Blow That Dough! - 2019

[FlaGator]

(Continuing to honor RobbieB - the Patron Saint of spending money on things that make us happy)

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/blow-that-dough-2018-a-90646-55.html

I appreciate all the good wishes and kind thoughts

The last 5 years have been interesting, and challenging at times. My kids have been a bright spot and it's feeling good to add even more light to my life.

To keep it on topic....Already started on the financial forecast for this adventure-to call it a "budget" implies fiscal restraint that isn't going to happen

Will be updating as the dough gets blown, and it looks to start within the next 2 weeks

And the adventure has begun, sooner than I expected......5 grand today.

The Beautiful Princess found this and negotiated the price down to what was going to be my opening offer. Think I found a good one

Yes, she is thrilled, and that makes me happy

 

[googily]

Congratulations! Great way to blow that dough!

I just bought new hearing aids. $5500. Yay.

 

[Teacher Terry]

That’s beautiful!

 

[W2R]

I didn't buy anything quite as expensive as FlaGator or googily bought, but I DO have five deliveries coming in the next three days, does that count? The UPS man is going to be tearing his hair out as the boxes pile up on my front porch.

Actually two of the five are food - -
(1) staples from Prime Pantry (including two boxes of those expensive Quest bars, $46) and a lot of other stuff; and
(2) several hundred dollars worth of grass fed steaks from Butcherbox. Steak is expensive compared with some other choices, but it is what works for me in my weight loss endeavor.

And two packages to be delivered are clothing (that I do NOT need but wanted!):
(3) four ladies' t-shirts and
(4) two pairs of long knit pants. OK, these are a smaller size so in that sense I suppose I needed them after losing weight.

The last package is totally discretionary, though - -
(5) a video game from Amazon, for my new Nintendo Switch.

I'm not sure that I'm done ordering online, either. I'm really getting into it! So far, $528 but I still have extra left over from 2018. So, if I think of anything.....

 

[Teacher Terry]

We are taking a 11 day vacation in February which includes a 8 day cruise! It leaves from New Orleans and goes to the Caribbean. Last time I was in NO it was 20 years ago.

 

[Souschef]

We are taking an Alaskan cruise in April. DW wanted a full $uite.on this cruise. It will be our first time in a suite. Should be interesting

The best part of the cruise is that it leaves from LA. NO airports

 

[VanWinkle]

We are taking an Alaskan cruise in April. DW wanted a full $uite.on this cruise. It will be our first time in a suite. Should be interesting

The best part of the cruise is that it leaves from LA. NO airports

That cruise is on my bucket list also, hope you enjoy!!

VW

 

[unclemick]

Got stuck in the field today at the farm after a night rainstorm. Got the neighbor and his tractor to pull my 2013 pickup out. 2wd with mud tires didn't cut it.

The wife is more than happy to go 4wd Jeep Wrangler shopping tomorrow.



heh heh heh - another blow to my long slide from early days of ER. What would the 4 Yorkshire men think if they were real.

 

[Scuba]

Private Pilates lessons. I’ve been wanting to try this for years and now that we’ve retired, we have time to be consistent. So far we got a bargain at $200 for two hours for DH and me together. Next we will commit some bigger bucks - $900 for 8 lessons or $1,600 for 16. We eventually want to start doing classes, but there is a lot to learn about using the Reformers and I want to make sure we know what we’re doing before we get into a class with 8 others.

 

[Sue J]

Just had the first Blow That Dough of 2019.

DH was in the basement and noticed that the water heater was leaking. Just a small leak but we know that's not a good sign. It's certainly not going to get better on it's own. The water heater is a 50 gallon one with a quick recovery rate, never had any problems with having enough hot water. It's been great but we've had it since 2004. Water heaters in this area normally last 8-10 years, so it's time for a new one.

Since DH retired in 2010 we've tried to take care of the major systems before it's an emergency so we just had a new water heater installed this morning. Turns out we needed some new fittings and a new gas shutoff. Also, DH wanted to put a drain pan under the unit and run a line to a nearby drain.

Total price of $1712. Yikes, that's a lot more than the one in 2004. But it's DONE and paid for.

 

[Teacher Terry]

We did the Alaskan cruise and it was wonderful.

 

[Winemaker]

Just had the first Blow That Dough of 2019.

