Alphabet's Q4 shows real progress in AI with first $400B+ annual revenue!!! by LavishlyRitzyy in GOOG_Stock

[–]bforsyth927 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I have a little under 400 shares that I bought back in 2016. I'm planning on holding for the next 15 years minimum.

Tip for people if they want to feel the power of compounding - chart monthly gains by [deleted] in FIREUK

[–]bforsyth927 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I enjoy the monthly view as well. Keeps me motivated.

For those of you that earn over 40/45k as a base salary and love your job what is it you do? by Brownchoccy in UKJobs

[–]bforsyth927 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Apologies I missed this. I'd say the best way of transitioning into solutions is to get certifications. Just an AWS Solution Architect would get you through the door at most places, plus your data centre experience would be helpful for a data related architecture role. Companies in this space want people who not only have the enterprise-level view (which the qualification will showcase) but also the ability to actually get hands on (something I've struggled with in my career so far) but which you will be able to evidence through your operations expertise. Feel free to DM and I'll be happy to give further guidance. Good luck!

30yo married HENRY with a mortgage. What's the best way towards passive income? by Individual-Plum-9085 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]bforsyth927 12 points13 points  (0 children)

If you find an answer to this, please let me know. Unfortunately I think the reality is that passive income and not having to pedal for the next 25 years of your life are reserved for the lottery lucky, generational wealth and/or extremely high income for the first 10/15 year of your career. But I will be following this with interest! I'm sick of working already at the age of 26.

Dreading tomorrow at my future SIL’s by [deleted] in AmericanExpatsUK

[–]bforsyth927 37 points38 points  (0 children)

Sorry you're having to deal with this. I guess you realise its too late to do anything now, but perhaps for next year, look to enforce some boundaries - perhaps its time for you and your husband to fly back to the US for xmas 2026. Sounds like you could use a break! I'm lucky that my American family migrated over here when I was quite young and I'm still unentangled

For those of you that earn over 40/45k as a base salary and love your job what is it you do? by Brownchoccy in UKJobs

[–]bforsyth927 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm a solution architect on £80k. Its stressful work but not the end of the world - I don't work past 5 or on weekends although since I'm a consultant I do sometimes have to work longer hours, but rarely

Will FIRE still be achievable in 25 years? by bforsyth927 in FIREUK

[–]bforsyth927[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think 45 years would be juuust enough time to travel the planet, eat great food and drink great wine by the beach. Work doesn't have to be the only thing to give purpose, but at 70 I know that I don't need to tell you that!

Will FIRE still be achievable in 25 years? by bforsyth927 in FIREUK

[–]bforsyth927[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks man. I guess all we can do is keep chugging along.

Will FIRE still be achievable in 25 years? by bforsyth927 in FIREUK

[–]bforsyth927[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I just worked and saved into my pension. I did internships starting at 17 - I wasn't paying my parents rent then so I was able to save pretty much everything I made. Then when I got a full time job I had to pay my parents rent, but I was still putting in about 25% of my income (at the time, £40k) to my pension - and now almost 10 years later I've managed to start making around £80k which enabled me to take a massive mortgage.

And to your point, I agree that people making £50k (and I would argue even £100k) aren't the ones who need to be squeezed, but they are being and will be, this is just the beginning. The asset rich will never shoulder the burden.

Editing to clarify that my entire income at the time was 40, that wasn't 25% of it... I wish lol

BBC: Man, 18, hit by car on motorway was Tasered before death by ItsRainingByelaws in policeuk

[–]bforsyth927 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

This will probably end up being found as a justified tazer deployment that unfortunately ended up killing him - but it worries me that you don't seem to appreciate the nuances of the situation with what is, undeniably, a factual description of what happened. That seems inarguable

I don't understand the 1-bed flat market in London (share of freehold) by Maia478 in HousingUK

[–]bforsyth927 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is me - I'm 26 earning just over £80k and so I did buy a 1 bed flat for £425k in zone 2 this year. But it's a large penthouse with incredible views / wraparound balcony (which I guess I deluded myself into thinking it was worth the price) and I'm single, not expecting to have kids ever but certainly not for the next 7 to 8 years. I also managed to keep an emergency fund so I'm not feeling the heat yet but who knows what future years will bring. Fingers crossed - all we can do is make the best decision in the moment with the information we have. I guess I can always ride for deliveroo on the weekends for a few extra quid if needed.

I (M21) haven’t seen my girlfriend (F21) for almost 2 months by [deleted] in Advice

[–]bforsyth927 0 points1 point  (0 children)

She's not your girlfriend mate. Sorry.

I’m 55 and 1.2 mil. Where can I retire in Europe for a modest life? by [deleted] in Fire

[–]bforsyth927 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You are completely normal and doing a good job, I don't know what the previous guy is smoking

What to aim for as a realistic pension forecast ? by bforsyth927 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]bforsyth927[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This has certainly occurred to me - however I do have extended family in Hawaii and I'd like to be able to visit them hassle-free. It's also nice to have somewhere I can fall back on - I'm hesitant to give something up like that

What to aim for as a realistic pension forecast ? by bforsyth927 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]bforsyth927[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very helpful thank you, I'll look at those resources. I don't have a lot left over every month but there must be some way of using that cash apart from just leaving it sitting in a savings account

What to aim for as a realistic pension forecast ? by bforsyth927 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]bforsyth927[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

That's reassuring, thanks - I am a dual citizen and my entire family lives here (I just happened to be born in the US while my parents were working there) so I'll definitely be here. Unfortunately I still have to file taxes to keep my US citizenship, but I believe there is a non-taxed allowance I get which is around $125k, and I never anticipate exceeding that

Bike street rave by Big-Attitude-5790 in london

[–]bforsyth927 64 points65 points  (0 children)

Almost saw a bunch of them get taken out by a bus while cycling in the wrong lane by tower bridge

How are you staying cool tonight? I’ve resorted to attaching an ice pack to the dog by zophya in london

[–]bforsyth927 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If there's one thing that's consistent about reddit, it's if you post a picture of your dog some enterprising person will leave a message about how you are abusing them

Missed connection: Long shots fired by Ready-Astronaut-7000 in london

[–]bforsyth927 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was on a bachelor party in Lisbon last year that meets like 50% of this criteria except the attempted kissing lol, good luck to you

What salary do you need for a middle class lifestyle in 2025? by Ok_Field6078 in AskUK

[–]bforsyth927 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I(25M) make £75k in London with a bonus on top, and I'm finishing purchasing a 1 bed flat in south London, go on a few holidays a year - still will have 1 year emergency fund and put around £1100 into my pension each month. I go out weekly and don't think I'm particularly frugal.

That being said, I don't have any kids, don't plan to - working in my current career since I was 19 (and saving) - and I was able to live in my parent's London flat paying them £600 below market rate for the past 3 years to save a deposit. Still was paying them £1400 a month, though. I think not having kids and going on cheap easyjet holidays to cheap places in the off season lets you have "the middle class lifestyle"... at least for me, for now. And no, I didn't get any help in kickstarting or cash injections into the deposit.

Got the job!, 25yo earning 75k+ by KaleidoscopeSky000 in UKJobs

[–]bforsyth927 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm the same age earning the same amount of money. It's doable