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Old 12-21-2012, 12:03 PM   #121
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Been running at about 43K per year since retirement (Jan 2008) for a single. Don't quite understand the posters who do not include taxes in their totals. Federal, state and property taxes account for ~25% of my expenses !!
One might avoid Fed & State tax by either (1) spending from savings, (2) taking from a Roth IRA.

We payed a lot in taxes this year.
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Old 12-21-2012, 12:13 PM   #122
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Don't quite understand the posters who do not include taxes in their totals. Federal, state and property taxes account for ~25% of my expenses !!
I didn't include Federal Income taxes only because I am doing discretionary Roth rollovers, so the taxes I paid this year are inflated quite a bit.
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Old 12-21-2012, 12:33 PM   #123
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Another thing to consider is that I like Mr. Money Mustache's attitude, but my wife isn't so keen on it. Probably many here use a lot of the same approaches to saving that MMM does, but perhaps many don't. I'm trying to adopt some of those money saving things without driving my wife nuts and she's trying to accept that she will be better off if I don't die in the harness, so to speak. We've reached a balance, we think, and both of us are looking forward to finding out.
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Old 12-21-2012, 12:37 PM   #124
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I would be embarrased to post what we spent this year, so I won't. But, as others have said, it really does matter where you're at in life. I probably spend more than others do in a whole year just trying to keep my 15 year old son fed. Just his playing HS baseball set me back almost $1,500. Then, I have a DD in college, another DD that's out of college but still needs some help. Man, the money just seems to fly out the door at our house.

My goal for 2013 is to end up under $100K (after taxes). What's weird is, I don't think we live lavishly, but when I read of people living on $20K, I guess we probably do spend too much on some things. No debt. Low cost of living area.

According to my Quicken report that I used to estimate retirement expenditures (several years from now), I think me and DW can get by on maybe $65K (after tax). I can't really see it going any lower than that.
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Old 12-21-2012, 12:49 PM   #125
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Married. Early 40s. 2 kids. Bay area
Retired this year
About 27K so far YTD
Doesn't include 7k property taxes or fed and state taxes
Firecalc 100% on 4% SWR with max 160k spend
Don't feel deprived at all
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Old 12-21-2012, 01:23 PM   #126
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Disregard my lofty goal of $100K for 2013. Just remembered I have a DD getting married next year. Crap. Maybe 2014.
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Old 12-21-2012, 01:58 PM   #127
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It's looking like $60-62k for a family of 4 (DW and I are 43 with 2 young kids), no mortgage or car payment in reasonable cost of living area.

It’s a 10% increase from prior year, but it’s an intentional lifestyle change. Since we’re borderline FI, I’m taking the approach of enjoying life more now with increased spending (family activities and vacations). We might spend more next year as I converted to contract work (work less hours, more free time) but getting about 30% more pay.
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Old 12-21-2012, 02:12 PM   #128
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Disregard my lofty goal of $100K for 2013. Just remembered I have a DD getting married next year. Crap. Maybe 2014.

I hear ya.... not about the DD marriage, but some of the other things that make the number higher... as an example..

HI and other medical costs are close to $10K higher with the two kids and DW...

Car and boat costs, including insurance, are about $4K higher (I would not have a boat with DW)....

Food costs are probably about $5K higher

Housing cost are probably $4 to $5K higher.... I was just fine living at my old place... but, needed more room with family...

Vacation costs are about $10K higher... DW LOVES to go places... and we have to pay for 4 people...

Other misc items are another $5 to $6K....


Even subtracting all of these, I still was cheaper when single than the number left over.... so there must be other items I am not seeing right away...
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Old 12-21-2012, 02:44 PM   #129
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Some of these posts are interesting because several of them show the love/hate relationship we have with wealth (big and little wealth).

So who are the good guys? Is there a definition of the proper and maybe saintly income (spending) level? I sure don't have a (non-political) answer.

Anyone want to venture a definition?
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Old 12-21-2012, 02:50 PM   #130
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Anyone want to venture a definition?
Sure.

Anyone who spends less than me is a miserly tightwad. Anyone who spends more is a gluttonous spendthrift.

Howzzat?
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Old 12-21-2012, 02:52 PM   #131
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Originally Posted by Lsbcal View Post
Some of these posts are interesting because several of them show the love/hate relationship we have with wealth (big and little wealth).

