Blow that Dough 2023

[athena53]

Yesterday I booked flights in and out of South America for a trip in May. Business Class, of course. Rest of trip booked and paid for already. My spending in the first 4 days of the year totalled over $5,000 although that includes mortgage, one month's church pledge, a few utility bills and the cost of getting the carcass of a bird removed from my furnace vent pipe.

Hmmm... $5,000 X (365/4)=

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Just purchased 2 additional batteries for my drone, I am hoping that my right arm and left leg grow back before they arrive.

 

[TheWizard]

Just purchased 2 additional batteries for my drone, I am hoping that my right arm and left leg grow back before they arrive.

I don't quite understand this, but OK...

 

[Chuckanut]

WOW! Just a few days into 2023 and we are going through more dough than a genuine Italian Pizzeria on Giusseppe Garabaldi's birthday.

I'll add to the list. I finally gave up trying to keep my trusty 2015 MacBook Air 11 inch screen alive. It's been a great machine and still runs well, but too many mechanical things are showing their age including the keyboard and and iffy port. So I pried open the wallet to pick up new 13 inch MacBook Air with the M2 processor. The bigger screen will be a huge relief. In the past 8 years, my eyeglass prescription has barely changed, but for some reason that little screen gets harder to read every year.

 

[Sunset]

I don't quite understand this, but OK...

They cost an arm and a leg (as in expensive)

 

[street]

WOW! Some great ways to BTD to everyone here.

I had a scare a few mornings ago, with lightheadedness and very high blood pressure. I ended up going into ER and make sure I wasn't having a heart attack, stroke and some other problem.

After all morning there with every test imaginable couldn't find the cause. The Doc I have had for 30 years came in and said I will be giving you a statin and blood pressure prescription take them for two week and come see me.

So, after that scary health issue I had and came home and decided to order that SnowDog track machine, so live will be easier for me getting into and out of ranch in the winter. I will be able to spend time at cabin which before I would get there a few times in winter. I can get to the line shack easier now too with winter machine. Still some walking because I can't get to them very close.

So, we/I did blow more dough and still going to do the kitchen with new cabinets and flooring. I thought maybe a year off from all the extra costs, but I guess not.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

No foul.
RVs go all the way from class A buses down to travel trailers.
Yer good...

Good to know, thanks!

Where are you planning to camp??

Our travel plans aren't firm yet. Tentatively we're looking to spend a couple of days boondocking in the desert (Anza Borrego), and then find a spot up in the mountains near Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead. We're looking forward to it!

Outdoorsy was the gateway "drug" for us. Wanted to try RV'ing for decades, but it seemed it would never make sense financially. After FIRE and moving to SE AZ, we started renting class C rigs from Outdoorsy. We had a blast! We rented 3 rigs over a year, eventually a 30 ft class A mini "bus".

We ended up buying a 35 ft diesel pusher later in 2021 and logged 100 camping nights and 12000 miles. The rig is great in camp and on the open roads but can be a pain in town. Got to plan stops ahead of time since it's so big. Honestly, this is no longer camping, but really a mobile condo that we take to the beach and the mountains. A class B or even little C would be more practical, but it would be too close to real camping to sell to DW!

Outdoorsy is nice in that it allows one to get seat time in the specific rig (or type of rig) you're interested in before really blowing that dough. The van we're interested in is from a smaller company, so I'm stoked that we were able to find one of their rigs available to try out.

Glad that you're enjoying your RV adventures!

 

[aja8888]

WOW! Some great ways to BTD to everyone here.

I had a scare a few mornings ago, with lightheadedness and very high blood pressure. I ended up going into ER and make sure I wasn't having a heart attack, stroke and some other problem.

After all morning there with every test imaginable couldn't find the cause. The Doc I have had for 30 years came in and said I will be giving you a statin and blood pressure prescription take them for two week and come see me.

So, after that scary health issue I had and came home and decided to order that SnowDog track machine, so live will be easier for me getting into and out of ranch in the winter. I will be able to spend time at cabin which before I would get there a few times in winter. I can get to the line shack easier now too with winter machine. Still some walking because I can't get to them very close.

So, we/I did blow more dough and still going to do the kitchen with new cabinets and flooring. I thought maybe a year off from all the extra costs, but I guess not.

