Mindset Archives - Live Full Retire Early https://livefullretireearly.com/category/mindset/ Teaching women to make, manage and save money in order to get financially fit, prioritising their mental health in the process Sat, 02 Jan 2021 19:29:12 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://livefullretireearly.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/cropped-stencil.wordpress-1-32x32.png Mindset Archives - Live Full Retire Early https://livefullretireearly.com/category/mindset/ 32 32 How To Recession Proof Your Life & Your Finances https://livefullretireearly.com/recessionproofyourfinances/ https://livefullretireearly.com/recessionproofyourfinances/#respond Thu, 03 Sep 2020 12:01:54 +0000 https://livefullretireearly.com/?p=2154 Reading Time: 4 minutesWell, 2020 has been something that is going to go down in History. The way we live our lives, the way we run our businesses, the way to travel is NEVER going to be the same again. It breaks my heart. I remember when I was at school and I was learning about the plague and the devastation it caused, Covid-19 has been our version of it.  I never thought that the word social distancing would be part of my normal vocabulary and wearing a mask in public places would be mandatory.  Do I Need To Panic? Since 2008 our economy has been rocky, to say the least, it had started to recover and was doing really well. Although, by studying economics and knowing how the economy works, I knew a recession was coming as too much money was being printed and the economy wasn’t allowed to hit rock bottom in 2008. Our economy goes through cycles. Since 1900, the UK has had 9 recessions, (whereas the US has had 24, that’s almost triple the amount of the UK), which for the UK averages out at a recession every 13.33 years and according to acorns.com the average economic recession lasts 15 months. The Great Recession of 2008 lasted 18 months which was the longest decline since World War II.  You’re going to live through at least 6 recessions in your life Recessions typically happen because of decisions a country’s leader makes or it’s the economy readjusting itself. Recessions are inevitable.  According to a report on the BBC the number of people claiming unemployment benefits surges to 2.7 million between March – July.  Jobs are still at risk and unemployment is rising. No one expected that the world as we knew it would take such a dramatic turn. However, it did. Some people were lucky enough not to be affected too much by the changes and for others, their whole world came crashing down and sadly, some ended up losing their jobs, their homes and some sadly, their life. I knew, when the UK was put into a 3-month lockdown there would be consequences. My biggest fear was that the UK would head into a recession. It was bound to happen. You put EVERYTHING on hold, shit is going to hit the fan. It was never just going to pick up where it left off and be ok. That’s ignorant to think that. So, what would happen if you lost your job tomorrow? Have you thought about what would happen? Are you prepared? You want to have a backup plan and not find yourself in a powerless situation and be ready for whatever life throws at you. Instead of being a passenger or victim when it comes to your earnings: take control and take action … I know it isn’t as simple as it sounds …. but a few small steps a day will make a huge difference.   How To Prepare For A Recession Imagine this: 45 minutes a day working on a side hustle or learning a new skill over 365 days a year would equal 16,425 minutes – which works out at 273.75 hours.   Imagine how much different your life would look by simply spending 45 minutes a day on building your dream life. Let’s break it down some more, that’s only 3% of your whole day. Sounds less scary and more achievable now doesn’t it? I have compiled a list of 12 questions to ask yourself that I believe may help trigger some new and inspiring thoughts and maybe, just maybe, encourage you to take action, so when a recession does hit, it will not become a personal crisis for you. The answers that you write for each of the questions will be very helpful no matter what the answer. It will show you what you need to do next.  What would happen if you were to lose your job tomorrow? Do you have enough money put aside? Aka an Emergency Fund. Do you have a backup plan? If so, what is it? What could you do to increase your earning potential? Ask for a raise? Change jobs?  Could you learn a new skill to add more value? How many assets & liabilities do you have? What is your net worth? Do you have a budget? Click here to download our Free Annual Budget Planner.  What positive steps could you make today that’ll help create the life you want? Is there a book you could read, or an online course you could take or even register your services on Upwork or Fiverr? If there was one thing in the whole world that if money wasn’t an issue you would do? How could you monetise that? Do you believe you can monetise it? In Review Recessions happen whether you like it or not. Human beings are living longer than ever before. According to the United Nations, in 2019, a resident of the United Kingdom lives on average a total of 81.3 years, so you can guarantee you’re going to live through at least 6 recessions. So you want to be prepared, right? Whether there is a recession or not, you want to guarantee you are ready for anything and everything. You want to be proactive, not reactive. Proactiveness comes from a place of strength, reactiveness comes from a place of weakness.  Do yourself a favour and create a solid plan for yourself.  Do something today, your future self will thank you for.  👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍 Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.

The post How To Recession Proof Your Life & Your Finances appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> Reading Time: 4 minutes

Well, 2020 has been something that is going to go down in History. The way we live our lives, the way we run our businesses, the way to travel is NEVER going to be the same again. It breaks my heart. I remember when I was at school and I was learning about the plague and the devastation it caused, Covid-19 has been our version of it. 


I never thought that the word social distancing would be part of my normal vocabulary and wearing a mask in public places would be mandatory. 


Do I Need To Panic?


Since 2008 our economy has been rocky, to say the least, it had started to recover and was doing really well. Although, by studying economics and knowing how the economy works, I knew a recession was coming as too much money was being printed and the economy wasn’t allowed to hit rock bottom in 2008. Our economy goes through cycles. Since 1900, the UK has had 9 recessions, (whereas the US has had 24, that’s almost triple the amount of the UK), which for the UK averages out at a recession every 13.33 years and according to acorns.com the average economic recession lasts 15 months. The Great Recession of 2008 lasted 18 months which was the longest decline since World War II. 


You’re going to live through at least 6 recessions in your life


Recessions typically happen because of decisions a country’s leader makes or it’s the economy readjusting itself. Recessions are inevitable. 


According to a report on the BBC the number of people claiming unemployment benefits surges to 2.7 million between March – July.  Jobs are still at risk and unemployment is rising. No one expected that the world as we knew it would take such a dramatic turn. However, it did. Some people were lucky enough not to be affected too much by the changes and for others, their whole world came crashing down and sadly, some ended up losing their jobs, their homes and some sadly, their life.


I knew, when the UK was put into a 3-month lockdown there would be consequences. My biggest fear was that the UK would head into a recession. It was bound to happen. You put EVERYTHING on hold, shit is going to hit the fan. It was never just going to pick up where it left off and be ok. That’s ignorant to think that.


So, what would happen if you lost your job tomorrow? Have you thought about what would happen? Are you prepared? You want to have a backup plan and not find yourself in a powerless situation and be ready for whatever life throws at you.


Instead of being a passenger or victim when it comes to your earnings: take control and take action … I know it isn’t as simple as it sounds …. but a few small steps a day will make a huge difference.  


How To Prepare For A Recession


Imagine this:
45 minutes a day working on a side hustle or learning a new skill over 365 days a year would equal 16,425 minutes – which works out at 273.75 hours.  


Imagine how much different your life would look by simply spending 45 minutes a day on building your dream life. Let’s break it down some more, that’s only 3% of your whole day. Sounds less scary and more achievable now doesn’t it?





I have compiled a list of 12 questions to ask yourself that I believe may help trigger some new and inspiring thoughts and maybe, just maybe, encourage you to take action, so when a recession does hit, it will not become a personal crisis for you.


The answers that you write for each of the questions will be very helpful no matter what the answer. It will show you what you need to do next. 


  1. What would happen if you were to lose your job tomorrow?

  2. Do you have enough money put aside? Aka an Emergency Fund.

  3. Do you have a backup plan? If so, what is it?

  4. What could you do to increase your earning potential? Ask for a raise? Change jobs? 

  5. Could you learn a new skill to add more value?

  6. How many assets & liabilities do you have?

  7. What is your net worth?

  8. Do you have a budget? Click here to download our Free Annual Budget Planner. 

  9. What positive steps could you make today that’ll help create the life you want? Is there a book you could read, or an online course you could take or even register your services on Upwork or Fiverr?

  10. If there was one thing in the whole world that if money wasn’t an issue you would do?

  11. How could you monetise that?

  12. Do you believe you can monetise it?



In Review


Recessions happen whether you like it or not.

Human beings are living longer than ever before. According to the United Nations, in 2019, a resident of the United Kingdom lives on average a total of 81.3 years, so you can guarantee you’re going to live through at least 6 recessions. So you want to be prepared, right?

Whether there is a recession or not, you want to guarantee you are ready for anything and everything. You want to be proactive, not reactive. Proactiveness comes from a place of strength, reactiveness comes from a place of weakness. 

Do yourself a favour and create a solid plan for yourself. 

Do something today, your future self will thank you for. 



👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍





The post How To Recession Proof Your Life & Your Finances appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/recessionproofyourfinances/feed/ 0 How To Keep A Journal and How It Can Help You Grow, Heal And Flourish https://livefullretireearly.com/how-to-keep-a-journal-and-how-it-can-help-you-grow-heal-and-flourish/ https://livefullretireearly.com/how-to-keep-a-journal-and-how-it-can-help-you-grow-heal-and-flourish/#respond Fri, 01 May 2020 13:55:00 +0000 https://livefullretireearly.com/?p=1884 Reading Time: 4 minutesLike meditation, there is no right or wrong way to journal. Simply getting all your negative and positive thoughts onto the pages in front of you can release any emotional blockages you may have. Before I start journaling I feel like I have so many thoughts buzzing around my head. However when I start putting pen to paper, I realise that I have very few thoughts just the same ones rehashed. That’s helpful in itself. No one will read your journal, so you can write things you wouldn’t say to anyone else, completely uncensored. Remember it’s for your eyes only.  You can use the journal as a means of catharsis. Don’t force yourself to write  Write when you feel inspired, otherwise it will become a chore and that defeats the object of journaling.   Why I Journal There are so many benefits to journaling, it not only facilitates personal growth but assists in developing a deeper connection with yourself resulting in you having improved mental clarity which allows you to gain insights on yourself and your experiences.  Journaling is very healing for the mind, body and spirit.  I journal: As a means of catharsis, consciously bringing how I feel into to awareness. To see how far I have progressed. I review and analyse the past 30 days of journaling and see what lessons can be learned. To record daily events for you to review at a later date. This is similar to the above reason however this is just day to day stuff. So much happens in our lives everyday, big and small things and it’s easy to forget these things. To record achievements To set intentions/goals for the week, month year etc. To empty my mind. Sometimes I feel I have that many thoughts, that my head could explode. So simply writing EVERYTHING down until I can no longer write is HUGELY BENEFICIAL. To help improves mental clarity. For me, blogging is like journaling. Once I have written and published a blog I feel like a sense of peace and relief.  How To Journal Choose a notebook and pen that looks beautiful and that you would enjoy writing in. Sit down in a quiet room and write. I like to play classical music, as there has been research that has proven classical music puts you in a heightened emotional state. The same applies when studying for exams (click here for more details on that benefits of listening to classical music) There are five ways you can journal, they are: Free Writing. Write down whatever you want until you no longer have anything to say. Get every thought feeling dream or fear onto those pages and u run out of steam Timed Journaling.  Set a timer for 1, 15 or 30 minutes and go for it. Keep writing down whatever you want until the timer goes off Subjected Journaling. Each session you can purely focus on feelings, thoughts, emotions, experiences from the day, fears, dreams, goals or intentions for the week Question Time.  Ask yourself/the universe a question. Is there something that you would like to know? Write it at the top of your page, and write down the answers given to you from the universe. You may think it’s ridiculous, then write that. Write down everything that comes to mind because once you had recorded all your negative self talk, the truth will come through, if you allow it. A question I like to ask during journaling AND meditating is “What you I need to know?” Sketchbook Journaling.  Sketchbook Journaling is drawing how you feel or what you experienced instead of writing words. Words are powerful but so are images, especially the ones you create. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, quite the opposite. You can keep more than one journal; for health, goals and intentions, purely negative rants, positive rants etc. You get the idea. It’s literally up to you. Personally, I have a three journals; a personal one, for a mind dump to get all the thoughts buzzing around my head down on paper, a business one where I write all my inspired ideas and plans and a smaller day to day one, that is more bullet journal style that I keep in my handbag everyday. 10 Questions To Ask Yourself When Feeling Unsure or Stuck On What To Journal About: How are you feeling right now? Where are you? What time/date is it? What good things happened today? How do you feel about that? What bad things happened today? How do you feel about that? What is the lesson to be had? What are you grateful for today? What do you wish you could improve about your day? What did you do today to get you closer to your goals? What DO you want to write about? What DON’T you want to write about? 👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍

