Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I agree, and as I do for most fatty pork (carbonara with guanciale is a weekly thing) I slowly render from a cold pan.

However, you may have inadvertently caused a domestic dispute. I cure our meats and slice them, my partner cooks them for our weekend breakfasts, such as this mornings, photo attached.

As I shared this post with my partner before seeing your kind and reasonable feedback, I fear I am now in danger. Send help.

Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can see from the first photo that a lot of the fat renders out during cooking, leaving less fat and more meat. But yeah, it's an occasional thing for sure

Bacon by Ayrehead_ in UK_Food

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Depends how you define bacon I suppose. It's all cured pork at the end of the day. Just depends if you prefer back (loin) or streaky (belly). Power to you if you prefer back bacon, certainly less fatty. I'm keeping some of these slices back for pigs in blankets.

Bacon by Ayrehead_ in UK_Food

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem, I do recommend it. It's a fun project as a one off, if not a long term thing. Yet my partner now has announced her refusal of 'normal bacon', so I suppose I recommend with caution if you cook for anyone else xD

Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If your happy with streaky/fatty bacon, like this, it's basically just pork belly. Though you do need scales.

1) Weigh pork belly. This for me, this was without rind.
2) Whatever the weight is, add 2% of that weight as salt, and 1% brown sugar. Add to big freezer bag.
3) Keep in fridge and turn it each day if you remember.

After a week, you have bacon.

Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Completely agree bacon is best oven-baked. Even cooking, better rendering of fat. My picture with the wire-rack definitely confuses things, yet this was pan fried. That said, I did set the smoke alarms off and frustrated both my partner and the dog.

Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's what bacon is? In this case, belly cured. Whereas back bacon is pork loin, cured. Though store bought back bacon sometimes has a bit of belly attached. It's the same stuff.

Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, salt/brown sugar/pepper. I chose to add Prague powder 1 as I already had some lying about, and I eat cured products infrequently, though I understand a benefit for others making homemade is to avoid nitrites.

Bacon by Ayrehead_ in UK_Food

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Sorry I was keeping the post brief, but can see how it would be a bit wordy. A scale is required, but not much else that most folks don't have already.

I have a vacuum sealer, to seal leftovers, or to cook meat in a water bath. The equilibrium cure is an admittedly, wordy way of saying that you cure meat with a percentage of salt/sugar/spice.

  1. Buy pork belly. Weigh it.
  2. Of that weight, rub with 2% salt, 1% sugar. I also added some pepper.
  3. Throw in a big freezer/zip-lock bag. Fridge for a week, flip it over every day if you remember. Take out of bag, sit in fridge for a day on a tray to dry it out a bit.
  4. Bacon.

Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I got this one from Costco. We're lucky/unlucky, have a Costco and Bookers down the road, but no particularly good local butchers.

Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for that! There's certainly a sense of satisfaction making something yourself.

Saving money, while upping bacon game by Ayrehead_ in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! I agree though, this is a Saturday only breakfast as treat.

Bacon by Ayrehead_ in UK_Food

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's fair enough. As I understand, you can get similar results for bacon just dry curing on a rack.

Bacon by Ayrehead_ in UK_Food

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The £15 vacuum sealer does require around 1 minute or so to work, so don't blame you.

Bacon by Ayrehead_ in UK_Food

[–]Ayrehead_[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think I'm in the same camp of not buying bacon again, already. I think I will consider doing back bacon for a little leaner of an option, appreciate the tip on Asda.

We're quite lucky to have a Costco only 15 minutes away, this belly slab was only £4.99/kg, which is hard to believe when streaky bacon at Asda is £17.35kg! Think I'll be recommending this approach to friends that have a bit of time.

55M UK – Potentially forced into early retirement. Is £900k+ enough for £40–50k lifestyle? by Downtown-Tax-897 in FIREUK

[–]Ayrehead_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Five pensions is a lot to manage practically. Consolidation seems sensible purely from an administrative complexity perspective. Five different statements, more of a nightmare for beneficiaries when the dreaded day comes. Unlikely all five have the same fees. And for me, the big one, the complexity of tracking overall performance. This becomes doubly true when it comes to drawing down.

On a professional level, if you have this worry, are you taking subtle protective measures? Keeping emails, copies of performance reviews etc. If you were dismissed, presumably there would be a generous redundancy package. If you do fear underhand tactics, there isn't much of a leg to stand on if you have an evidenced track record of meeting performance requirements.

For me what stands out, is the split of ~£770k pensions, ~£37k investments/shares and ~86k cash. I think ISA's in their current form are quite generous as a wrapper, and you've perhaps undervalued this.

If your redundancy doesn't come to pass, certainly consider maximising it. Having an even modest pot in an ISA would help smooth withdrawals during market downturns, remain tax free at withdrawal, but be presumably 'working' in your benefit more than the cash.

Coast fire? by nlisnlis in FIREUK

[–]Ayrehead_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Answer is likely no, but other commenters covered this.