Street, good luck and stay healthy.

 

[Ronstar]

WOW! Some great ways to BTD to everyone here.

I had a scare a few mornings ago, with lightheadedness and very high blood pressure. I ended up going into ER and make sure I wasn't having a heart attack, stroke and some other problem.

After all morning there with every test imaginable couldn't find the cause. The Doc I have had for 30 years came in and said I will be giving you a statin and blood pressure prescription take them for two week and come see me.

So, after that scary health issue I had and came home and decided to order that SnowDog track machine, so live will be easier for me getting into and out of ranch in the winter. I will be able to spend time at cabin which before I would get there a few times in winter. I can get to the line shack easier now too with winter machine. Still some walking because I can't get to them very close.

So, we/I did blow more dough and still going to do the kitchen with new cabinets and flooring. I thought maybe a year off from all the extra costs, but I guess not.

Great way to blow some dough - except for the health scare. Take care.

 

[street]

Thanks. Health sure does put things in order, and reenforces my thinking of money and time on earth.

 

[Ronstar]

^^^ yep - yesterday I subscribed to an unlimited car wash for $20 per month. Didn't want to at first, but washing the salt and muck off my Jeep is taking a lot of time, so I went the money route instead. Save time, spend money is more important at this stage than save money spend time.

 

[pacergal]

wow street, how frightening! Hope the RXs work to prevent any other problems. and enjoy your new snow machine--had to look it up, looks like a fun way to traverse the snow!

Ronstar--DH has done the same. Shortly after ER, he said he was done hand washing and polishing the cars, started purchasing monthly car wash card. Then BTD and got one for each car, instead of sharing--

 

[jfn111]

WOW! Some great ways to BTD to everyone here.

I had a scare a few mornings ago, with lightheadedness and very high blood pressure. I ended up going into ER and make sure I wasn't having a heart attack, stroke and some other problem.

After all morning there with every test imaginable couldn't find the cause. The Doc I have had for 30 years came in and said I will be giving you a statin and blood pressure prescription take them for two week and come see me.

So, after that scary health issue I had and came home and decided to order that SnowDog track machine, so live will be easier for me getting into and out of ranch in the winter. I will be able to spend time at cabin which before I would get there a few times in winter. I can get to the line shack easier now too with winter machine. Still some walking because I can't get to them very close.

So, we/I did blow more dough and still going to do the kitchen with new cabinets and flooring. I thought maybe a year off from all the extra costs, but I guess not.

The SnowDog looks like an interesting machine. I had never heard of it before.

 

[Andre1969]

I'm going to make it a New Year's resolution to try and start hanging out on this thread, to inspire me. I've been turning into a bit of a tightwad lately, and it's not that I'm really nervous about the future, or running out of money...it's just that there's nothing I'm really feeling the urge to blow money on.

Even worse, I improved my cash flow situation somewhat at the end of last year. First, I finally sold my old house. After taxes and such, I estimate I cleared about $130,000. But, on top of that, simply not having the house anymore has freed up at least $7,000 per year in expenses. No more property tax, homeowner's insurance. And I had kept the electric and water on over there as well. Plus, no more cutting the grass/yard work, although that was more of a time investment than money.

Also late last year, I took on an additional housemate. That's another $800/mo coming in. So between that and no more expenses on the old home, that's around $1400/mo that I suddenly have access to.

Still, nothing out there that I really feel the urge to buy. The only thing I've really splurged on, is upping my 401k contribution so it will hit the $30K federal max for 2023. But, anyway, hopefully I'll learn to loosen the purse strings a bit. Or if nothing else, live vicariously through the rest of you!

 

[Dreamer]

I had never heard of the SnowDog either. Looks pretty cool for those who like winter weather.

I am sorry to hear about your health scare. I hope the meds take care of it. I hope that you have ways to keep in touch with your loved ones, when you are at your cabin. I have no idea if you have cell phone coverage, but hope that you do.

 

[FreeBear]

Our travel plans aren't firm yet. Tentatively we're looking to spend a couple of days boondocking in the desert (Anza Borrego), and then find a spot up in the mountains near Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead. We're looking forward to it!

Outdoorsy is nice in that it allows one to get seat time in the specific rig (or type of rig) you're interested in before really blowing that dough. The van we're interested in is from a smaller company, so I'm stoked that we were able to find one of their rigs available to try out.