The post How To Keep A Journal and How It Can Help You Grow, Heal And Flourish appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> Reading Time: 4 minutes


Like meditation, there is no right or wrong way to journal. Simply getting all your negative and positive thoughts onto the pages in front of you can release any emotional blockages you may have.


Before I start journaling I feel like I have so many thoughts buzzing around my head. However when I start putting pen to paper, I realise that I have very few thoughts just the same ones rehashed. That’s helpful in itself.



No one will read your journal, so you can write things you wouldn’t say to anyone else, completely uncensored. Remember it’s for your eyes only. 


You can use the journal as a means of catharsis.


Don’t force yourself to write  Write when you feel inspired, otherwise it will become a chore and that defeats the object of journaling.  


Why I Journal


There are so many benefits to journaling, it not only facilitates personal growth but assists in developing a deeper connection with yourself resulting in you having improved mental clarity which allows you to gain insights on yourself and your experiences.  Journaling is very healing for the mind, body and spirit. 


I journal:

  1. As a means of catharsis, consciously bringing how I feel into to awareness.
  2. To see how far I have progressed. I review and analyse the past 30 days of journaling and see what lessons can be learned.
  3. To record daily events for you to review at a later date. This is similar to the above reason however this is just day to day stuff. So much happens in our lives everyday, big and small things and it’s easy to forget these things. To record achievements
  4. To set intentions/goals for the week, month year etc.
  5. To empty my mind. Sometimes I feel I have that many thoughts, that my head could explode. So simply writing EVERYTHING down until I can no longer write is HUGELY BENEFICIAL.
  6. To help improves mental clarity.

For me, blogging is like journaling. Once I have written and published a blog I feel like a sense of peace and relief. 



How To Journal


Choose a notebook and pen that looks beautiful and that you would enjoy writing in. Sit down in a quiet room and write. I like to play classical music, as there has been research that has proven classical music puts you in a heightened emotional state. The same applies when studying for exams (click here for more details on that benefits of listening to classical music)


There are five ways you can journal, they are:


Free Writing.


Write down whatever you want until you no longer have anything to say. Get every thought feeling dream or fear onto those pages and u run out of steam


Timed Journaling. 


Set a timer for 1, 15 or 30 minutes and go for it. Keep writing down whatever you want until the timer goes off


Subjected Journaling.


Each session you can purely focus on feelings, thoughts, emotions, experiences from the day, fears, dreams, goals or intentions for the week


Question Time. 


Ask yourself/the universe a question. Is there something that you would like to know? Write it at the top of your page, and write down the answers given to you from the universe. You may think it’s ridiculous, then write that. Write down everything that comes to mind because once you had recorded all your negative self talk, the truth will come through, if you allow it. A question I like to ask during journaling AND meditating is “What you I need to know?”


Sketchbook Journaling. 


Sketchbook Journaling is drawing how you feel or what you experienced instead of writing words. Words are powerful but so are images, especially the ones you create. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, quite the opposite.



You can keep more than one journal; for health, goals and intentions, purely negative rants, positive rants etc. You get the idea. It’s literally up to you.


Personally, I have a three journals; a personal one, for a mind dump to get all the thoughts buzzing around my head down on paper, a business one where I write all my inspired ideas and plans and a smaller day to day one, that is more bullet journal style that I keep in my handbag everyday.


10 Questions To Ask Yourself When Feeling Unsure or Stuck On What To Journal About:


  1. How are you feeling right now?
  2. Where are you?
  3. What time/date is it?
  4. What good things happened today? How do you feel about that?
  5. What bad things happened today? How do you feel about that? What is the lesson to be had?
  6. What are you grateful for today?
  7. What do you wish you could improve about your day?
  8. What did you do today to get you closer to your goals?
  9. What DO you want to write about?
  10. What DON’T you want to write about?



👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍





The post How To Keep A Journal and How It Can Help You Grow, Heal And Flourish appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/how-to-keep-a-journal-and-how-it-can-help-you-grow-heal-and-flourish/feed/ 0 28 Ways To Stay Sane During Lockdown https://livefullretireearly.com/28-ways-to-stay-sane-during-lockdown/ https://livefullretireearly.com/28-ways-to-stay-sane-during-lockdown/#respond Thu, 02 Apr 2020 12:30:39 +0000 https://livefullretireearly.com/?p=1887 Reading Time: 6 minutesI don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m only 10 days into lockdown but it feels like 10 weeks! By day 3 I was starting to get cabin fever and feel immensely trapped and a prisoner in my own home. I can’t believe terms like quarantine, self isolation and social distancing are everyday terms we are using. If feels like how I imaged it to be like when my nan used to tell me stories about living during war time. I have felt so low and depressed, not really taking care of myself. I’ve been drinking too much caffeine to help me ‘feel better’ and comfort eating too many penguin chocolate bars.  So, once I became aware of my feelings, I decided to create a list of all the things I can do during lockdown to ensure I stay sane… I have at least another 11 days to go. I’m fully expecting lockdown to continue for another 2-3 months if I’m honest.  – The following article contains affiliate links. This doesn’t affect the price you pay but I may earn a commission if you decide to buy anything through my links. This goes towards maintaining the website and helping me continue to spread the Live Full Retire Early message| ad – Meditate,  Yoga or Laughter Yoga Laughter yoga will no doubt increase your happiness levels and 10-20 minutes of meditation a day will quieten your mind and create stillness within … something we all need no matter what is going on in the world. Check out Yoga with Adriene for over 600 different yoga videos.  Do Some Colouring Adult Colouring books is a meditation like activity. It quietens your mind and forces you to be present. I don’t know about you but I a bit of a stationery addict so I just love these crayons  Go For A 45-60 Minute Walk (or an other form of exercise) Joe Wicks has done countless at HiiT home workouts on YouTube.  Create or Review Your Budget  Creating a plan for your money will help you feel more positive and empowered. It is only when we feel like our money management is out of our control, when we are free stressed about money. Click Here To Download my  Free Annual Budget Planner  Do Some Gardening There are going to be so many beautiful gardens when lockdown is over, I have spent hours in the garden most days and it’s great exercise. I am burning so many calories from gardening alone. I’m shocked. Start Your Own Podcast Pick a subject you’re obsessed with give podcasting a go …Here is a free start up guide. Start A Blog If you don’t fancy starting a Podcast (even if you do), then blogging is a great way to express yourself and get your message out to the world. Here is a FREE 7 Step Course to Starting Your Blog Do Some DIY Check out Serena from thriftdiving.com. She teaches you how to create a beautiful home with DIY thrifty ways. She also has a YouTube channel if your more of a visual learner. Listen To A Podcast My current favourite podcast is “Sh**ged Married Annoyed” by Chris and Rosie Ramsey. This is an hour of non-stop laughs. But please note, their podcast isn’t for the faint hearted.  Play Board or Card Games. My sister in law is currently staying with us and almost every night after tea we go into the conservatory, put whatever music my boyfriend wants on and we spend hours playing dominoes, uno and dobble. We love it.  Clean Your House From Top To Bottom Give your house a Spring clean or do some speed cleaning.  Read A Book Use this opportunity to read that pile of books you have on your bookshelf that you just haven’t got around to reading.  Do A Jigsaw I just love spending an afternoon with a cup of tea and doing a jigsaw. Nope, I’m not an 80 year old woman, but I do appreciate simple pleasures in my old age. I find jigsaws so therapeutic.  Decorate Your House This is my biggest regret. I wish I’d bought tins of paint to decorate my house during lockdown. It would’ve been the perfect opportunity to spruce up the house.  Do A Suduko or Wordsearch Another therapeutic activity whilst  also keeping your mind active.  Have A Virtual Party or Quiz With Your Friends And Family These make me all warm and fuzzy inside. My best friends’ family are doing daily virtual quizzes. Each member gets to host the quiz and the winning family wins a prize.  Do A Hair Mask  Now all non essential businesses are closed down, any hair appointments are now put on hold. But that doesn’t mean that your hair maintenance has to fall at the waist side. Why not do a coconut oil hair treatment and give your hair a boost. I’ve noticed that I wasn’t 100% taking care of myself, so I gave myself a little pamper afternoon, I did the coconut oil deep conditioning treatment and also did one one on my feet, they have been so neglected recently.  Declutter Your House/Garage/Shed Now is the perfect time to go through all the stuff you no longer need or want, I have spent a good couple of days decluttering and listing them on Facebook marketplace and eBay. Check out Marie Kondo’s book for tips and inspiration.  Journal Your Feelings And Experiences. As you know from previous blog posts, I am a huge fan of journaling. It has so many amazing benefits. Journaling is a great way to release any stress and anxiety that you may be experiencing during this crazy time. Journaling is a proven stress reliever. This is the journal I am currently using. It is beautiful and such good quality. I find writing in this a joy. #journaladdict Watch YouTube I have been binge watching all my favourite YouTubers. I find it oddly comforting observing how other people are living their lives during lockdown.  Have A Shower Any form of self care during stressful times can get neglected. Simply taking a simple shower and washing the day off you, does wonders for your mind, body and spirit.   Re-evaluate Your Life and Set Goals. This sounds a bit of a boring one compared to some of my other suggestions but usually we are so busy in our day to day lives, we don’t have time to stop and reevaluate where we are and what we have achieved. I’m choosing to see what is happening, like the world is hitting the reset button. I don’t believe once all this is over that we will go back to the way it was. How can we? Are you happy with what you have achieved? What would you like to achieve in the next 6-12 months? Have “Quality Time” With Your Partner.  Forget Netflix and Chill now it’s Quarantine and Chill. (remember to practice safe sex) Wash Your Car (as well as your hands) You may not be using your car as much as you would travelling to and from work but washing your car is a great activity to kill a couple of hours of your day.  Play Computer Games My boyfriend and I are currently obsessed with the Sega Mega Drive Classics on the Xbox One. The graphics and the sounds remind me of simple times when I was a child. I’m still the undefeated champion of Sonic the Hedgehog.   Facetime With Friends And Family Just because we can’t visit our friends and family doesn’t mean we can’t still see them and maintain the relationships. I Facetime my brother (and his family) and my parents almost everyday.  Sort Out Old Photo Albums This is something I have done during lockdown. I had several pictures developed around Christmas time but never got around to putting them in frames. Now I have beautiful pictures of my family dotted around the house that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.  Watch Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ I can guarantee that subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ have spiked during lockdown. Especially for those who have children. (by clicking on the Amazon Prime link in this post you will receive 30 days free trial, unlike the 7 day trial advertised on the Amazon website) 5 Extra Tips To Protect Your Mental Health During Lockdown Turn off your phone for at least an hour a day Turn off the news Look for positive news stories  Look for positive corona recovery stories Follow me on Instagram @livefullandretireearly for a daily sprinkle of positivity Follow me on Facebook where I share more positive stories and articles about corona and not corona virus related.  PIN THIS 👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍

The post 28 Ways To Stay Sane During Lockdown appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> Reading Time: 6 minutes

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m only 10 days into lockdown but it feels like 10 weeks! By day 3 I was starting to get cabin fever and feel immensely trapped and a prisoner in my own home. I can’t believe terms like quarantine, self isolation and social distancing are everyday terms we are using. If feels like how I imaged it to be like when my nan used to tell me stories about living during war time.


I have felt so low and depressed, not really taking care of myself. I’ve been drinking too much caffeine to help me ‘feel better’ and comfort eating too many penguin chocolate bars. 


So, once I became aware of my feelings, I decided to create a list of all the things I can do during lockdown to ensure I stay sane… I have at least another 11 days to go. I’m fully expecting lockdown to continue for another 2-3 months if I’m honest. 


– The following article contains affiliate links. This doesn’t affect the price you pay but I may earn a commission if you decide to buy anything through my links. This goes towards maintaining the website and helping me continue to spread the Live Full Retire Early message| ad –


Meditate,  Yoga or Laughter Yoga

Laughter yoga will no doubt increase your happiness levels and 10-20 minutes of meditation a day will quieten your mind and create stillness within … something we all need no matter what is going on in the world. Check out Yoga with Adriene for over 600 different yoga videos. 


Do Some Colouring

Adult Colouring books is a meditation like activity. It quietens your mind and forces you to be present. I don’t know about you but I a bit of a stationery addict so I just love these crayons 


Go For A 45-60 Minute Walk (or an other form of exercise)

Joe Wicks has done countless at HiiT home workouts on YouTube. 


Create or Review Your Budget

 Creating a plan for your money will help you feel more positive and empowered. It is only when we feel like our money management is out of our control, when we are free stressed about money.

Click Here To Download my  Free Annual Budget Planner 



Do Some Gardening

There are going to be so many beautiful gardens when lockdown is over, I have spent hours in the garden most days and it’s great exercise. I am burning so many calories from gardening alone. I’m shocked.


Start Your Own Podcast

Pick a subject you’re obsessed with give podcasting a go …Here is a free start up guide.


Start A Blog

If you don’t fancy starting a Podcast (even if you do), then blogging is a great way to express yourself and get your message out to the world. Here is a FREE 7 Step Course to Starting Your Blog


Do Some DIY

Check out Serena from thriftdiving.com. She teaches you how to create a beautiful home with DIY thrifty ways. She also has a YouTube channel if your more of a visual learner.


Listen To A Podcast

My current favourite podcast is “Sh**ged Married Annoyed” by Chris and Rosie Ramsey. This is an hour of non-stop laughs. But please note, their podcast isn’t for the faint hearted. 


Play Board or Card Games.

My sister in law is currently staying with us and almost every night after tea we go into the conservatory, put whatever music my boyfriend wants on and we spend hours playing dominoes, uno and dobble. We love it. 


Clean Your House From Top To Bottom

Give your house a Spring clean or do some speed cleaning. 


Read A Book

Use this opportunity to read that pile of books you have on your bookshelf that you just haven’t got around to reading. 


Do A Jigsaw

I just love spending an afternoon with a cup of tea and doing a jigsaw. Nope, I’m not an 80 year old woman, but I do appreciate simple pleasures in my old age. I find jigsaws so therapeutic. 


Decorate Your House

This is my biggest regret. I wish I’d bought tins of paint to decorate my house during lockdown. It would’ve been the perfect opportunity to spruce up the house. 



Do A Suduko or Wordsearch

Another therapeutic activity whilst  also keeping your mind active. 


Have A Virtual Party or Quiz With Your Friends And Family

These make me all warm and fuzzy inside. My best friends’ family are doing daily virtual quizzes. Each member gets to host the quiz and the winning family wins a prize. 


Do A Hair Mask 

Now all non essential businesses are closed down, any hair appointments are now put on hold. But that doesn’t mean that your hair maintenance has to fall at the waist side. Why not do a coconut oil hair treatment and give your hair a boost. I’ve noticed that I wasn’t 100% taking care of myself, so I gave myself a little pamper afternoon, I did the coconut oil deep conditioning treatment and also did one one on my feet, they have been so neglected recently. 


Declutter Your House/Garage/Shed

Now is the perfect time to go through all the stuff you no longer need or want, I have spent a good couple of days decluttering and listing them on Facebook marketplace and eBay. Check out Marie Kondo’s book for tips and inspiration. 


Journal Your Feelings And Experiences.

As you know from previous blog posts, I am a huge fan of journaling. It has so many amazing benefits. Journaling is a great way to release any stress and anxiety that you may be experiencing during this crazy time. Journaling is a proven stress reliever. This is the journal I am currently using. It is beautiful and such good quality. I find writing in this a joy. #journaladdict


Watch YouTube

I have been binge watching all my favourite YouTubers. I find it oddly comforting observing how other people are living their lives during lockdown. 


Have A Shower

Any form of self care during stressful times can get neglected. Simply taking a simple shower and washing the day off you, does wonders for your mind, body and spirit.  


Re-evaluate Your Life and Set Goals.

This sounds a bit of a boring one compared to some of my other suggestions but usually we are so busy in our day to day lives, we don’t have time to stop and reevaluate where we are and what we have achieved. I’m choosing to see what is happening, like the world is hitting the reset button. I don’t believe once all this is over that we will go back to the way it was. How can we? Are you happy with what you have achieved? What would you like to achieve in the next 6-12 months?


Have “Quality Time” With Your Partner. 

Forget Netflix and Chill now it’s Quarantine and Chill. 
(remember to practice safe sex)


Wash Your Car (as well as your hands)

You may not be using your car as much as you would travelling to and from work but washing your car is a great activity to kill a couple of hours of your day. 


Play Computer Games

My boyfriend and I are currently obsessed with the Sega Mega Drive Classics on the Xbox One. The graphics and the sounds remind me of simple times when I was a child. I’m still the undefeated champion of Sonic the Hedgehog.  


Facetime With Friends And Family

Just because we can’t visit our friends and family doesn’t mean we can’t still see them and maintain the relationships. I Facetime my brother (and his family) and my parents almost everyday. 



Sort Out Old Photo Albums

This is something I have done during lockdown. I had several pictures developed around Christmas time but never got around to putting them in frames. Now I have beautiful pictures of my family dotted around the house that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. 


Watch Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+

I can guarantee that subscriptions to Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ have spiked during lockdown. Especially for those who have children.

(by clicking on the Amazon Prime link in this post you will receive 30 days free trial, unlike the 7 day trial advertised on the Amazon website)



5 Extra Tips To Protect Your Mental Health During Lockdown

  1. Turn off your phone for at least an hour a day
  2. Turn off the news
  3. Look for positive news stories 
  4. Look for positive corona recovery stories
  5. Follow me on Instagram @livefullandretireearly for a daily sprinkle of positivity
  6. Follow me on Facebook where I share more positive stories and articles about corona and not corona virus related. 


