How'd you spoil yourself when you feeling "rich"?

[Outtahere]

Every time I receive either a large bonus or distribution check we invest part of it in some kind of upgrade for the house, replacement windows, had the house sided, replaced the ready-to-fall-down garage, or remodeled a room. We never feel "rich" so it tends to be practical things. I'm thinking with this year's bonus I'd like to have a closet in the bathroom turned into my laundry so I don't have to go down stairs to the cellar.

Although 3 years ago I did let dh splurge and replace my Sportster with the FatBoy, a girl has to have some fun.

[SteveR]

We usually save 25% and spend the rest on a trip.

Last year it was a 5 day cruise.

Year before was a trip to Maui

Next year will be our last bonus and DW will be taking her daughters to the Big Apple for a visit (I have no interest in going :P)

Our bonuses are not large but they do help offset the BS buckets for a while.

[HFWR]

I'll have to defer judgement until such time as I "feel" rich...* :

Though my profit sharing check in 2005 bought a 50" DLP tv to round out my modest home theatre...

Maybe a PRS guitar and a Marshall amp...* 8)

[Sarah in SC]

For me it is finally feeling like we can afford to splurge on taking my mom on a dream 2-week trip to Italy for her 65th birthday, just the two of us! Leaving October 28th!

I try (really hard) not to imagine what that amount, invested for 20 years, would be! But taking my mom somewhere cool has got to be a better "investment".
Sarah

[Caroline]

This is timely, I just got a bonus and have been wondering how I might spend it. Haven't come up with anything yet.

I expect I'll put it in the mutual fund and let it grow -- I got a new car last year, don't need anything for the house...

I think the ONLY thing I really want is my freedom, and every dollar that gets me closer to being able to buy that is a dollar I want to save. This is not to say that I don't plan a vacation every year, take time out for dinner with friends, etc., but that any extra is more likely to be saved than spent.

The only splurge would be a roadtrip to a remote and rugged desert hot springs for a campout. No phone, no electricity, no crowds, no work.

Just a tent next to the springs, a few cool ones in the ice chest, my honey by my side and the Eastern Sierra for scenery.

Sigh.

[haha]

I think it would take a lot more than I am ever likely to have to make me feel rich.

If it ever happens, I get a view condo in a concrete building in Seattle or Santa Monica or maybe San Francisco, and a Boxster class car.

I can't think of anything else that wouldn't seem more trouble than it was worth.

Oh yeah, and world piece.*

Ha

[TromboneAl]

Embarrassing, but I have to honestly say that I'd invest it, then spend a lot of time looking at my new net worth figure, then look at some graphs of how it increased that figure, check out my asset allocation, calculate my new SWR, then go back to looking at the net worth figure.

Sick, huh?

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Sick, huh?

Don't forget the part about cackling & rubbing your hands like Montgomery Burns...

[Enuff2Eat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Embarrassing, but I have to honestly say that I'd invest it, then spend a lot of time looking at my new net worth figure, then look at some graphs of how it increased that figure, check out my asset allocation, calculate my new SWR, then go back to looking at the net worth figure. Sick, huh?

.


TromboneAl... oh yeah, that's sick but as long as the way you spoil yourself. Go for it. I, myself, am not that far off.

joy the club

enuff

[brewer12345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Embarrassing, but I have to honestly say that I'd invest it, then spend a lot of time looking at my new net worth figure, then look at some graphs of how it increased that figure, check out my asset allocation, calculate my new SWR, then go back to looking at the net worth figure. Sick, huh?

Not long ago, I would have said the same thing. *But I see some older, VERY successful investors of my acquaintance who wouldn't have a clue how to spend/enjoy even a modest amount of their fortune, and that is mostly due to just being in the habit of shoving it away that they haven't even given a thought to it. *Since I don't believe in inherited wealth, I don't want to end up that way. *I'd rather use a smidge f the excess to enrich my family's time together and maybe help out a few others along the way.

[unclemick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Don't forget the part about cackling & rubbing your hands like Montgomery Burns...