Glad that you're enjoying your RV adventures!

Thanks, we're having a blast! Our rig has been in the shop for weeks, but we still visit our favorite local state park campground at the base of the mountains. We walk around and meet someone nice to chat with almost weekly. We've found that we really enjoy meeting folks who camp in state parks!

Looks like you're from the Los Angles area. We've visited SoCal several times from SE Arizona since buying our rig 15 months ago. If you like beach camping, maybe check out the Ventura County parks. Faria is our favorite. Very friendly folks, many in smaller class B's and C's.

I backpacked and tent camped Anza and Big Bear years ago. Great memories, hope to get back some day. Anza has a beautiful state park campground that we planned to visit last April, but it was unseasonably hot at 102F, so we headed to Silver Strand SB in San Diego/Coronado instead. Wonderful time!

Part of me wishes we picked a smaller rig for ease use and a much greater selection of state park sites, esp. on the beach. Not sure we could do it though. We love the space of a bigger rig, more of a condo experience than real camping, especially in bad weather.

Looking forward to hearing of your new adventures!

 

[JohnRM]

Splurge item for my more meager budget

One of my computer monitors bit the dust after 8 years... So I ordered an ultra-wide and will have only that new one on my desk and hence more room for writing or whatever. Of course when you are looking forward to a really cool item Amazon says will be here by 9pm but if it's just dental floss or whatever it's here bright and early. Murphy's Law #22

 

[islander]

We booked a non-refundable AirBNB for a month in Mazatlan. Apparently they arrested some drug lord and the cartel isn't happy. The airport is closed due to all the fires they set. We leave 4 weeks from today.

The last time we travelled internationally was Mazatlan for a month in March 2020!

 

[skyking1]

Fingers crossed for you Islander. I tried and failed to get to Mazatlan in 1979 with the high school Spanish club. Let us know how that goes. It sounds like a great BTD. Are you getting any cooking done for you in house? I thought that might be cool, especially for a larger party.

 

[Coach Shoe]

We may have overdone this one. Leaving tomorrow on a 5-month "World Cruise". Australia, New Zeland, a venture through Asia, Africa (Safari as well), Amazon & Caribbean. As exciting as this is, I'm pumped about my new toy, a security/systems monitoring device that will enable me to oversee my moored sailboat as I travel. Isn't technology wonderful? And of course, medical procedures that make it possible for seniors to keep moving. ?

 

[Hermit]

I have a Toyota Tundra SR5 TRD off road pickup on order. I thought long and hard about an F250 Tremmor.Toyota's low maintenance reputation won out. I am hoping it arrives in 2023!

 

[ProspectiveBum]

I have a Toyota Tundra SR5 TRD off road pickup on order. I thought long and hard about an F250 Tremmor.Toyota's low maintenance reputation won out. I am hoping it arrives in 2023!

I was on a waiting list for one for about 5 months, but we changed our vehicle plans, so I got my deposit back. I'm sure it'll be a nice rig. Hopefully, you won't have to wait too long for it!

 

[Crabbyjerry]

We may have overdone this one. Leaving tomorrow on a 5-month "World Cruise". Australia, New Zeland, a venture through Asia, Africa (Safari as well), Amazon & Caribbean. As exciting as this is, I'm pumped about my new toy, a security/systems monitoring device that will enable me to oversee my moored sailboat as I travel. Isn't technology wonderful? And of course, medical procedures that make it possible for seniors to keep moving. ?

Do you need Wi-Fi available to use the system. I want something to watch my motorhome but there is no Wi-Fi that I know of there. In storage facility

 

[skyking1]

Coach Shoe, that is a great trip and one that we look at now and again. Great BTD
Crabbyjerry, you can get an inexpensive 4g plan and a hotspot, and a solar panel on the rig to run it all. The hotspot and plan are handy on the road when you are using it.

 

[Crabbyjerry]

Coach Shoe, that is a great trip and one that we look at now and again. Great BTD
Crabbyjerry, you can get an inexpensive 4g plan and a hotspot, and a solar panel on the rig to run it all. The hotspot and plan are handy on the road when you are using it.

thanks. So basically having a second phone. . It’s indoors and I do have access to an outlet. 15 amp