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]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/28-ways-to-stay-sane-during-lockdown/feed/ 0 11 Habits of Happy Positive People https://livefullretireearly.com/11-habits-of-happy-positive-people/ https://livefullretireearly.com/11-habits-of-happy-positive-people/#respond Wed, 01 Apr 2020 15:00:01 +0000 http://livefullretireearly.com/?p=874 Reading Time: 6 minutesHave you ever passed someone in the street and noticed how happy they look. Everything about them, their “vibe”, their walk, their mannerisms and obviously their beaming smile. How wonderful would it be to actually BE that person.  Enlightenment is holding two conflicting thoughts and still be able to function The Buddha We all have this assumption that we will live until we are 100 (or at least I do) but what if that wasn’t true? What if you were only going to live another 10, 20 or even 30 years. Then what? Would you begin to live your life any different? If I was told that I was going to live only 1 more year, you can bet your last penny that I would change the way I live. I would be more spontaneous, experience life and spend more time with loved ones. So … why don’t we do that anyway? It’s that assumption again, it gives us a false sense of security.  Throughout my happiness research I have found that there are many traits and habits a “happy” person embodies, they are: They Give Compliments. There’s no better feeling than receiving a genuine compliment. So why don’t we give them out more often? Focusing on each other’s strengths instead of weaknesses is one step closer to happiness.  I know people who will gladly point out my weaknesses or things that aren’t quite perfect about me and it makes me feel rubbish. So, when I do receive a compliment, it feels strange, kinda alien.  How wonderful would it be if we could live in a world full of loving genuine compliments!?! Live For Today … But Plan Like You’re Going To Live Forever. Emma Woodhouse They Practice Acts Of Kindness. One thing a friend of mine taught me was the write a letter from ”the universe” visit your local library or bookstore and slip it into a book so the next person who rents that book will be gifted with a loving letter. If I was to receive a random loving letter I would be so touched.  They Choose Their Words Carefully.  We all know the power of words. Is your glass half full or half empty? Stop complaining and negative self talk. How do you talk about other people? Just for today cut out ALL gossiping. The way I see it, if you and your friends are gossiping about another friend, then it is highly likely that the same friend will gossip to others about you. Once you cut out the gossiping, you will be SO surprised little you have to say – to some friends. This will show you the quality of your friendships and will allow you to work on them and build a deeper connection.  They Understand The Importance Of Self Care. Happy people understand that taking care of yourself is a high priority. How can you be there and help other people if you aren’t at full capacity? Imagine you are a cup and what is in the cup is for you, and what you offer others is in your saucer.  10 examples of self care: Moving your body – any form of exercise; dancing, swimming, hiking, running etc.  Walking in nature Sitting out in the sun and absorbing that vitamin D Taking time out to rest and reflect Getting enough sleep Eating healthy Drinking plenty of water Having a hot bath or shower Meditating  Journaling  They Surround Themselves With Positive, Loving And Accepting People.  Having the right tribe/community is one of the most important factors to have a happy life. Some peoples love is conditional so knowing you have that love and support no matter is very comforting. I read an article years ago about the level of happiness having one good quality friendship is the equivalent of £50,000. WOWZERS. They SMILE!  My favourite smile quote is: “Use your smile to change the world, don’t let the world change your smile” Unknown The words of Nat King Coles SMILE song say it all. “Smile though your heart is aching Smile even though it’s breaking When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by If you smile through your fear and sorrow Smile and maybe tomorrow You’ll see the sun come shining through for you Light up your face with gladness Hide every trace of sadness Although a tear may be ever so near That’s the time you must keep on trying Smile, what’s the use of crying? You’ll find that life is still worthwhile If you just smile That’s the time you must keep on trying Smile, what’s the use of crying? You’ll find that life is still worthwhile If you just smile” I listened to these lyrics recently and they just resonated with me SO much. It was like WOW, that was written for me … and I’m sure you feel the same, which is why this song is such a classic. They Set Boundaries & Learn To Say NO Setting boundaries involves an element of self-awareness.  Some people are great at setting boundaries, however other people (including myself at times) struggle to set boundaries with certain individuals. I feel it is easier to set a boundary with a stranger than it is your own family for example.  If you do not express your feelings to others, you will end up bottling that emotion up which could turn into resentment. Just because you are asked if you could do something, it doesn’t mean you should or have to. If you have been asked to do something and you are more than capable of doing it, if it doesn’t feel emotionally “right” then listen to your own knowing and say NO. See the blog post: The Secret To A Happier Life and A Happier YOU. How To Set Boundaries, Learn To Say NO! And Avoid The Yes Man They Look For The Lessons. There are lessons in everything. The good experience AND the bad ones and you can grow from each. It can be hard to see the lessons when you are deep in something but they are there. Don’t put pressure on yourself to find them, once any potential chaos or joy has passed, you will be able to see clearly and the lesson may (or may not) be super obvious. They Keep A Gratitude Journal – As Well As A Regular Journal Writing a gratitude journal at the end of the day (or first thing in the morning) forces you to shift your way of thinking. So instead of focusing on the negative, you write down what you were grateful for that day. For example; today I am grateful for Liz Green and the wonderful Everyday Magical Community she has set up. I was experiencing some contrast throughout today and I am grateful that I could express how I was feeling free of judgement and I was offered love, support and guidance. You can write one thing a day you are grateful for or as many as possible. I recommend writing 3 things as that REALLY forces you to pay attention to your day without feeling overwhelmed. Click here to read the blog post: Journal Your Way To Success …. How To Keep A Journal And How It Can Help You Grow, Heal And Flourish. I gave more a detailed explanation and several ways you can journal. I really enjoyed writing it – ironically. Stop Looking To TV Shows for Life Advice/Guidance. I have stopped watching soaps altogether. I find watching shows like Hollyoaks, Emmerdale or Coronation Street (UK TV Shows) are SO STRESSFUL and put me into a negative state. About 7 years ago, I observed how a friend of mine used to behave. She LOVED watching all the soaps and looked forward to it at the end of each day, which is great… Until she started living her life like a soap drama. If something in her life appeared to be similar to one that is happening or happened in a soap recently, she would just assume that the situation was the same and react in accordance. Sounds ridiculous right? So, turn off the TV or change the channel and find something more uplifting – Or watch something more empowering and uplifting. They Don’t Get Sucked Into Or Involved In Unnecessary Dysfunctional Drama. Drama gives people so much significance yet is so dysfunctional. I have walked away from many friendships over the past 8 years as I began to notice the drama that was I was somehow attracting and decided it was time to stop. You can still love and support your friends without being part of their chaotic life. Be aware that you are not forced onto their sinking ship.  👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍

The post 11 Habits of Happy Positive People appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> Reading Time: 6 minutes

Have you ever passed someone in the street and noticed how happy they look. Everything about them, their “vibe”, their walk, their mannerisms and obviously their beaming smile. How wonderful would it be to actually BE that person. 


Enlightenment is holding two conflicting thoughts and still be able to function

The Buddha

We all have this assumption that we will live until we are 100 (or at least I do) but what if that wasn’t true? What if you were only going to live another 10, 20 or even 30 years. Then what? Would you begin to live your life any different? If I was told that I was going to live only 1 more year, you can bet your last penny that I would change the way I live. I would be more spontaneous, experience life and spend more time with loved ones. So … why don’t we do that anyway? It’s that assumption again, it gives us a false sense of security. 


Throughout my happiness research I have found that there are many traits and habits a “happy” person embodies, they are:


They Give Compliments.


There’s no better feeling than receiving a genuine compliment. So why don’t we give them out more often? Focusing on each other’s strengths instead of weaknesses is one step closer to happiness. 

I know people who will gladly point out my weaknesses or things that aren’t quite perfect about me and it makes me feel rubbish. So, when I do receive a compliment, it feels strange, kinda alien. 

How wonderful would it be if we could live in a world full of loving genuine compliments!?!



Live For Today … But Plan Like You’re Going To Live Forever.

Emma Woodhouse



They Practice Acts Of Kindness.


One thing a friend of mine taught me was the write a letter from ”the universe” visit your local library or bookstore and slip it into a book so the next person who rents that book will be gifted with a loving letter. If I was to receive a random loving letter I would be so touched. 



They Choose Their Words Carefully. 


We all know the power of words. Is your glass half full or half empty? Stop complaining and negative self talk. How do you talk about other people? Just for today cut out ALL gossiping. The way I see it, if you and your friends are gossiping about another friend, then it is highly likely that the same friend will gossip to others about you. Once you cut out the gossiping, you will be SO surprised little you have to say – to some friends. This will show you the quality of your friendships and will allow you to work on them and build a deeper connection. 



They Understand The Importance Of Self Care.


Happy people understand that taking care of yourself is a high priority. How can you be there and help other people if you aren’t at full capacity? Imagine you are a cup and what is in the cup is for you, and what you offer others is in your saucer. 



10 examples of self care:

  • Moving your body – any form of exercise; dancing, swimming, hiking, running etc. 
  • Walking in nature
  • Sitting out in the sun and absorbing that vitamin D
  • Taking time out to rest and reflect
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Eating healthy
  • Drinking plenty of water
  • Having a hot bath or shower
  • Meditating 
  • Journaling 


They Surround Themselves With Positive, Loving And Accepting People. 


Having the right tribe/community is one of the most important factors to have a happy life. Some peoples love is conditional so knowing you have that love and support no matter is very comforting. I read an article years ago about the level of happiness having one good quality friendship is the equivalent of £50,000. WOWZERS.




They SMILE! 


My favourite smile quote is:

“Use your smile to change the world, don’t let the world change your smile”

Unknown


The words of Nat King Coles SMILE song say it all.


“Smile though your heart is aching

Smile even though it’s breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by

If you smile through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That’s the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what’s the use of crying?

You’ll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile

That’s the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what’s the use of crying?

You’ll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile”


I listened to these lyrics recently and they just resonated with me SO much. It was like WOW, that was written for me … and I’m sure you feel the same, which is why this song is such a classic.


They Set Boundaries & Learn To Say NO


Setting boundaries involves an element of self-awareness. 

Some people are great at setting boundaries, however other people (including myself at times) struggle to set boundaries with certain individuals. I feel it is easier to set a boundary with a stranger than it is your own family for example. 

If you do not express your feelings to others, you will end up bottling that emotion up which could turn into resentment.

Just because you are asked if you could do something, it doesn’t mean you should or have to. If you have been asked to do something and you are more than capable of doing it, if it doesn’t feel emotionally “right” then listen to your own knowing and say NO.

See the blog post: The Secret To A Happier Life and A Happier YOU. How To Set Boundaries, Learn To Say NO! And Avoid The Yes Man



They Look For The Lessons.


There are lessons in everything. The good experience AND the bad ones and you can grow from each. It can be hard to see the lessons when you are deep in something but they are there. Don’t put pressure on yourself to find them, once any potential chaos or joy has passed, you will be able to see clearly and the lesson may (or may not) be super obvious.



They Keep A Gratitude Journal – As Well As A Regular Journal


Writing a gratitude journal at the end of the day (or first thing in the morning) forces you to shift your way of thinking. So instead of focusing on the negative, you write down what you were grateful for that day. For example; today I am grateful for Liz Green and the wonderful Everyday Magical Community she has set up. I was experiencing some contrast throughout today and I am grateful that I could express how I was feeling free of judgement and I was offered love, support and guidance. You can write one thing a day you are grateful for or as many as possible. I recommend writing 3 things as that REALLY forces you to pay attention to your day without feeling overwhelmed.


Click here to read the blog post: Journal Your Way To Success …. How To Keep A Journal And How It Can Help You Grow, Heal And Flourish. I gave more a detailed explanation and several ways you can journal. I really enjoyed writing it – ironically.



Stop Looking To TV Shows for Life Advice/Guidance.


I have stopped watching soaps altogether. I find watching shows like Hollyoaks, Emmerdale or Coronation Street (UK TV Shows) are SO STRESSFUL and put me into a negative state. About 7 years ago, I observed how a friend of mine used to behave. She LOVED watching all the soaps and looked forward to it at the end of each day, which is great… Until she started living her life like a soap drama. If something in her life appeared to be similar to one that is happening or happened in a soap recently, she would just assume that the situation was the same and react in accordance. Sounds ridiculous right?


So, turn off the TV or change the channel and find something more uplifting – Or watch something more empowering and uplifting.



They Don’t Get Sucked Into Or Involved In Unnecessary Dysfunctional Drama.


Drama gives people so much significance yet is so dysfunctional.

I have walked away from many friendships over the past 8 years as I began to notice the drama that was I was somehow attracting and decided it was time to stop. You can still love and support your friends without being part of their chaotic life. Be aware that you are not forced onto their sinking ship. 




👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍




The post 11 Habits of Happy Positive People appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/11-habits-of-happy-positive-people/feed/ 0 5 Habits Of A Successful Investor https://livefullretireearly.com/5-habits-of-a-successful-investor/ https://livefullretireearly.com/5-habits-of-a-successful-investor/#respond Wed, 11 Mar 2020 15:00:47 +0000 https://livefullretireearly.com/?p=1830 Reading Time: 4 minutesRichard Branson, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Warren Buffett haven’t succeeded in every project they have begun. However, that hasn’t stopped them becoming the world’s most successful entrepreneurs. People go through life jealous of other people’s success, ignoring all the hard work and failures they had to endure to get there. Why struggle through life blindfolded. Simply immerse yourself in whatever industry drives you and the rest, as they say, is history.    There are certain traits every entrepreneur needs to embrace to ultimately become successful.       They get comfortable with failing In every failure, there is a lesson to be learnt. Some entrepreneurs actively go out trying to fail as that is where the lessons are. No one learnt anything by striking gold first time round. If they had to replicate that success, I can almost guarantee they couldn’t strike gold again, as last time they were fumbling along, not knowing what they were doing and BOOM, they somehow struck gold, but for the 2nd time round …. now that requires a bit of skill. A skill that you probably didn’t learn previously.     They network with like-minded people. You will notice throughout your financial freedom journey, is that everyone who has an opinion on everything! For example, people who have bought their own house and/or renovated their own house means they know everything there is to know about buying to let – WRONG!! (this really frustrates me) Renovating your own house and purchasing a B2L property are two VERY different things. Investing in B2L property or anything which solely relies on you – to spot the opportunity and take that plunge – will show you who you really are.  There will be many dark nights of the soul in your journey to master property investing, this is why you need to be careful about what advice you listen to. Only listen to people who are deep in the B2L industry, they will know exactly how you feel and what you are going through as I can almost guarantee that they have felt the same at some point.   They practice self-discipline We live in a world where most people want instant gratification, however, this is not a suitable mindset for an investor.     There was a series of studies on delayed gratification called the Marshmallow Experiment completed at Stanford University by Professor Walter Mischel, were 16 boys and girls were offered a small reward instantly or if they waited 15 minutes they would receive a larger reward or 2 smaller ones. During the experiment, the tester left the room and returned 15 minutes later to see what the child has chosen. Over a series of follow up studies, the researchers found that for the children who waited the 15 minutes for their reward seemed to make better life choices.    Think of investing like a game of chess. You need to make, relatively small yet important decisions whilst thinking about the next 2-3 moves, sometimes sacrifice a pawn or two, but with calculated strategic decisions you will ultimately win at the financial independence game. A lot of people that start the financial independence journey have been lead to believe (by who I don’t know) that you can get rich quick, but I ‘d like to ask two very simple questions:1. How rich you think you can get?2. How quick do you think it can be? I can tell you this … There is no such thing as getting rich quick. You may hear it from companies trying to sell you their product. But this is merely a marketing strategy. (If you do know of a proven get rich quick scheme … then please comment below and I will be all over it, LOL) They get plenty of sleep. I know everyone says this but there must be some amount of truth in it. It is vital for our health and well being. Studies have shown that it is recommended for an adult aged 18-64 to get 7-9 hours of sleep to be productive. I know from experience, that if I get multiple bad nights sleep, I don’t quite function right. My thinking is delayed and I may very poor decisions.        They never stop learning Learning is key to mastering the property investment game, there is ALWAYS something new to learn. Things change, demands and need change and to be a long term successful investor, you need to be on it. There’s a lot to be said about the value of education.  Be aware, you don’t have to spend tens of thousands on get rich quick schemes (there’s no such thing) you can gain knowledge with a good coach or mentor, reading books, listening to audiobooks, listening to podcasts and using and a lot of information is available free of charge on the internet.     Are you looking to start a budget? Simply download our FREE Budget Template or sign up to YNAB if you are looking for another alternative. 👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍

The post 5 Habits Of A Successful Investor appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> Reading Time: 4 minutes
Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Warren Buffett haven’t succeeded in every project they have begun. However, that hasn’t stopped them becoming the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.

People go through life jealous of other people’s success, ignoring all the hard work and failures they had to endure to get there. Why struggle through life blindfolded. Simply immerse yourself in whatever industry drives you and the rest, as they say, is history.   


There are certain traits every entrepreneur needs to embrace to ultimately become successful.      



They get comfortable with failing



In every failure, there is a lesson to be learnt. Some entrepreneurs actively go out trying to fail as that is where the lessons are. No one learnt anything by striking gold first time round. If they had to replicate that success, I can almost guarantee they couldn’t strike gold again, as last time they were fumbling along, not knowing what they were doing and BOOM, they somehow struck gold, but for the 2nd time round …. now that requires a bit of skill. A skill that you probably didn’t learn previously.    


They network with like-minded people.


You will notice throughout your financial freedom journey, is that everyone who has an opinion on everything! For example, people who have bought their own house and/or renovated their own house means they know everything there is to know about buying to let – WRONG!! (this really frustrates me) Renovating your own house and purchasing a B2L property are two VERY different things. Investing in B2L property or anything which solely relies on you – to spot the opportunity and take that plunge – will show you who you really are. 



There will be many dark nights of the soul in your journey to master property investing, this is why you need to be careful about what advice you listen to. Only listen to people who are deep in the B2L industry, they will know exactly how you feel and what you are going through as I can almost guarantee that they have felt the same at some point.  


They practice self-discipline


We live in a world where most people want instant gratification, however, this is not a suitable mindset for an investor.    


There was a series of studies on delayed gratification called the Marshmallow Experiment completed at Stanford University by Professor Walter Mischel, were 16 boys and girls were offered a small reward instantly or if they waited 15 minutes they would receive a larger reward or 2 smaller ones. During the experiment, the tester left the room and returned 15 minutes later to see what the child has chosen. Over a series of follow up studies, the researchers found that for the children who waited the 15 minutes for their reward seemed to make better life choices.   


Think of investing like a game of chess. You need to make, relatively small yet important decisions whilst thinking about the next 2-3 moves, sometimes sacrifice a pawn or two, but with calculated strategic decisions you will ultimately win at the financial independence game.


A lot of people that start the financial independence journey have been lead to believe (by who I don’t know) that you can get rich quick, but I ‘d like to ask two very simple questions:
1. How rich you think you can get?
2. How quick do you think it can be?


I can tell you this … There is no such thing as getting rich quick. You may hear it from companies trying to sell you their product. But this is merely a marketing strategy. (If you do know of a proven get rich quick scheme … then please comment below and I will be all over it, LOL)


They get plenty of sleep.


I know everyone says this but there must be some amount of truth in it. It is vital for our health and well being. Studies have shown that it is recommended for an adult aged 18-64 to get 7-9 hours of sleep to be productive. I know from experience, that if I get multiple bad nights sleep, I don’t quite function right. My thinking is delayed and I may very poor decisions.       



They never stop learning


Learning is key to mastering the property investment game, there is ALWAYS something new to learn. Things change, demands and need change and to be a long term successful investor, you need to be on it. There’s a lot to be said about the value of education. 


Be aware, you don’t have to spend tens of thousands on get rich quick schemes (there’s no such thing) you can gain knowledge with a good coach or mentor, reading books, listening to audiobooks, listening to podcasts and using and a lot of information is available free of charge on the internet.    



Are you looking to start a budget? Simply download our FREE Budget Template or sign up to YNAB if you are looking for another alternative.



👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍





The post 5 Habits Of A Successful Investor appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/5-habits-of-a-successful-investor/feed/ 0 A Beginners Guide To Bullet Journaling. How To Achieve Your Goals By Becoming More Productive https://livefullretireearly.com/a-beginners-guide-to-bullet-journaling-how-to-achieve-your-goals-by-becoming-more-productive/ https://livefullretireearly.com/a-beginners-guide-to-bullet-journaling-how-to-achieve-your-goals-by-becoming-more-productive/#respond Mon, 02 Mar 2020 10:36:01 +0000 https://livefullretireearly.com/?p=1712 Reading Time: 3 minutesMany of you know that I am a huge fan of journaling and its amazing benefits. Putting pen to paper and getting all your thoughts down gives me a sense of peace and relief, like that chaos (in my head/mind) has been removed from the system ready to carry on with a fresh free mind.   I believe journaling will change your life.  It will help you more organised and productive, resulting in you achieving your goals.  If you are not sure of the many benefits of journaling, I have included my top seven for you: It will consciously bring how you feel into awareness. Helps you achieve your goals Encourages you to be mindful Helps improve mental clarity  Assists with self-confidence Helps you get organised It encourages creativity What you need to get started A journal. Many BUJO’ers LOVE the Leuchtturm1917 Medium Size Hardcover A5 Notebook.  An assortment of pens A ruler There are other things you can choose to include such as: Washi Tape  Stickers  Stamps Highlighters Stencils The choice is yours. To be honest, I find the washi tape a little bit pointless however everyone has their own style and it is, after all, it is your journal so you decide what goes in. But for now, if you are a newbie to it, I’d stick to the first three on the list… unless you are the creative type. Don’t overwhelm yourself.  It’s a stress-free place for you to get organised and be super creative … or be super minimal. As you may or may not be aware journaling comes in many different shapes and sizes. My three favourite ways you can choose to journal are: Free Writing/Dear Diary  As I like to call it, a mind dump. This is writing down whatever you want until you no longer have anything to say. Get every thought, feeling, dream or fear onto those pages and until run out of steam. Sketchbook Journaling This is drawing how you feel or what you experienced instead of writing words. Words are powerful but so are images, especially the ones you create. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, quite the opposite. Bullet Journaling aka BUJO   Over the past few years, I delved into the world of Bullet Journaling. It’s fascinating. It is the “IN” thing in the journaling circles.  It provides you with a creative outlet AND you get organised at the same time. I use a journal all the time, sometimes multiple journals for many different things. I have a business one, where I do a mind dump AND a planner/bullet journal type of one, that includes all my ideas for the #livefullretireearly business. Also, I have a personal one, which simply a mind dump one, that includes all the positive and negative emotions I go through. Once I have dumped all my thoughts into the journal I feel a sense of relief and all those thoughts I thought I had were simply the same few buzzing around my head, driving me crazy. What is BuJo and where does it come from? Ryder Carroll designed and invented the bullet journaling system. As a child he was diagnosed with a learning disability therefore organisation using the traditional methods proved difficult. So for the next 20 years, he began creating his own methods being fast, simple and effective .. which we now call Bullet Journaling. Bujo isn’t the Dear Diary type of journal. Bujo is a creative organisational system, that allows you to track your goals, habits, appointments, tasks, create collections, plan your meals, be your to-do list, to plan your week/month/year. It can become anything you need it to be. Pinterest will give you some great ideas! I guess you’d call it a personalised planner in the journal of your choice. There is no right or wrong way to bullet journal. You can choose to use it as a Dear Diary journal however personally I think it gets too complicated and messy. How to Bullet Journal There are many creative ways you can bullet journal. Ryder’s way of creating his journal is very basic compared to the ones created today.  I have included 2 videos to show you what is possible for your Bullet Journal. Basic/Minimalistic Version By Pick Up Limes: Super Creative Version By Boho Berry: 👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍

The post A Beginners Guide To Bullet Journaling. How To Achieve Your Goals By Becoming More Productive appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> Reading Time: 3 minutes

Many of you know that I am a huge fan of journaling and its amazing benefits. Putting pen to paper and getting all your thoughts down gives me a sense of peace and relief, like that chaos (in my head/mind) has been removed from the system ready to carry on with a fresh free mind.  


