Suggestions on How to Spend More Money

[clifp]

Al I think this would be an obvious candidate for you and at $6,400 a good start toward spending more.

 

[Orchidflower]

Lately? The big Sony Brava HDTV is great! Brings all lots of pleasure.

When my duty is done here: international travel, buying art and a really nice condo would do it for me. And if there's a little something left over, maybe use some money to stuff in the panties of a Chippendale dancer...

 

[Danmar]

Al, if you are asking those kinds of questions, you have been LBYMing too long!!!! Be careful what you consider "waste".....

Ah, yes, the fine art of LAYM - living AT your means......

Up until now, we haven't yet either! We've let "savings" accumulate. But that's because we are still fairly young and want to have plenty of a war chest for future financial stress - like long-term care needs, or a family member really needing financial help.

But it's easy this year - we are building a house, and furnishing it. That will use up a few years of saved $$$ so far.

Once we get past that, if we are still running below budget, I expect we will:

Travel more (particularly overseas) - we really enjoy that. Upgrade travel experiences as we can afford.
Gift more to charity.
Gift more to family.
Occasionally upgrade a favorite toy or buy a new one. (but not too much of this as I don't care to accumulate "stuff".)

The main point is to enjoy your retired life. So "invest" the extra $$ in that!!!!!

Audrey

These are good uses of funds. In addition we have been buying a lot of art recently.

 

[Gumby]

Some of us have found that we haven't been spending nearly as much as FIRECalc says we should.

If you'd like to outsource that unpleasant chore, I'm here to help.

 

[Coach]

I'm having a bunch of family slides scanned that I'll send to my siblings.

My folks made a large contribution every three years to a family reunion. In the early years it made coming cheap enough that none of the kids missed it. In later years it did the same for the kids' kids.

Coach

 

[bbbamI]

...if there's a little something left over, maybe use some money to stuff in the panties of a Chippendale dancer...

Oh yeah!

Hmmm, wait...they wear panties?

 

[Ken11]

Well... I never spent on better cars until a few years back when I purchased a used BMW at a great price.

This car literally saved my life when a huge buck jumped in front of me as I was doing 70+ MPH on a rural highway. The maneuver that allowed me to steer around the animal would have certainly caused all my prior cars to flip. It was amazing.

Its a safety thing more so than a status thing.

Its also fun as hell to drive.

 

[NW-Bound]

Oh yeah!

Hmmm, wait...they wear panties?

Well, if that suits your fancy, I am sure they will oblige.

 

[freebird5825]

...And if there's a little something left over, maybe use some money to stuff in the panties of a Chippendale dancer...

HEY how did I miss that ?
You go girl!

 

[Moemg]

.

I have been telling myself to buy clothes for a long time.

Are you not buying clothes because you do not want to spend the money or you do not know what to buy ? If it's that you don't know what to buy I'd suggest getting a few catalogues ( Lands End ,LL Bean ) . They usually have a few outfits put together that are very wearable plus you can mix and match the casual outfits . Lands End offers free shipping and if you do not like the clothes you can return them to Sears . I also love Lee comfort jeans . They are the most comfortable jeans I've ever owned . A lot of stores carry them or you can buy them online . If I was near Ohio I'd definitely shop with you . I'm the queen of bargain shopping .

 

[NW-Bound]

What have you spent money on that you felt was worth the expense?

Recently, I felt my equity purchases were all worth the expense, in the same vein as the following post.

Aside from travel, all my favorite purchases have ticker symbols.

Oh, what this forum is becoming? We were proud to be LBYM'ers during the great market crash of 08-09. Now, we cheer each other to spend, spend, spend, and not "taking any with us".

 

[Westernskies]

52" HDTV- agree with Orchidflower on the Bravia. Great TV, good value.

Suggestion: Watch four hours of Fox News each day before posting here. The mods need the exercise.

 

[REWahoo]

Oh, what this forum is becoming? We were proud to be LBYM'ers during the great market crash of 08-09. Now, we cheer each other to spend, spend, spend, and not "taking any with us".

Is this thread a sign of a market top, similar to when you start getting stock tips from the checkout clerk at the grocery?
What's next, a "Wheeee!!" from W2R?

 

[NW-Bound]

Is this thread a sign of a market top, similar to when you start getting stock tips from the checkout clerk at the grocery?
What's next, a "Wheeee!!" from W2R?

An accurate and worrisome analogy!

Yes, imagine that! A bunch of proud LBYM'ers, no make that ex-tightwads, advising each other on how to spend, spend, spend... Travel? RV? Cars? [-]Sex[/-] Toys?

Oh, we are DOOMED!

