|
|
03-23-2013, 05:42 PM
|
#21
|
Administrator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: N. Yorkshire
Posts: 34,050
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by gcgang
Now you are retired, do you indulge/pamper/treat yourself more?
|
Darned right I do.
This is our 4th year of ER and this year I convinced DW that we should fly business class to Europe, but being the LBYM person she is, and resourceful with it, she has found that for substantially less money than business class we can take cruises to get over there, and in future save even more with re-positioning cruises in the Spring and Fall. Time and timing is no longer the limit it was while we were working.
__________________
Retired in Jan, 2010 at 55, moved to England in May 2016
Enough private pension and SS income to cover all needs
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
03-23-2013, 05:47 PM
|
#22
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,681
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChainsBeGone
To me, FI is not about being able to not look at the price, it's about having the passive income cash flow to sustain your desired standard of living and desired lifestyle without working a j*b.
|
This, and what MichaelB posted a few posts later, express my views.
BTW I have not flown in an airplane since 2003 and have no real desire to fly anywhere LOL!
__________________
Retired in late 2008 at age 45. Cashed in company stock, bought a lot of shares in a big bond fund and am living nicely off its dividends. IRA, SS, and a pension await me at age 60 and later. No kids, no debts.
"I want my money working for me instead of me working for my money!"
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 05:49 PM
|
#23
|
Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,198
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrabbler1
I have not flown in an airplane since 2003
|
How do you do it then?
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 05:51 PM
|
#24
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,681
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by braumeister
How do you do it then?
|
How do I do what?
__________________
Retired in late 2008 at age 45. Cashed in company stock, bought a lot of shares in a big bond fund and am living nicely off its dividends. IRA, SS, and a pension await me at age 60 and later. No kids, no debts.
"I want my money working for me instead of me working for my money!"
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 05:53 PM
|
#25
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 17,773
|
When we were both first retired 4.5 years ago, DH was very nervous about spending any money that was at all frivolous in his mind (like a new shirt to replace an old wellworn one). As the one who handles the finances, I started this mantra with him: "Honey, if you want ___, you *git* ___." and he was reassured.
We are not big spenders but we've not felt the need to deny ourselves in retirement. So I think that's first class for us.
And having flown first class maybe 4 times with unexpected upgrades most definitely I look at doing every time we fly and I always back out and book coach. To me that shows we don't really want to, or we would!
__________________
“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 06:06 PM
|
#26
|
Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,299
|
We're not big on travel either, but like shorter one to three day driving excursions occasionally.
When I finally do hang it up, which will be this year either in May or August depending on some contract issues, we will be better off financially than we've ever been in our lives.
But we're confident of the future, as evidenced that just yesterday DW cleared ordering $1,500 worth of photography stuff. It'll be useful for as long as I can pick up a camera. That's getting close to what I consider "first class" since there was a time I would have fainted at the thought of spending that much on something so frivolous as a lens and a macro strobe flash unit.
Well, unless I win the lottery. Perhaps my odds would improve if I bought a ticket.
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 06:23 PM
|
#27
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,263
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by braumeister
We live exactly the same LBYM lifestyle we always did, with one exception.
When we take a European vacation (typically every 1-2 years), we spring for business class on the trans-Atlantic leg. Sometimes that can be done with frequent flyer miles, but if we have to pay for it, we will.
|
+1 After flying international business class to Europe and first to Asia whike I was working, I admit I am spoiled - there is no way I would fly to Europe in coach - I'll probably buy coach tickets and use mile to upgrade or buy business class or not go. Life is too short to take long flights in coach, especially since coach seat pitch seem to be getting smaller every year.
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 06:31 PM
|
#28
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 206
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan
she has found that for substantially less money than business class we can take cruises to get over there, and in future save even more with re-positioning cruises in the Spring and Fall.
|
Where can I find additional information on these cruises?
__________________
-
Love others. Forgive. Be kind.
-
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 08:56 PM
|
#29
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 927
|
When walking through first class on our way back to our usual seats in steerage I occasionally notice beautiful normal size people in first class but mostly I notice how BIG the people in first class usually are.
__________________
CW4, USA-(ret)
RN, BSN-(ret)
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 09:20 PM
|
#30
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,366
|
If my retired self was in first class then I didn't spend enough on my present/past self.
I've tried to keep spending relatively level. And I can't imagine spending the money for first class.
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 09:25 PM
|
#31
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 9,343
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by pb4uski
+1 After flying international business class to Europe and first to Asia whike I was working, I admit I am spoiled - there is no way I would fly to Europe in coach - I'll probably buy coach tickets and use mile to upgrade or buy business class or not go. Life is too short to take long flights in coach, especially since coach seat pitch seem to be getting smaller every year.
|
I never fly more than 4 hours and the differential in price on coach and 1st class pays for the hotel by itself, so I could never justify the cost. I get antsy after 3 hours in my coach seat, I couldn't begin to imagine flying to Asia in coach. So I guess I will never go.
