Getting Older--Not Spending Enough

[meleana]

If it's older, it's probably smaller, and lower resolution, with higher energy consumption, and less contrast and resolution than today's TVs. Today, you can get a 65-incher for $600. Live a little. The power savings alone might make a new TV worth the purchase!

It is a 46 inch Samsung- 10 years old. We only have room for maybe a 50 inch tops. Checking Consumer reports for another one, it is about $800 actually.



We have DIRECTV, but we only have a basic package- no HBO or any of that- and we do not pay for HD from DIRECTV, though our TV is HD compatible or it is HD or something like that. My husband only watches news and ME TV- all old shows, including some black and white ones. I am not a big TV watcher myself.



When we stream movies from Amazon Prime, though, the pictures look great.

 

[W2R]

It is a 46 inch Samsung- 10 years old. We only have room for maybe a 50 inch tops. Checking Consumer reports for another one, it is about $800 actually.

It probably depends on what features the TV has and what features you want or need. Here's a 50 inch Samsung for $379.99 (and free delivery if you have Prime). I don't know it is what you want, but I just noticed it so I thought I'd post the link. I have no idea what those robot vacuums cost, though.

 

[robnplunder]

... but I call it a SKI (spending kid's inheritance) trip

That's what I say whenever we need to justify our splurging to people we know. The irony is that it is true. We only have one child and the money we splurge now is the money DS won't inherit later. The way I look at it ... what's a few dollars spending on ourselves here, there, and now compare to what DS will ultimately inherit from us? He won't miss the few dollars vs millions he will likely end up with.

 

[meleana]

It probably depends on what features the TV has and what features you want or need. Here's a 50 inch Samsung for $379.99 (and free delivery if you have Prime). I don't know it is what you want, but I just noticed it so I thought I'd post the link. I have no idea what those robot vacuums cost, though.

Thanks. Yes we looked briefly on Amazon also. We try to buy only the Consumer Reports recommended appliances and electronics if possible.


We eventually will get down to Best Buy as this is something we like to see first before we buy it. Also, want to make sure it will fit on our swivel TV stand.



One of those things we are procrastinating on. We usually use things until they die. LOL!

 

[gerntz]

Is there anyone here who has been retired for a while, getting up there in years, and realizing, "holy cow, I'm not spending near what I can"?

No. The intent was to not spend everything we could.

 

[audreyh1]

+1 I have a problem with DW... when she looks for hotel rooms all she sees are dollar signs... I don't mind spending an additional 20-30% to stay in a newer/nicer property.

LOL!

Thankfully, I don’t have that problem with DH!

When we pay up for a hotel, the main reason it’s more expensive is usually a far more convenient location. That’s worth a lot in my book. Then the amenities.

We’ve not regretted spending more on European hotels. We’re usually very glad we picked what we did. We do spend a lot of time choosing them, pouring over reviews, looking carefully at locations compared to our interests, etc. We’re usually staying at least three, and often 4, 5, and even 6 nights.

 

[audreyh1]

I have no LTC insurance, so my luxury is knowing I can spend a decade in an Alzheimer care unit and still not leave DW penniless.

That’s a good point!

 

[Arizona1]

I recently overcame a lifetime of being pretty frugal thanks the DW. Using the we need a safer vehicle excuse we bought a new $55.000 pickup. Had my 96 for ten years and it never missed a beat, with an all in cost of $6.61 a day. I’m going to try and not run the numbers on this vehicle but I’m pretty sure it’s going to cost more than the motorhome. At night I can hear the steady hum of depreciation.

 

[WestUniversity]

If you are healthy, travel.
Fly business class.
Stay in better hotels.
Search out better restaurants with Yelp and TripAdvisor.

Absolutely. My dad used to say, “there are no pockets in funeral clothes or trailer hitches on hearses”...

 

[aja8888]

Our TV is going and we still haven't bought another. We are so cheap we are waiting for it to totally die. The only thing it does is it gets blurry on one side when we first turn it on but once it heats up it clears and works beautifully.

I've got you beat there....one of ours is permanently down to two colors, yellow and green. Makes watching it like going to a cheap sci-fi movie.

 

[audreyh1]

I've got you beat there....one of ours is permanently down to two colors, yellow and green. Makes watching it like going to a cheap sci-fi movie.

OMG!

 

[karen1972]

This has always been the problem with early retirement and all the guestimating one does... Currently I'm sitting at FireCalc saying I have a range of -$540k to $29M w/ an average end of $5.6M. I've always assumed I will re-evaluate every 5 years and adjust spending accordingly.

 

[W2R]

I've got you beat there....one of ours is permanently down to two colors, yellow and green. Makes watching it like going to a cheap sci-fi movie.

The 55" Panasonic that I normally watch, in the den, is fine. But the older 60" Samsung TV that I have in my bedroom has PINK overtones.... sounds like just the opposite of your TV! Luckily I only watch it when I am using my home gym, which is at the end of the master bedroom. It will probably be OK for that purpose for the foreseeable future.

I like pink, but....

 

[Mdlerth]

Made it perfect for watching I Love Lucy

I've got you beat there....one of ours is permanently down to two colors, yellow and green. Makes watching it like going to a cheap sci-fi movie.

My parents had a TV with two colors back in 1962 and it was awesome. One of the colors was black and the other was white.

 

[ychuck46]

Perhaps, but ...

Compared to many in our circumstances we may not be spending "enough" in many peoples eyes. But I could care less. The wife and I enjoy our retirement tremendously, we travel extensively, and if when all is said and done our only child receives a decent amount, I will pass a happy man. When you love someone like we love her it is not a problem in the least.

 

[H2ODude]

My parents had a TV with two colors back in 1962 and it was awesome. One of the colors was black and the other was white.

I may have you beat there. We had two TV's; the tuners in both were bad such that the sound worked on one, the picture on the other. Hence changing channels meant not only getting up and walking to one, but to two TV's. Dad was cheap.