Limited Spending Desires

[audreyh1]

One of my fears about retiring was would I be able to start spending some of the money I had saved over all those years. Saving my money was always so natural for me, especially when I started thinking about retiring early. I knew my goal was to enjoy retirement but I didn't really know how to spend money like that. My DH and I now have a "spending plan." We have a pot of money that is just discretionary money and we take 4% (always 4%) out each year (based on Jan. 1) and spend it throughout the year. This year we're getting some new French doors and windows for the house and maybe some landscaping. At the end of the year if we have money left over in this fund then we can be a little more generous to the kids/grandkids, fund college accounts, larger donations to charities, whatever. Of course, if it's a really bad year financially then I assume we wouldn't take as much.

We came up with this plan when my father-in-law died. Turns out he had a sh*tload of money saved/invested and wouldn't spend a dime! No one knew. He lived with my SIL and never contributed to her household. Everyone always pitched in to help pay for his share of family vacations and holidays. He told us how bad he felt that he didn't travel more when his wife was still alive. It's nice that we've inherited a nice chunk from him but we really wished he would have enjoyed it more while he was alive.

Wow, significant story! I like the spending plan you came up with! We gift money to siblings and I always hope they spend it like that.

 

[HFWR]

Some things are better left unsaid, huh, Moemg. Probably my fault because I am the one that usually asks. Maybe I will become smarter and not ask. She got kinda ticked at me when I reacted to the price. She made sure to show me when we were in Vegas the $2000 purses. I swear they looked like $50 purses, also.


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Exclusive (the root word being "exclude") has nothing to do with quality...

 

[Major Tom]

Brief update - after almost buying an earlier (and used) version of the camera I wanted from someone locally, I passed up on the deal and found that a local camera shop was having a Mother's Day Sale in which they didn't charge the sales tax. I rushed over there and bought it new from them.

As nice as it is (and it was great to handle it in person and spend some time with it), the combined cost of it, plus the extra accessories and new photo editing software I will need, was just a bit too much for my frugal self to handle. Tomorrow, I will be returning it. Guess I'm not that good at spending money after all.

I will continue soldiering on with my old camera and in the meantime, am looking over my shoulder for a visit from the ghost of Jacob Marley....

Thank you for your thoughts and input.

 

[JDARNELL]

I don't know. If you like the camera keep it. Buyers remorse is a strange thing.

If every decision was an economic decision I would be living a lot different than I currently do. Don't get me wrong frugal habits is what got me here however I now want to enjoy myself within what I view as reasonable. One of the hardest purchases I made was a Harley Davidson. I remember going back and forth about it. CINC house said if you want it buy it as it will bring you happiness. So I pulled the trigger. Fast forward. Probably not the most economical decision I have ever made but I love this bike and what it does for me and how much fun I have. I love to MC camp with friends and just ride to no where. CINC house is coming around on riding with me. If I can get her hooked I will buy whatever she wants so she will have a good time riding on the back with me. Pay for the tools necessary to have the experiences you desire.

JDARNELL

 

[Major Tom]

I agree with you on not being driven solely by economic concerns JDarnell. After getting the camera home, as interesting as it was to have it, I wasn't feeling the excitement I did when I was buying cameras in the past. Although this is a tool with certain advantages over the camera I have now (a larger and heavier, old DSLR), something about the purchase didn't feel right. I can always buy a camera again in the future. Nothing about this return is irreversible.

What I really need to do is get outside with my existing camera and start taking photos again. There are still avenues I can explore with my existing equipment, so I think I'll concentrate on that for the time being.

It sounds like your Harley purchase was a good idea though. I well remember all the fun I had on my motorcycle (a Yamaha XJ700). Be careful though - I have osteoarthritis in both knees now as a result of careless riding in the past!

 

[Bestwifeever]

You will be happy to own that camera and its accessories, Major Tom, but not until the one you now have breaks or becomes otherwise unuseable--I think that is what is keeping you from it. And by that time the new one will have even more features and probably cost less than the one you are returning.

 

[FIREd]

What I really need to do is get outside with my existing camera and start taking photos again. There are still avenues I can explore with my existing equipment, so I think I'll concentrate on that for the time being.

It sounds like you don't take pictures all that often anymore. Perhaps that's why you can't justify this purchase. If you are not that excited about going outside and taking pictures with your existing camera, buying a more expensive camera won't fix that.

 

[Major Tom]

You will be happy to own that camera and its accessories, Major Tom, but not until the one you now have breaks or becomes otherwise unuseable--I think that is what is keeping you from it. And by that time the new one will have even more features and probably cost less than the one you are returning.

I think that is part of it, yes. I'm not as passionate about photography as I used to be, but always want to have a camera. If I didn't have the current one, I'd definitely want another one.

It sounds like you don't take pictures all that often anymore. Perhaps that's why you can't justify this purchase. If you are not that excited about going outside and taking pictures with your existing camera, buying a more expensive camera won't fix that.

I still take pictures, but definitely not with the zeal and passion that I used to. My main subjects these days are my cats, my SO, and the projects I build for my radio blog. In the past, I was shooting anything and everything, trying really hard to see everything in a new and different light.

Between the two of you, you guys have hit the nail on the head with your observations.

 

[FIREd]

I think that is part of it, yes. I'm not as passionate about photography as I used to be, but always want to have a camera. If I didn't have the current one, I'd definitely want another one.


I still take pictures, but definitely not with the zeal and passion that I used to. My main subjects these days are my cats, my SO, and the projects I build for my radio blog. In the past, I was shooting anything and everything, trying really hard to see everything in a new and different light.

Between the two of you, you guys have hit the nail on the head with your observations.

I think that your decision makes perfect sense then. I would do the same thing in this situation.

 

[Chuckanut]

Our passions and interests change over time. Nothing wrong with that


Sent from somewhere in the world with whatever device I can get my hands on.

 

[Chuckanut]

I dress in jeans and t-shirts almost exclusively. My idea of fun is going to the beach (free), hiking (free), and walking around town (free). All I want is a reasonably fast computer and a good camera (and in the world of digital photography, $1,600 is not even that expensive) because I spend several hours a day using one or the other.

Sheesh! Another dangerous radical who thinks he does not have to follow the crowd as defined by marketing experts.

 

[FIREd]

Sheesh! Another dangerous radical who thinks he does not have to follow the crowd as defined by marketing experts.