I believe journaling will change your life.  It will help you more organised and productive, resulting in you achieving your goals. 


If you are not sure of the many benefits of journaling, I have included my top seven for you:

  1. It will consciously bring how you feel into awareness.
  2. Helps you achieve your goals
  3. Encourages you to be mindful
  4. Helps improve mental clarity 
  5. Assists with self-confidence
  6. Helps you get organised
  7. It encourages creativity


What you need to get started


  1. A journal. Many BUJO’ers LOVE the Leuchtturm1917 Medium Size Hardcover A5 Notebook. 
  2. An assortment of pens
  3. A ruler

There are other things you can choose to include such as:


  1. Washi Tape
  2.  Stickers
  3.  Stamps
  4. Highlighters
  5. Stencils

The choice is yours. To be honest, I find the washi tape a little bit pointless however everyone has their own style and it is, after all, it is your journal so you decide what goes in. But for now, if you are a newbie to it, I’d stick to the first three on the list… unless you are the creative type.


Don’t overwhelm yourself.  It’s a stress-free place for you to get organised and be super creative … or be super minimal.



As you may or may not be aware journaling comes in many different shapes and sizes. My three favourite ways you can choose to journal are:



Free Writing/Dear Diary 

As I like to call it, a mind dump. This is writing down whatever you want until you no longer have anything to say. Get every thought, feeling, dream or fear onto those pages and until run out of steam.



Sketchbook Journaling

This is drawing how you feel or what you experienced instead of writing words. Words are powerful but so are images, especially the ones you create. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, quite the opposite.


Bullet Journaling aka BUJO  

Over the past few years, I delved into the world of Bullet Journaling. It’s fascinating. It is the “IN” thing in the journaling circles. 

It provides you with a creative outlet AND you get organised at the same time.



I use a journal all the time, sometimes multiple journals for many different things. I have a business one, where I do a mind dump AND a planner/bullet journal type of one, that includes all my ideas for the #livefullretireearly business. Also, I have a personal one, which simply a mind dump one, that includes all the positive and negative emotions I go through. Once I have dumped all my thoughts into the journal I feel a sense of relief and all those thoughts I thought I had were simply the same few buzzing around my head, driving me crazy.



What is BuJo and where does it come from?

Ryder Carroll designed and invented the bullet journaling system. As a child he was diagnosed with a learning disability therefore organisation using the traditional methods proved difficult. So for the next 20 years, he began creating his own methods being fast, simple and effective .. which we now call Bullet Journaling.



Bujo isn’t the Dear Diary type of journal. Bujo is a creative organisational system, that allows you to track your goals, habits, appointments, tasks, create collections, plan your meals, be your to-do list, to plan your week/month/year. It can become anything you need it to be. Pinterest will give you some great ideas!


I guess you’d call it a personalised planner in the journal of your choice.


There is no right or wrong way to bullet journal. You can choose to use it as a Dear Diary journal however personally I think it gets too complicated and messy.


How to Bullet Journal


There are many creative ways you can bullet journal. Ryder’s way of creating his journal is very basic compared to the ones created today. 

I have included 2 videos to show you what is possible for your Bullet Journal.


Basic/Minimalistic Version By Pick Up Limes:



Super Creative Version By Boho Berry:






👍 Like this article? Follow us Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration.  👍





The post A Beginners Guide To Bullet Journaling. How To Achieve Your Goals By Becoming More Productive appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/a-beginners-guide-to-bullet-journaling-how-to-achieve-your-goals-by-becoming-more-productive/feed/ 0 9 Practical Tips To Survive and Thrive This Blue Monday https://livefullretireearly.com/9-practical-tips-to-survive-and-thrive-this-blue-monday/ https://livefullretireearly.com/9-practical-tips-to-survive-and-thrive-this-blue-monday/#respond Sat, 18 Jan 2020 19:25:28 +0000 https://livefullretireearly.com/?p=1442 Reading Time: 4 minutesBlue Monday is just days away so I thought I would share some tips to help you survive and thrive. The third Monday of January is called the saddest day of the year, also known as Blue Monday. Christmas is over, we have packed up all over decorations, we are back to work and ‘back to reality’, and made and broken a few New Year’s resolutions. You are not alone. Millions of people will be feeling exactly how you are. However, all is not lost. Let’s use this feeling as an emotional springboard to set new realistic goals (not New Year’s Resolutions) that I know you can smash. I have read so many blogs and articles that offer ‘advice’ that just isn’t practical and leave you feeling more frustrated than ever! Try working through the 9 steps below to help improve them Blue Monday Blues. Plan the next few months. Make a plan and give yourself something to look forward to. This could be researching and planning your next holiday, planning a spa day with a friend (this is what I’m going to be doing) or even a shopping trip with the girls (or boys). Go for a power walk or run. Spending a good 20 minutes outdoors (and in nature) can have huge effects on your mental health. You will get your endorphins pumping and you will burn calories in the process. Trust me, with all those good chemicals pumping throughout your body, it’ll be hard to feel depressed.  Set your goals for the year These are not New Year’s Resolutions but things you want to achieve throughout the year. Consider setting goals for each of the following: Financial Social  Health Wellbeing Career If you set a goal stop smoking from the 1st January, you may have had a sneaky cigarette (or two) already. But don’t worry, all is not lost. Obviously going cold turkey is not a realistic approach for you. Instead, try cutting down to 1 a day, then 1 every other day, then 2 a week, then to none a week. If you do it slowly, you are less likely to feel a huge loss and won’t be such a shock to the system. Break your goal down into small bite-size pieces, this will help you feel less overwhelmed and give you the motivation to achieve your goal. Many of us set materialistic goals, thinking that will make us happy. But the goals we should set are “feeling goals”. Goals to be happy, fulfilled, contented etc. My primary goal for this year is to find out what makes me truly happy. How or what I have no idea but I am going to try different things and gather as much data as possible. It’s very exciting. I am going to keep a log of everything I do and analyse how I feel about each thing. It’s going to be like a Gratitude journal, but a Happiness Journal. Create a budget for the next 12 months. This can assist you in regaining control after any Christmas and New Year splurges and planning the next few months out. Maybe you want to go on holiday, maybe you want to move house and save up a deposit or maybe you want to be able to go out with friends and you want to see if and how affordable it is.  Creating a budget is one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself, especially if you feel like you are drowning in debt.  If you’ve never created a budget, don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be this difficult thing. You can do it on a piece of paper, in a spreadsheet or using budgeting software like Every Dollar or YNAB*. Before I met my partner and we combined our finances, I used a simple no-frills spreadsheet but as our finances started to get more complicated, I felt I needed a little extra help so I  now use YNAB.  If you would like access to my FREE 12 Month Budget Template > Click Here Meditate Beginning and ending your day with a 10-20 minute prayer or meditation is a great way to start your day. You can set the intention of no matter what is going to happen, that today is going to be a good day and you can overcome anything that comes your way. You will be surprised at how good you feel. Try laughter yoga Sounds weird? Well, you are right, the first time you do this you will feel like a right weirdo but guess what? You’ll feel so much better and if you do it in a class then you will do be weirdos together. In all seriousness, there are many benefits to laughter yoga and has proven to make you feel happier and overtime you will naturally begin to laugh more.  Try it now  Lay down on the floor, spread your arms and legs out – like a starfish and just start laughing. Go for it, just laugh your heart out. Think Ray Liotta in Goodfellas.  Check out my Laughter Yoga playlist on YouTube Surround yourself with positivity. This can mean several things; look at your friendships, are they loving and empowering ones or are they fuelled by gossip and negativity? Do you leave the interaction with your friends feeling uplifted or feeling a little low and unsure of yourself? Cut out all gossip, remember, what goes around comes around. Watch old funny movies and comedians.  My favourites are any of the Carry On movies. Check out the YouTube playlist below I have put together for you to enjoy. Check Out my ‘Funny’ YouTube Playlist Watch inspirational movies and YouTube videos.  I have created a playlist for you to check out. I will constantly update these playlists so subscribe so you don’t miss anything.  Check out my YouTube Playlist TIP: Observe your behaviour. Avoid nipping online and doing a spot of online shopping, although this might help you feel better at that moment however that feeling won’t last and you will just go back to square one only 50 quid lighter. If you have any more practical suggestions then please comment below. I’d love to add more to my list for next year. *contains an affiliate link

The post 9 Practical Tips To Survive and Thrive This Blue Monday appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> Reading Time: 4 minutes

Blue Monday is just days away so I thought I would share some tips to help you survive and thrive.


The third Monday of January is called the saddest day of the year, also known as Blue Monday. Christmas is over, we have packed up all over decorations, we are back to work and ‘back to reality’, and made and broken a few New Year’s resolutions. You are not alone. Millions of people will be feeling exactly how you are. However, all is not lost. Let’s use this feeling as an emotional springboard to set new realistic goals (not New Year’s Resolutions) that I know you can smash.


I have read so many blogs and articles that offer ‘advice’ that just isn’t practical and leave you feeling more frustrated than ever! Try working through the 9 steps below to help improve them Blue Monday Blues.


Plan the next few months.


Make a plan and give yourself something to look forward to. This could be researching and planning your next holiday, planning a spa day with a friend (this is what I’m going to be doing) or even a shopping trip with the girls (or boys).


Go for a power walk or run.


Spending a good 20 minutes outdoors (and in nature) can have huge effects on your mental health. You will get your endorphins pumping and you will burn calories in the process. Trust me, with all those good chemicals pumping throughout your body, it’ll be hard to feel depressed. 


Set your goals for the year


These are not New Year’s Resolutions but things you want to achieve throughout the year.

Consider setting goals for each of the following:

  • Financial
  • Social 
  • Health
  • Wellbeing
  • Career

If you set a goal stop smoking from the 1st January, you may have had a sneaky cigarette (or two) already. But don’t worry, all is not lost. Obviously going cold turkey is not a realistic approach for you. Instead, try cutting down to 1 a day, then 1 every other day, then 2 a week, then to none a week. If you do it slowly, you are less likely to feel a huge loss and won’t be such a shock to the system.

Break your goal down into small bite-size pieces, this will help you feel less overwhelmed and give you the motivation to achieve your goal.