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 09:33 PM
|
#32
|
Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 805
|
I hope to fly first class just once in my life. It is not a major goal, but it does look like fun. Probably will never happen.
DH and i do justify some extra fun by remembering that this is the last third of our life. Why not? Makes sense to us.
That said, i have not purchased one item of new clothing since retiring in June 2012. Then again, i hate clothes shopping.
We are frugal in some areas but splurge for extra cheap fun.
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 10:34 PM
|
#33
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,263
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by ohyes
I hope to fly first class just once in my life. It is not a major goal, but it does look like fun. Probably will never happen.....
|
If you do, shoot for international first class on a wide body jet- much better than domestic first class in most cases.
And while they don't have first class anymore to my knowledge, Virgin Atlantic's business class was top shelf (about 10 years ago anyway). Included Mercedes ground transportation from office to Heathrow, putting green in the lounge and a 5 minute neck or head massage IIRC.
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
|
|
|
03-23-2013, 10:43 PM
|
#34
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,568
|
Sorry. I didn't mean to discuss air travel. The airplane thing was not meant literally, but meant to be a metaphor of how scrimping now means better things later.
For myself, I feel like now it is later.
I am not going to scrimp in retirement or I'd have kept working.
While FI doesn't mean spending like a drunken sailor, to me it means spending intelligently to indulge those I care about.
OTOH, if we are talking air travel, I did just spend $144 to upgrade to a bulkhead "Economy Plus" exit row seat for my upcoming flight to Hawaii. My "30+ years in the future self" probably won't know the difference.
Btw, it was a commercial for insurance/annuities. Since I'm not on their payroll nor do I care for their products, I won't mention their name.
__________________
You know that suit they burying you in? Thar ain’t no pockets in that suit, boy.
|
|
|
03-24-2013, 01:42 AM
|
#35
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Front Range
Posts: 150
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Snidely Whiplash
Where can I find additional information on these cruises?
|
I just read about this in Jeff Yeager's book, "How to Retire the Cheapskate Way". He says to check with individual cruise lines for repositioning cruises (normally in the Spring and the Fall) and also offers www.cruisedeals.com as a place to search for repositioning cruises. He does caution that those trips are one way, so you'll have to find and alternate way home.
I have no personal experience in doing this.
__________________
"Our lives are what our thoughts make them" - Marcus Aurellius
FIRE'd on 1 June, 2013 at age 48, DW FIRE'd with me on same day at age 47.
|
|
|
03-24-2013, 04:53 AM
|
#36
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 428
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by obgyn65
I cannot imagine flying first class after I FIRE, even if I can afford to. A couple of thousand dollars' difference in airfare can go a long way when buying medicines or medical supplies for the free clinics abroad. A couple of times in the past, I saw children eating grass as they were so hungry. Totally heartbreaking. I just would not be able to look in all these hungry children's eyes and say "sorry, kids, I flew first class this year, so no amoxicillin for you. " I just could not do it.
|
I really appreciate your altruistic values OB. Do you ever think that your life would be better served continuing to w*rk (at your assumed high salary) in order to provide more for others? That has crossed my mind as I near a big career decision.
|
|
|
03-24-2013, 05:18 AM
|
#37
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 11,317
|
We lived well prior to ER and live the same way now with the exception of more travel (but the travel is in the same style). We continue to speculate that we might splurge on some ridiculous excess 10 or 15 years down the road if the market takes us on one of the positive scenarios but I doubt that we ever will. I look at the cost to upgrade from coach to business class and just get irritated - can't bring myself to waste the money for a little comfort on a flight. On the other hand, we had bikes custom built for us -- a luxury many would refuse to indulge in on the same principle I apply to flight upgrades.
__________________
Idleness is fatal only to the mediocre -- Albert Camus
|
|
|
03-24-2013, 05:46 AM
|
#38
|
Administrator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 40,583
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tekward
Do you ever think that your life would be better served continuing to w*rk (at your assumed high salary) in order to provide more for others? That has crossed my mind as I near a big career decision.
|
if you didn't see this thread it might be of interest. http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...ity-65718.html
|
|
|
03-24-2013, 05:49 AM
|
#39
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,934
|
I'm probably more frugal now than before ER, but I'm enjoying life much more. The thought of going back to Dilbert-land repulses me.
__________________
And if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know.
|
|
|
03-24-2013, 07:24 AM
|
#40
|
Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Georgetown
Posts: 423
|
I think we might be an outlier; we like to travel and we like to travel nicely. Today, while still working, we try to fit in two three week vacations a year. We take advantage of frequent flyer miles and hotel points to fly business class and stay in very nice hotels. When we retire, and time isn't the limiting factor, we plan to continue traveling; although not always "first class: as money instead of time will be the concern. We have put $90K per year into our retirement budget; if that wasn't there, we could retire today. I would rather travel so I keep working. In fact, if I can continue to travel well while working, I will probably become a OMY addict.
Marc
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|