So who are the good guys? Is there a definition of the proper and maybe saintly income (spending) level? I sure don't have a (non-political) answer.

Anyone want to venture a definition?
We are ALL the good guys, Lsbcal. Every one of us. We are all doing our best to set goals that are reasonable for us as individuals, and to meet those goals as best we can. It's just interesting to read where others are on their parallel, though often different, journeys through life.
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Old 12-21-2012, 02:53 PM   #132
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Sure.

Anyone who spends less than me is a miserly tightwad. Anyone who spends more is a gluttonous spendthrift.

Howzzat?
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Old 12-21-2012, 02:59 PM   #133
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You have to consider taxes, but whether you have them in your budget depends on how you pay them. If they are withheld at source I can see how you might exclude them, but in ER when income is coming from sources other than IRA or SS you must budget for them or be faced with a nasty surprise at tax time.
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Old 12-21-2012, 03:05 PM   #134
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So who are the good guys? Is there a definition of the proper and maybe saintly income (spending) level? I sure don't have a (non-political) answer.

Anyone want to venture a definition?
A good guy is anybody who spends enough to buy his happiness, provided that he is using no more than 4%WR.

A super guy is someone who is happy with 3.5%WR, while having no SS, no pension, and has to buy his own health insurance, and only retires after putting his children through college with no student loans.

And a saint is someone who meets the above qualifications, yet can find happiness living in an RV in the boondocks, and spends only $15K/yr. Oh, I forgot to add that he must also have enough left over to indulge in a bottle of XO cognac every so often, while alone in the boondocks of course.
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Old 12-21-2012, 03:22 PM   #135
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You have to consider taxes, but whether you have them in your budget depends on how you pay them. If they are withheld at source I can see how you might exclude them, but in ER when income is coming from sources other than IRA or SS you must budget for them or be faced with a nasty surprise at tax time.
+1.

Furthermore, some of my income is taxable only at the federal level, some of it only at the state level, and some of it (actually, just over half of it) is taxable at both the federal and state levels (and some of it is fully tax-free). I have no taxes withheld so I have to write checks to both places during the year (i.e. estimated taxes) and the following April.
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Old 12-21-2012, 03:27 PM   #136
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Originally Posted by Lsbcal
Some of these posts are interesting because several of them show the love/hate relationship we have with wealth (big and little wealth).

So who are the good guys? Is there a definition of the proper and maybe saintly income (spending) level? I sure don't have a (non-political) answer.

Anyone want to venture a definition?
I am not the jealous type, and am more on the lower end of spending scale. I for one am getting tired of all the frugal posts since I do enough of that myself. I want some of you big spenders on this forum to quit being modest and complimenting us frugal-its.. Start posting all the good stuff so I can live vicariously through your life.
Btw- I could ramp up my spending, but there are really only a few things that I would really want, but the ongoing increased carrying cost of those items (such as a second home at my favorite vacation place) would stress me financially more than the benefit of having it would provide satisfaction.
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Old 12-21-2012, 03:36 PM   #137
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I for one am getting tired of all the frugal posts since I do enough of that myself. I want some of you big spenders on this forum to quit being modest and complimenting us frugal-its.. Start posting all the good stuff so I can live vicariously through your life.
Sorry Mulligan to disappoint you, but I live on $8/day, and I am researching ways to get it down to $7.50 next year. I think that my modest personal inflation rate may help.

Ha
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Old 12-21-2012, 03:44 PM   #138
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Including taxes, we spent over $280K this year - so far.
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Old 12-21-2012, 03:47 PM   #139
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Including taxes, we spent over $280K this year - so far.
Wow!! That's more than i've spent in my entire adult life. However, it fits within your means so that's great for you. I know most people say money doesn't buy happiness but I promise i'd be happier with more money.
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Old 12-21-2012, 03:48 PM   #140
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Sorry Mulligan to disappoint you, but I live on $8/day, and I am researching ways to get it down to $7.50 next year. I think that my modest personal inflation rate may help.

Ha
Ha, I hope you are just talking about food costs per day, not everything. Because that would mean you are lumping me in with the big spenders, and all wealthy people most deservedly would be personally offended by my inclusion.
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