To spend up to what FIRECalc says I could, I would need to blow a six-figure sum each year. But on what?
The last few years, I have not used my 2nd home in the high-country as much as I did when I first bought it 15 years ago. Just recently, told my wife we needed to go up to spend a few nights to check it out, and she declined saying that it was too cold.
What I meant was that the increase above my current spending could be a 6 figure, meaning my BTD budget can be a 6 figure above what I spend now.
I could buy a Tesla each for myself and my wife and throw them away each year (meaning not even trade them in). But I don't care about cars. They are just transportation.
When I travel, I stay in comfortable lodging. I like to wander through the European countryside, and see how people live, what they shop and eat. I don't care about opulent hotels, they don't interest me. I would have to bring nicer clothes, and I like to travel light. And they don't have opulent hotels in the places that I like to visit.
In foreign places, I enjoy their everyday food. I watch videos of some fancy restaurant meal and see that they serve "foam" for haute cuisine. What the heck is that? Sounds like emperor clothes to me.
I like to hike and to walk. I don't think viewing a foreign city from a chauffeured car is a better experience. Well, maybe it is safer, but then I do not like to go to dangerous places like that. If I am curious, I can watch videos.
At home, we like to cook and eat our own food better than going to restaurants. We could not go out to eat every day, even if it were free. And I am not talking about fast food which we eat about once a year, for the sake of convenience in some situations.
I cannot eat or drink more. I would die. Consuming fancier and more expensive food? They often don't taste good to me, or get tiresome quick, and I crave for a simple salad.
By starting to track expenses in 2012, I see in Quicken that the cumulative gift/donation has exceeded my total travel expenses due to lack of travel the last 2 years. My travel expenses include all the RV'ing expenses too.
Yes, I always can give more. This takes some thinking though, as misplaced charity donations are just waste of money. And I don't want to go overboard and not have enough later for ourselves when the market turns off the spigot. Or I may need the money for my family if something bad unexpectedly happens. Right now, my children don't need any help because I have helped them enough and they are thriving already.
And frankly, I am not that generous yet to give away a 6 figure each year.
I don't understand how people struggle to find a way to spend more money. Lack of money is a real problem, but having too much of it?
If spending it on something makes you happy, then do it. If you crave something, buy it. If not, then why? Is it because you are afraid you are missing out? Does burning money in a bonfire make you happy?
About the only splurge we would enjoy is better airplane seats.