I tryed to avoid any outward signs - but the* women knew anyway. Could sort of read my mind sooooo: extra travel, some put off remodeling got done and for smaller amounts there was spend the big bucks and go see a Saint's game, spring for the crab, shrimp or crawfish and get the friends and neighbors over for a seafood boil/party. Or a trip to the casino - she liked the slots while I consoled myself at the buffett.

heh heh heh heh

[SteveR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Embarrassing, but I have to honestly say that I'd invest it, then spend a lot of time looking at my new net worth figure, then look at some graphs of how it increased that figure, check out my asset allocation, calculate my new SWR, then go back to looking at the net worth figure. Sick, huh?

Or you could convert it all to dimes put it all in a large vat and then roll around in it every day.

At some point you have to change the valve setting from "miser" to "spender."

The goal is to live out the rest of your life and die happy; content that you lived a good life and did most of the things you wanted to do. Death with regrets is a terrible way to go.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 But I see some older, VERY successful investors of my acquaintance who wouldn't have a clue how to spend/enjoy even a modest amount of their fortune, and that is mostly due to just being in the habit of shoving it away that they haven't even given a thought to it.

If you've seen some of those people solve the problem, could you post a new thread on it?

We're already pretty familiar with the Bill & Melinda Gates/Warren Buffett solution. But we're curious about the options for us retail investors concerned about giving it all away before finding out that they needed it for long-term care...

[brewer12345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords If you've seen some of those people solve the problem, could you post a new thread on it? We're already pretty familiar with the Bill & Melinda Gates/Warren Buffett solution.* But we're curious about the options for us retail investors concerned about giving it all away before finding out that they needed it for long-term care...

You mean the giving away part? Some build an increasing amount of annual gifts into their budgets. Some do the charitable annuity thing with a hunk of money. Others will the money away when they die.

The lifestyle upgrade part doesn't seem to come as easily, for some reason. A family friend is (easily) a decamillionaire. Lifelong business owner, first generation immigrant, owns a large wad of waterfront and other real estate, large securities portfoliio, and is a very, very sharp investor to this day. He lives in a modest home, drives an older car, won't spend a dime. Should he spend lots of money? Obviously only if it makes him happy. But I can't escape the feeling taht he probably spent too many years of long hours at his business toiling away. There is a lot more to life than accumulation, as we all know.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 He lives in a modest home, drives an older car, won't spend a dime.* Should he spend lots of money?* Obviously only if it makes him happy.* But I can't escape the feeling taht he probably spent too many years of long hours at his business toiling away.* There is a lot more to life than accumulation, as we all know.

Eh, I'm already the son-in-law to one of those... of course without the decagazillionaire part.

[mathjak107]

once a year we do something crazy. One year it was 5,000.00 for 2 road bikes, last year was a 50" dlp tv.
We spent a weekend in manhattan like tourists,never mind we live here .We stayed at a nice hotel over looking central park,we went to a show and dinner for 350.00 bucks at the famous four seasons restaurant.IT was an amazing 2,000 bucks in 2 days,but it was awesome.

[tryan]

With each RE closing I stop at the local stoogie establishment and splurge on a cigar. The night of the closing I sit on our screened in porch (after the kids are in bed) and reminise about the property and flip thru the closing docs with an adult beverage - or two. As the closings got bigger I bought better cigars.

[Meadbh]

After receiving a large inheritance from DM I made one 4 figure charitable donation and several similar monetary gifts to people who had been very good to DM, who were not in the will.

Then I treated myself to business class airfare and an upgraded hotel room on a conference trip for which I was paying. Nice!

After that, it was back to normal LBYM.

[virginia]

SteveR - then when you get a little richer, you can convert from dimes to quarters and roll around in that....
For myself - I usually go to the mall and shop.... It usually doesn't break the bank - I love to buy cosmetics and perfumes!
I do buy higher cost items, but I'm never feeling rich when I buy them. They're usually long desired or long planned to buy items - Like the cruise that I took in January or the bedroom suite that I just bought.
When I'm actually feeling rich, I really never go out and buy higher cost stuff.
I like this thread - I had begun to think things were getting a little boring around here.

[jclarksnakes]

...In recent months for the first time in my life I have been feeling like we are sort of well off. So.......I have just started looking for a new car. I always spend several months considering and gathering info before I buy a car and then keep it for quite awhile. No change in that tactic but I am gonna buy something more expensive this time. At this time I am considering either a Corvette or a Boxster S or a Honda S2000. The Corvette is currently at the top of the list. I expect I am going to get some grief here after how bad I bashed the US automobile industry in a recent thread here.
jc