What is your withdrawal rate ?

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Maybe we should fly first class!

Scratch that. Airfare goes from about $900 coach to $2,200 first class. I don't think I could do that.

[Moemg]

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Originally Posted by TromboneAl Scratch that. Airfare goes from about $900 coach to $2,200 first class. I don't think I could do that.

Sure you could ! You don't want to end up really old with a pile of money left !

[TickTock]

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Originally Posted by TromboneAl I'm about to schedule our Hawaii trip for next March. That trip cost $3,000 last year, and we'll try to get that up to $4,000 or more with lots of eating out at nice restaurants, maybe a helicopter trip?

If you're visiting Kauai, I enthusiatically recommend taking a helicopter trip with Inter-Island. They fly the 'Porsche' helicopters instead of the 'Cadillac' helicopters (that's how our pilot described it).

Door off. Four passengers max. I think we snapped about 70 pictures.

They drop you down at a (small) waterfall on private land.

Well worth the bucks in my opionion!

P.S. - You probably already have it, but I also recommend the Ultimate Guidebook. We used the Kauai and Big Island guidebooks to plan our trip. Well worth it!

[Moemg]

After reading that Trombone Al was going to spend to use up his 4% withdrawal I decided I would also .Well I've been doing a lousy job of it .I did spend $125 on a new floor scrubber and $100 at JJill and now I've realized there is nothing else I want so I guess the money just rolls over into next year's account .How sad !

[TickTock]

Moemg,

I don't see it as sad... you know the level of spending that makes you happy and don't go beyond it to buy things that you wouldn't value. The extra money rolls back in as a cushion for bad times or savings for when you decide that some big purchase is worthwhile.

[TickTock]

TromboneAl,

Pictures from our Kauaii helicopter trip:

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'm going backwards. I bought $100 worth of stuff yesterday but I returned $250 worth of stuff.

[Khan]

I went really crazy today and bought warm socks and gloves and microwave plate covers.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl I'm about to schedule our Hawaii trip for next March. That trip cost $3,000 last year, and we'll try to get that up to $4,000 or more with lots of eating out at nice restaurants, maybe a helicopter trip? Maybe we should fly first class!

You could try:
- one of the brand-name chain hotels,
- renting a fantasy vehicle like a Woody,
- spending a day at a spa,
- tow-in surfing lessons,
- kitesurfing/windsurfing lessons, and
- glider/parachuting lessons.

As much as I'd enjoy an Oahu surfing encore, you might enjoy the Big Island more. You could rent a home/condo in the Pahoa area, stay at Volcano Lodge, or try out a Kailua/Kona resort. You might find the Volcano weather to be a bit like your area, especially when the sun goes down.

My thought on helicopter rides is that you shouldn't go with the low bidder. Generally the more you pay, the more room you have and the quieter the flight. But I still haven't figured out how they decide which ride is going to get swatted out of the sky by weather or equipment failure or pilot errors, so I've never ridden in one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moemg I did spend $125 on a new floor scrubber and $100 at JJill and now I've realized there is nothing else I want so I guess the money just rolls over into next year's account .How sad !

Coulda bought a Scooba.

Or you could boost your charitable contributions?

[TickTock]

Roomba and Scooba rule!

Especially for households where both spouses work.

[bamsphd]

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Originally Posted by TickTock Roomba and Scooba rule! Especially for households where both spouses work.

Too bad the reliability has not been all that great yet. Fortunately, we purchased our Roomba from a catalog with a "lifetime warranty." So when the Roomba died after a couple of years we returned it and were sent our money back. Having a Roomba for two years for the cost of postage and interest, now that rules!