livingalmostlarge
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2014
- Messages
- 334
What's the hobby? I'd spend it and work another year to buffer if it's that expensive. But I like traveling a lot and spend a lot now.
What's the hobby? .
Maybe the OP should ask his children or heirs, since an expensive hobby might impact them more than the OP.
Thank you. Nice way to look at it. My wife and I can both work an additional year and cover 80% of 10 years of the hobby. She's onboard with that but it won't change my concern that this hobby is too expensive. It would suck to work an extra year and then not get into the hobby!I'd spend it and work another year to buffer if it's that expensive.
Maybe I oversold the idea of it as an addiction. Or maybe it is the addiction that made me write that last sentence.If there is an element of "addiction" to the hobby, I'd suggest that just MIGHT be a reason not to go back to it. Forget the money! Avoid addiction because addiction is potentially bad for you.
Our plan gets us to age 95 with a 2.7% WR inclusive of the hobby expense.If after spending the initial amount to get you started in this hobby, you still retain enough to afford the ongoing expenses with a 4% WR, then you can afford it.
Exactly! Exactly! Exactly! Good to know that someone understands. Thank you for posting this.It may still be hard and does not feel right. Many of us can identify with this, because we were not born "with a silver spoon in our mouth". We got to where we are today by being frugal. And when we spend an amount that seems extravagant to us but routine to a rich person of blue blood, we cannot help feeling guilty, particularly when we still think of people who do not have as much as we do.
I'm not that reluctant to say what it is. I just didn't want to add bias to the replies. I'd rather get opinions about how others spend money on things that are simply too expensive without their answers being tweaked to reflect a disagreement with my former hobby. Not sure why the hobby can be polarizing, but I've been badgered, belittled, and berated for it... due to it seeming ostentatious.I think the fact that you are so reluctant to tell us what it is means that you're leaning strongly toward thinking it's not justifiable. So how can we respond?
Truly wishing I never wrote the part about God. Would take it back if I could at this point, especially in light of what one poster wrote.God will say that you should have given more info to the ER.org crowd so that they could have better answered your questions.
I guess my hope was that some others out there had expensive hobbies that were hard to justify but did it anyway. I hoped to see it in the same light.That said, if you can't justify your spending/hobby to YOUR own satisfaction, maybe you had best move on.
Club racing. In my racing class, it is not cheap.What's the hobby?
It may still be hard and does not feel right. Many of us can identify with this, because we were not born "with a silver spoon in our mouth". We got to where we are today by being frugal. And when we spend an amount that seems extravagant to us but routine to a rich person of blue blood, we cannot help feeling guilty, particularly when we still think of people who do not have as much as we do.
Exactly! Exactly! Exactly! Good to know that someone understands. Thank you for posting this...
My affordability is more about time than expense.
That's becoming a lost art...Back in the day all drag racers had to learn how to launch their cars. Nowadays, not so much skill is needed (as in almost none) with so many AWD cars, launch control, etc. I'm having that problem now with my new Challenger (new car but old school)... I haven't worked on it much, since I need to get some decent tires on the rear first.This guy was actually quite successful in all his racing endeavors. He won his national class several years in mud-bog racing. Currently, he is into drag racing. He hole-shotsthe young guys who just can't believe it. Unfortunately, "winning" might mean a big trophy or a couple hundred dollars.
Racing at 78?
He's getting around the age where there should be concern whether he should be driving at all.
In any class, it's not cheap. I raced SCCA for about 15 years, mostly Formula Ford. Racing in the 1980s I figured my weekends cost me a little north of $2,000, a number that included a share of a $3,000 winter engine rebuild. I got my tires, new every weekend, at dealer cost of $400. In today's dollars it's probably at least $5,000 per weekend.... Club racing. In my racing class, it is not cheap.
Depends on the individual. I have a friend that is ~83 and still drives very well, IMO. My DW had an aunt that drove until she was ~90 and was very doing well until she fell at home and broke her hip... Never drove again.Racing at 78?
He's getting around the age where there should be concern whether he should be driving at all.
My spouse and I have not retired yet, but I'm posting this question in this part of the ER forum because I think it might get the most helpful responses here.
What if you 100%, absolutely, positively can afford a certain very enjoyable and very expensive hobby, but you simply can not justify the cost?
I've read that you should never tally up the expenses of what you enjoy doing for fun whether it be boating, flying a plane/helicopter, travel, etc. But I did it anyhow because we have been tracking all of our expense for many years. I'm a value seeker, though now I can't bring myself to rejoin the hobby because I know the costs all too intimately. Yet I've been miserable ever since I left it a couple of years ago.
I know...
Have you had an expensive and hard-to-justify hobby? Did you leave it due to the cost? If not, how did you carry on with it?
- you only live once
- you can't take the money with you when you pass
- there are no awards for being the richest person in the cemetery
- we tend to regret the things we didn't do
Depends on the individual. I have a friend that is ~83 and still drives very well, IMO. My DW had an aunt that drove until she was ~90 and was very doing well until she fell at home and broke her hip... Never drove again.
OTOH, folks like my dad and my BIL should have never been given a license even when in their 20's. Like Ralph Nader once said about the Corvair, they were unsafe at any speed.
I never was much good at drag racing even with my Vetts. I never really had the right tires and therefore never could master the launch. These days I just don't have the reaction times needed to get good at it anyway. I don't need or use it often, but I still love to have that raw power on tap at highway speeds. No skill needed.I used to drag race, dedicated drag car. It does take a lot of time, money and effort. I still miss it. I could afford to do it, but at this time I prefer to be able to take my DW with me in one of my hot rods. Racing was fun for me, not so good for her. It also gets to be a bit consuming and it is nice having the freedom now to get away instead of having to keep at it for the racing season.
If you want to do the racing, then do it. Health can change, do it while you can.
I hang out wit a dozen or so 70 - 75+ year old guys each day and have been for years now. We all drive. And two of us are still into classic cars. One guy just got thru restoring a 56 Ford into a very nice restomod.
not all older folks need to quit driving.
Bruce's '56:
Hehe, OK, I'll play.
I bought a boat last year a nice 21 foot ChrisCraft;
It's for sale now, I don't need it anymore because I upgraded;
Damn the expense, full speed ahead!
I never was much good at drag racing even with my Vetts. I never really had the right tires and therefore never could master the launch. These days I just don't have the reaction times needed to get good at it anyway. I don't need or use it often, but I still love to have that raw power on tap at highway speeds. No skill needed.
And I don't care for the noise and all that physical work and the danger. I enjoy mine in solitude and serenity.