 

[W2R]

Is this thread a sign of a market top, similar to when you start getting stock tips from the checkout clerk at the grocery?
What's next, a "Wheeee!!" from W2R?

I was thinking of asking if anybody thought the Kindle DX with the 9.7" display was satisfactory (other than the price)....

 

[Khan]

Are you not buying clothes because you do not want to spend the money or you do not know what to buy ? If it's that you don't know what to buy I'd suggest getting a few catalogues ( Lands End ,LL Bean ) . They usually have a few outfits put together that are very wearable plus you can mix and match the casual outfits . Lands End offers free shipping and if you do not like the clothes you can return them to Sears . I also love Lee comfort jeans . They are the most comfortable jeans I've ever owned . A lot of stores carry them or you can buy them online . If I was near Ohio I'd definitely shop with you . I'm the queen of bargain shopping .

I hate shopping for clothes. Everything I have is starting to fade and fray. It's been so long I have no idea what size I wear. There's a Sears not far from me.

 

[Moemg]

I hate shopping for clothes. Everything I have is starting to fade and fray. It's been so long I have no idea what size I wear. There's a Sears not far from me.

Hopefully they have some Lands end so you can figure out your size ! You can also buy a tape measure and measure your self so you can order online . Lands End even has a virtual model so you can try on their clothes . Most of their clothes are pretty basic but they last forever . If you need any help feel free to PM me .

 

[kyounge1956]

I hate shopping for clothes. Everything I have is starting to fade and fray. It's been so long I have no idea what size I wear. There's a Sears not far from me.

You and me both. I like to find a brand that fits, then when one wears out, replace it with the same. Then I don't have to "shop" for clothes, I just have to buy them. But when one of my favorites becomes unavailable, what a hassle to find a replacement! I think it is natural history filmmaker David Attenborough who takes this to the nth degree, having a wardrobe that consists of several identical pairs of pants, several identical shirts, etc, so he never has to ask himself what he wants to wear.

 

[NW-Bound]

If I'm going to "spend more money" there's 2 general categories:

1. Materialistic stuff
2. Experiences

#2 wins, hands down.

Many here, myself included, are in the same camp.

However, there is often this ambiguity. Some "experiences" may require that one acquires "stuff". A wild-life photographer may need to spend a lot more on fancier equipment than my simple snapshot digital camera, for example.

 

[NW-Bound]

No one says you have to spend money. If you are happy and content, why change?

People in that situation are truly blessed, because they do not need more money. Financially, I am better than some people here, but not as well as some others. I always feel I need more money, not necessarily to spend it, but to feel more secure.

But it is true that money does not necessarily bring happiness. There are periods in my life when I was so miserable, but I knew that my problems would not go away if I suddenly became a decamillionaire, or even a hectomillionaire.

Usually, I am in a more normal mood, where additional money would buy a bit more happiness, with diminishing returns of course.

 

[chinaco]

Discretionary spending... while you are younger! Your money, your choice.

For DW and I:

• Travel
• Entertainment
• Products and services we want (but are not necessities)

We tend to make careful/prudent choices but we are not intending to deprive ourselves.

 

[happy2bretired]

Are you not buying clothes because you do not want to spend the money or you do not know what to buy ? If it's that you don't know what to buy I'd suggest getting a few catalogues ( Lands End ,LL Bean ) . They usually have a few outfits put together that are very wearable plus you can mix and match the casual outfits . Lands End offers free shipping and if you do not like the clothes you can return them to Sears . I also love Lee comfort jeans . They are the most comfortable jeans I've ever owned . A lot of stores carry them or you can buy them online . If I was near Ohio I'd definitely shop with you . I'm the queen of bargain shopping .

Also, sign up for Lands End emails....very good sales offered.

 

[freebird5825]

Also, sign up for Lands End emails....very good sales offered.

Lands End has an Overstock section that is interesting too. Great prices and nothing wrong with the items (not seconds).
Overstock, Closeout Clothing at Lands' End

This link has things sorted by Price from Low to High. You can sort it by other criteria. Look for a very small Sort By pull down menu at upper left of clothing images, right under the words Overstock Women's.
Or, look to the left of the clothing images and you will see a vertical list of categories of womens' clothing. Click on different categories to narrow down the items displayed.
Set the page to view 72 per page so you don't have to keep paging through 12 items at a time. Look at upper right of clothing images box for a small pull down menu next to Items 1-xx of xxx.

