit and sew, upgrading her bike, going camping in the Peak District, and hiking across the Lake District and beyond.

A home full of pets.
Perhaps most importantly, a life surrounded by cats and dogs, a dream of happiness measured in paws and wagging tails.

What strikes me about our lists is how they balance each other. Mine leans toward the cosmic and the extraordinary, while Oana’s celebrates both the vastness of the world and the joy of everyday learning and companionship. Together, they form a vision of FI that feels rich, varied, and deeply personal.

These aren’t just daydreams. They’re the compass points guiding us on our journey and reminders that every saving decision, every step forward, is about creating the freedom to live fully.

So that’s our FI bucket list. Now we’d love to hear yours: if time and money were no object, what dreams would you want to bring to life?

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 304: Another Journalist Gets FI Wrong

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE.  This week I look at a recent(ish) piece in The Guardian criticising FI. Also, a great weekend with an old friend, and some thoughts on The Peter Principle.

Weekly Update

I don’t have much to say about the working week, as it’s just five days of working with each shift followed by hours of walking to get my daily steps in.  On Friday evening, we had an early night as we planned to be up at 4:30 in the morning on Saturday.  Why would we do such a thing, you ask?  Well, we had a good friend coming to visit, and we had a big walk in the Peak District planned.  How we made this friend is always a funny story.

Back in my time at the University of Central Lancashire, I was sitting at a computer in the library one day just doing my own thing.  On my home screen, I had the Sheffield Wednesday logo visible, and one of the guys who was working in the library saw it and came over for a chat.  He was a few years older than me with a big beard and bald head, and he was from Sheffield and also called David.  We had a nice chat, and it turns out we’d lived in the same area of the city.  I figured that was that.

Some time later, Oana got a job working in the library a few hours a week around classes.  She told me that she’d made a few friends, and one day she introduced me to one of them, and it was the same David I’d met a while before.  Anyway, since then, we’ve kept in touch and become good friends, and eighteen years later, here we are. Over the years, he’s come to visit a few times, and we’ve always had a good laugh.  This was the first time we went on a hike together, and it was good fun, but very tiring.  We walked for over six hours, covering over 14km across hills, valleys, and some cool rock formations.  

We’d like to get back to Preston, as we’ve not been back since graduation in 2010, but the problem is transport.  We don’t drive, and getting a train from Sheffield to Preston is a ballache.  You can’t get a direct train and have to change in Manchester.  What should be a fairly quick journey based purely on distance becomes a real chore.  Then, there’s the fact that our rail network is shit generally, and mega expensive.  Each time we look at it and add up how much a trip would cost, we haven’t been able to justify it.  

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Once we had finished our hike, we headed home to freshen up and rest a little.  Then, we met back up with Dave to go for dinner.  We had a great meal with every course being enjoyed and every plate being cleaned.

Early Retirement Isn’t the Problem — It’s the Work Itself

The Guardian recently argued that early retirement is bad for the UK economy, painting a picture of baby boomers cashing in their pensions, retreating to the golf course, and leaving younger generations to pick up the tab. On the surface, it’s a provocative narrative: the comfortable few indulging themselves while public finances strain and labour shortages bite.

But this framing is deeply misleading. The reality is that people don’t leave the workforce early simply because they’re greedy or lazy. They leave because the work itself is too often unfulfilling, unsustainable, and corrosive to their health and well-being. Early retirement isn’t the disease; it’s the symptom of an economy that fails to make work worth doing.

The Problem With Work as It Stands

If our jobs were meaningful, inclusive, and rewarding, far fewer people would want to retire early. Instead, the modern workplace often leaves employees counting the years until they can escape.

Uninspiring work: Too many roles are built around narrow targets, endless bureaucracy, or chasing short-term profit. Purpose and meaning are afterthoughts.

Stress and burnout: Rising workloads, long hours, and under-resourced teams leave workers mentally and physically exhausted. The UK already records some of the highest rates of work-related stress in Europe.

Lack of respect: Workers frequently feel undervalued and interchangeable, their contributions reduced to productivity metrics rather than recognised as human effort.

Ageism: For those who want to keep working, discrimination often shuts the door. Many older applicants find it nearly impossible to re-enter the workforce after redundancy, no matter their skills or motivation.

Given these conditions, why should anyone be surprised that people plan their exit as early as possible? Retiring early isn’t an indulgence, it’s a rational response to a system that too often treats people as expendable.  It’s an extreme comparison, but if people are in an abusive relationship, they are advised to leave.  I’m not suggesting all workplaces are like that, but some are.  Some are more gradual in how they wear people down until they are an empty shell of the person they once were.  For many people, their workplace is where their dreams die.

I’ve been fortunate in that Lloyds were a great employer, even if the work was dull and uninspiring.  In my new job, I have much more autonomy, and so far, the employer has been great.  But this hasn’t been my experience for all my working life.  I’ve worked for some truly awful employers in the past.  Now, my FI goal is coming primarily from a place of autistic burnout and a desire to follow my dream path of studying astronomy and astrophysics.  

The Golf Course Myth

The “golf course retiree” stereotype is a convenient political prop, but it doesn’t reflect reality. Many early retirees don’t spend their days in idle leisure. They’re providing childcare for grandchildren, caring for elderly relatives, volunteering in their communities, or even pursuing creative or small business projects they never had time for in their working lives.

These contributions may not show up in GDP figures, but they provide immense social value. In fact, they often fill the very gaps left by austerity-era cuts and an overstretched welfare state. To suggest that early retirees are purely economic drains is not only inaccurate, it’s insulting.

Productivity Isn’t the Real Issue

Critics argue that early retirement drains productivity. But the UK’s long-standing productivity problem didn’t begin with people retiring in their 50s. It stems from decades of underinvestment in skills, infrastructure, and technology, combined with a business culture that prizes short-term shareholder returns over long-term growth.

Blaming retirees is an easy distraction. It avoids asking tougher questions about why so many jobs fail to engage or inspire people in the first place.

Work Should Be Worth Staying For

The real debate we need to have isn’t about how to stop people from retiring early. It’s about why they want to retire early in the first place. The answer is clear: because work doesn’t give enough back.

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Imagine if jobs were structured to be more socially valuable, more inclusive, and more flexible. Imagine if older workers were respected and supported rather than sidelined. Imagine if pay and conditions rewarded loyalty and effort, instead of leaving people burnt out and underappreciated. In that world, early retirement would stop being a desperate escape route and become what it was meant to be: a genuine choice.

The Bottom Line

Early retirement isn’t undermining the economy. What undermines the economy and society is a culture of work that leaves people drained, uninspired, and eager to get out as soon as they can.

If policymakers want fewer people retiring early, the solution isn’t to shame or punish them. It’s to fix work itself. Make jobs more fulfilling, more inclusive, and more humane, and people will stay in them longer, not because they’re forced to, but because they want to.

Diabetes UK Step Challenge – Update

If you want to stay up to date with my progress or donate to the cause, please check out my JustGiving page:

https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/davids-fundraising-page1055

Saturday was insane, with a little over 40,000 steps completed.  

What I’m Doing

Listening: Unfit and Improper Persons by Kevin Day, Kieran Maguire, Guy Kilty.

Watching: Breaking Bad (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7

We are now in the last season of Breaking Bad, and it’s one of those rare shows that improves constantly throughout its run.  There is an argument that it peaked in season four, but I think season five serves as an interesting denouement.  Our characters have the opportunity to walk away, but greed, ego, and ambition make them continue down their destructive path.  It really is a fantastic work of fiction, and the fact IMDB rates it as the top TV show of all time demonstrates I’m not alone in that belief. 

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £20,500.000.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £119,224.14.

Fuck It Fund: £0.00.

Pensions: £101,797.42.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £480,889.56.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,640.47. 

Total Debts: £177,640.47.

Total Wealth: £303,249.09.

My total wealth has now been held above £300k for two consecutive weeks, and I suspect it will continue to rise moving forward.  Now that Oana will be starting work and we will have two incomes, it will help us invest much more each month.  It’s all looking positive on that front.

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Another bonus of Oana being in work is that we can start moving our mortgage to interest-only.  However, as with the last four or five times we’ve made changes to our Halifax mortgage, we have run into more problems with them.  I’ve spent almost three hours on video calls with the advisor, a friendly young woman who obviously knows her mortgage stuff.  The problem isn’t the person, but the systems and the process.  We’ve still not got it sorted because of repeated IT issues at their end, and now I’m going to have to wait days, or maybe weeks, for their IT team to resolve it.

I don’t understand why every single time I deal with them as a customer, there are issues.  It’s very frustrating because I often know the people I’m speaking with, and I know they’re frustrated as well.  Hopefully, there will be a resolution by next weekend.

The Peter Principle

Over dinner on Saturday, the three of us got talking about workplaces, and colleagues we’ve worked with, and the incompetent bosses we’ve had in the past.  The point came up that so many people in different workplaces seem to be, well, rubbish.  Fortunately, I had recently read an article about this phenomenon, and it even has a name: The Peter Principle.

The idea is that people get promoted to “a level of respective incompetence”.  For example, a shelf stacker might get promoted to a cashier, and in turn be promoted to a supervisor, and then a manager.  However, at this point, they have been promoted beyond their capability.  The result is they struggle, and those working for and with them also struggle as a result.  

For a single business, this can be damaging, but if it’s happening thousands of times across hundreds of businesses, then the end result is that many people will be working in jobs that they struggle to complete to a good standard. 

There will be exceptions to this, with people who are not interested in progressing, or in businesses where upward progression is difficult, but it’s an interesting concept.  

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When I look back at my employment history, I remember one guy in particular who was a prime example of the Peter Principle.  He was a colleague in a retail business I worked in through sixth form and in my gap year.  He was promoted to store manager, and he was fucking useless.  However, had he been a likeable guy, it wouldn’t have been that much of an issue.  He was a total prick, though and was constantly trying to stitch up his colleagues.  

He was eventually moved aside, and the store manager role was broken into two supervisory positions, of which I was handed one.  He didn’t take that development very well and tried to get me into trouble by staging a theft of some items in the store.  This dipshit didn’t realise he was spotted by at least five other employees.  He really wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.  

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 303: Sharks, Beards, Nukes, and Sauce

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE.  This week, I discuss everything in the title, and the true cost of a holiday when you use debt to pay for it.

Weekly Update

I’ve been exhausted all week as my walking challenge is starting to grind me down, but that’s why it’s called a challenge.  Between working and walking, I’ve not had much time for other stuff.  Oana and I have done a few nighttime walks around Kelham Island, where we’ve had conversations with a few other residents.  There seems to be a real sense of community growing in Kelham, and it’s great to experience.  This community, and all the bars, restaurants, cafes, museums, and galleries, are all part of the reason why it was ranked in the top 51 places to live in the world.  Yes, not just the UK, but the whole world.  

