Need to justify your spending?

[SteveR]

I'm enjoying the contrast between this thread and the usual "how do I help my friends/family accept that they need to save more" threads.

Good comment.

I am a bit better off than the rest of my family. My side of the family is very happy that I have worked out my fiancial situation (they know where I started from) where I can ER this year. DW's family has not seen where I started and it is harder for them to understand that I stood in their shoes at one time. I don't get the feeling they are trying to get me to fund their excessive spending habits but I do worry about them and most of my comments seem to be falling on deaf ears; except for one of my SILs who I gave the two "bibles" of investing and FIRE. "Four Pillars of Investing" and "Work Less, Live More; The New Way to Retire Earlyl"

I can only hope that they will see the light before it is too late and they have to work until they drop.

 

[Moemg]

My feeling is everbody spends their money on differnt items .I would never spend $200,000 on a motorhome but I spend a chunk of money on traveling .

 

[Goonie]

Dave

Just show her this poster.

Yep!!! I had that poster on the bull(etin) board in my lab for a few years....It Works!!!

 

[Tracker]

Why do we feel the need to justify what we do? Those of us who have a motorhome, large home, lavish vacations, fishing trips, expensive cars, large SUV's are questioned about how we justify the expense. Is envy or what ?

People don't like to be reminded of their problems/shortcomings. It's much easier to point to someone else as "lucky" or a "braggart" than it is to turn that finger and point to the mirror. Some people refuse to see the hard work that comes with all of that "luck".

I wouldn't parade my riches (if I had them ) in front of a homeless person, or someone that has fallen on hard times. That is unkind. And personally, I think Paris Hilton is useless. Others in her generation are fighting wars.............and she is on the cover of major magazines? I digress.....

However, I don't think there is anything wrong with living a high end lifestyle that you earned legally. You shouldn't have to hide or explain it.
Live your life and enjoy, I say!

 

[haha]

And personally, I think Paris Hilton is useless. Others in her generation are fighting wars.............and she is on the cover of major magazines?

Compared to we retirees, she is quite useful. She has an active career, makes money, provides employment for all the reporters and paparazzi that follow her around, and gives me at least a small degree of erotic gratification.

What have you done for the world lately?

Ha

 

[Tracker]

HaHa: I've done more than you, I'll bet.

The reporters that are following her around could report on other more pressing items..............perhaps the war, environment.........who knows?

She turns my stomach.

 

[HFWR]

More beaver shots...

 

[Cut-Throat]

... or maybe, "Yes, it is. Especially when you have earned every penny of it."

My SIL is rich and I don't think she earned any of it. She works as a Stockbroker Financial Advisor and stole it from peoples portfoilos when they weren't looking (which is most of the time).

In fact most of the very rich people that I know stole their money off the backs of other people.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I have a bigger issue with explaining my NOT spending.

I've got friends who kid me because I drive an old pickup, fish out of a little old boat and live in a little 1200 sq. ft. rambler.

I'm 10 years younger and will retire 10 years sooner than all of them.

 

[Outtahere]

I have a bigger issue with explaining my NOT spending.

I have the same problem. I don't know which is worse, explaining why I don't want the BMW and drive a Pontiac or explaining why I bought some thing my friends and family feel is extravagant. Either way I'm' doomed so I just ignore them all.

 

[youbet]

My problem is people who obcess over others not living their lives just like them....... Hey folks, let it go! Live and enjoy your own lives and blow off what you think others are saying about you. What's the point?

 

[Arc]

Yep!!! I had that poster on the bull(etin) board in my lab for a few years....It Works!!!

Absolutely hysterical!

Can you get this personalized? Would love to have my picture on the poster for maximum affect.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Compared to we retirees, she is quite useful. She has an active career, makes money, provides employment for all the reporters and paparazzi that follow her around, and gives me at least a small degree of erotic gratification.

What have you done for the world lately?

Ha

I like her! - I think she's Hot!

 

[chinaco]

I agree. It is your money. Spend it however you wish.


I think the main reason this occurs is because different people value different things. The person questioning the wisdom of the purchase, is trying to make sense of the logic... since it is foreign to them. Unfortunately, it often comes off as rude. In some cases people are trying to be rude.

 

[loosechickens]

It's your money, and why shouldn't you spend it as you like? So long as you can afford it, who cares?

Although we spent in the neighborhood of $200,000 for our motorhome, in general we live very simply. The reason we purchased a high quality motorhome is because we don't want to have to face the depreciation problem, so we'll probably drive it for many years, care for it well and keep it well maintained, and then the kids will eventually have to deal with the fact that the $200,000 disappeared to almost nothing.

In general, we embrace voluntary simplicity as a philosophy that fits our outlook and worldview. We live very much below our means, but that is our choice. If there IS something that we want, however, we don't hesitate to purchase it.

We have the other side of the coin in our own lives.......what we hear is "For God's sake, you can afford to do XXXXXXX or buy XXXXXXX, why don't you let loose of some money for a change?" But the fact is that if we want it, we buy it, and if we don't, we don't. We've lived below our means for so long now that there is relatively no limit to what we COULD spend, but it just doesn't appeal to us.

The bottom line is that it is your life, no one but you should have a say in it. If you want to spend large amounts of money and have lots of toys, I say......go for it.

LooseChickens