DH was in the basement and noticed that the water heater was leaking. Just a small leak but we know that's not a good sign. It's certainly not going to get better on it's own. The water heater is a 50 gallon one with a quick recovery rate, never had any problems with having enough hot water. It's been great but we've had it since 2004. Water heaters in this area normally last 8-10 years, so it's time for a new one.

Since DH retired in 2010 we've tried to take care of the major systems before it's an emergency so we just had a new water heater installed this morning. Turns out we needed some new fittings and a new gas shutoff. Also, DH wanted to put a drain pan under the unit and run a line to a nearby drain.

Total price of $1712. Yikes, that's a lot more than the one in 2004. But it's DONE and paid for.

Wow! The most expensive gas water heater w power vent at HD is $1044 here is SW PA. The cheapest was an electric heater at $399. Certainly, a blow your dough experience!

 

[Sue J]

Wow! The most expensive gas water heater w power vent at HD is $1044 here is SW PA. The cheapest was an electric heater at $399. Certainly, a blow your dough experience!

Yup.

I even think DH knew he was overpaying. He wanted the same brand that we had before because getting 15 years out of a water heater is unheard of in this area with our hard water. And he wanted to use his favorite plumbing company.

He's at the stage in life where he just wants someone else to come and take care of things and be done with it. He likes electrical work but has a long standing hate for plumbing, so seeing a leak just activates his "blow that dough" button to have someone come and make it all go away.

Some things I'll push for shopping around or maybe getting a less expensive model or whatever. I knew I wasn't going to get anywhere on this one!

And that's why this is posted in the Blow That Dough topic and not a Found A Bargain topic.

 

[Dreamer]

I am taking a cruise to Bermuda in April and a cruise to New England/Nova Scotia in September.

 

[corn18]

Instead of moving our 10 yo washer/dryer set to TX we are just buying a new set when we get there.

 

[Beldar]

We'll be placing MIL in assisted care living this Spring once BIL dies from cancer. Not exactly "Blowing" dough in the positive sense of the thread but nevertheless a significant and permanent expense. No hesitation to do so.

_B

 

[robnplunder]

I just spent two weeks clearing out my mom's apartment. It renewed my vow to avoid buying anything but consumables. This retired guy won't be blowing his dough on stuff that he can't consume. No way.

 

[HFWR]

Got stuck in the field today at the farm after a night rainstorm. Got the neighbor and his tractor to pull my 2013 pickup out. 2wd with mud tires didn't cut it.



The wife is more than happy to go 4wd Jeep Wrangler shopping tomorrow.







heh heh heh - another blow to my long slide from early days of ER. What would the 4 Yorkshire men think if they were real.

You must be in football heaven, though, what with the Chiefs and the Saints...

 

[Ronstar]

Getting a new 15” MacBook Pro. Getting it online so that I can trade in my old MacBook. It’ll take a few days to strip the old one, send it in, get the refund, etc.

 

[Lewis Clark]

I am taking a cruise to Bermuda in April and a cruise to New England/Nova Scotia in September.

Both of these cruise itineraries are excellent! Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

 

[JDARNELL]

I just spent two weeks clearing out my mom's apartment. It renewed my vow to avoid buying anything but consumables. This retired guy won't be blowing his dough on stuff that he can't consume. No way.

That’s a great idea!

 

[NW-Bound]

I just spent two weeks clearing out my mom's apartment. It renewed my vow to avoid buying anything but consumables. This retired guy won't be blowing his dough on stuff that he can't consume. No way.

Oh, one can blow a lot of dough on consumables. Caviar, kobe beef, jamón ibérico, XO cognac, foie gras, truffle...

 

[robnplunder]

Oh, one can blow a lot of dough on consumables. Caviar, kobe beef, jamón ibérico, XO cognac, foie gras, truffle...

Don't forget grass fed beef, cheese, and butter .

 

[Walt34]

He's at the stage in life where he just wants someone else to come and take care of things and be done with it. He likes electrical work but has a long standing hate for plumbing, so seeing a leak just activates his "blow that dough" button to have someone come and make it all go away.

I think he and I might be cousins. I've always hated plumbing, it always took at least three, and more often five, trips to the hardware store for tools and fittings. The whole task became an exercise in frustration. It is so nice to be at the stage where I can just call somebody and my only involvement is writing the check.

 

[braumeister]

I've always hated plumbing, it always took at least three, and more often five, trips to the hardware store for tools and fittings.

Completely normal. I'm an inveterate DIY-er and I fully subscribe to the ironclad rule that any plumbing job requires three trips to the store. It never fails.