Doing our part…

It was our turn to water the plants on one of the bridges leading into Kelham, and it was, as always, hard work and fun.  We’ve got a good routine going on with it, though.  I cast the flexitub into the river and then pull it up over the fence on the bridge, and use the water to fill the watering can that Oana uses on the plants.  It takes us roughly an hour as we make sure each plant gets a good amount of water.  After pulling up many buckets of water from the river, it feels like a good workout.  

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Last time we did this, the bars were all busy and we had quite an audience.  This time, it was a bit more chill, although I still had a few people ask me what I was doing.  Whilst we were doing this, we saw a young woman walking a small dog off its lead.  It was some sort of terrier, and it was so old, and was happily, and very slowly, waddling down the road.  It was so cute that even the most cold-hearted person would have to stop and smile.

Neighbourhood animals…

Within Kelham, there are lots of dogs and cats, and over time, we’ve been introduced to most of them to the point we know their names and ages better than we do their owners. 

There’s one cat in particular that we’ve grown attached to.  I first spotted her a few years ago and thought she might be a stray, but then one time I saw her run into one of the houses.  Over time, we got to speaking with her owner and found out the cat is called Rosie.  She’s very vocal and always comes running over to us when she sees us.  She’s never let me pet her, which is fine, but on Saturday, when I saw her, I slowly reached down to her and she jumped up on her back legs to rub her face on my hand.  Then, she let me give her head scratches.  Cats are our favourite animal, and I’m so happy that Rosie has decided she can trust me now.

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On Saturday, we went for some breakfast in town, and I identified as a person who does not have diabetes and ordered a stack of six pancakes with bacon, maple syrup, and raspberries.  It was amazing.  

This was a little celebration to account for the fact that Oana has been offered a job, and she starts in a couple of weeks.  It’s a job she had set her heart on, and it ticks all the boxes she had; home working, part-time, and a decent wage, even adjusted for the part-time hours.  The full-time salary was such that this part-time wage will almost be as much as her last full-time role, after tax and whatnot. 

Sauces

Ok, so we need to get a few things clear: there are rules when it comes to sauces, and pretending otherwise is pure chaos. Some foods have a natural partner, and straying from that path is culinary heresy.

Brown sauce is the king

Take the bacon or sausage sandwich. By default, that’s brown sauce territory. It’s the standard, the law, the tradition. If you’re desperate or the cupboard is bare, ketchup can be tolerated, but only then. Anything else is an abomination.  Also, when I say brown sauce, I’m talking about HP.  All other brown sauces are nasty.

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Moving on to the sacred pork pie. Here, the rules are even stricter: brown sauce only. If you’re feeling fancy or running low, pickle can step in as a worthy substitute. But ketchup? Absolutely not. Salad cream? That’s a crime against humanity. Don’t even think about it.  How would one even look at a pork pie and think “this needs salad cream”. 

Chips (or fries, if you insist) are more flexible, but still not a free-for-all. What you dip them in depends on what else is on your plate. Burger and fries? Ketchup, brown sauce, mayo, and even mustard are all fair game. Chips alongside a salad sandwich? That’s where salad cream earns its keep. But let’s be clear: there’s still a line.  If you’re putting ketchup on poutine, for example, you need to fired out of a cannon into the sun.

Ketchup on pasta?

And then we get to pasta. If you’re the sort of person who smothers spaghetti with ketchup, then you probably also have a “Live, Laugh, Love” sign in your kitchen, and frankly, your taste buds aren’t just poor, they’ve abandoned their fucking post. 

In short: sauces matter. They’re not random, they’re ritual. Stick to the code, and life tastes better. Break the code, and you’re on your own.

Diabetes UK Step Challenge – Update

I’m still on track, even though it feels like I’m sometimes struggling to maintain the pace.  I need a few good days where I smash the daily required target so that I can bring the daily target down.  I’d love to go into the last couple of weeks where I only need to complete 10k steps or so each day, rather than almost 20k now.  

If you want to stay up to date with my progress or donate to the cause, please check out my JustGiving page.

What I’m Doing

Listening: How To Win The Premier League by Ian Graham..

Watching: Breaking Bad (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7

Beards, Sharks, and Fridges: Television’s Turning Points

When we were watching Breaking Bad earlier this week, there was a flashback scene to Walter White with his hair and clean-shaven look.  It’s a huge departure from the classic Heisenberg look with the shaved head and goatee.  It got me thinking about the phrase “growing the beard” that describes how shows can improve with a little tweak here or there.  This then led me down a line of thought about language, television, and storytelling in general.

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Television has its own secret language for when shows take a turn, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Over the years, three phrases have stood out: “growing the beard,”, which I mentioned earlier, but also “jumping the shark,” and “nuking the fridge.” They’ve become cultural shorthand for the rise and fall of long-running series.

Growing the Beard

This one’s the good news. A show that “grows the beard” finally hits its stride, often literally marked by a character sprouting facial hair. The term comes from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Commander Riker’s beard turned up just as the series grew in confidence and left its awkward first year behind.  I’m not saying the show was better because he grew the beard.  It just so happened to be a visual prompt of the time when the show was poor and when it was great.

It’s not just Riker. Deep Space Nine took off once Sisko shaved his head and grew a beard, matching the show’s shift into darker, more ambitious storytelling. And, obviously, Breaking Bad: Walter White’s goatee wasn’t just a style choice; it became the symbol of his transformation into Heisenberg. In each case, the beard signalled maturity, authority, and a leap in quality.  You can see a silhouette of a man with a goatee and a pork pie hat, and you know who it is.

Jumping the Shark

The flip side is “jumping the shark,” which means the moment a show runs out of ideas and starts flailing for attention. The phrase comes from Happy Days, when Fonzie, leather jacket and all, literally jumps over a shark on water skis. It was supposed to be exciting, but instead it became a symbol of desperation.

Since then, plenty of shows have had their shark-jumping moment. The Simpsons is often accused of it, with celebrity guest stars and increasingly outlandish plots overshadowing the clever writing of its earlier years.  One episode that a lot of Simpsons fans mark as the “jumping the shark” moment is The Principal and The Pauper, where the *real* Seymour Skinner returns. The Walking Dead is another example, piling on cliffhangers and recycled villain arcs until the original sense of danger and loss got lost in the noise.

Nuking the Fridge

A more recent entry in TV slang is “nuking the fridge.” It comes from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, where Indy survives a nuclear explosion by hiding inside a lead-lined refrigerator. It was absurd, even by Indiana Jones standards, and fans instantly latched onto it.  I happened to see this at the cinema, and I facepalmed so hard at this scene that I had a headache for days.

In TV terms, it’s used when a show breaks its own logic beyond repair. Scrubs tried to reinvent itself in season nine with a new setting and cast and it never worked. Heroes is another case: the more it tried to outdo itself with bigger powers and tangled timelines, the more it lost the grounded charm that made season one so good.

Marvel is going down this route now with each film involving “the end of the multiverse” stories and consequences, when in the past, many of the strongest films have had much lower stakes.  The original Iron Man film was a very personal story of betrayal.  The first Black Panther, Spider-Man, and Captain America: Civil War all had much more grounded threats and consequences.  When everything becomes an “end of the multiverse” threat, it starts to lose meaning.    

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How TV Shapes the Way We Talk

What’s fascinating about these phrases is how they’ve escaped the world of television. Fans coined them as inside jokes, but they’re now part of everyday speech. People say a brand “jumped the shark” when their identity changes and becomes unrecognisable.  A business can “grow the beard” when it finally finds its purpose.

It shows how television doesn’t just entertain us.  It can feed our language. Just like Shakespeare slipped new words and metaphors into English, modern TV keeps giving us ready-made ways to describe success, decline, and reinvention. These phrases survive because they capture something universal, in a way that’s funny, sharp, and instantly recognisable.

And that’s why we keep using them. They aren’t just about TV shows; they’re about how we make sense of change in the world around us.  When you start to think about it, there are many examples of phrases from TV that have entered popular language.  For example;

“D’oh” – Homer Simpson

“I love it when a plan comes together.” – The A-Team

“How you doin’?” – Joey

“Resistance is futile.” – The Borg

“I’m the one who knocks.” – Walter White

In addition to these lines of dialogue, there are many other phrases that, when you go down the rabbit hole, were founded or popularised from television, or television adaptations of books.  Phrases like “Catch-22”, “soap opera”, “cliffhanger”, or “big brother”.

If you are still with me at this point, thank you.  I could talk about this stuff for hours and I’ve not even touched on the idea of Villain Decay.  Anyway, let me know what you think in the comments.

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £20,500.000.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £118,248.69.

Fuck It Fund: £0.00.

Pensions: £101,090.64.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £479,207.33.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,640.47. 

Total Debts: £177,640.47.

Total Wealth: £301,566.86.

It’s nice to see my total wealth value pop back above £300k.  I withdrew the funds in my Fuck It Fund because I had a message stating the interest rate on that savings pot was being reduced again.  It will be moving to a level so low it’s not even worth having money in there.  I moved some things around and dropped it into my Premium Bonds, where it will stay until the ISA window reopens.

I appreciate that, by the numbers, having money in a cash savings pot will earn interest, and Premium Bonds might not return anything.  However, Premium Bonds are easy access and quite safe as a means to store cash for future use.  Yes, I don’t get a set amount of interest, but there’s a small chance of winning a big prize.  I think it’s worth taking that risk.

How Not To Pay For A Holiday

Whenever we go on holiday, the payment goes on a credit card because of the extra protection and the reward points we earn.  However, we always pay it off before we start being charged interest.  If you can’t afford a holiday without having to use a credit card or loan, on which you will pay interest, I don’t think you should do it.  However, if you decide to book the holiday anyway, you should at least know what you are signing up for.

I did some Google-fu to look at a fairly typical week away in Spain for two adults.  Assuming mid-range flights, hotels, spending money, and so on.  The figure I was getting back, all in, was around £2,500.  The actual amounts don’t really matter as it’s the principle that’s important here.

You put that holiday on a credit card with a rate of 24.9% (according to a brief search, this seems to be a typical rate).  This is your first mistake.

Your second mistake is deciding to pay just the minimum payment.  Your holiday no longer costs £2,500.

Assuming the minimum payment is 3% of the balance, or £5, whichever is greater, it would take over 20 years to pay the debt pack.  In addition to the £2,500 debt, you would pay an additional £3,776 interest.  

It’s Madness

Assume for a moment that, instead of booking that holiday, you commit to investing £75 per month (3% of £2,500).  You achieve 6% growth over the 23 years and 4 months it would have taken to repay the credit card above.  In the end, you’d have just over £45,600.  

Like I said, it’s madness.  

As always, I’m not actually telling you what to do.  How you live your life is your business.  What I would like everyone to do is consider their actions.  I would like people to engage in more mindful spending, where they understand that debt can be a ball and chain you drag through life for years, if not decades.  