Many of us set materialistic goals, thinking that will make us happy. But the goals we should set are “feeling goals”. Goals to be happy, fulfilled, contented etc.

My primary goal for this year is to find out what makes me truly happy. How or what I have no idea but I am going to try different things and gather as much data as possible. It’s very exciting. I am going to keep a log of everything I do and analyse how I feel about each thing. It’s going to be like a Gratitude journal, but a Happiness Journal.


Create a budget for the next 12 months.


This can assist you in regaining control after any Christmas and New Year splurges and planning the next few months out. Maybe you want to go on holiday, maybe you want to move house and save up a deposit or maybe you want to be able to go out with friends and you want to see if and how affordable it is. 

Creating a budget is one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself, especially if you feel like you are drowning in debt. 

If you’ve never created a budget, don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be this difficult thing. You can do it on a piece of paper, in a spreadsheet or using budgeting software like Every Dollar or YNAB*. Before I met my partner and we combined our finances, I used a simple no-frills spreadsheet but as our finances started to get more complicated, I felt I needed a little extra help so I  now use YNAB. 

If you would like access to my FREE 12 Month Budget Template > Click Here


Meditate


Beginning and ending your day with a 10-20 minute prayer or meditation is a great way to start your day. You can set the intention of no matter what is going to happen, that today is going to be a good day and you can overcome anything that comes your way. You will be surprised at how good you feel.


Try laughter yoga



Sounds weird? Well, you are right, the first time you do this you will feel like a right weirdo but guess what? You’ll feel so much better and if you do it in a class then you will do be weirdos together. In all seriousness, there are many benefits to laughter yoga and has proven to make you feel happier and overtime you will naturally begin to laugh more. 

Try it now 
Lay down on the floor, spread your arms and legs out – like a starfish and just start laughing. Go for it, just laugh your heart out. Think Ray Liotta in Goodfellas. 

Check out my Laughter Yoga playlist on YouTube


Surround yourself with positivity.


This can mean several things; look at your friendships, are they loving and empowering ones or are they fuelled by gossip and negativity? Do you leave the interaction with your friends feeling uplifted or feeling a little low and unsure of yourself? Cut out all gossip, remember, what goes around comes around.


Watch old funny movies and comedians. 


My favourites are any of the Carry On movies. Check out the YouTube playlist below I have put together for you to enjoy.

Check Out my ‘Funny’ YouTube Playlist


Watch inspirational movies and YouTube videos. 


I have created a playlist for you to check out.

I will constantly update these playlists so subscribe so you don’t miss anything. 

Check out my YouTube Playlist


TIP: Observe your behaviour. Avoid nipping online and doing a spot of online shopping, although this might help you feel better at that moment however that feeling won’t last and you will just go back to square one only 50 quid lighter.


If you have any more practical suggestions then please comment below. I’d love to add more to my list for next year.




*contains an affiliate link

The post 9 Practical Tips To Survive and Thrive This Blue Monday appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/9-practical-tips-to-survive-and-thrive-this-blue-monday/feed/ 0 How To Save Over £7,000 For An Investment Without Increasing Your Earnings https://livefullretireearly.com/how-to-save-over-7000-for-an-investment-without-increasing-your-earnings/ https://livefullretireearly.com/how-to-save-over-7000-for-an-investment-without-increasing-your-earnings/#respond Thu, 13 Jun 2019 10:14:22 +0000 http://livefullretireearly.com/?p=802 Reading Time: 3 minutesDo not save what is left after spending. But spend what is left after saving. Warren Buffett One of the main objections from people who I speak to about beginning their saving and investing journey is the lack of disposable income they have available. Most people live hand to mouth, pay cheque to pay cheque and when something like job loss occurs in their life their whole world comes crashing down, they scramble to find the next available job, not even considering if this is the right job for them. I can imagine what you’re thinking right now, “that’s easy for you to say” or “easier said than done, when you don’t have a back-up” An Emergency Fund can help you with this, please check out the blog post: What Is An Emergency Fund and Why Everyone Needs One & 9 Ways To Help Create An Emergency Fund With No Money. A few minor changes to your lifestyle will help you save over £7,000 per year if not more (depending on your lifestyle) So you ask “how do I save an extra £7,000 per year without increasing my earnings?”  … simple. I have created a table below of basic items you can cut down on and how much you are likely to save per month. 40 Cigarettes (2 packs of 20) £20.80 Takeaways £10.00 Lunches bought at work (x5 days a week) £25.00 1 Night Out Per Week £69.00 Starbucks Grande Caffe Latte/Cappuccino x5 days £13.00 TOTAL PER WEEK £137.80 £137.80  x 52 weeks = £7,165.60 per annum (£597.13 per month) According to an article published on the BBC website on 18th March 2019 “People spend £69 on average on a UK night out, 15.5% up from a year ago.” That alone works out at £299.00 per month. I am a UK citizen and even this amount baffles me. Spending almost £300.00 on alcohol, meals out/takeaways and taxis home, it’s just like flushing £300.00 down the toilet with nothing to show but feeling rubbish the next day. WOWZERS! You haven’t had to get a second job, you haven’t had to start a part time business and you haven’t had to ask for a pay increase. You have started exactly where you are right now but made some slight changes to your lifestyle. Maybe you’re not at the point where you can stop smoking completely so how about halving how much you smoke or, maybe you’re not a smoker at all so you don’t need to include that in your lifestyle analysis. But you get the idea. Have a look at what you spend and how much you spend on them each week. Make a note of everything on your phone as you go about your day then review and analyse your purchases, as I am almost certain that there will be at least 2 things to can cut out or cut down. 👍 Like this article? Follow Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration. 👍 Until next time …

The post How To Save Over £7,000 For An Investment Without Increasing Your Earnings appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> Reading Time: 3 minutes

Do not save what is left after spending. But spend what is left after saving.
Warren Buffett


One of the main objections from people who I speak to about beginning their saving and investing journey is the lack of disposable income they have available.

Most people live hand to mouth, pay cheque to pay cheque and when something like job loss occurs in their life their whole world comes crashing down, they scramble to find the next available job, not even considering if this is the right job for them.



I can imagine what you’re thinking right now, “that’s easy for you to say” or “easier said than done, when you don’t have a back-up” An Emergency Fund can help you with this, please check out the blog post: What Is An Emergency Fund and Why Everyone Needs One & 9 Ways To Help Create An Emergency Fund With No Money.


A few minor changes to your lifestyle will help you save over £7,000 per year if not more (depending on your lifestyle)


So you ask “how do I save an extra £7,000 per year without increasing my earnings?”  … simple. I have created a table below of basic items you can cut down on and how much you are likely to save per month.


40 Cigarettes (2 packs of 20)£20.80
Takeaways£10.00
Lunches bought at work (x5 days a week)£25.00
1 Night Out Per Week£69.00
Starbucks Grande Caffe Latte/Cappuccino x5 days£13.00
TOTAL PER WEEK£137.80

£137.80  x 52 weeks = £7,165.60 per annum (£597.13 per month)


According to an article published on the BBC website on 18th March 2019 “People spend £69 on average on a UK night out, 15.5% up from a year ago.” That alone works out at £299.00 per month. I am a UK citizen and even this amount baffles me. Spending almost £300.00 on alcohol, meals out/takeaways and taxis home, it’s just like flushing £300.00 down the toilet with nothing to show but feeling rubbish the next day.


WOWZERS! You haven’t had to get a second job, you haven’t had to start a part time business and you haven’t had to ask for a pay increase. You have started exactly where you are right now but made some slight changes to your lifestyle.


Maybe you’re not at the point where you can stop smoking completely so how about halving how much you smoke or, maybe you’re not a smoker at all so you don’t need to include that in your lifestyle analysis. But you get the idea. Have a look at what you spend and how much you spend on them each week. Make a note of everything on your phone as you go about your day then review and analyse your purchases, as I am almost certain that there will be at least 2 things to can cut out or cut down.


👍 Like this article? Follow Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration. 👍

Until next time …



The post How To Save Over £7,000 For An Investment Without Increasing Your Earnings appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/how-to-save-over-7000-for-an-investment-without-increasing-your-earnings/feed/ 0 Why You Should Never Loan Your Friends Money and 7 Reasons Why It Does More Harm Than Good https://livefullretireearly.com/why-you-should-never-loan-your-friends-money-and-7-reasons-why-it-does-more-harm-than-good/ https://livefullretireearly.com/why-you-should-never-loan-your-friends-money-and-7-reasons-why-it-does-more-harm-than-good/#respond Mon, 10 Jun 2019 12:57:50 +0000 http://livefullretireearly.com/?p=766 Reading Time: 5 minutesSeveral years ago, I was at work when a “friend”, Suzie rung me crying saying the bailiffs were coming round as she was in a lot of debt. She continued to inform me that they were going to take her baby boys bed away and laid it on pretty thick knowing that vital info would pull on my heart strings, which of course it did. I loved her son so much and was quite involved in his life. Then she asked to borrow £2,000 from me. After hearing everything she just said, how could I refuse? So I asked her for her bank details and sent her the money and agreed on a 2 year payment plan. She didn’t say anything about paying any interest and stupidly neither did I. Then the following week Suzie, her boyfriend and their son went on holiday to Blackpool and then announced that they had booked a date for their wedding. (28 Aug 2010) – This all happened in a matter of a few weeks/months. I felt like an absolute fool. I was asked to be a bridesmaid BUT I’d have to buy my own dress. Then I was told I couldn’t be a bridesmaid because the best man was going to be my ex boyfriend …. despite the relationship between the bride, groom and best man being a distant one … which was awfully strange. As you can imagine I was so hurt, confused and angry. I felt like I had been played.   In January 2012 I bought my first property, which came along with several problems. Three months later I went on holiday to Vegas and whilst I was away Suzies then husband, messaged me asking for more money. I was totally shocked. They were aware that I had just bought a property and the problems I was encountering and they still had the audacity to ask for money. After considering it for maybe 2 seconds, I messaged back saying I wouldn’t lend them any more money and it was time they both took responsibility for their own finances. I recommended 2 books that I felt would be really helpful that would help them build a future for themselves long term (The Parable Of the Pipeline and Think and Grow Rich) However they didn’t pay attention to the recommendation and asked someone else for the money. Two years later, they divorced and are both in worse financial situations than they were 7 years ago. It’s so sad. It occurred to me that they would sooner take it from someone else than come off their benefits that they believed they were entitled to, but that’s the mindset of a long term benefit claimer. Six years ago I began reflecting over the past 20 years of “friendship” with Suzie and I began distancing myself from her and her family. We want completely different things out of life and we had grown apart since our school days. Our world views had changed and we were going in completely opposite directions. Why was I trying to maintain a friendship with someone who clearly didn’t pay any interest in my life until it could benefit her in someway. She clearly didn’t respect me or what I was trying to achieve in life. Crabs In A Bucket   The metaphor of the crabs in a bucket describes this perfectly. When one crab attempts to crawl its way out of the bucket, the other crabs try to drag the crab back into the bucket. It’s like “if I can’t have it, neither can you” or “stay in this bucket and be the same” or “make me feel better about my life by never changing” Sometimes you have to let these so called friends go and walk this path alone .. or at least until you meet more like-minded individuals that support and empower you. If anyone was to ask me if lending or borrowing money from friends or family was a good idea, I would say HELL NO. It’s not worth the damage it could do, but if you do – no matter who it is, put a written agreement in place with monthly payments and interest rates included. Then if a payment is missed or if the money is being asked to be paid back quicker than agreed, you can both refer back to the agreement to dissolve and resolve any unnecessary complications. After reading my story you can understand why I am against loaning money to friends. I am not the only person to have had a friendship end due to money. Of course, make your own mind up, however, please be aware that it WILL cause complications of some sort. Just go into the agreement with your eyes wide open and accept that you may never get your money back and if you do, that’s just a bonus. So to recap, please see the short list of reason below as to why you shouldn’t lend money to friends: 7 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Lend Money To Friends: Loans between friends aren’t seen as a priority It’s difficult to ask for the money back You might need the money The borrower comes a servant to the lender The borrow may ask for more Usually the loans are interest free You could lose your money AND your friendship Here is a link to an official free loan agreement from the Law Depot. Hopefully this will help you avoid any of the mistakes I made when lending a friend money and help you to sleep at night. 👍 Like this article? Follow Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration. 👍 Until next time …

