First Corrections - 17 / 08 / 2025

Sunday, August 17th, 2025: Refining My Financial Plan — The Fortress Phase Update

In revisiting my earlier financial plan, I spotted a key error I’m grateful to have caught early. This highlights why documenting and reviewing plans regularly is essential for staying on track.

The correction is this:
I previously stated that from September 1st, 2025, I would transfer £420/month into a Cash ISA. That’s not accurate.

My War Chest is sacred—its funds strictly reserved for executing my long-term strategy.

Phase 1: The Fortress Phase (12-24 months)

The engine room of my financial strategy is now defined as follows:

  • Gross Weekly Earnings (net): £500
  • Living Expenses Allocation (Primary Account): £150 (30%)
  • Weekly Investable Capital (Secondary Account - "War Chest"): £350 (70%)

Starting September 1st, I will allocate a weekly standing order of £350 to my Secondary Account. Until I spot the right investment opportunities, this capital will be aggressively deployed toward defence and accumulation. The goals are:

  • Maximise dry powder
  • Grow non-correlated, safe-haven assets
  • Protect capital from inflation

Weekly £350 Allocation Breakdown

Allocation

Amount (Weekly)

Vehicle / Instrument

Purpose

Dry Powder Accumulation

£200

High-Interest Cash ISA / Easy-Access Savings

Liquid and safe (protected up to £85k FSCS), earning modest interest to offset inflation. I will shop for the best rates via platforms like MoneySavingExpert.

Defensive Yield & Diversification

£100

Short-Term UK Government Bond (Gilt) ETF (e.g., iShares UK Gilts 0-5yr UCITS ETF - IGLS) held in a Stocks & Shares ISA

Extremely low risk IOUs from the UK government, offering better returns than cash and minimizing volatility while diversifying my safe assets.

Tangible Wealth & Crisis Hedge

£50

Physical Precious Metals (Silver & Gold coins)

Building my silver stack and alternating weeks between a 1oz Silver Britannia coin and saving toward a 1/10 oz Gold Britannia coin. Acts as insurance against currency debasement and financial chaos.


Phase 1 Summary: Projected Year 1 War Chest

After 12 months of disciplined saving and allocation, I expect to have:

  • £10,400 in Cash ISA
  • £5,200 in Gilt ETF within Stocks & Shares ISA
  • £2,600 in Physical Precious Metals
  • Total: £18,200

By all accounts, this defensive posture is solid and well-diversified.

Handling My SIPP Contributions

I overlooked incorporating my SIPP payment into the plan. I will cover this by deducting £100 monthly from my precious metals allocation. If at the month’s end I find £100 surplus in my primary account, I will redirect it into the Secondary Account to invest again in precious metals.

Reflecting on the Bigger Picture

Initially, I thought £5,040 saved in the War Chest over 12 months would suffice. Clearly, £18,200 is far superior—over three times better mathematically. The sacrifice in disposable income is worth it for only a year.

Over five years, this strategy positions me well to cross the £100,000 milestone before accounting for interest, investment returns, or compound growth.

Week-to-Week Earnings Variance and Spending Habits

  • Bad weeks: Net £550 might occasionally cause tightness, but my rainy-day cash buffers in both accounts mitigate the risk.
  • Good weeks: Netting around £650 accelerates fund growth and helps cover any shortfalls.

My spending habits are flexible; grocery shopping isn’t weekly and can vary from well over £200 down to almost nothing in a cycle. Fuel costs are about £50 per fortnight. These controlled spending habits bolster my financial position.

Moving Forward: Income Growth and Tax Efficiency

I continue strategizing for higher income by pursuing ADR training, targeting £21/hour. Keeping gross weekly earnings around £960 keeps me within the basic tax bracket, which is a smart approach to maximise take-home pay.

Revised War Chest Projection With Income Growth

Multiplying my monthly contributions by 1.272 (reflecting income growth) leads to these year-end totals: 

Account

Year 1 Contribution

Year 1 Projected (With Multiplier)

Cash ISA

£10,400

£13,228

Gilt ETF / Stocks & Shares ISA

£5,200

£6,614

Physical Precious Metals

£2,600

£3,300

Total

£18,200

£23,150

 This keeps me comfortably on track to exceed £100,000 in five years, even before investment growth compounds.

This refined, disciplined approach in Phase 1 secures a financially resilient foundation primed for future growth and opportunity. 

What my spreadsheet shows 


  1. Paid - Net Pay
  2. Tran 1 - Transfer 1 £350 from Primary Account to Secondary Account
  3. Tran 2 - Transfer 2 £42.50 from Primary Account to Secondary Account
  4. Tran Bal - Total Transferred Balance (Tran 1 + Tran 2) into Secondary Account
  5. cISA - Transfer to Cash ISA
  6. cISA Bal - Total Transferred to Cash ISA
  7. ssISA - Transfer to Stocks & Shares ISA
  8. ssI Bal - Total Transferred to Stocks & Shares ISA
  9. SIPP in - Transfer to SIPP
  10. SIPP Bal - Total Transferred to SIPP
  11. Deduct - Total Deductions for the week
  12. Ded Tot - Accumulative Detections to date
  13. Sec Bal - Secondary Account Balance after deductions

This spreadsheet gives me insight into what could be the result when I remain consistent.

At the moment it does not display a column for Emergency Fund but this can easily be added.

By the end of the tax year in 2030, my forecast shows

  • £28,765 - in my secondary account
  • £5,500 - paid into SIPP
  • £24,025 - paid into Stocks & Shares ISA
  • £47,800 - paid into Cash ISA

Some of the funds in my secondary account will be used for precious metals, so there won't be £28k floating around being eroded by inflation.

There won't be much cash floating around full stop!


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