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I appreciate it’s not this simple, but if most people were given the choice between a week away in Spain, or £45k in 23 years, I would hope most people would realise that the latter is the better choice.

You may be asking, Why are you bringing this up now, David, you paragon of financial wisdom?  Well, I was chatting with an acquaintance who likes to book holidays with debt because “you only live once”.  

I mean, I get it.  I understand wanting to maximise one’s time on Earth, but there’s a balance.  Taking on debt for a once-in-a-lifetime trip that you have a defined plan to pay back is one thing.  Routinely taking on debt to fund a holiday each year is a recipe for disaster.

Repeating the mistake…

In the example above, if that person repeats their mistake the following year, and they year after that, they’ll be left with thousands more in debt.  Let’s assume at that point they do “the sensible thing” and consolidate their debts into “one manageable monthly payment” *excuse me whilst I scrub my hands clean after typing that out*.

This person decides not to borrow just £7.5K to repay their three prior holidays.  They decide to borrow £10k so they can have another holiday.  Well, a loan is a slightly better option than a credit card, just from the APR perspective, but it’s still not great.  I’ve taken the following from Halifax’s website:

“You could borrow £10000 over 48 months with 48 monthly repayments of £235.86. Total amount repayable will be £11321.28. Representative 6.4% APR, annual interest rate (fixed) 6.22%.”

If you were, instead, investing £235.86 per month for four years at 6% growth, you’d have £12,759; enough for five holidays at £2.5k each instead of the four you funded with debt.  

Money is a game, and like any game, it has rules.  If you master the rules, you will find your financial life much easier to navigate.

Well, that’s all for this week.  I hope you enjoyed this post, and please remember to like, comment, share, and subscribe.  

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 302: Back to Basics

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE.  This week, I take a step back and discuss the basics of FIRE. Also, thoughts on the ISA bridge concept, and a trip down the YouTube algorithm.

Weekly Update

Last Sunday, we had my Dad over, where we presented him with a scrapbook Oana made of our Norway cruise.  My Dad loved it, and it’s a great memory of our trip.  Oana is mega talented with this sort of thing, and she poured hours of time, energy, and passion into it.  

On Saturday, Oana and I went for a walk in the city centre.  Oana hasn’t been feeling on top form, so we wanted to just have a fairly relaxed walk, rather than our usual lengthy hikes at the weekend.  We didn’t do much, but it was nice being out in the fresh air for a time.

Oana’s job search is progressing, and she’s passed the first few interviews for a couple of jobs that she’s now waiting for a final decision for.  She’s got her heart set on one of the jobs, and she’s expecting a final answer on Monday.  As you can imagine, we’re a little nervous this weekend.

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Apart from this, there’s not much to tell as my time is taken up by work and my Diabetes Step Challenge.  My evening routine is normally, have food, go on the treadmill for a couple of hours, shower, and sleep.  I’m enjoying the challenge, but I’ll be glad when it’s done and I have more time to chill.

YouTube

When I’m doing my walking on the treadmill, or just doing random bits in the flat, I like to have YouTube on from time to time.  There are some great channels I follow for science, pop culture, and football, among others.  The thing about YouTube is that, although there’s some great content on there, the algorithm is dogshit.  It’s worse than dogshit because it’s harmful.

The Rabbit Hole

It usually starts innocently. You’re watching a video on a topic you’re curious about.  When it finishes, YouTube’s recommendation panel lights up with suggestions. One catches your eye. You click. Then another. And another.

Before you know it, you’re not where you started. The tone of the videos is more intense. The language is more polarised. The ideas are more extreme. This is the “YouTube rabbit hole”.

Why the Algorithm Works This Way

YouTube’s primary goal is simple: keep you watching for as long as possible. The longer you stay, the more ads you see, and the more money the platform makes. To achieve that, the recommendation system learns what grabs your attention and feeds you more of it.  Although the execution is complex, the goal is simple.

But here’s the problem: mild, balanced content often doesn’t keep people hooked in the same way that high-emotion, high-controversy content does. Videos that shock, anger, or validate strong feelings tend to keep people watching and the algorithm notices.

So, if you watch a video criticising a political policy, the system might recommend something slightly more critical next. And then a video with a more sensational headline. And then something from a fringe commentator. Bit by bit, the recommendations drift toward the edges of the spectrum.  It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.

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The Gradual Drift

This shift is often gradual enough that the viewer doesn’t notice. If you jump from neutral content straight to the extremes, it feels jarring. But step-by-step, it feels like a natural progression, but the same topic, just “digging deeper.”

The effect is magnified when a viewer already feels isolated, angry, or disillusioned. In those moments, content that offers certainty, an enemy to blame, or a sense of belonging can be especially appealing.

The Real-World Consequences

This isn’t just a theory. Studies and investigative reports have shown that algorithmic recommendations can amplify conspiracy theories, radical ideologies, and misinformation. In extreme cases, people have been drawn into online communities that validate harmful beliefs and behaviours, cutting them off from more balanced perspectives.

While not every viewer ends up radicalised, the risk is real, particularly for younger audiences or those without strong media literacy skills.

Breaking the Cycle

The responsibility here is shared. Platforms like YouTube have the power to redesign algorithms to prioritise diversity of content and context, rather than just engagement. But viewers also need to be aware of how recommendation systems work and take control of their own media diets.

That can mean deliberately seeking out opposing views, fact-checking before sharing, or even setting limits on how long you spend on certain topics. It’s about stepping back from the feed and asking: Is this still my own opinion, or the algorithm’s?  Or, are you thinking for yourself, or are you just a bobblehead agreeing with the last thing you were told?

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The YouTube algorithm isn’t evil in itself; it’s doing exactly what it was built to do. But when the goal is engagement above all else, the journey can lead to darker and more extreme corners of the internet.

The first step in resisting that pull is simply recognising it’s there. The next step is deciding where you want to go, instead of letting the algorithm take the wheel.

As a resource and a service, YouTube is great.  We just need to make sure we pay attention to the risks of being led too far down the rabbit hole.  

It all came to a head for me this week when a harmless review of Captain Marvel led to a string of videos that, as I was half-listening to in the background, were becoming increasingly misogynistic. I turned the video off, but not everyone will.

What Is FIRE? It’s More Than Just an Age

When people hear “FIRE,” they often picture someone quitting work in their 30s or 40s and kicking back for the rest of their lives. But FIRE, which stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early, is about much more than just an early retirement date.

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At its core, FIRE is a way of thinking about money and life that puts control firmly in your hands. Instead of waiting for some official retirement age handed down by society or government, it asks: How much money do I actually need? And how quickly can I save and invest to get there?

The truth is, retirement isn’t just a date you reach; it’s an equation you solve. It’s about balancing your expenses, your savings rate, and how your investments grow over time. Change one part of that equation, and your “retirement” age can shift dramatically, sometimes by decades.

Savings Rate

Take savings rate, for example. It might sound dull, but how much of your income you can save and invest each month is one of the most powerful levers you have. Saving 10% might mean you’re still working well into your 60s or 70s. But push that up to 50% or more, and suddenly the idea of financial independence in your 40s or 50s feels much more real.

And then there’s investment growth and the magic of compounding returns. 

“Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.” – Albert Einstein

Money invested wisely doesn’t just sit still; it grows and grows, slowly building the pot that eventually replaces your income. But investing comes with risks and ups and downs, and that’s where the discipline of sticking to your plan really matters.

4%

Many in the FIRE community use the “4% rule” as a starting point, with the idea being that you can safely withdraw about 4% of your savings each year without running out of money. So if you spend £20,000 a year, you’d aim to save £500,000. It’s a handy rule of thumb, but not a guarantee, because everyone’s situation, market conditions, and retirement goals differ.  When you look back at the origin of the 4% rule, it quickly becomes clear that it can be a very conservative rate in many circumstances.  

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One of the biggest mindset shifts with FIRE is recognising that it’s okay, even necessary, to not just do what you’ve always done, or what your family and society expect. For generations, many have followed the script: go to school, get a steady job, work until your 60s or beyond, then retire. But FIRE challenges that story. It asks you to question what financial freedom really means to you, and whether the traditional path suits your dreams and values. It’s about carving your own route, rather than just following the footsteps of those before you.

What’s important to remember is that FIRE isn’t a one-size-fits-all goal. Your version of financial independence depends on your lifestyle, where you live, what kind of life you want to lead, and your personal values. Some people want to live frugally and retire early; others prefer a later retirement with more spending freedom.

FU Money

There’s also a huge psychological side to FIRE. It’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about rethinking your relationship with money, work, and time, and it’s about having the freedom to say “no” to jobs you don’t want, or “yes” to new adventures, without worrying about the next paycheck.  This freedom is unlike anything else.  So many people are, for one reason or another, restricted in what they can do and when they can do it.  Having the freedom to walk away is liberating.  I’ve referred to the following quote a few times as it applies to many situations, and I’m once more going back to the well…

“He hadn’t been aware he’d felt wrong until he suddenly felt right again.” – Leviathan Wakes, The Expanse.

For me, FIRE started as a concept but quickly became a journey with me tracking my spending, figuring out what I really needed, and steadily building my savings. It wasn’t always easy, and there were moments when the sacrifices felt tough, but knowing that I was building a future where work became optional kept me going.

So, if you’re thinking about FIRE, start by asking yourself: What do I want my life to look like? Then look at your numbers: your expenses, your income, your savings, and see how they fit into that vision. Retirement isn’t a fixed date on a calendar. It’s a personal equation that you get to solve.

And the sooner you start, the more options you’ll have.  You don’t need permission to take control of your financial future.

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Diabetes UK Step Challenge – Update

Thank you to everyone who has donated so far.  I’m still a little short of my target, so all donations will be gratefully accepted.

I completed 519,183 steps in July, and as of writing, I’m on 156,566 for August.

If you want to stay up to date with my progress or donate to the cause, please check out my JustGiving page:

https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/davids-fundraising-page1055

What I’m Doing

Listening: How To Win The Premier League by Ian Graham..

Watching: Breaking Bad (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7

For my BSc dissertation, I investigated home advantage and stadium design in professional football.  I worked with a host of massive clubs in the Premier League and Championship.  I also worked with Sheffield United.  The research was fascinating, and I was awarded a first for my work.  I went down a deep rabbit hole with the project, and it’s one of my proudest achievements.  I’m a data nerd, and although my passion for football has waned in recent years, it’s still something I care about.

All this being said, it should be no surprise that a book about data analysis in football was always going to attract my attention.  I’m about halfway through the book, and I’m enjoying it.  It might not appeal to footballing traditionalists who view data analysis as dull or taking the fun out of the game, but I think it’s the opposite.  The data can shine a new light on football and get you thinking about it in different ways.  

