Nervous, just plain nervous

[TickTock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by limpid lizard Even when working, I monitored things pretty closely. I'd fret payday to payday when I was living on one paycheck out of two a month and saving 25% pretax out of each of them.

Okay, I think you are worrying too much...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Budget wise, I take all the capital items I'll need to purchase over the next 20 years and allocate a chunk of those into todays budget as a placeholder. New cars, furniture, appliances, tires, major house maintenance items like paint, roofing, water heater, etc.

Would someone in business maintain an expense budget and then try to purchase their large capital goods from that? I think not. Yet many people in their working lives dont budget for major cost items and each need becomes an emergency...

Its an eye opener and if an ER isnt considering it, could be trouble. The annual cost of my capital budget is about $10,000.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by limpid lizard ...............Actually, I have been selling things on ebay and craigslist for mad money. .......

I did this, too, when I first retired. It actually felt good to get rid of some of the stuff that I no longer was interested in and it felt like "found" money. Sweet as $20 bill blowing across the parking lot........

[limpid lizard]

I've been taking notes and think incorporating some of the ideas presented will lead to greater organization and peace of mind. I know all too well the new tension of watching the ebb and flow of the market. I have to let that slide too.

I bought a couple of car parts that I recognized the value of. I paid $20 for them at auction and sold them on ebay for $180. I have several gun parts that I paid $7.50 for and have not sold yet. They are worth about $75, but depending on how the next presidential election goes, they could be worth 4 or 5 times the $75. So, I am sitting on them. I bought a refrigerator at an estate auction for $10 and sold it for $65. I paid $10 for a knife and sold it for $40. The list goes on and on. I have 4 like new studded snow tires sitting out back that I paid $30 for. They are a good brand and popular size. I have a box of collectible Coleman lanterns sitting here. When I am going to be around the house for a week or two, I put things on craigslist or ebay.

I'm single, and I date a woman who enjoys going to auctions. So, I go along and bid on what I perceive to be unrecognized bargains. Other than the chair, I have not bid on anything that I did not think I could sell for 4-5 times the money. It's nice to make money on dates and not have to take my clothes off.

[Moemg]

I also sell on ebay ,amazon & craigslist . I do it sporadically so it's more a hobby than anything else .I love selling my books as soon as I'm finished reading them but I have to stop myself from putting notes in them like "great read " " How did this ever get on a bestseller's list ?" " Pure drivel ". It's a good way to make some mad money and amuse yourself .

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by limpid lizard It's nice to make money on dates and not have to take my clothes off.

Shoot. Seems I was doing it wrong all those years...

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by limpid lizard My budget is well below the amount figured at 4% of portfolio, but I exceeded it this month. Actually, I have budgeted for just under 3%. One little temptation, and I blew it. I did it by buying a nice, comfy chair.

I'm coming into this thread a little late, but my opinion is that all you need to do is revise your budget to allow for a little slack for big items that aren't a regular part of your budget. Try allowing a certain amount per month for these items, and stay within that amount each year... if you don't spend it during a given month, don't just blow it but save it for later in the year.

If you "spend ahead" on these purchases, as you probably feel you have done, then just don't buy any more big unusual purchases (except emergencies) until later in the year when your budget catches up with your purchases.

[Moemg]

Shouldn't you be okay living on 3% but keeping that extra 1% as an emergency or special treat fund ? I peeked back at your intro and you are not one of the real early retirees .

[Spanky]

I do not do budgeting. After reading this tread, I have decided to list my expenses. They are larger than that of expected. I may have missed a few items. The initial list (from kiplinger?) is as follows:

Fixed Expenses
Mortgage / rent Credit-card payments Home-equity loans Car loan(s) Taxes not withheld from pay Insurance Premiums Life Auto Home Health Other Savings / Investments Vacation fund Emergency fund College fund Retirement / 401(k) Investment fund Other

Variable Expenditures
Heating Electricity Telephone Land Cell Internet Water and sewer Garbage Transportation Automobile gas and repairs Gas Repairs Public Transportation Clothing Mom Dad Kids Pocket Money Mom Dad Kids Other variable expenditures Food and beverages Personal care (haircuts, etc.) Recreation, entertainment Medical / dental Charity Special expenses (tuition, alimony, etc.) Miscellaneous

[TromboneAl]

