The Never ending struggle Between Saving and Spending

[CaliforniaMan]

I'm reading here about young people not spending anything. I want to mention something important: SPEND YOUR TIME.

DW and I are big on LBYM. Lately, we've loosened up a bit and spent some on travel overseas (our first time). We don't buy a lot of "stuff". Stuff tends to get old.

Experiences never get old, they get better.

What worries me are my young co-workers who NEVER take time off. Where the hell this idea has come from? I don't know. Frankly, the boss doesn't give a darn. And as a team leader myself, I get suspicious of "fall on the sword, make the diving catch" people.

Take a break, people.

SPEND your VACATION. Use it. You can LBYM. Go camping in our national parks. It costs almost nothing. Heck, do like we did and stay at a little motel outside the parks. Still cheap. You don't have to go overseas (although I recommend it).

When DW and I talk about stuff, we don't talk about our things. We talk about our wonderful -- and not so wonderful (funerals) -- experiences of using our time. TIME is priceless. USE it.

Sorry for the CAPs, but this makes me mad. I see too many people wasting it away.

I think you make a very good point. When I was young I was proud I never took vacation, maxed out my vacation time, for some reason it was a badge of "honor." It was not, it was just me missing out on doing things I enjoyed and could afford, like backpacking the Sierras, things I don't feel physically fit to do now. I am so glad for that day I went crazy and bought all the SCUBA gear. After I finished my certification, I just went to the show to look, but came back with the whole shebang. I am so glad I did. It gave me many wonderful experiences that I think about to this day.

Never spend just to spend, but do spend a little to enjoy your youth. It won't last forever.

 

[athena53]

Never spend just to spend, but do spend a little to enjoy your youth. It won't last forever.

Amen! When DH and I met, he was 59 and I was 44. We went to Europe a lot more often (once it was 3X in one year) because we could squeeze into Coach Class and not need a week to recover. DH could also walk much longer distances. When we saw Arthur's Seat (elevation 822 feet) in the background on our first trip to Edinburgh and found that lots of people climbed it, well, we did, too. That was 2001 and DH wouldn't be able to do that now. He's got a few chronic health issues and he's 77.

We still travel but it's in Business Class on long-hauls, spending more time in one city rather than skipping around every few days, getting more private transportation rather than buses and trains to/from airports. There are some expeditions I do on my own; if I see something interesting DH and I come back later. We still have wonderful trips and I'm profoundly grateful we can enjoy them together, but I'm grateful we got in all those trips when it was easier to do it on the cheap.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

Amen! When DH and I met, he was 59 and I was 44. We went to Europe a lot more often (once it was 3X in one year) because we could squeeze into Coach Class and not need a week to recover. DH could also walk much longer distances. When we saw Arthur's Seat (elevation 822 feet) in the background on our first trip to Edinburgh and found that lots of people climbed it, well, we did, too. That was 2001 and DH wouldn't be able to do that now. He's got a few chronic health issues and he's 77.

We still travel but it's in Business Class on long-hauls, spending more time in one city rather than skipping around every few days, getting more private transportation rather than buses and trains to/from airports. There are some expeditions I do on my own; if I see something interesting DH and I come back later. We still have wonderful trips and I'm profoundly grateful we can enjoy them together, but I'm grateful we got in all those trips when it was easier to do it on the cheap.

We are front-loading our retirement with more travel etc. too (my DW is younger than me also) while we are still able to actively enjoy it. Then will maybe slow down and enjoy staying in one place longer, which is also great. Wishing you and your DH many more wonderful trips together!

 

[googily]

This thread makes me think of my dad, who isn't a penny pincher but who was always trying to be careful because he was so worried that my mom would spend it all, and that of course she'd long outlive him, being younger and from a long-living family. They did plenty of traveling and lived well, but he was always on her to realize that the bank account wasn't bottomless.

And then she died at 72. And now he is in his 80s, on his own, and is realizing that splurging a bit here and there is kind of nice. But I have no doubt he is not getting anywhere close to touching his principal and that his stash is probably continuing to grow. I'm sure Mom is looking down at that bank account and is most displeased that NOW he likes to spend money more freely!

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I read a comment on a Yahoo finance article that has helped me to spend a bit more. Someone wrote about a frugal neighbor who died and the widowed husband's second wife was enjoying spending the money.

 

[athena53]

I read a comment on a Yahoo finance article that has helped me to spend a bit more. Someone wrote about a frugal neighbor who died and the widowed husband's second wife was enjoying spending the money.

Ooh, don't get my mother started on that subject. Grandpa (her Dad) was so frugal that my Grandma had to sneak out with my Aunt (Grandma didn't drive) and use money she inherited from her parents to buy new linoleum for her tiny kitchen floor, because Grandpa said that the old stuff was just fine. They were survivors of the Great Depression and never got over it; they hated to leave food on the plate or throw it away.

Grandma died in her late 70s and Grandpa remarried. To be fair, SG (Step-Grandma) wasn't a bad person and they seemed to have a good marriage, but suddenly Grandpa's purse strings loosened. SG didn't bring much into the marriage; in fact, her adult kids told her after she was widowed that she'd better find a man if she wanted to continue living in the manner to which she'd become accustomed. They bought a unit in a retirement community in FL. For their 5th anniversary, she got an "upgraded" engagement ring with a diamond that was bigger than the 1-carat I had at the time. Grandma always wore the little diamond Grandpa gave her when they were young and starting out, and Grandma LOVED real jewelry.

My parents are pretty frugal but Mom says she's not going to deny herself anything just so Dad can spend it on his second wife.