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We’ve gone back to one of the classic shows this week, and we’ve started Breaking Bad again.  It’s a fantastic show, where everything just works.  The writing, directing, casting, acting… It’s all just *chef’s kiss*

Walter White’s arc is, arguably, the greatest character arc in film and television history.  I only know of one person who started Breaking Bad and didn’t enjoy it, and if he’s reading this, he should know I’m going to keep bugging him to watch it again.

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Bridging the Gap: How an ISA Can Smooth the Road to Financial Independence

When most people map out their financial independence (FI) plan, they draw a straight line from “now” to “retired.” It’s neat, it’s tidy, and it’s wrong.

For many of us in the UK, there’s a big gap between the age we want to stop working and the age when we can access our pension. That gap might be five years, ten years, or even more, and without a plan to cross it, your early retirement dreams can hit a brick wall.

That’s where the ISA bridge comes in.

What is an ISA Bridge?

Imagine you’ve built up a chunky pension that will more than cover your needs in retirement… but you can’t touch it until you’re 57 (or 58, or whenever the government next decides to move the goalposts). If you want to leave work at 52, what do you live on in those five years?

The ISA bridge is your answer; a pot of investments inside an ISA designed to fund those in-between years. Because ISAs allow tax-free withdrawals, you can live off this pot while leaving your pension untouched, giving it more time to grow.

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Think of it like a short bridge over a gap in the road, which is sturdy enough to carry you over, but not so long that it eats up half your construction budget.

The Sequence of Returns Trap

This isn’t just about filling a gap. It’s also about avoiding the sequence of returns risk and the danger that poor investment returns in the early years of retirement permanently damage your portfolio.

If you start drawing from your pension straight away and the market tanks in year one, you’re selling investments at a loss.  Those withdrawals lock in losses and leave less capital to recover when the market bounces back.

By funding those early years with your ISA bridge, your pension stays invested and untouched during the crucial early phase. That extra breathing room can be the difference between a retirement that feels abundant and one that feels like you’re constantly tightening the belt.

The FI Date Trade-Off

Here’s the rub: bringing your FI date forward sounds great; you have more freedom, more time to spend how you want. However,  it comes with trade-offs.

  1. Less Time to Save: Every year you bring FI forward is a year less of contributions and compounding.
  2. A Bigger Bridge to Build: If you want to stop work five years before pension access, that’s five years of living costs to cover.
  3. Potentially Lower Lifetime Returns: Investments in your ISA may need to be more conservatively managed than those in a long-term pension pot.

For example, let’s say your annual expenses are £30,000 and you want to leave work 5 years before you can touch your pension. That’s £150,000 in today’s money you’ll need, not counting inflation. That’s on top of what you’ve already got earmarked for your “main” retirement.

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Building Your ISA Bridge

The process is straightforward, but it takes discipline:

Step 1: Work Out Your Bridge Length

How many years between FI date and pension access?

Step 2. Calculate Your Target

Annual expenses × bridge years = minimum bridge size.

Step 3: Factor in Investment Growth

You may not need the full amount saved if your ISA investments will continue to grow while you draw from them.

Step 4: Choose Your Asset Mix

For a shorter bridge, you can afford more risk. For a longer one, balance growth with stability to avoid nasty surprises.

My FI Bridge Plan

In my own FI journey, the ISA bridge is a key part of the strategy. My pension is shaping up nicely, but I’m aiming to stop full-time work before I can access it. That means building a multi-year cash-and-investment buffer inside ISAs.

I’m aiming for something like £2k per month.  Ignoring investment growth and inflation, I’m faced with the following equation:

((£2k x 12) x number of bridge years) + (£2k x 6) = ?

Assumptions…

This assumes that I’ll have a six-month emergency fund in cash (or similar) to counter a rough start to the bridge journey.  It doesn’t have to be six months, though.  It could be three, or ten, or twelve.  It’s more of a mental comfort thing than an absolute rule.  

Assuming I want a bridge to last a decade, I would need:

((£2k x 12) x 10) + (£2k x 6) = £252,000.

A ten-year bridge would assume I’d retire at 48 with the added assumption I could only access my pension at 58.  It may still be 57 when I get there, but I’d rather build in a buffer.  So, as I’m 42 next month, that leaves six years to hit my bridge goal.

My ISA is £117,702.79.  For the last few years, I’ve been able to maximise my £20k ISA allowance.  Assuming that I only invest £15k for the next few years, with 6% growth, I’d end up with approximately £273,500.  

The future is looking very positive.  I’m sort of hoping for FI in 4 years, but even if I increase my annual investment to £20k, I’d only reach £237k.  I would also need a longer bridge, which would mean the deficit is bigger.

((£2k x 12) x 12) + (£2k x 6) = £300,000.

An ISA bridge won’t make sense for everyone, but if your FI date comes before your pension access date, it’s a tool worth considering. It doesn’t just fill a gap, and it can protect your long-term wealth from market downturns and give you the flexibility to walk away from work on your own terms.

The real question is: If you could bring your FI date forward by a few years, how much would you pay for that privilege? And are you willing to start building the bridge today?

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £19,000.00.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £117,702.79.

Fuck It Fund: £501.54.

Pensions: £100,118.76.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £476,691.09.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,640.47. 

Total Debts: £177,640.47.

Total Wealth: £299,050.62.

Well, that’s all for this week.  I hope you enjoyed this post, and please remember to like, comment, share, and subscribe.  

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 301: When Rage Feels Real and £5,000 Does Not

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE.  

Weekly Update

The one major drawback to my walking challenge is that it’s eating up every free moment of my time. Between this and work it leaves almost no time for anything else.  I’m not complaining, really.  I’m just pointing out that if my life seems boring right now, it’s because of this walking challenge.

Last Sunday I met up with a good friend and we had a catch up over a couple of coffees.  I really don’t understand how some people are so oblivious to hygienic practices though.  In the first place we went for a drink, the waitress picked up a large mat off the floor and started moving it around.  Then, she went right back to serving.  A little later, she came to the table next to us and sprayed it with cleaning liquid, which then blew over us.  

It’s safe to say I don’t think I’ll return there for a while.  

One potential positive for the Scothern household is that Oana is progressing well with a couple of job applications.  She’s had initial interviews which she’s passed, and early next week she has final interviews for two roles.  Fingers crossed we’ll be a two income household again soon; Poppy needs her catnip after all.

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Gousto

We recently signed back up to Gousto as we had an offer for two boxes at 50% off.  So, we did the smart thing and ordered enough food for four people.  We’ve been making some great meals and then saving portions for the following day.  It’s worked out at about £1.50 per person, per meal.  Not bad at all.  

This week we’ve made;

Chipotle pulled chicken with lime slaw and tomato salsa.

Vietnamese style pork with sesame broccoli and brown rice.

Honey sesame chicken with potato and green bean curry.

Later this evening, as I type this, we’ll be making pork steak with garlic mash and mustard sauce, and we still have another recipe to make for Brazilian-style black beans with lime chicken (which we’ve made before and it’s amazing).  

If anyone wants to sign up for Gousto you can use my referral code below.  You’ll get 70% off your first box, and then 25% off for the first two months.

Referral Link

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Sheffield Wednesday in Crisis

The news coming from SWFC seemingly gets worse by the hour.  For those who don’t know, the club is in crisis with a very real risk of going under completely.  Wages have repeatedly not been paid on time, and there’s been an exodus of players leaving.  We are left with the absolute bare bones of a squad, and there’s serious concern about our ability to fulfill our fixtures.  A few days ago the players were reported to have refused to play in a pre-season friendly.  It’s not looking good at all.

In addition to all this we have the safety concerns over our North Stand; the one that faces the camera when we are on TV.  These safety concerns have led to the stand being closed until repair work can be completed.  If there is one stadium in the UK that you don’t want to take chances with fan safety, it’s Hillsborough.

As things stand, I’m legitimately worried the club will go out of existence in the near future, and over 150 years of history will be gone.  

I don’t hold any ill will towards the players or staff that have left, as they need to look after their future.  Even if the club survives, I think we are in for a difficult few years.

The one sliver of hope is that Barry Bannan has signed a new contract.  The man is a club legend and has had plenty of opportunities to leave and get good money elsewhere.  He’s stayed through it all though.  

Diabetes UK Step Challenge – Update

As of the end of July I completed 519,183 steps.  This leaves me with a little under 1.2 million steps to complete across August and September.  I’m on track to complete it but it’s taking a lot of hard work.  It’s not the walking, as such, that’s difficult.  It’s finding the time to complete it.  At an average speed of 4.3-4.5kmh it’s taking around three hours walking a day.  When you’re working from 9-6 and factoring in the three hours of walking, that’s 12 hours of the day done.  

If you want to stay up to date with my progress or donate to the cause, please check out my JustGiving page:

Donation Page

What I’m Doing

Listening: The Future by Naomi Alderman.

Watching: Beef (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7

I tried to tell Oana a bit about what The Future was about.  I’m almost done with it and it’s been boring AF.  The main issue is that the main character has absolutely zero impact on the plot.  The whole thing could have been written with her removed and it would have made no difference.  The characters are bland, and the plot just sort of happens.  The “twist” was obvious a mile away.  It’s a shame because there’s a great idea here that has been badly executed.

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Beef

We finished Beef this week and I enjoyed it whilst Oana found it annoying.  The more I’ve thought about it, and let it simmer away in my mind, the more impressed I’ve become.

Beef is marketed as a dark comedy about a road rage incident spiralling out of control. But it quickly became clear that the show wasn’t really about traffic, parking lots, or even revenge. It was about everything underneath and everything inside.  In a way, it was a critique on social media, and how we present our own edited highlight reel to the outside world, whilst internally we are often hanging on by a thread.  

It’s only ten episodes long, but it explores identity, rage, connection, and collapse, all through the lens of two strangers who, despite everything, might be the only ones who truly understand each other. 

Amy (Ali Wong) and Danny (Steven Yeun) are both high-functioning and deeply miserable. Amy seemingly has everything, like a successful business, a family, and a beautiful home. Yet, she’s hollowed out by the grind of wearing a mask of a modern success story. Danny is drowning in failure and shame, desperate to prove his worth but constantly sabotaged by bad luck and worse decisions.  He is also wearing a mask; the confident, responsible, business owner, but the mask is also hanging by a thread.

Their brief road rage encounter becomes a release valve for years of pent-up frustration.  It’s like the French phrase I mentioned a while ago; “la goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase.” 

But it’s not just anger. It’s resentment, self-loathing, regret, and deep, unspoken pain. Beef captures those emotions with brutal honesty. The further Amy and Danny spiral, the more we realise how fragile the line is between holding it together and falling apart.