I don't know your size, but I will post this for the size 12 and up crowd here.
Plus Size Sale & Outlet at Avenue.com and JessicaLondon.com

 

[RockyMtn]

As I'm running ahead of budget as well these are my latest extravegances....(two of the four were budgeted but I feel a whole lot better knowing the other two won't put me in the red)

Dell Netbook PC w/HDTV.
Rented a beach house on the Oregon coast for a week this summer.
Restaining my concrete patio and adding 500 sq ft of decking, pergola, firepit and water feature.
Nice bottle of Barolo to drink while I watch the workers do the patio.

Now if it would just quit snowing so the patio project could get started and I could drink the wine!

 

[Nords]

What have you spent money on that you felt was worth the expense?

Great thought-provoking question, Al!

The Aloha Stadium Swap Meet vendors have these deals on five t-shirts for $20...

But seriously:

1. I've upgraded my "one-time expense" threshold from ~$10 to ~$100. If I'm intrigued by the potential value of a one-time expense but find my sphincters reflexively clenching at the thought of spending that much money, I stop and think it through. I used to automatically decide not to spend because it was "too much". These days, over half of the time I decide to try it and it's almost always worth it. Examples include an online continuing-education course, buying books on Amazon.com after I've been stalking them at the library for a couple years, and taking a Waikiki staycation for a conference to avoid three consecutive days of town rush-hour drives. This "one-time expense" only happens a few times a year, and we still try to avoid recurring expenses which still have no value to us-- like HDTV digital cable bills.

2. Technology that's become a lot more affordable. Several posters talked me into finally buying a wireless router. (Immediate & immense improvement in family quality of life.) TiVo. Kid's cell phone (her money). I helped our kid with her iPod Touch spending decision (her money) and it's been a valuable process leading to a Macbook and an iPhone (college fund money). A new desktop with a "free" 23" monitor. I'm inching perilously closer to buying my first iPod (waiting for the right Craigslist deal).

3. Capital expenses with reasonable paybacks, especially considering inflation. This includes a photovoltaic array, a solar water heater, a water conditioner, EnergyStar appliances, and radiant foil attic insulation. Low-maintenance landscaping. It even includes a lifetime TiVo subscription instead of a monthly/annual plan. The next step is more xeriscaping and an indoor remote-monitoring water meter (to keep a closer eye on leaks).

4. A 2006 Toyota Prius, bought used in 2008 through Craigslist.

5. A literal houseful of upgraded furniture, purchased one piece at a time over several years through Craigslist for at least a 50% discount over retail (and usually 70-80%). Maybe we feel this way because the furniture we bought in our 20s was pretty much destroyed by Navy moves.

6. Big hairy complicated home-improvement projects. If you're going to live in a place for more than five years, it's probably worth figuring out exactly what needs fixing and then seeking professional help. In our case we took almost a decade of discussion/planning to finally repair our backyard lava-rock steps, replace a decrepit concrete lanai, and upgrade our lanai/sidewalks from crappy crumbling FuturaStone to stamped concrete. (A general contractor and two subs.) It's cooler, we love sitting outside on the lanai again, and it's easily returned over 100% to our home value. Next up is a custom pergola to shade the south side of the house, perhaps roofed with more photovoltaic panels to supply recharging power for an electric vehicle. And when our pet bunny goes to his great reward in a few years, we're going to completely renovate the family room that he's been chewing on.

7. Quality power tools. A lot easier to find and a lot less expensive than they used to be. We may rent them if it's not too much of a hassle, but it's even worth buying them for a one-time use and then reselling them over Craigslist. Even 20 years later we appreciate improvements like laser sights, LED task lighting, and better stud finders.

8. Taekwondo. Wish I'd discovered that years ago.

9. Flying in "more legroom" class, business class, and even first class. Well worth it for those 8-10 hour cross-country/international flights. I also try to avoid flying redeye if there's a realistic alternative. It's just not worth the hassle of putting up with airport delays, talkative pilots, screaming babies... all while trying to catch up on sleep and arriving before the hotel room is available for checkin. This only happens once a year or so when I travel on my own. Spouse claims to not be bothered by submarine-[-]density[/-]quality seating but I've had enough of it.

10. Surf school. I'd reached a plateau in my skills and I was hesitant to seek out North Shore spots. Two pros spent 15 hours (over five days) showing my kid and me the breaks, the techniques, and surfboard-design issues. Huge improvement. After the school our kid really got into designing her custom board (an early graduation present) and enjoys surfing more than ever. As a side effect, I now have more places to surf than I can realistically handle... but I'm going to keep trying!

One lifestyle change that we haven't quite figured out yet is "recreational travel". We're great at "travel with a purpose"-- accompanying spouse when she was on Reserve orders, attending family events, or traveling to conferences. But we're still not very good at "what the heck, let's take a cruise next week" travel. We'll work on this in another 136 days when our kid starts college...