Hello and welcome back to Mortgage Advisor on F.I.R.E. This week I talk about social media, and discuss whether anyone has a right to censor what other people post. Also, another significant update on my BTL.
Social media has become so interwoven with life that it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate one’s physical life with their digital life. Some sites offer a degree of anonymity, like Reddit, whilst others are more transparent, like Facebook. I do not actually like Facebook, or Twitter, but I use them out of necessity. Apart from sharing content, like this blog or memes, the vast majority of what I share is just blatant shitposting. Most people get this, but some do not. I really do not care. The thing with social media is that you can choose who you want to follow or unfollow. There are a fair few people who I am connected with on social media but who I have unfollowed because their content annoys me. I understand they are entitled to post what they want and if I do not like it or agree, I will generally just move on with my day. I will sometimes challenge what I see as dangerous propaganda or unhealthy opinions, such as those arguing against vaccines. This is the exception though, and not the rule. My rule of thumb; your profile, your choice.
A few days ago I posted that I like it when people publicly declare their intention to not have the Covid vaccine, because it is nice to know who is stupid. I honestly believe that unless there is a legitimate medical issue, you should have the vaccine. If you choose not to do so, then you are a dumbass. The world is in the midst of a horrific pandemic and the world has pumped so much time, energy, money and knowledge into creating these vaccines. There may be some side effects but that is the case for pretty much every vaccine out there. The vaccines are not a hundred percent effective, but that is the same for every other vaccine out there. Just because something is not perfect, it does not mean you just ignore it. There is a whole logical fallacy named after this principle; the Nirvana Fallacy. If you have your own opinion, that is completely fine. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, this should not be mistaken as being the same as believing that all opinions are equally valid. If you want a medical opinion, you speak to a medical expert. If you want a financial opinion, you speak to a finance expert. If you want an opinion on the Covid vaccines, you do not listen to your mate down the pub who spends his time driving buses, in the same way that you would not approach a doctor for their opinion on the state of public transport.
I do not know the first thing about how these vaccines were created. I mean, I know a little bit here and there, but I put my trust in the scientific method and in the fact that the overwhelming majority of doctors, nurses, scientists and lab workers know what they are doing. I do this in the same way I put my trust in an airline pilot to safely fly me from one place to another, or in a chef to cook me a safe, tasty meal. We all put our trust in other people on a daily basis, whether that is on drivers to stop at a red light, or for people to just behave in a civilised manner. Yet despite all this, some people have this, frankly bizarre, distrust of modern medicine.
So, back to my post on Facebook. It sparked quite the debate and I was finding it good fun. A few people got involved but then it seemed to take a somewhat nasty turn. Several of my readers will know that I have had a really bad year. My tolerance for bullshit is almost zero. I use social media how I want to use it, and I let people use theirs how they see fit. If you do not like what I post, then you have several choices; unfriend, unfollow or keep on scrolling. I deleted the post that caused this latest shitstorm as a gesture to one specific person. Moving forward though, I am not going to censor my social media. This is not a knee jerk reaction to what happened this last week, but the cumulative build up of me getting increasingly frustrated at having to placate other people. I have no patience left for that anymore. None. Zero. Zilch.
Weekly Update
I will be so happy when this pandemic is over. Every week just seems to be the same with nothing to look forward to. I want to go on holiday, but at this point I would settle for sitting in a cafe with a good coffee. This week saw me complete my first full week at work following my phased return. I am now back at full time hours and I do not think Sweep is too happy with me. I finished my shift at 18:00 the other day and he could not wait to get some attention.
There is not really much else to report and I suspect that is the same for most people up and down the country.
2021 Goals – to be achieved by 31/12/2021
1 – Reduce weight to 92.8kg.
2 – Finish 104 new books.
3 – Complete RO3 for my DipFA.
4 – Complete RO4 for my DipFA.
5 – Complete RO5 for my DipFA.
6 – Complete RO6 for my DipFA.
I lost a little bit of weight this week, and I have now finished twelve books. The last book I finished was The List by Siobhan Vivian. I bought it, and over a dozen other books, during an Audible sale. I did not look too closely at the books and just went a bit click happy. This book was disappointing, but I am still glad I gave it a try. It was a book about a high school where a list is published each year of the attractive and unattractive girls. I thought it was going to be more psychological but it was actually just high school drama by the numbers, and not that interesting.
I am almost halfway through my first read through of the RO3 textbook. To say it is dull would be an insult to dullness. This is possibly the most boring thing I have ever read. The first read through is the hardest though, and once I finish the book I can start looking at practice questions and then drill down into the areas I am weakest on.
Financial Update
Assets
Premium Bonds: £150.00 (no change from last update).
Stocks and Shares ISA: £19,979.52 (up £163.78 from last update).
Fuck It Fund: £90.00 (down £110.00 from last update).
Crypto: £78.08 (up £17.44 from last update).
Residential Property Value: £194,909.00 (no change from last update).
Buy-to-Let Property Value: £125,775.00 (no change from last update).
Total Assets: £340,981.60 (up £71.22 from last update).
Debts
Credit Card: £0.00 (no change from last update).
Residential Mortgage: £141,026.49 (no change from last update).
Buy-to-Let Mortgage: £93,199.07 (no change from last update).
Total Debts: £234,225.56 (no change from last update).
Total Wealth: £106,756.04 (up £71.22 from last update).
Investment Income in 2021: £4.14 (target £5,000).
I had to dip into my Fuck It Fund this week to account for the mortgage payment on the BTL that is due on Monday. Apart from that, there has not been much change in my financial position. There has been the usual change in my ISA and in the value of the cryptocurrency I am invested in, but that is just the usual day-to-day movement one expects.
I am thinking of setting up another investment pot by opening a SIPP. I have a respectable pension pot through my employer, but I do not plan on being there forever and when I do leave I will transfer my pension to a platform which gives me more control. I will discuss this in more detail when I have made a definite decision.
BTL Update
Our tenants moved in on Friday and we should get our first instalment of rent from the agent early next week. It has been a hell of a long road to this point, but it has finally happened – we have a tenanted BTL.
The aim now is to secure a second property before the summer is up. This will be dependent on the pandemic, but I am confident we can get a second and third property over the line by the end of the year.
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Mortgage Advisor on FIRE. 