Identity and the Asian-American Experience

The show is rooted in its characters’ cultural backgrounds. I don’t know much, if anything, about the Asian-American experience, but from an outside perspective it didn’t feel false or insulting (I’d be interested to know more about whether this is accurate).  Beef uses identity as a framework to explore deeper themes such as obligation, silence, community, and alienation.

Danny carries the weight of family expectations, cultural guilt, and a crushing sense of duty. Amy, though wealthier and seemingly more assimilated, is still playing roles to meet societal expectations; entrepreneur, wife, mother, success story. Neither of them feels seen, not really. And when they do finally see each other, it’s through a lens of mutual destruction that slowly gives way to something more honest.

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One of the most biting critiques in Beef is reserved for capitalism itself. Amy’s curated lifestyle and wellness brand promise calm and control, but her internal life is anything but.  It’s no coincidence that a great deal of the plot revolves around Instagram, and that idea that people can wear a mask to the outside world which conceals what is hiding beneath.  

Danny’s obsession with making money, buying land for his parents, and building a business is rooted in a toxic idea that value comes from productivity and status.  On the face of it, his quest to look after his parents is a positive and wholesome effort, but the steps he takes to get there are anything but.  

Both characters are trapped in systems that sell happiness but deliver burnout. The show asks: What if we got everything we thought we wanted, and it still wasn’t enough?  It tackles the idea that, wherever you go, there you are.  

Loneliness and the Desperate Need for Connection

As much as Beef is about conflict, it’s also about intimacy. Danny and Amy connect in the strangest way through their mutual hatred, yes, but also through their shared pain. There’s a strange comfort in having someone who sees your worst self and doesn’t flinch. Over time, their feud begins to feel like the most real thing either of them has.  This is a classic theme in many great stories, where the hero and villain almost need each other to feel complete.  What is Batman without the Joker? Or Magneto without Professor Xavier?  

The show suggests that in a hyperconnected world, where appearances dominate and honesty is rare, even an enemy can feel like a lifeline.  If you can’t find connection through love, you can find it through rage, and hatred.  Their final moments together are some of the most vulnerable and human I’ve seen on screen in a long time.

Both characters are haunted by their past actions, things they couldn’t fix, and things they never dealt with. Whether it’s Danny stealing church funds or Amy cheating on her husband, these aren’t just random acts. They’re manifestations of deep, unresolved trauma. The show doesn’t excuse these choices, but it does contextualise them.

Beef understands that unaddressed shame doesn’t just sit quietly. It poisons. It erodes. And unless it’s acknowledged, it finds new ways to express itself often destructively.

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What makes this show great is that it refuses to spoon feed the way you should feel about the characters.  Too often in modern storytelling, you are told who to root for and who to rally against.  There are few stories where people appear as complex beings, who make shitty choices, who are also victims, who you are frustrated by and who are unlikable, yet you can’t turn away from them.  Amy and Danny were not cardboard cutouts or agents of the plot, they were believable, flawed people, and that’s why this show will linger in my mind for some time.

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £19,000.00.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £118,328.26.

Fuck It Fund: £501.54.

Pensions: £100,728.55.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £477,926.35.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,640.47. 

Total Debts: £177,640.47.

Total Wealth: £300,285.88.

The big news here is that I’ve passed the £300k mark for my total wealth.  It’s one of those milestones which is a great psychological boost, but when you break it down there’s little difference between £299,999 and £300,000.  

One of the most surprising, and often unspoken, side effects of the Financial Independence journey is how your relationship with money quietly, subtly shifts over time. It’s not just about earning more, saving more, or investing more. It’s about what those numbers start to mean, or stop meaning, to you.

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In the early days of discovering FI, every milestone feels monumental. The first £1,000 in an ISA. Hitting £10,000 in your pension. Watching compound interest do its thing for the first time. You check your net worth spreadsheet like it’s a high-stakes football match. Every hundred pounds feels like progress. Every thousand? A mini miracle.

But then something strange happens.

Fast forward a few years. You’ve been saving diligently, investing monthly, tracking your spending, and living intentionally. Suddenly, you’re glancing at your portfolio and noticing it’s up or down by £5,000 in a day and you barely blink.

That same £5,000, which once would have been life-changing as maybe a deposit on your first flat is now just a fluctuation. A blip. An inconvenient dip or a welcome bump, but nothing more.

This isn’t arrogance. It’s adaptation.

Humans are brilliant at normalising. What once felt extraordinary eventually becomes the new normal. In the FI community, that often means becoming emotionally numb to the size of the numbers you’re dealing with.

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The Psychology Behind It

This phenomenon is rooted in something behavioural economists call “the diminishing marginal utility of money.” The more you have, the less additional joy or meaning each new unit brings.

Early on, a £100 saving might give you a huge dopamine hit. Ten years in, that same £100 barely registers. Your brain has adjusted its baseline not just for how much money you have, but for what you expect.

Wealth becomes numbers on a screen. The emotional weight lessens. The excitement tapers. In some cases, motivation does too.

The Double-Edged Sword of Desensitisation

On one hand, becoming less reactive to money can be a good thing. It often means you’ve reached a level of financial security where you’re no longer driven by fear or scarcity. Market crashes don’t send you into a panic. A surprise bill doesn’t derail your life. That’s freedom.

But it also carries a quiet risk: detachment.

When numbers lose meaning, you can lose perspective. You might start to dismiss amounts that could make a genuine difference in someone else’s life, or even your own, simply because they seem “small” now.

You might also find that some of the early fire, purpose, or excitement you felt around money has faded. The spreadsheet still updates, the net worth still climbs, but… so what?

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Finding Meaning Beyond the Milestones

So how do you re-centre? Here are a few ideas…

Reframe the numbers. That £1,000 you wrote off as “not much” could fund someone else’s emergency. Or buy six months’ worth of groceries. Or a flight to visit family. Give money meaning again by viewing it through real-life impact, not just percentages.

Celebrate the small wins again. Just because you’ve built wealth doesn’t mean you need to skip over the small victories. They matter. They still reflect discipline, intention, and progress.

Redirect some of that desensitisation. Use it as a tool. If you no longer feel nervous about investing £10,000, maybe you’re in a place where giving £1,000 away to charity feels doable too.

Reflect on your “enough.” Has your number changed? Have your values? FI is a moving target for some but chasing bigger numbers for their own sake can become hollow.

Sometimes we all need to take a step back and just think about how far we’ve come.  I had this conversation with a good friend who is also following a FI plan.  We’ll casually talk about amounts of money that, just a few years ago, we would have believed forever out of reach.  

On a related note, this is partly why I get so frustrated with people who look at the foundations of FI and scoff, stating that it takes too long.  Well, you can either spend the next five, ten, or twenty years building a financial future, or you can continue doing what you’re doing chasing one crackpot get-rich scheme after another.  

That’s all for this week.  Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a great week ahead.

Please remember to share and subscribe, and if you have any thoughts on this post leave a comment.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 300: Six Years Later

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE. In Part 300 I discuss another important financial milestone, and discuss the morally bankrupt gambling industry.

Weekly Update

It feels like I’m speeding through the weeks at the moment, and it’s another week down on the journey to FI.  It’s not been the most eventful week as much of my spare time is taken up with walking for my Step Challenge.  

The one notable event from the working week was meeting my team in person for the first time.  I was interviewed and hired remotely, and apart from one day an office at the start to pick up my equipment with the other new recruits, I’ve not met anyone in person.  

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I’m the only one from my training group that is in my team, with the other recruits split up across other teams.  As such, I had never met any of these people in real life.  The meeting was in the Wakefield office and for those who don’t know, it’s about 25 miles away from Sheffield.  You would think that our rail network would have a swift and direct route over such a short distance, right?

Oh my sweet summer child… The rail network in the UK is a shambles.  I had to take two trains each way, and for some reason the journey was roughly ninety minutes long on the return leg.  It’s insane that in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Romania, Belgium, and the Netherlands, they have cheap, efficient, and speedy public transport including trains.  In the UK, unless you are wanting to travel in a straight line from Leeds or Manchester to London, you better prepare for multiple changes of train and to pay eye watering amounts for a stressful journey.  

Anyway, back to the meeting.  It was great to meet people face-to-face because, as great as video calling is, it’s just not the same as real life interaction.  Don’t get me wrong, I love working remotely and would never change that, but it’s nice to get together from time to time.  

On Saturday Oana and I went for a long walk to one of the satellite villages on the outskirts of Sheffield.  It was a nice walk through some woods and by the time we got there, we were very hungry. We had a choice between a couple of pubs and a cafe.  We went for the cafe and I ordered waffles with bacon, maple syrup, and blueberries.  Oana got some sort of flatbread.  The waffles were drowning in maple syrup and it wasn’t pleasant.  Normally, I’d expect the syrup to be served in a little pot so you can pour it on yourself.  This was swimming in syrup so much that the bottom of the waffles were inedible because of how sweet it was.  It was on the verge of being greasy.  

Six Years On – Overcoming Gambling Addiction and A Turning Point Towards FI

I’ve touched on mental health, money, and resilience plenty of times on this blog, but something I’ve not discussed as often is my past struggle with gambling addiction. It feels like the right time now, not because it’s easy to write about, but because it was one of the defining battles of my life so far, and a crucial fork in the road that eventually led me to the FIRE movement. It’s part of my story, and it shaped how and why I began the journey to financial independence in the first place.

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I didn’t fit the stereotype of a compulsive gambler. I wasn’t living out of my car or betting away my last tenner. But I was hooked. Gambling had become a secret, slippery part of my routine. It was almost entirely online betting on football, and sometimes visits to the casino’s blackjack tables.  It gave me an escape; a false sense of control when life felt unpredictable. But more than that, it became a coping mechanism for stress, boredom, and eventually anxiety and depression.  Looking back, I now realise it was probably a coping mechanism from decades of masking my autistic self.  It started with “just a bit of fun,” and it ended with me chasing losses and feeling physically sick when the screen showed zero balance.

I lost money, of course. But more than that, I lost time, focus, self-respect. I was lying to myself about the damage it was doing. I convinced myself I had it under control, that I could stop whenever I wanted. But addiction doesn’t care about logic. It’s cunning and quiet and, more often than not, it grows in silence.

The turning point wasn’t one dramatic event. It was the accumulation of small, sickening moments of regret. Watching another deposit vanish into the void. Deleting and reinstalling apps in a cycle of shame. Losing sleep. Feeling hollow. What finally broke the cycle was not sheer willpower. It was reaching out, consuming information, and allowing myself to be vulnerable both with myself and with others.

The first real lifeline came through a podcast. The After Gambling Podcast, hosted by Jamie Salsburg, became a quiet companion during my workouts at the gym. There was something powerful about hearing his calm, honest reflections on addiction while I was pushing myself physically and trying to take back control of my body and mind. Jamie had been through it. He wasn’t preaching. He was sharing. That distinction matters, because when you’re struggling, you don’t need a lecture. You need connection. And that podcast gave me that along with practical insights and a sense that recovery was not only possible, but worth it.

