Bit of a random update really but just thought I’d put it out there what’s been going around in my head over the last few months

 

is it time to finally say goodbye to the 9-5?

Here are my reasons:

  • We’ve got a pretty big safety net of “liquid” savings of nearly 100K (OK much of this isn’t truly liquid, but at least half of it definitely is).
  • I’m smashing it on the main side hustle of MB/EW betting (yes yes… I do not want to be relying on this long term, and not even really in the short term, but the fact remains the money keeps flowing in).
  • I have started a new hustle with Amazon Merch (see first design below!). Obviously getting a bit ahead of myself here but I reckon with no full time work I could build this up to a decent income stream.
  • I also have a handful of other ideas of software projects which could generate money, again I just need the time to actually work on them though.
  • Looking back at my initial goal when I started the blog, I am really not that far off of hitting it, and I said I would quit my job when I hit that goal, which has made me start to think about it.
  • We just got paid a 6 month bonus at work. They normally do a yearly bonus which is paid in July but it’s just re-synced to the actual calendar year. I was planning on staying till June then taking the bonus and seeing whether I wanted to hand in my notice then, but now the bonus has been paid it has bought the whole thing to mind much earlier than expected. Do I really want to stay a whole year from now (when the next yearly bonus will be paid) before deciding upon it again?

Obviously there are many reasons to stay as well, such as:

 

  • I now have a child to think about as well, which I didn’t when I first started all of this and made those initial plans, so really I shouldn’t take those initial plans into account all that much.
  • Home working situation – I don’t really have a home office space, and to be honest even if I did it is really hard to work knowing the little one is downstairs playing and having fun. And I think I would need more of a separation between “work” and “home” in general if I’m honest. I have an idea of how to get around this though (and crucially it would be cheap/practically free), but it’s something worth bearing in mind at least.
  • I am already working part time, so already have a great work/life balance compared to most people.
  • I’ve just put in for a pay rise, so if I get one and it’s half decent, it will greatly enhance the chances I stay.
  • In addition to the above, I can execute my main cash side hustle while at work so it is almost like getting paid twice. It seems a bit of a fallacy to basically turn money down here!!!

However, especially in relation to that last point, money is not everything and I do wonder if I might be happier just being out there on my own, getting out of my comfort zone, and really doing some entrepreneurial shit.

And let’s face it, how cool would it be to just totally set your own schedule? If I wanted to see Mrs T and TFS Jr in the morning for a couple of hours before “going to work” I would be able to, and also shoot out for a run whenever I feel like it rather than have to cram it into my lunch break. And it would get rid of 3 hours of commuting per day, which would free an immense amount of time and may even mean I am not totally knackered all the time due to having 6-7 hours of sleep most nights when I know I should be getting 8.

 

amazon merch

Speaking of the next side hustle, I have uploaded my first design and it seemed fitting that it should probably just be a theFIREstarter related one to get me up and running. At the risk of sounding extremely big headed and assuming people might actually want to spend their hard-earned on crap like this (which I don’t!) but on the off chance any readers over the years ever did want something along these lines, here it is:

First Ever TFS Merch T-Shirt

It’s available in 5 different colours, I’d obviously recommend the Orange for maximum impact and getting people talking about the T-Shirt so you can then evangelise the concepts of FIRE to them 😀

Alternatively, if you wanted something but don’t like the actual design, please give me you feedback and I can update it!

Here’s the deal: I need to fill 10 slots and sell one of each design to break out into the next “Tier” when I get far more slots and I can then try out far more different things to see what sticks. So for these first 10 slots I am pretty much happy to just create bespoke designs for people so I get a guaranteed sale and so fill their “at least one sale” criteria

I’ve also priced the T-Shirt at the lowest possible price where I am still getting some sort of commision so it’s a bargain basement £12.99 1.

I will price the first 10 at this same price as well.

So if there is anything you want me to tweak on the above design, let me know and I will upload something to a new slot (or just overwrite that one, if no one likes it… haha).

Alternatively if there is something you fancy having on a T-Shirt that is nothing to do with the TFS blog… that’s cool as well!j

Just let me know what you’d like, and if it’s remotely reasonable* I will custom design your idea for you, put it up on Amazon Merch and send you the link. That’s as long as you have a genuine intention of buying it of course! But if I do a design for you and you decided you didn’t like my interpretation, that’s cool.

*i.e. not horrendously offensive which Amazon will penalise me for, or some really complicated design, I am still quite a beginner with the design tools so far. Also you can use copyright/trademarked stuff so don’t ask me to say do a fake Nike T-Shirt or whatever… haha!

 

Hopefully in this way you guys are helping me out get this hustle off the ground, but you are also getting a low cost but nice custom made T-Shirt for yourselves, and everyone comes away happy.

 

So let me know what you’d like!

 

And of course… should I stay or should I go?!?!?!?

 

Notes:

  1. Yes I know this is quite a lot compared to a T-Shirt from the charity shop, but where else you gonna get a rare or bespoke design for that price, right!? 🙂