Ximinez: Ha! Then we'll make you understand! Biggles! Fetch...THE CUSHIONS! [JARRING CHORD]
[Biggles holds out two ordinary modern household cushions]
Biggles: Here they are, lord.
Ximinez: Now, old lady -- you have one last chance. Confess the heinous sin of heresy, reject the works of the ungodly -- *two* last chances. And you shall be free -- *three* last chances. You have three last chances, the nature of which I have divulged in my previous utterance.
Wilde: I don't know what you're talking about.
Ximinez: Right! If that's the way you want it -- Cardinal! Poke her with the soft cushions!
[Biggles carries out this rather pathetic torture]
Ximinez: Confess! Confess! Confess!
Biggles: It doesn't seem to be hurting her, lord.
Ximinez: Have you got all the stuffing up one end?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez [angrily hurling away the cushions]: Hm! She is made of harder stuff! Cardinal Fang! Fetch...THE COMFY CHAIR!
[JARRING CHORD]
[Zoom into Fang's horrified face]
Fang [terrified]: The...Comfy Chair?
[Biggles pushes in a comfy chair -- a really plush one]
Ximinez: So you think you are strong because you can survive the soft cushions. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Put her in the Comfy Chair!
[They roughly push her into the Comfy Chair]
Ximinez [with a cruel leer]: Now -- you will stay in the Comfy Chair until lunch time, with only a cup of coffee at eleven. [aside, to Biggles] Is that really all it is?
Biggles: Yes, lord.
Ximinez: I see. I suppose we make it worse by shouting a lot, do we? Confess, woman. Confess! Confess! Confess! Confess
Biggles: I confess!
Ximinez: Not you!

[limpid lizard]

I ended up going walk about for a couple of days. but I am back.

TromboneAl, I just do not understand.

Moemg, You are right, I am not one of the real early retirees. I had to wait until I was 55 to get my penison penalty free. I went less than a month after my 55th birthday. Still, getting to go at 55 seems like I have been freed from slavery. I still enjoy a hard days work, at least the physical part of it, so I have been working on fixing up the house, and carpentering for free for friends. I have said more than once that if anyone trys to pay me more than lunch, I'll leave. It is the life sucking b.s. that makes work a job.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

TromboneAl, I just do not understand.

Sorry -- that's the transcript from a Monty Python sketch in which they torture someone by nudging her with soft cushions and making her sit in a comfy chair. I always think of that when I hear "comfy chair."

It should make more sense this way:

YouTube - Monty Python Spanish Inquistion part 2

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Its okay lizard. No one understands the spanish inquisition.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by limpid lizard It is the life sucking b.s. that makes work a job.

You can say that again!!! I think that says it all.

(Posted from a motel room in Houston, where I had to travel for a meeting tomorrow that could just as easily have been done by telecon.... or even more easily, by e-mail. I despise traveling for work!!! It's stupid!!! and b.s. too!!! I'd rather be sleeping in my own bed!!! and it's still better than being in the office.)

[TromboneAl]

I had two candidates who wanted to buy my business. One was meeting person. He always wanted to get together for a meeting. I'm glad I didn't sell it to him. I've never physically met the guy who bought the business.

[Bigritchie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Sorry -- that's the transcript from a Monty Python sketch in which they torture someone by nudging her with soft cushions and making her sit in a comfy chair. I always think of that when I hear "comfy chair." It should make more sense this way: YouTube - Monty Python Spanish Inquistion part 2

O brave men, if you do doubt your early retirement, and doubt your financial independence, know that death awaits you with big nasty pointy teeth!

[Zoocat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cute fuzzy bunny Budget wise, I take all the capital items I'll need to purchase over the next 20 years and allocate a chunk of those into todays budget as a placeholder. New cars, furniture, appliances, tires, major house maintenance items like paint, roofing, water heater, etc. Would someone in business maintain an expense budget and then try to purchase their large capital goods from that? I think not. Yet many people in their working lives dont budget for major cost items and each need becomes an emergency... Its an eye opener and if an ER isnt considering it, could be trouble. The annual cost of my capital budget is about $10,000.

I do this as well, but also I have a CD with a chunk of money that is allocated for big expenses in the next ten years, like a new car, and appliances. I plan to keep rolling it over until I need to use it, just like the emergency savings I keep for short term unexpected expenses.

[TexasGal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Want2retire You can say that again!!! I think that says it all. (Posted from a motel room in Houston, where I had to travel for a meeting tomorrow that could just as easily have been done by telecon.... or even more easily, by e-mail. I despise traveling for work!!! It's stupid!!! and b.s. too!!! I'd rather be sleeping in my own bed!!! and it's still better than being in the office.)

W2R, that is exactly what I was going through and it was getting worse by the day. When I went on LOA to care for my ailing father, I simply could not make myself return to all of the b.s./meetings/travel/presentations, i.e. ridiculous $hit! required by leadership in order to be considered "visible" enough. Ugh! I am SO glad I am out of that! I know you are counting the days and marking them off the calendar!

Hang in there.

TG

[bssc]

This proves that LL is part of the Spanish Inquisition.

Good point to bring up too, we have a line in our budget and pool of money for big ticket items.

[limpid lizard]

Me?