From there, I sought out more perspectives blogs written by people who had clawed their way out of addiction. I started to see patterns in their stories that mirrored my own. The hiding. The shame. The self-loathing. But also the resilience, the rebuilding, and the redirection of that compulsive energy into something healthier and more productive.

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Opening up to people I trusted was the next step, and by far the hardest. I’d built an identity around being dependable, knowledgeable, sorted. Admitting that I was struggling with something that felt so irrational felt like blowing a hole in that persona. But when I did open up to Oana and to my parents, I was met with empathy, not judgement. And that’s when the healing really began.

Because addiction thrives in secrecy, but recovery thrives in accountability and connection. Once I stopped carrying it alone, it became manageable. Not easy. Not overnight. But manageable.

It was around this time that I discovered the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement almost by accident. I’d been looking into ways to manage money better, trying to reclaim control over my finances and put some distance between me and my old habits. At first, FIRE just seemed like an interesting concept. But the more I read, the more I realised that it offered exactly what I was craving: structure, purpose, long-term thinking. All things that addiction strips away.

Starting my FI project gave me something new to obsess over but in a healthy way. Instead of the next bet, I was planning for the next savings milestone. I was tracking expenses, investing mindfully, and learning to find satisfaction in progress rather than instant gratification. That mindset shift was profound.

Gambling is all about now. It’s fast, emotional, impulsive. FIRE, on the other hand, is slow, rational, and intentional. Where gambling gave me fleeting highs followed by crushing lows, FI gave me steady peace and the quiet joy of watching my efforts compound over time.

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I won’t say I’m “cured” because that’s not how recovery works. But I will say I’m free. And as of 24th July 2024, I marked six full years free from gambling. That anniversary means more to me than any financial milestone ever could. It represents six years of showing up for myself, of doing the work, and of living in alignment with the values I’d long buried under a pile of digital betting slips and false hope.

If you’re struggling with gambling, or any kind of compulsive behaviour, please know that you’re not weak.  You’re human. But you do need help, and it is out there. Whether it’s a podcast, a conversation, or a quiet shift in priorities, you just need a starting point. For me, it was all of those things. And they helped me reclaim not just my money, but my mind.

For those who think this is all a load of bullshit, I want to leave you with one bit of information.  Suicide rates amongst problem gamblers are much higher than in the general population.  In the UK, in 2023, there were approximately 7,000 suicides, with between 5%-10% of those estimated to be caused, at least in part, by problem gambling.  Other estimates suggest that there are a little over 400 gambling related suicides each year in the UK.  If we go with 400 as a definite figure, that means that since I gave up gambling, 2,400 people will have taken their own lives because of this issue.

The gambling companies, for all their claims of responsible gambling, have engaged in predatory behaviours for years, preying on the vulnerable.  It’s wrong.  It’s evil.  If you don’t believe me, pick up a copy of Jackpot: How Gambling Conquered Britain by Rob Davies.

Why You Should Never Trust a Caller Who Claims to Be from Your Bank

This week, I want to take a quick detour from the usual mortgage and FIRE topics to talk about something that affects every single one of us: scams.  No, I’m not talking about bags of crisps being mostly air, or planned obsolescence.   I’m talking about phone scams.

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More specifically, phone scams, and the kind where someone calls you out of the blue claiming to be from your bank.

It might seem obvious that these are dodgy, but I’m constantly hearing of people, often intelligent, financially literate individuals, who’ve been caught off guard by these scammers. Why? Because the tactics are increasingly sophisticated. They sound professional, the number might look genuine (thanks to caller ID spoofing), and they often already know your name, your address, or part of your card number.

They might say there’s been suspicious activity on your account, and you’re at risk unless you act now. One of the most common lines is that you need to move your money to a “safe account” immediately.

Let me be absolutely clear:

Your bank will NEVER ask you to move money to a different account to “keep it safe”.

They will not pressure you to make decisions quickly, and they will not ask for your full password, PIN, or card reader codes over the phone.

So what should you do if you get a call like this?

  1. Hang up. You’re under no obligation to be polite. Just end the call.
  2. Wait at least 5 minutes (or use a different phone) and then call your bank back using the number on the back of your card or via their official website.
  3. If you’ve already shared sensitive information or moved money, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.

These scams are designed to create panic. But if you remember that no legitimate organisation will ever rush or threaten you into making a decision, you’re already one step ahead.

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So this week’s message is simple: trust your instincts, question everything, and don’t be afraid to hang up.

Stay safe out there.  If someone knocked on your door and told you to move you money to another bank account, you wouldn’t do it.  So don’t do it if someone calls you.

Diabetes UK Step Challenge – Update

I’ve now done more than 400,000 steps, which is almost a quarter of the way to the target.  I’ve had 17 days where I’ve hit or exceeded the daily target, and the other 8 days I failed to hit the required daily target.  To be fair, though, of those 8 days, 5 of them were the first 5 days of the month when I was struggling with covid.

If you would like to donate to Diabetes UK, you can find my donation page at the link below:

https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/davids-fundraising-page1055

What I’m Doing

Listening: The Future by Naomi Alderman.

Watching: Manifest (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7

We got two episodes into Manifest and binned it off.  It’s not the worst show I’ve ever seen, but it’s in the mix.  Badly written, acted, and directed.  It’s just a horrible mess of predictable plot and “smell the fart acting”.

If anyone has suggestions for good shows to watch on Netflix please let me know in the comments.  

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £19,000.00.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £117,649.56.

Fuck It Fund: £500.29.

Pensions: £100,557.93.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £477,075.78.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,949.31. 

Total Debts: £177,949.31.

Total Wealth: £299,126.47.

My pension fund has finally got into six figures, at a little over £100k.  Sadly, I did not quite hit £300k total wealth in time for Part 300 of this blog.  

The numbers are insane though.  In just three months the figure has increased by £25k.  This is what happens when you start to accumulate decent amounts of value in your investments.  Compound growth is incredibly powerful.  No doubt there will be ups and downs moving forward, but it’s still nice to take a moment and appreciate the progress made on this FI journey.

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FI is not that far away in the grand scheme of things.  There are just a few things that need to happen.  The first is we need to secure a new fixed rate on our mortgage for the next few years.  The concessionary deal I was allowed to keep as part of my redundancy is coming to an end later this year.  Hopefully, I can get a good rate.

The second item on the list is Oana getting a job.  Even if it’s just something part-time, that extra income will help supercharge our journey.  At the moment my wage is covering our joint cost of living.  A modest boost to our income, say £500pm, is an extra £500pm available to invest and speed things up.  Other than that, it’s just a waiting game and trying to economise where possible.

That’s all for this week.  Thanks for reading.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 299: Financial Lessons for the 21st Century

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE. This week I put forward some financial lessons for the 21st century. Also, Fork Theory, and finally, yes, that story coming from the Coldplay concert.

Weekly Update

Another week done on the journey to FI, and another week of warm and humid weather.  I don’t generally mind hot weather; it’s the humidity that gets me.  Walking along the seafront in Malta with a scorching sun, and a breeze blowing in from the mediterranean hits differently than a similar temperature and the sticky, humid climate we have in the UK.   

The Coldplay Couple

I couldn’t let this slide without mentioning it, but the recent story about the CEO being caught cheating via Kiss Cam was hilarious.  Don’t get me wrong, cheating is a shitty thing to do, but the way they’ve been caught and the way the internet has come together to rip the piss out them is hilarious.

Anyway, here are some of the funniest posts I’ve seen about it:

Diabetes UK Step Challenge

It’s been hard work keeping up with the step challenge but I’m hanging in there.  Between July 1st and September 30th, my goal is to complete 1,700,000 steps.  Assuming that the steps are averaged out over the full 92 day window, it comes to roughly 18,500 steps per day.  Unfortunately for me, Covid kicked my ass at the start of the month meaning that I was playing catch up from day two onward.  For the last couple of weeks, though, I’ve been smashing it.  

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So far I’ve raised £100 and I thank everyone who has donated.  I don’t know who some of the people are because they’ve donated anonymously, so if you’re reading this – thank you, again.

Hitting such a high number of steps each day takes some planning.  Normally I’ll wake up and go on the treadmill a bit before work, and then do some more on my lunch, and then after work.  All in all, we’re talking approximately three hours of walking to reach the daily target.  

I don’t think this is sustainable for 92 consecutive days, so that plan was, and still is, to go slightly above the target each day and bring the required daily average down from that point on.  As I write this my daily target is a little over 19,200 steps, and so I aim for 20,000 each day.  Once the daily requirement is under 19,000 I’ll then aim for 19,000, and so on.  This allows me to build in some slack for days when I’m ill or too busy to complete the goal for that day.

If you would like to donate to Diabetes UK, you can find my donation page at the link below:

https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/davids-fundraising-page1055

Fork Theory: A Powerful Metaphor for Autistic Burnout, Stress, and Overwhelm

When discussing neurodivergence, metaphors matter. They help us explain what often feels unexplainable to others with how our brains process the world, how our energy fluctuates, and why we sometimes hit a wall without warning. You may have heard of Spoon Theory, which I’ve discussed in this blog several times, which describes energy limitations in chronic illness. But today, I want to talk about something that hits even closer to home for many autistic people, including myself: Fork Theory.

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What Is Fork Theory?

Imagine that every time something stressful or irritating happens like a loud noise, an interruption, or a change of plan, you are handed a metaphorical fork. One or two forks might not be a problem. But as the day goes on, those forks pile up. You can’t put them down, and eventually, carrying them becomes overwhelming. That’s when you drop them all, or rather, you shut down, melt down, or hit burnout.

Where Spoon Theory focuses on energy depletion, Fork Theory focuses on stress accumulation.

The Day-to-Day Forks You Don’t See

For neurotypical people, many of the things that hand out “forks” don’t register. But for autistic individuals like myself, these forks show up constantly:

This can include a group WhatsApp message going off while I’m in a deep work session, or a Teams notification.  It can be the sound of a dishwasher or washing machine whilst you’re working from home.  Other examples include a last-minute change to a plan, a strong smell nearby, or an itchy tag on your clothes.

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Individually, none of these things seem overwhelming. But Fork Theory explains that it’s not the fork you see, it’s the twenty others I’ve been handed already.  You might not be familiar with Fork Theory but I’m certain you are familiar with a similar idea; “The straw that broke the camel’s back.”

There are lots of ways to describe this concept, including a French phrase I quite like;

“La goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase.”

My French is rusty, but it relates to the drop of water that causes the vase to spillover.  

Whether we are talking about Forks, Straw, or Water, the concept I’m describing is one we are all familiar with, whether consciously or not.