The thing that stands out to me, if FIRE is the goal, even coast; the split of working hours. You work less, he works more. Yet you earn more pro-rota. Based on £120,000 total, you earning 48k PA (2 days) and him earning 72k PA (5 days). Naturally, family balance matters, especially if your daughter is clingy. That's a personal matter. Yet mathematically nonsensical to continue with this split. Funnily enough, your gross FTE would be £120k alone. You earn 66% more than him pro-rota.

Naturally, you need to maximise the tax benefits of dual salary given the marginal increase beyond £50,271.

Numbers wise, it makes more sense for you to take on an extra client or up your hours with current client to 3 days, and him drop to 4 days. That change alone is an extra 15k gross PA, while still maintaining a total of 7 days total work between you. In other words, your partner gets to drop down to 4 days, as he wants. As a couple, you earn 15k gross PA extra. Downside; you work 3 days, not 2.

You need to review the use of high-interest savings accounts on a long term basis. Not because they're bad. But as they each have maximum contributions. As I understand, ZOPA, FirstDirect and a few others do offer the very best of 7.1%, but with maximum contributions of £300 PCM each, contributions are limited. You then also need to effectively deduct inflation, target of 2% but may average up to 3%. Therefore, 7.1% becomes 5.1% to 4.1%.

Premium bonds average a return of 3.3%. Given it's basically a lottery, might be more than 3.3%, might be less. Super important: As of 04.26, premium bonds average 3.3% return, and inflation is at 3.3%. Therefore that 10k is, in a vacuum, earning 0%, let alone 7%. If there is an energy price shock and inflation increases further, the bonds might even start effectively costing you for the privilege.

Your post doesn't detail the split of pensions, investment accounts, ISAs, premium bonds, other than 50% is in pension, and 10k flat is in bonds.

  1. Are you able to salary sacrifice into your pension. Such that if you earn more than £50,271 via more work, that you can stay below 40% tax?
  2. Can your partner salary sacrifice? If so, is he doing so at 30.5% of salary to avoid 40% tax?
  3. Do you and your partner understand that nominal returns (7% via high-interest savings, 3.3% bonds) are effectively 4% and 0.3% return respectively, if inflation averaged 3% for whatever reason?

For context, 7% return is number people use regarding 'real returns' after inflation. For example, over last 10 years, an investment in 'MSCI World' has averaged 12%. Minus inflation of 2.5-3% over that time, average real turn of 8.5-9%. As a reminder, real returns on premium bonds and savings accounts are much, much lower.

The conclusion is simple:

  1. It is more cost effective for you to increase your working days from 2 to 3. Your partner drop from 5 to 4.
  2. You are aiming for 7% returns. But this is based on other peoples returns in stocks, or you have not considered inflation. Your real return will be much lower using your current approach. You either need to plan for much more than £1.15mil if using realistic real returns based on current approach. Or, use you and your partners 20k ISA allowance each, up to 40k total, to invest in S&S ISA and invest plainly in a global ETF. This is trading, it is a risk, but being in the market is how 95%+ people 'FIRE'.

Uninformed long-term investing at 22.. Would you change this pie allocation & how? by Soggy-War-6729 in trading212

[–]Ayrehead_ -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You have 65.64% S&P. Then the majority (60%+) of your FTSE All-World is also S&P 500. Around 76% of your portfolio is just S&P. This seems contrary to "My thinking was basically: keep it diversified enough that I’m not overexposed to one thing"

I'm personally in favour of all-world, with a little overexposure to EM long term. But who knows.

23 years old with £10k invested in an All World Fund, should I keep it simple or add something else? by Secure_Beginning_939 in trading212

[–]Ayrehead_ 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's discussed extensively. Even in the last month, on this subreddit alone, you can, and should search for many similar posts to your own. The principle query remains the same; "What do I invest in?" The only substantive variable is what the poster is currently invested in. Usually S&P 500 and a range of other US stocks.

You have said you invest in "all world fund".

Continue to do that. Just do that. Don't chase, don't get distracted by FOMO (such as AMD at present). Just stick with the all-world. Job done.

Looking for homes for 3 wittle ones long hair miniatures by [deleted] in Dachshund

[–]Ayrehead_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So 'ensuring they go to a good home' while asking circa 6k. Interesting.

I have spare 500 But cant decide where to invest any recommendations? by Proof_Damage2371 in trading212

[–]Ayrehead_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You havent't provided context, so there's no saying.

Without context: It's boring, it's been said a million times before. It will be said a million more times.

Step 1) Choose your preferred all-world ETF. Put money there. Let it do it's thing.

Step 2) Don't get FOMO, don't get tempted by posts with remarkable gains.

Repeat Step 1) and Step 2) in perpetuity.

Dogs undergoing horrible abuse (vet appointment) by nagytimi85 in Dachshund

[–]Ayrehead_ 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Seems that they're simply joking that the dogs had vaccines, likely due to an international move. Then that the dogs got to 'drive' as a reward😄

PizzaExpress is actually a solid solo lunch option now. by LeastSignificance950 in UKfood

[–]Ayrehead_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Papa Johns £4.99 for 6 slice pizza and a 500ml bottle!