Winter Blues Threaten LBYM

[GoodSense]

Help! This winter has been so tough here in Minnesota that I am really tempted to do something crazy. It's -15 overnight with wind chill, and cold nights like this have become commonplace. Today I was daydreaming about a weekend trip to Florida, even though since the beginning of the year I've already been to Central America and New York (twice).

Even at very budget levels, a 3-day vacation to FL is not cheap. My head tells me it's totally anti-LBYM, but the extremely long winter is getting me down. I plan to visit a water park this weekend but it's just not the same.

My self-discipline is being severely challenged right now...Any words of wisdom that can help me set my sight on the long-term goal of ER instead of spending too much just because I can?

 

[toofrugalformycat]

Hot bath, during which you scan seed catalogs and put yellow stickies on all the outrageous flowers and veggies you are going to plant come spring, especially, the really bright and/or fragrant ones that only grow in the tropics or desert? This only works if you're a gardener, and have at least a good Thompson & Morgan seed catalog, preferably a stack of many different ones.

But DO NOT actually send in the order that night. By morning you will probably have regained your sanity, and can whittle down the order to things that you can really maybe grow.

If you're not a gardener, then try chocolate. Or ice cream. Or both.
This from someone in the sub-arctic.

 

[bruce1]

I am almost with you. I am in Southern Ontario and my current forecast is for 12 to 18 inches of snow by Saturday night. This is on top of the 10 we got Thursday.

Then I think that it is March and look at the pictures from the snow belt areas around Watertown NY where they have had 142 inches in the last tow weeks and decide I am OK here.

My cousin wants me to run a snow plow next winter. He makes a LOT of cash this way. So far I have told him that I am happily retired and enjoying the snow from inside except for when I am clearing my own 400 foot drive with the tractor. That took two hours Wednesday

Bruce

 

[freebird5825]

i'm south of watertown, TG. but we have our own share of the white stuff. Oswego still is the worst (best if you snowmobile) for lake effect from Lake Ontario. they get hammered regularly.
the last few days have been sunny, so the cabin fever was relieved a little. i second the seed catalog idea with 24 hour cool off period.
can you find a garden show in your area. i went last weekend and it did a world of good. and i planted some tomato seeds right afterward. aaaaahhhhhh, the simple cures.
my hat is off to our friend in Alaska. I was there once on a cruise in June. In a word, majestic. and the whale watching was tremendous. a great memory for life.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

C'mon down. Or take a cruise. LBYM doesn't mean "living on no means." Think of it as leisure time borrowed from all that time you'll have after FIRE.

 

[Martha]

Help! This winter has been so tough here in Minnesota that I am really tempted to do something crazy. It's -15 overnight with wind chill, and cold nights like this have become commonplace. Today I was daydreaming about a weekend trip to Florida, even though since the beginning of the year I've already been to Central America and New York (twice).

Even at very budget levels, a 3-day vacation to FL is not cheap. My head tells me it's totally anti-LBYM, but the extremely long winter is getting me down. I plan to visit a water park this weekend but it's just not the same.

My self-discipline is being severely challenged right now...Any words of wisdom that can help me set my sight on the long-term goal of ER instead of spending too much just because I can?

Same thoughts here. It is 9 below right now. It is hard to see how three days will help though. Any way to get a week off? In a week or so I am headed south for a while and I can't wait.

 

[W2R]

Help! This winter has been so tough here in Minnesota that I am really tempted to do something crazy. It's -15 overnight with wind chill, and cold nights like this have become commonplace. Today I was daydreaming about a weekend trip to Florida, even though since the beginning of the year I've already been to Central America and New York (twice).

Even at very budget levels, a 3-day vacation to FL is not cheap. My head tells me it's totally anti-LBYM, but the extremely long winter is getting me down. I plan to visit a water park this weekend but it's just not the same.

My self-discipline is being severely challenged right now...Any words of wisdom that can help me set my sight on the long-term goal of ER instead of spending too much just because I can?

Gee! In February over Mardi Gras we took a week and a half off, and for fun we drove north from New Orleans to our likely ER location in Missouri. There was patchy snow on the ground (but not on the streets), and I even stepped in slush in a parking lot because I didn't recognize it! I stayed toasty warm since I bought a coat and sweater on sale before leaving ($34 + $6). We had a wonderful time up there and wished we could have stayed longer in "snow country". All in all, I probably spent $300 and Frank probably spent $400 or $500 for our little interlude in the snow. Ouch.

Does that help?

 

[Zathras]

If you have a fireplace, roast some marshmellows
Also realize it IS Minnesota. This time of year the weather can change dramatically in just a few days (heck, hours).
Or, this might help. While it is below zero here right now, at least we don't have tornado warnings here as they do in Florida this morning

Hope that helped

 

[Moemg]

There are probably some cheap flights to Florida next week .This week must be spring break because everything seems crowded. The temp is in the high 70's and sunny . A few days away might save your sanity so it's worth it . LBYM 's doesn't mean deprive yourself of everything .

 

[Martha]

Me and my neighbor, waiting for spring.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Thats awesome snow to snowmobile on!