Forks and Financial Advice: The Hidden Cost of Stress

In my role as a mortgage and protection adviser, managing client expectations, regulations, and tight deadlines is part of the job. But throw in sensory overload or unexpected social demands, and the job doesn’t just drain spoons, it can start to throw forks in my direction.

Understanding Fork Theory has helped me explain to colleagues (and myself) why some days feel unmanageable even if “nothing big” happened. It’s the tiny, cumulative stressors that tip the balance. And it’s also a reminder to build in buffer time, quiet space, and recovery rituals, because you can’t advise clients properly when you’re reaching for a spoon and grab another fork instead.

Fork Theory and Autism: Why It Resonates

Many autistic people find Fork Theory more relatable than Spoon Theory. While spoons reflect physical or energy limits (very real for many), forks reflect emotional and sensory limits. This includes 

1- Social fatigue from masking or navigating unpredictable interactions.

2 – Sensory overload from environments that are too loud, bright, or busy. 

3 – Executive dysfunction, where the effort of choosing, planning, or starting tasks creates stress. 

4 – Emotional labour, like managing your tone, body language, or facial expressions to appear “neutral”.

Fork Theory validates the invisible toll of these daily experiences.

How to Use Fork Theory

If you’re neurodivergent, Fork Theory can be a tool for self-awareness and communication. You might say: “I’m carrying too many forks today to handle a noisy pub.”, or “That conversation gave me more forks than I expected and I need to reset.”

And if you’re neurotypical and reading this? Consider it an invitation to ask, “What forks might someone be carrying today?”, especially if their reactions seem out of proportion.

Fork Theory is one of those simple metaphors that can be life-changing once you’ve heard it. It doesn’t fix the problem, but it gives us a language to talk about emotional bandwidth, sensory stress, and overwhelm without needing to justify or defend it.

So next time someone reacts in a way you don’t understand, or needs space when everything seems fine, remember: you can’t always see the forks. But that doesn’t mean they’re not there.

This Blog

Thank you to those who voted.  I was surprised that the results were so evenly spread.

What I’m Doing

Listening: Six Conversations We’re Scared to Have by Deborah Frances-White

Watching: Squid Game (Netflix).

Reading: Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton.

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We’re finally getting around to watching the second season of Squid Game.  We had to rewatch the first season as it was so long ago that we saw it.  It’s such a well made show even if the premise is batshit crazy.  It’s one of those things that would never happen in the real world on that scale, due to the number of people that would have to be involved.  Between the engineers who built the compound, to those who work on the IT systems, the guards, drivers, and all the people involved in the gambling, you’re talking about thousands of people before you even get to the contestants.  

Although I am enjoying it, it’s very much a show where you switch off your brain and enjoy it.  

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £19,000.00.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £115,789.47.

Fuck It Fund: £500.29.

Pensions: £98,639.64.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £473,297.40.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,949.31. 

Total Debts: £177,949.31.

Total Wealth: £295,348.09.

Next week is Week 300.  It’s a bit of an ask, but I’m hopeful there’s a surge in the market and I somehow hit £300k total wealth by then.  

Financial Lessons for the 21st Century

Twenty years ago, if you wanted to check your bank balance, you’d probably walk to a high street branch, call a number printed on your card, or wait for a paper statement. Today, your phone buzzes every time you buy a coffee. You can invest in a global index fund in under five minutes, or accidentally blow £200 on Amazon with a thumbprint.

In some ways, money has never been more convenient. But it’s also never been more complex. Rising living costs, digital distractions, job insecurity, and the slow erosion of traditional safety nets mean that managing your finances in the 21st century is a completely different beast.

The old advice of “get a job, save a bit, buy a house, retire at 65” feels like it belongs to another world.

So, here are the financial lessons I believe truly matter today.

1. Income Is No Longer a Guarantee of Stability

There was a time when a good job meant a predictable, secure life. That time has gone.

Even professional roles come with risk now; redundancy, restructuring, or AI displacement. I say this as someone who was made redundant after more than a decade at a major bank, with excellent performance for most of that time. No job is “safe” anymore, and we do ourselves a disservice if we pretend otherwise.

Lesson: Diversify. If you can, build additional income streams and investments, a side hustle, freelance work, or rental income. You don’t need seven incomes to feel secure. You need resilience.  You need layers of protection.

2. Inflation and Interest Rates Are Back, and They Matter

For much of the 2010s, we lived in a world of low inflation and rock-bottom interest rates. Debt was cheap. Saving didn’t feel urgent. Then came the cost of living crisis, and suddenly, everyone had to relearn how inflation quietly steals your future.

We also watched interest rates rise in a way many had never experienced before. Mortgage costs soared. People stretched to their limits began to crack, particularly those who maxed out their affordability on mortgages and went for short term fixed rates.

Lesson: Don’t assume calm markets or cheap borrowing are permanent. Pay attention to your real rate of return after inflation, and keep an eye on interest rates, especially if you carry debt.

3. The Real Flex Isn’t Luxury. It’s Freedom

In the early 2000s, wealth was flashy. Expensive cars, designer clothes, status symbols. Now? Wealth looks like time. It looks like being able to say no. Like working fewer hours or choosing peace over hustle.

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Financial independence isn’t about escaping work entirely.  It’s about being free to work on your terms.  This is where the concept of FU Money comes from.

Lesson: Align your spending with your values. Chase freedom, not just figures.

4. Mental Health Is a Financial Factor

This isn’t talked about enough: your mental health and your financial health are not separate. Burnout, anxiety, depression, or autistic masking; all of these things affect your ability to earn, spend, save, or even care about money.

In my own case, navigating an adult autism diagnosis changed the way I view stress, structure, and income. When you’re in a state of emotional exhaustion, your financial goals can feel meaningless. Recovery time isn’t a luxury, it’s a cost worth budgeting for.

Lesson: Plan not just for survival, but for sustainability. Build in buffers. Respect your limits. Rest is financial strategy.

5. Autonomy Is the New Currency

If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that control over your time and energy is priceless. Whether you’re autistic, neurotypical, introverted, or just burnt out, the ability to shape your workday matters more than any promotion.

Whether that means switching to part-time, choosing remote work, or walking away from toxic environments, financial planning is what enables you to do it.

Lesson: Build your life around autonomy and not appearances. Financial independence gives you options. Options give you peace.

6. AI and Automation Are Changing the Game

We’re now firmly in the age of AI. Whether you work in finance, healthcare, customer service, or education, parts of your role may soon be automated. But rather than fear it, we should focus on what can’t be replaced: empathy, creativity, adaptability, relationships.

As a mortgage adviser, I’ve seen how clients value honesty, clarity, and human understanding; all things algorithms can’t quite master (yet). But it’s naive to think change isn’t coming.

Lesson: Keep learning. Adapt. Build financial habits that don’t depend solely on your labour, like investing. And lean into what makes you human.

7. No One Cares About Your Retirement More Than You Do

Final salary pensions are nearly extinct. The state pension age keeps creeping upwards. And with longer life expectancy, 20–30 years of retirement isn’t unusual; it should be expected.

Yet many people in their 30s, 40s or even 50s still don’t have a clear plan. Relying on the government or your employer is a gamble most people can’t afford.

Lesson: Start investing early, consistently, and automatically, even if it’s a small amount. Learn the basics of pensions, ISAs, compound growth. The earlier you start, the less it hurts.

Old Wisdom, New World

The 21st century hasn’t rewritten all the rules of money. But it has changed the context dramatically.

We still need to live below our means. Still need to save and invest. Still need to manage risk. But now, we also need to factor in things like emotional bandwidth, unstable job markets, and existential questions about how we want to live.

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The best financial plan today isn’t just about growing wealth, although that is still important, it’s about designing a life that makes sense in this unpredictable, overloaded world.

If that means retiring early, great. If it means working part-time in a job you love, that’s just as valid. The goal isn’t to escape life; it’s to reclaim it.

I hope you found this post helpful, feel free to share it. The more we talk honestly about money, the better we all do.  Please leave a comment, and share this blog if you can.  That’s all for this week, thank you for reading.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.

Part 298: Cryptobro? Nah, Cryptono.

Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on FIRE. This week, I discuss crypto and explain why I think it’s a load of rubbish. Also, thoughts on an idea I’ve wanted to discuss for a while: Competence Porn.

Weekly Update

I feel like I’ve not had a spare second this week.  My days have been taken up with work, then walking, then sleep.  My Diabetes UK Step Challenge is in full swing, and I’m trying to make up for the lack of steps I completed at the start of the month when I had Covid.  

The goal is to hit 1,700,000 steps between July 1st and September 30th.  This works out at just under 18,500 steps each day.  However, because of the slow start, my current daily target stands at 19,245 steps.  I’m hoping to smash through the steps at the front end to get back ahead of the game.  I want to be in a position where, should something crop up, missing a day or two isn’t a big problem.  

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Getting the steps in is a challenge when you work at a desk for nine hours a day, Monday to Friday.  I have a treadmill at home which I use on breaks and lunch, and in the evening I’ll either go for a walk with Oana or go on the treadmill whilst we watch something or as I listen to a book or podcast.  I’ve learned that my treadmill times out at 99 minutes and 59 seconds and automatically shuts down.  To hit the daily target, I generally need to be walking for three hours a day.  

If you want to keep up to date with my progress, or even donate, you can do so here:

https://step.diabetes.org.uk/fundraising/davids-fundraising-page1055

On Friday evening, Oana and I went for a nice, long walk around the city.  We left our apartment just after 22:00 and returned after midnight.  The temperature was finally comfortable, and with the city being quiet, it was a relaxing time.  I didn’t hit my step target for the day, but I more than made up for it on Saturday.  

Oana went for a bike ride, and I did a little walking around the area.  Then, after lunch, we walked along the canal to Meadowhall.  By this point, I’d done over 20,000 steps, but we still had more to do. We jumped on a tram back to Kelham Island to complete our volunteering duties.  On one of the bridges into Kelham Island, there’s a series of large planters which were installed during Covid.  There’s a group of volunteers who work on a rota to make sure the plants are all watered.  This is done by lowering a bucket from the bridge into the water, before pulling it up and using that water to fill the watering can.  

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Last time we did this, it was early morning on a weekday, and so we didn’t have many watchers.  This time, it was early evening on a Saturday, and all the bars near the bridge were open with groups of people scattered around having drinks.  So, we had an audience.  Plenty of people stopped to check out what we were doing and had nice things to say.  Some people were curious and seemed to think it was funny, for some unknown reason.  At one point, two young women who were a little tipsy stopped me as I was pulling up the metal bucket and lifting it over the barrier.  

Woman: What’s that? *pointing at the bucket*

Me: It’s a bucket.

Ok, maybe she was a little more than tipsy.  

Anyway, it’s a nice thing to do and was a decent workout lifting large buckets of water from the river several meters below. As Saturday drew to a close, I had completed over 22,500 steps.