The post Why You Should Never Loan Your Friends Money and 7 Reasons Why It Does More Harm Than Good appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

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Several years ago, I was at work when a “friend”, Suzie rung me crying saying the bailiffs were coming round as she was in a lot of debt. She continued to inform me that they were going to take her baby boys bed away and laid it on pretty thick knowing that vital info would pull on my heart strings, which of course it did. I loved her son so much and was quite involved in his life. Then she asked to borrow £2,000 from me. After hearing everything she just said, how could I refuse? So I asked her for her bank details and sent her the money and agreed on a 2 year payment plan. She didn’t say anything about paying any interest and stupidly neither did I.


Then the following week Suzie, her boyfriend and their son went on holiday to Blackpool and then announced that they had booked a date for their wedding. (28 Aug 2010) – This all happened in a matter of a few weeks/months.


I felt like an absolute fool. I was asked to be a bridesmaid BUT I’d have to buy my own dress. Then I was told I couldn’t be a bridesmaid because the best man was going to be my ex boyfriend …. despite the relationship between the bride, groom and best man being a distant one … which was awfully strange. As you can imagine I was so hurt, confused and angry. I felt like I had been played.  


In January 2012 I bought my first property, which came along with several problems. Three months later I went on holiday to Vegas and whilst I was away Suzies then husband, messaged me asking for more money. I was totally shocked. They were aware that I had just bought a property and the problems I was encountering and they still had the audacity to ask for money.

After considering it for maybe 2 seconds, I messaged back saying I wouldn’t lend them any more money and it was time they both took responsibility for their own finances. I recommended 2 books that I felt would be really helpful that would help them build a future for themselves long term (The Parable Of the Pipeline and Think and Grow Rich) However they didn’t pay attention to the recommendation and asked someone else for the money.


Two years later, they divorced and are both in worse financial situations than they were 7 years ago. It’s so sad.


It occurred to me that they would sooner take it from someone else than come off their benefits that they believed they were entitled to, but that’s the mindset of a long term benefit claimer.



Six years ago I began reflecting over the past 20 years of “friendship” with Suzie and I began distancing myself from her and her family. We want completely different things out of life and we had grown apart since our school days. Our world views had changed and we were going in completely opposite directions. Why was I trying to maintain a friendship with someone who clearly didn’t pay any interest in my life until it could benefit her in someway. She clearly didn’t respect me or what I was trying to achieve in life.



Crabs In A Bucket  

The metaphor of the crabs in a bucket describes this perfectly. When one crab attempts to crawl its way out of the bucket, the other crabs try to drag the crab back into the bucket. It’s like “if I can’t have it, neither can you” or “stay in this bucket and be the same” or “make me feel better about my life by never changing”


Sometimes you have to let these so called friends go and walk this path alone .. or at least until you meet more like-minded individuals that support and empower you.


If anyone was to ask me if lending or borrowing money from friends or family was a good idea, I would say HELL NO. It’s not worth the damage it could do, but if you do – no matter who it is, put a written agreement in place with monthly payments and interest rates included. Then if a payment is missed or if the money is being asked to be paid back quicker than agreed, you can both refer back to the agreement to dissolve and resolve any unnecessary complications.


After reading my story you can understand why I am against loaning money to friends. I am not the only person to have had a friendship end due to money. Of course, make your own mind up, however, please be aware that it WILL cause complications of some sort. Just go into the agreement with your eyes wide open and accept that you may never get your money back and if you do, that’s just a bonus.


So to recap, please see the short list of reason below as to why you shouldn’t lend money to friends:


7 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Lend Money To Friends:

  1. Loans between friends aren’t seen as a priority
  2. It’s difficult to ask for the money back
  3. You might need the money
  4. The borrower comes a servant to the lender
  5. The borrow may ask for more
  6. Usually the loans are interest free
  7. You could lose your money AND your friendship

Here is a link to an official free loan agreement from the Law Depot. Hopefully this will help you avoid any of the mistakes I made when lending a friend money and help you to sleep at night.


👍 Like this article? Follow Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration. 👍

Until next time …

The post Why You Should Never Loan Your Friends Money and 7 Reasons Why It Does More Harm Than Good appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/why-you-should-never-loan-your-friends-money-and-7-reasons-why-it-does-more-harm-than-good/feed/ 0 ✈️ How Visiting Acapulco Kicked My Ass. How To Deal With Jet Lag After a Long Haul Flight ✈️ https://livefullretireearly.com/%e2%9c%88%ef%b8%8f-how-visiting-acapulco-kicked-my-ass-how-to-deal-with-jet-lag-after-a-long-haul-flight-%e2%9c%88%ef%b8%8f/ https://livefullretireearly.com/%e2%9c%88%ef%b8%8f-how-visiting-acapulco-kicked-my-ass-how-to-deal-with-jet-lag-after-a-long-haul-flight-%e2%9c%88%ef%b8%8f/#respond Wed, 29 May 2019 14:51:56 +0000 http://livefullretireearly.com/?p=737 Reading Time: 2 minutesSo I have been back in the UK six days (after flying back to England after my Anarchapulco trip) and I am still suffering with jet lag. My sleep patterns are all over the place, I’m going to bed late and getting up early for work. I’m drinking way too much caffeine just to get me through the day and my thought patterns are different than normal.  I just watched a Brian Tracy YouTube video and he says that it requires approximately one day to recover from each one hour of time zone change. Wooooowwwww 😱 So since the time difference is 6 hours that means it should take me 6 days to feel back to normal. YAY, that means I am almost out of the woods with regards to feeling crappy 💃  This has led me into researching all different kinds of jet lag hacks, tips and tricks, which I thought I would share in case any of you guys are in a similar position. Tip #1 Water, Water  annnndddd more Water. Staying hydrated during any flight is super important, however, on a long haul flight this couldn’t be more vital. Tip #2  Stay away from caffeine and alcohol. Sorry guys but this will only harm you in later hours. Think ahead, don’t take away from tomorrow’s much needed energy. Tip #3 Try not to sleep too much on the plane. I know sleep helps the time pass quicker on a long haul flight but sometimes it can make you feel worse in the long run. Tip #4 Instantly get in sync with whatever country you have landed in’s time zone.  This might mean staying up an extra 6 hours however, trust me, you will be thanking me for this. Try distracting yourself and exploring wherever you are.  Tip #5  Go outside and get into nature This might sound a bit hooey to some of the readers, however, breathing in fresh air and grounding yourself will help you re balance and feel relatively normal. This can be as simple as going down to the beach and wiggling your toes in the sand for a good few hours and soaking in that Vitamin D or taking a calm walk in a woods.   Check Out Brian Tracy’s Video for more tips and tricks.  What do you guys do to conquer jet lag?  Please share in the comments below. Happy Travelling and Sweetdreams  👍 Like this article? Follow Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration. 👍 Until next time …

The post ✈️ How Visiting Acapulco Kicked My Ass. How To Deal With Jet Lag After a Long Haul Flight ✈️ appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

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So I have been back in the UK six days (after flying back to England after my Anarchapulco trip) and I am still suffering with jet lag. My sleep patterns are all over the place, I’m going to bed late and getting up early for work. I’m drinking way too much caffeine just to get me through the day and my thought patterns are different than normal. 

I just watched a Brian Tracy YouTube video and he says that it requires approximately one day to recover from each one hour of time zone change. Wooooowwwww 😱


So since the time difference is 6 hours that means it should take me 6 days to feel back to normal. YAY, that means I am almost out of the woods with regards to feeling crappy 💃 

This has led me into researching all different kinds of jet lag hacks, tips and tricks, which I thought I would share in case any of you guys are in a similar position.

Tip #1

Water, Water  annnndddd more Water.

Staying hydrated during any flight is super important, however, on a long haul flight this couldn’t be more vital.


Tip #2 

Stay away from caffeine and alcohol.

Sorry guys but this will only harm you in later hours. Think ahead, don’t take away from tomorrow’s much needed energy.


Tip #3

Try not to sleep too much on the plane.

I know sleep helps the time pass quicker on a long haul flight but sometimes it can make you feel worse in the long run.


Tip #4

Instantly get in sync with whatever country you have landed in’s time zone. 

This might mean staying up an extra 6 hours however, trust me, you will be thanking me for this. Try distracting yourself and exploring wherever you are. 


Tip #5 

Go outside and get into nature

This might sound a bit hooey to some of the readers, however, breathing in fresh air and grounding yourself will help you re balance and feel relatively normal. This can be as simple as going down to the beach and wiggling your toes in the sand for a good few hours and soaking in that Vitamin D or taking a calm walk in a woods.  


Check Out Brian Tracy’s Video for more tips and tricks. 


What do you guys do to conquer jet lag? 

Please share in the comments below. Happy Travelling and Sweetdreams


 👍 Like this article? Follow Live Full Retire Early on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular tips, tools and inspiration. 👍

Until next time …

The post ✈️ How Visiting Acapulco Kicked My Ass. How To Deal With Jet Lag After a Long Haul Flight ✈️ appeared first on Live Full Retire Early.

]]> https://livefullretireearly.com/%e2%9c%88%ef%b8%8f-how-visiting-acapulco-kicked-my-ass-how-to-deal-with-jet-lag-after-a-long-haul-flight-%e2%9c%88%ef%b8%8f/feed/ 0