 

[roadtoharvard]

We just broke 14 feet of snow where i live. Goodbye 1970 record. We can't see out of any of the windows on the bottom floor because they are covered. Three more storms are expected before spring as well. Oh did i mention that the regular temperature is somewhere around - 13C and if you add wind chill it goes to -20 and over? Yuck. And it's a urban environment.

 

[Khan]

They're predicting about a foot of snow here (already have ~2 inches).

People in SW Ohio think they have it bad. Here the snow usually melts off between storms. I wonder what they would think of MN or Upstate NY where it just keeps piling up? Where the snow plow has a large asymmetric blade, and travels at 30 mph to throw the snow off the road over the snowbank left over from the last storm's plowing?

That picture brought back memories of waiting for the snow plow; hearing it before we could see it coming over the hill.

 

[Khan]

In response to the OP:

Could you create a small retreat in your house? A small room or alcove with a space heater and bright lights and plants? Sit there and sip a tropical drink?

I agree with looking at the plant catalogs.

 

[GoodSense]

It's a consolation to hear there are many others in the same boat! There are some workers working on my siding right now and at least I can say my job isn't outdoors in subzero weather. I'll look for garden shows and maybe go to an indoor botanical garden.

Rich, I'd love to go to Florida sometime, but I don't have a ton of vacations right now, and I feel that I should really spend a week or so to explore it. But as soon as I plan and book that weeklong vacation, there will be a warm-up. It's Murphy's Law.

Khan, thanks for that nice tropical image! I'll put it up on my wall and stare at it all day.

 

[Marquette]

I won't bother telling you what we did when winter got to us last.

the short version is that I've never before, and will never again, stay in a place that $650 a night. Don't escape on impulse!

 

[Sarah in SC]

Okay, so the rain in Charleston today doesn't seem so bad now. 65 and overcast gray. Wow that snow is incredible!

 

[Khan]

It's a consolation to hear there are many others in the same boat! There are some workers working on my siding right now and at least I can say my job isn't outdoors in subzero weather. I'll look for garden shows and maybe go to an indoor botanical garden.

Rich, I'd love to go to Florida sometime, but I don't have a ton of vacations right now, and I feel that I should really spend a week or so to explore it. But as soon as I plan and book that weeklong vacation, there will be a warm-up. It's Murphy's Law.

Khan, thanks for that nice tropical image! I'll put it up on my wall and stare at it all day.

Here's a webcam from Aruba:

Bucuti Beach Resort & Tara Suites :: Aruba :: Bucuti Beach Cam

 

[ats5g]

My grandpa lived in NY, MA, + NH all his life and used to sleep with the window cracked. When he retired and winter started getting him down, he found a nearby hotel, YMCA, etc. with a nice hot tub or sauna room. .

OTOH, my boss grew up in MN and immediately moved to TX after graduation. I don't think he has worn a heavy jacket or gloves since.

 

[Moemg]

I won't bother telling you what we did when winter got to us last.

the short version is that I've never before, and will never again, stay in a place that $650 a night. Don't escape on impulse!

For that price I'll rent you my house and I'll even cook and serve tropical drinks by the pool.

 

[W2R]

OTOH, my boss grew up in MN and immediately moved to TX after graduation. I don't think he has worn a heavy jacket or gloves since.

Brrr!! Depending on where he moved to in Texas, that might or might not be completely sane. When I lived in College Station, Texas, I had plenty of use for a coat and gloves.

That was especially true my first winter in College Station, when it snowed substantially and I made a snowman for my (then 6 year old) daughter, without the benefit of gloves. I don't recommend it! But she had never seen snow, and REALLY wanted a snowman, badly. The things we do for kids.

 

[twincity]

Here in St. Louis we've had more snow than normal. This was Tuesday, when we had more than 10 inches of snow in less than 8 hours. I'm ready for spring

 

[GoodSense]

Here in St. Louis we've had more snow than normal. This was Tuesday, when we had more than 10 inches of snow in less than 8 hours. I'm ready for spring

Wow, that's quite some snow. Way more than what we're getting.

How come your handle is twincity and you live in St. Louis? (On second thought, I don't have "GoodSense" either...It's a disguise.)

 

[HFWR]

...get hammered regularly.

'Nuff said...

 

[Caroline]

Ahem.

I lived south of Buffalo for a year and as soon as the thaw came (mid-June), I vamoosed to California. Left skid marks on the way out and haven't looked back since.

May I gently propose that if the winter is getting to you now, it's likely to do so in the future, raising the same threat to FIRE over and over again. This doesn't take into account the heating costs you pay each and every year.

What would it be like to stay home, light a fire, and research some places that you might move to permanently, now or later, as a strategic way out of this? If a full-time move doesn't make sense, maybe you find a shack, trailer, etc. in a southern state and plan on spending time there during your winters once you're retired.

A final alternative...

All in all, I probably spent $300 and Frank probably spent $400 or $500 for our little interlude in the snow. Ouch.

...how about a swap with some nice folks down south who like to play in the white stuff? Might be a cheap way to get 'er done.