Competence Porn: The Deeply Satisfying Allure of Watching Experts at Work

There’s a particular kind of story I keep coming back to. It’s not driven by spectacle, or even emotion, though those elements might be present. At its heart, it’s about people doing their jobs really well. Stories where characters face a problem, often a seemingly impossible one, and solve it not through luck or brute force, but through skill, intelligence, and calm determination.  Maybe I’m enjoying this type of story more now because, well, *gestures at everyone in power fucking things up*

It’s not an official genre, but it has a name: competence porn.

The term is slightly tongue-in-cheek, of course. It doesn’t refer to anything graphic in the usual sense, and there’s no nudity or scandal here. The “porn” part is shorthand for indulgence. Just as “food porn” is about luxuriating in mouthwatering visuals of perfectly plated meals, competence porn is about revelling in scenes where talented people get things done. It scratches a very specific itch: the thrill of mastery.

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This is storytelling that says, “Don’t worry, we’ve got this.” And there’s something deeply comforting about that.

Why Do We Crave Competence?

In a world that often feels chaotic, unpredictable, and frustratingly inefficient, competence porn is a balm. It offers a fantasy, not of power, not of perfection, but of capability. These stories aren’t about superheroes or fate. They’re about knowledge, experience, teamwork, and the kind of thinking that cuts through panic.

Watching competent characters at work is oddly calming, especially after watching another bewildering Trump rant. It reminds us that problems can be solved, and that there are people out there who know what they’re doing. Whether it’s saving lives, fixing spacecraft, or solving a mystery, the pleasure is in the process as much as the outcome.

And it’s not just about individual genius. Some of the most satisfying examples are ensemble stories, where each member of the team brings a specific skill to the table. Think of it like a well-rehearsed jazz band where each soloist is brilliant in their own right, but made even better by the way they harmonise.

I think part of this attraction is because many jobs are so restrictive in what you can and can’t do.  The ability to showcase individual ability and expertise is often pushed down, and company policy takes over.  In a sense, watching competence is escapism from daily life and the utter stupidity we seem to be fighting against.  

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The Starship Bridge and the Medical Drama

One of the clearest examples of competence porn is found in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Captain Picard doesn’t solve crises by punching anyone in the face; that’s the realm of Benjamin Muthafuckin’ Sisko. Instead, he listens to his officers, weighs the ethical implications, and makes careful decisions. When a problem arises, be it an alien threat, a spatial anomaly, or a diplomatic incident, each member of the crew contributes their expertise. Worf handles security, but gets beaten up a lot. Data analyses. Troi interprets emotions. Blazin’ Bev offers the medical perspective. It’s like watching a high-functioning committee where every voice matters, except Worf (see the compilation of all the times his suggestions are ignored).

It’s not about perfection. It’s about function.

The same appeal runs through House, M.D., though in a more abrasive flavour. Dr. House is often unpleasant, even cruel. But he’s a diagnostic savant. The pleasure of watching House isn’t in seeing a warm and fuzzy doctor help people.  It’s in watching someone drill down into an unsolvable case with raw, obsessive intellect. He’s not guessing; he’s working through layers of possibility, one hypothesis at a time. Even when he’s wrong (and he often is, at first), the path to the answer is always meticulous.

You’re not just watching a character, you’re watching a mind at work.  These are the same sort of reasons why Sherlock was so popular; it follows the same sort of format of House, and it should be no surprise that House was inspired, to some degree, by the original Sherlock Holmes stories and the clues are hiding in plain sight; House and Holmes; Wilson and Watson.  

When Science Saves the Day

Few films embody this better than The Martian. Mark Watney, left for dead on Mars, doesn’t give up. He doesn’t weep or pray or wait to be rescued. He gets to work. Armed with a potato, some Martian soil, and his own ingenuity, he sets about staying alive using pure scientific problem-solving. “I’m going to have to science the shit out of this,” he says, and we, the audience, settle in for the ride.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. One mistake means death. But that just makes his calm, methodical approach all the more satisfying. There are no miracles here. Just physics, chemistry, and a relentless refusal to quit.  There aren’t many things I find more attractive, endearing, or inspiring than the indomitable will to succeed.  

Andy Weir, who wrote The Martian, taps into something primal: the joy of watching someone figure it out. His follow-up novel, Project Hail Mary, takes that to an even grander scale. Once again, we follow a stranded man, this time in deep space, who must solve interstellar-level problems with little more than logic, maths, and duct tape. What makes these books so engaging isn’t the action, but the thinking. The sense that the universe can be understood, if only you try hard enough.

Competence in Alternate Histories

That same joy of mastery runs through Mary Robinette Kowal’s Lady Astronaut series. Beginning with The Calculating Stars, the books imagine an alternate 1950s where a climate catastrophe accelerates the space race. Elma York, a former WASP pilot and brilliant mathematician, becomes one of the world’s first astronauts not through luck or charm, but because she’s the best person for the job.

The series is filled with technical details regarding rocket mechanics, navigation, and atmospheric science, but also human nuance. Elma isn’t just smart; she’s part of a larger machine filled with experts, from engineers to psychologists. Watching them navigate not only the physics of spaceflight but the politics and prejudices of the time is both uplifting and deeply satisfying.

It’s competence porn with heart.

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The Emotional Core of Competence

What makes these stories resonate isn’t just that the characters are good at what they do, it’s how they do it. They’re not infallible. They make mistakes. They struggle with doubt, frustration, and fear. But what sets them apart is their ability to focus. To tune out the noise, draw on their training, and trust their judgement.

And that, I think, is why competence porn matters.

In an age of misinformation, performative incompetence, and systems that often seem broken, it’s comforting, hopeful, even, to see characters who care about getting it right. Whether it’s diagnosing a rare disease, rerouting a starship, or landing a rocket, these stories remind us that skill still matters. That intelligence, collaboration, and dedication are not only admirable, they’re vital.

They remind us of what’s possible when people do their jobs, not just with talent, but with integrity.

Do you have a go-to show or book that scratches the competence itch? Something that makes you want to sit up straighter, take notes, or dive back into learning something new? I’d love to hear about it, so please let me know.

We could all use a little more brilliance in our lives.

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This Blog

I get fairly regular feedback from readers, both public and private, and I wanted to throw this question out there.  I’m assuming most people read this blog primarily because of the FI journey I’m on, but that is only part of this blog.  I regularly discuss politics, science, pop culture, customer service, and more. So, what do you enjoy the most in this blog?

What I’m Doing

Listening: The Martian Contingency by Mary Robinette Kowal.

Watching: Nothing at the moment.

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Financial Update

Assets

Premium Bonds: £19,000.00.

Stocks and Shares ISA: £115,274.88.

Fuck It Fund: £500.29.

Pensions: £98,098.61.

Residential Property Value: £239,368.00. 

Total Assets: £472,241.78.

Debts

Residential Mortgage: £177,949.31. 

Total Debts: £177,949.31.

Total Wealth: £294,292.47.

I’m so close to several milestones now and I’m impatient to finally reach them.  I’m just a few thousand short of hitting £300k total wealth for the first time, and less than £2k from hitting £100k in my pensions.  

These milestones are purely emotional, as there’s not much practical difference between having £299,999 total wealth and £300,000.  We measure our progress through these milestones, though, and it’s a nice boost when FI seems a little while off.

Crypto Is Bullshit

What do a vegan, a CrossFitter, and a crypto bro have in common?

They all walk into a bar… and argue over which one gets to lecture you first. The crypto bro tries to explain Web3 before you’ve even ordered a pint. The vegan’s holding tofu and shouting “meat is murder”. The CrossFitter’s already done three burpees. But only one of them wants you to buy a digital coin he made in his garage last Tuesday. And he swears it’s going to the moon.

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This is the level of absurdity we’ve reached.

Let’s cut through the hype: crypto is, at its core, a giant confidence scam dressed up in tech jargon and libertarian daydreams. We’ve been sold the idea that it’s revolutionary, decentralised freedom from the shackles of the corrupt traditional financial system. In reality, it’s just another speculative asset class that lives and dies on public perception.  It’s this century’s Greater Fool asset of choice.

It’s Just Money, But Worse

One of the most glaring ironies of the crypto world is that you need traditional fiat currency to buy into it in the first place. Nobody is paying for their rent, groceries, or council tax in Ethereum. Instead, people exchange pounds, dollars, or euros, actual legal tender (oh, don’t we just love that phrase), for crypto in the hope that someone else will one day pay even more for it.

This exposes the central lie: crypto isn’t a replacement for fiat. It’s a derivative of it. Its value is entirely propped up by people’s willingness to convert real money into digital tokens. If people stop doing that, the whole thing collapses. It’s confidence all the way down.

Confidence is a Fragile Thing

Crypto evangelists often claim it’s “decentralised” and “trustless.” But that’s misleading. Crypto depends on confidence just like traditional currencies. The difference is that national currencies are backed by governments, central banks, and (whether you like it or not) regulation. If the pound starts to wobble, the Bank of England intervenes. There’s a framework.

Crypto has no such safety net. When confidence in a coin dies whether through a rug pull, an exchange collapse, or a tweet from Elon Musk, or some version of a Pump and Dump, it vanishes into the digital ether. And when it does, there’s no one to call, no ombudsman to appeal to, no compensation scheme. Just a lot of people wondering where their “decentralised wealth” went.

But Isn’t the Tech Interesting?

Yes, let’s be fair, blockchain technology has some genuinely fascinating applications. Distributed ledgers, smart contracts, and tokenisation all hold promise in certain niches: supply chain verification, digital rights management, maybe even some clever uses in finance.

But here’s the thing: you can be interested in the tech without believing in the hype. You don’t need to buy a cartoon monkey JPEG or invest in Dogecoin to appreciate the underlying mechanisms of blockchain. Just like you don’t need to invest in every dot-com stock to acknowledge the internet’s potential.

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The Cult of Belief

What really stinks about crypto is the way it preys on hope. It markets itself as financial liberation while functioning more like a zero-sum game. For someone to win big, someone else has to lose, and it’s usually retail investors who got in too late, too naively, or too broke to take the hit.

It’s not just flawed. It’s predatory. And it’s wrapped up in memes, FOMO, and half-baked promises of decentralisation. In the end, it’s not a revolution. It’s a con job built on buzzwords and blind faith.

So no, I’m not buying it. Not the coins, not the hype, and definitely not the narrative. Crypto, for all its digital glitter, is still just a confidence game. And that confidence can vanish with the next market crash, tweet, or bankruptcy filing.

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions in this blog are my own, and do not represent the views or opinions of my former, current, or future employers, nor should they be considered advice.

If you want personalised financial advice, seek an appropriate professional.  If you are in financial difficulty, seek advice via the resources below:

StepChange

MoneyHelper

Biolink 

You can now find all my social media pages by checking out my Biolink:

bio.link/davidscothern.