What do you spend your money on?!?

[happy2bretired]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuppaJoe I get $25 coupons from Amazon.com every month or two and have a little trouble spending them, the last one went for a book and three packages of ground coffee; I added $11.00 to that order but would have bought coffee anyway. I could confine my frivolous splurges to those coupons. I’m buying a lot of books & magazines for the Kindle and now prefer getting the morning news that way.

I bought a Kindle this year (about a month before they dropped the price). So far, I've only purchased one regularly priced book. I "bought" several FREE books, but have not enjoyed those at all.

What did you do to start receiving the $25.00 coupons? (probably by actually BUYING a book once in a while)

[CuppaJoe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy2bretired .... What did you do to start receiving the $25.00 coupons? (probably by actually BUYING a book once in a while)

When you go to buy something from Amazon a window pops up saying, sign up for our credit card and take $30 off your order. I've been using that CC for several years now, the $25 coupons/certificates are their rewards program.

[happy2bretired]

oooo....thanks for the reply, but I'll stick with my trusty ol' VISA card.

[GoodSense]

Splurges:

- Frequent travel (3 major trips a year plus several small ones)
- Eating out (though much less now that I travel for work all the time)
- Opera (season ticket holder) & classical music concerts
- Singing lessons

I love the opera and am willing to forgo eating out for a year if I had to choose between eating out and season tickets! Like CuppaJoe, I stopped forcing DH to go. It's not so much the money but the fact that it's a torture to him. When I know he is suffering through the acts, it's hard for me to enjoy it. I usually just go by myself.

The bonus is that the local ibrary has a good collection of opera music so I never have to spend money on CDs.

[citrine]

I spend my money on massages, spiritual books/workshops/retreats, art supplies, massage supplies and schooling, books, music, eating out, weekends at the lake, soft bedding ( I love sleeping), and comfortable clothes.

[Bob1958]

I have tracked expenses for years, accounting for just about everything. The big stuff looks something like this:
Mortgages on 2 homes - 31%
Food - 10%
Gas - 4%
Real Estate Taxes - 6%
Kids bleeding me dry - about 12%


In just a few years college loans will be far and above the biggest expense as the mortgages wind down and the ravenous teenagers are eating someplace else.

On the discretionary side, which is probably the intended question of this thread, travel eats up the majority since it chews thousands at a time. Cellphone, broadband, HDTV is a relatively big expense but we use these services all the time so I don't mind.

[Glo]

Now we're spending money on gardening; in the fall and winter it will be home improvements (all the big stuff is done, though).

I dislike travel. We just came back from a trip to San Diego where son #2 got married. I got tired of paying $9.50 for a bowl of oatmeal and $5 for a cuppa coffee. We travelled there first class, which we haven't done in several years, and I'll say: "first class isn't what it used to be"!

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cruisinthru We have four cruises planned to the caribean in Jan. and Feb. to escape the cold.

FOUR cruises? Wow, you must really like it aboard. I guess if you are retired you can search for last minute bargains?

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuppaJoe Biggest recent splurge was opera tickets. SO & other friends can be dragged to the opera house once a year or two and I actually like to go by myself without the distraction of someone who doesn’t want to be there. They sold me a subscription in the first row, dead center of my preferred section which is a very good deal. I also budget a lot for various theater & music events. I’ve stopped buying CDs, there are too many in the house.

I've stopped buying CDs too. I have a great and quite eclectic collection and now I am loading my favourites on my Blackberry (with 8 GB memory card). The sound quality is excellent.

[JonnyM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy2bretired I bought a Kindle this year (about a month before they dropped the price). So far, I've only purchased one regularly priced book. I "bought" several FREE books, but have not enjoyed those at all.)

Actually I've found Amazon has gotten quite liberal in giving away "free" books, typically early books in a given well regarded series to get you hooked so you'll spring for the pay to play content later. They were not overly forthcoming when the Kindle 1 was new, but now I expect the Kindle 2 is faltering in a weak economy and with little reason for early adopters to upgrade, Amazon is trying harder in their marketing efforts.

