Greg Bowman

Tesco connection there - Terry Potts CEO ex Tesco knows what he is doing

He is also a very good leader by all accounts

?? Maybe I am getting old and maudling but as you say we all seemed to have real in our hand money, from bricklayers to City Essex boy traders, there was a real sense of hope - breaking the system, creating real social mobility in the capital of a resurging nation. Those spoils seemed open to all with some hard graft It wasn’t just London - Manchester was kicking and with Cheshire was like London and the South East in the North West Just makes you realise what a people farming sham life is for the equivalent generation now

Corporates are for learning, extremely good training and hiding in your fifties. Even in the eighties in IBM my view was if I wasn't being fast tracked to management by 26/27 then it wouldn't be worth hanging around. However for youngsters as I was once and now my children - you can have a good time in a corporate and learn a lot whilst being paid well. It's the intangible stuff - how to construct expense schemes, budget and lead people. The problem with most SME's SMB's the management training the Exec's have had is zilch and it shows Also as you identify if you are 30+ you have to put up with college kids in the process, in reality the fast trackers have all been identified and you even if you get in you are making the numbers up

Fletch have to agree with Winkie rasied in Muswell Hill lived through the boom of the eighties when there were decent pubs, wine bars, music venues and small nightclubs everywhere from there into London and out to Brixton/Blackheath/Streatham Of course there are decent pubs now but far fewer in number, expensive and sort of copies of each other with no mix of clientele. It's like being in a time machine now it nearly feels like the eighties in some pubs but scratch the surface and it seems a poor copy. Gastro plastic food assembly, Craft beers and the majority managed not owned with the consequent lack of atmosphere

I got an mba with the OU in the 90’s it was really good - helped me in my own business and gave me confidence when dealing with corporate suits, some of our lecturers were amazing - virtually all working and giving a bit back HR directors, FD’s etc most modern day mba’s aren’t a patch on the quality of modules or breadth of students. I was with entrepreneurs, Wing Commanders ( lots of forces senior officers ) Senior management from pharma and all sorts of industries edit: the OU could of been our other shining achievement next to the NHS but dismissed by governments of all flavours and starved of funds

Blimey another North Londoner like Winkie and I, probably not been that price since Roger Moore lived there !

I think so

Thx for the reply makes sense and as you say all about what works for us as individuals, the weird thing for me is on this site I feel I can see the world through eyes that aren’t mine yet trust and gain an insight - so thank you again

Because I can read a balance sheet I like that method and great for tracking progress I have everything in it including depreciating assets like cars

Great story ( all the big dogs are on this thread !) just an observation , isn’t it a bit controlling expecting to look after your grandchildren supposed your kids move to another part of the country or abroad ? Could there be a presumed or implied controlling tactic that says if you want to retire early ( I agree with Winkie not a universal ambition but the principles make great sense ) then you have to live near me ? Thus restricting their horizons ? Genuinely interested in how your life choices seem to being imposed/sold to your children

Had the same start Winkie and then joined IBM after Lucas ( both very formative ) but could of stayed at Lucas left straight after my apprenticeship, and then IBM having been promoted to youngest manager in the UK ( ie safe high earning good career ahead) my point is even at 21 and 26 respectively I could see where the world was going in terms of working for someone and not being light on your toes and this was the eighties People are lazy thinkers and employers exploit that, My daughter is starting a new job tomorrow and laughingly said to me yesterday - I know the rules Dad ‘ take a day then find out how to get the most training and where the next jump is’ Bit like FIRE it doesn’t take intelligence it takes a strategy. Many people would have trouble finding material, mentors and advice on how to achieve what I call Advanced life driving but millions could and are lazy thinkers much like you get lazy people on the exercise front Edit just read the bit about FIRE again not saying you have a low IQ WICAO just saying the key point is the strategy ??

Thank you

I haven’t but thank you will look into after I have bought your book on Amazon ??

I don’t drink enough and I like a drink for it to be material to my monthly budget I think that’s why. An average pub on a high st next to a spoons I can see your point, but in general apart from a great breakfast they seem full of people who want to get the highest volume of alcohol for the cheapest price - not great places really Hence why good local pubs can charge more and still attract business

Thanks not just me then. We have some gold and silver and it appears random which way it moves because of those factors, I now have some US shares ( the classics Amazon, Facebook etc) but need to look at other countries, markets for sure

I agree that it shouldn’t be beyond our nous to sort things out, proper rent controls restoring the treatment of dividends to how they were pre Gordon Browns stupid tax change in 97 coupled with max charges for isa’s, pensions etc However contrary to Winkie most people I know earn more than £30k and have done for 20+ years Talking to them and looking at my own payroll it is shocking how little provision people are making for their future so have to agree with WICAO people need to take some responsibility for their future

I love the concept and apply it now in varying degrees to financial decisions. Diversify by country is the thing I am starting to get my head round.

What take responsibility for your own future desptach a copy of your book forthwith with the HPC discount - surely there is one ??

Lol ?

I think having a few German friends is that rather like France a lot of people live in apartments that are reasonable to rent and protected through good laws. Over a course of a lifetime land or a property is purchased somewhere else that eventually becomes where you live in retirement, which you are able to purchase and look after whilst you are of working age

What do you expect from a billion pound tax thieving monopoly run by middle class social media grad goons ? An understanding of the real world ! You need re- educating comrade !

Not sure why that jumped at me but for the record by all accounts standard middle aged man fare and all legal. What is a worry is how a copper can keep privately notes made in the course of his job and then use in a personal vendetta against an elected member of parliament 10 years later

And who exactly are ourselves ? serious question. Perhaps if you have trouble answering that is the problem.

Work for £3 an hour, live 9 to room or a shed in a garden in Slough and send what's left home. Of course once you have an NI number then it's tax credit city. The big corps love us thinking it's all ok because workers of any kind are sort of a hindrance aren't they ?