But seriously, the amount of completely free quality free content the IGBW and I have found so far is astounding! We will never be able to read it all. Keep in mind anything in PDF, not to mention nearly any other format is will translate into Kindle's PRC or MOBI formats. Not just old classics from your HS summer reading lists but current stuff is out there and waiting to be read. We use the library on a regular basis as well, the Kindle is just another way to enjoy a good book. It's a matter of having the time (oh yah we're FIRE we HAVE THE TIME) to go out there on the net and find where folks have kindly left Kindle content for you. It's kinda like when you find that newspaper or magazine someone leaves you in the Diner after they are finished with it.

[Mill]

per year:

gambling is my biggest splurge a few thousand
cigarettes a few hundred
alcohol a few hundred
travel about a thousand
eating out about a thousand

[happy2bretired]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyM Actually I've found Amazon has gotten quite liberal in giving away "free" books, typically early books in a given well regarded series to get you hooked so you'll spring for the pay to play content later. They were not overly forthcoming when the Kindle 1 was new, but now I expect the Kindle 2 is faltering in a weak economy and with little reason for early adopters to upgrade, Amazon is trying harder in their marketing efforts. But seriously, the amount of completely free quality free content the IGBW and I have found so far is astounding! We will never be able to read it all. Keep in mind anything in PDF, not to mention nearly any other format is will translate into Kindle's PRC or MOBI formats. Not just old classics from your HS summer reading lists but current stuff is out there and waiting to be read. We use the library on a regular basis as well, the Kindle is just another way to enjoy a good book. It's a matter of having the time (oh yah we're FIRE we HAVE THE TIME) to go out there on the net and find where folks have kindly left Kindle content for you. It's kinda like when you find that newspaper or magazine someone leaves you in the Diner after they are finished with it.

Thanks! Sounds like I have some things to check out.

[Ronstar]

Taxes
Travel - about once a month

[Poundkey]

My last splurge was a parakeet. She was the high end model at $20, but I wanted nothing but the best for my little boy parakeet. He is sooo happy now.

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poundkey My last splurge was a parakeet. She was the high end model at $20, but I wanted nothing but the best for my little boy parakeet. He is sooo happy now.

Cool. You know I had no idea that parakeets could talk.

One day while I was taking care of my neighbor's parakeet, one of his tail feathers fell out. I looked at him and said, "Holy crap Tino!" He said, "What's the matter, did I scare you?" I nearly fell on the floor.

[NW-Bound]

Recently, I only spend money on college tuitions and necessities.

But, I used to spend mucho on a 2nd home and overseas trips.

I am done with real estate for now, but would like to resume some travels.

[Poundkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbbamI Cool. You know I had no idea that parakeets could talk. One day while I was taking care of my neighbor's parakeet, one of his tail feathers fell out. I looked at him and said, "Holy crap Tino!" He said, "What's the matter, did I scare you?" I nearly fell on the floor.

Lol...that's funny. Actually Ernie (the male) talks a little. We taught him to say "Ernie's a pretty bird".
He also has an interesting history. He showed up at our backyard feeders last summer. Someone's pet I'm guessing (although he was as wild as any "wild" bird. A month later another one shows up.....a female. As winter got close I searched around and found out they probably couldn't survive the cold so made plans to trap them. A small hawk wounded the female before we could catch them and we weren't able to save her. We trapped Ernie in late fall.
It was love at first sight when the new female "Pattie" was introduced. So cute to watch. I keep having the old song "Muskrat Love" run through my head when they cuddle and preen.

[bbbamI]

Ahhhhh....that is soooooo sweet.

DH keeps "asking" our cats if they want a pet bird.

[unclemick]

Remodeling, travel, cars, eating out - roughly it that order but remodeling varies greatly by year as does the itch to buy a new adult toy - I mean car/truck.

Travel and dining are more constant - but I'm into learning KC style BBQ this year.

heh heh heh -

Renewed my Passport but no great itch yet. Maybe come winter.

[CCdaCE]

House payment, daycare, food, truck payment, gasoline, etc.

For fun, restaurant food, ammo, alcohol, shiny electronic gadgets, etc. Like any good redneck.

If I wanted to get real wild it'd be lottery tickets, cigarettes, and porno.

-CC