Blow That Dough! -2021

[GoBears]

1st place [getting 4 estimates] came out & her 1st thing is to hand me something from Synchrony Financial. That's a non-starter for me. Then the next handout mentions that I remove the old flooring. WTF? Aren't I interviewing 4 companies to do a complete job? No wonder it took me so long to get to this

I spent a long time researching bamboo flooring and ultimately selected Cali Bamboo. They have a website, in case you are interested. Very hard and no issue with the big dog able to scratch it, like the old maple flooring. We are very happy with it. I agree you are much better off with tile in the kitchen and bathrooms as wood and bamboo flooring don’t play well with water.

 

[Koolau]

Mentioned elsewhere we had a plumbing leak - to the apartment below. So DW found a comfort level toilet and we had the plumber in to replace the old one as well as put new guts in the other toilet. Then the bldg. mgr. fixed the ceiling below. All told - we spent about $800. Can't recall the last time we blew that much dough. It must have been in 2019. Money well spent, so maybe it doesn't count as blowing that dough. YMMV

 

[street]

Blew some dough yesterday on some hand woven sea chest beckets.

Are you going to be using them on a chest, for your next project. I bet they did cost a pretty penny.

 

[Ronstar]

Are you going to be using them on a chest, for your next project. I bet they did cost a pretty penny.

Yep I’m putting them on a chest I’m making out of leftover scraps. I may have made most of the box for free, but the beckets ran me a few hundred. I saw some online for $1100 and some for $2500. These things are expensive.

 

[street]

^^ holy moly that is expensive!!

 

[FreeBear]

Over the past 10 years we've averaged 44 nights a year in our RV. Last year only 7 nights due to Covid, but we hope to bump that number back above 50 providing we can find available camp sites. It's crowded out there...

If we survive our first trip, maybe we'd love to do something like that too

 

[MRG]

We’re renting an RV for 5 days. First time ever for us in an RV.

If we end of hating it, we’ll call it a “cheap” education. If we love it, it we could be in for real trouble, maybe will really have to Blow Dough!

Looks like break even for rent vs buy is about 45 nights on the road a year. We normally do 25 to 50 night yearly in hotels. We’ll see...

We did this the year I retired. Great investment. After 3 days DW was done. Her idea of a short shower is pretty much a half hour and we were dry camping. Good luck.

 

[doneat54]

We’re renting an RV for 5 days. First time ever for us in an RV.

If we end of hating it, we’ll call it a “cheap” education. If we love it, it we could be in for real trouble, maybe will really have to Blow Dough!

Looks like break even for rent vs buy is about 45 nights on the road a year. We normally do 25 to 50 night yearly in hotels. We’ll see...

We looked into renting years ago and the charges for mileage were a killer.

In 2006 bought a used Class C and did a 9500 cross country trip in 6 weeks with the 2 kids and a dog. Sold it a couple years later



In 2016 bought a 21' trailer and did many trips, including my retirement tour in 2017 (DW asked "when will you be back?" I said "Not sure') down the east coast. We really enjoy RV'ing but sold the trailer in 2019 after buying a lake house.

Good luck, you will either love it or hate it, and will know that quickly!!

 

[Dreamer]

We’re renting an RV for 5 days. First time ever for us in an RV.

If we end of hating it, we’ll call it a “cheap” education. If we love it, it we could be in for real trouble, maybe will really have to Blow Dough!

Looks like break even for rent vs buy is about 45 nights on the road a year. We normally do 25 to 50 night yearly in hotels. We’ll see...

It would be great if you would post about your experience. I would be curious about how hard or easy it was.

We have zero experience with an RV, but I keep thinking it would be fun to rent one and take our 3 grandchildren on even a short trip. Maybe it would be better to try it ourselves first to spare our grandchildren.

 

[FreeBear]

We did this the year I retired. Great investment. After 3 days DW was done. Her idea of a short shower is pretty much a half hour and we were dry camping. Good luck.

I get it; I used to solo backpack. I tolerated car camping and campgrounds, although it was OK in good company. Well, I got married and a couple of chronic health things and I fear my backpacking days are over. This is the next best thing.

We're going to start with glamping-think $50+/night RV parks and restaurants! Most of the comforts of home, no one has to cook, and I can still wake with a cup of coffee as the sun rises over the mountains.

We looked into renting years ago and the charges for mileage were a killer.

In 2006 bought a used Class C and did a 9500 cross country trip in 6 weeks with the 2 kids and a dog. Sold it a couple years later

In 2016 bought a 21' trailer and did many trips, including my retirement tour in 2017 (DW asked "when will you be back?" I said "Not sure') down the east coast. We really enjoy RV'ing but sold the trailer in 2019 after buying a lake house.

Good luck, you will either love it or hate it, and will know that quickly!!

Wow! DW OK with you going solo? I'd still be out in the woods
I'm hoping this is something we can do together. It's been a struggle as health stuff makes it hard to stay as active as we were in our 30's and 40's. Fix one thing, then it's something else...

It would be great if you would post about your experience. I would be curious about how hard or easy it was.

We have zero experience with an RV, but I keep thinking it would be fun to rent one and take our 3 grandchildren on even a short trip. Maybe it would be better to try it ourselves first to spare our grandchildren.

Good idea, will do!

 

[doneat54]

No accident these two emails came back to back today. Dec '22 cruise in the Haven section, exclusive decks, bars and restaurants. Caribbean route. Have done most of the ports before, but never get tired of it. Something to look forward to....

 

[gayl]

I spent a long time researching bamboo flooring and ultimately selected Cali Bamboo. They have a website, in case you are interested. Very hard and no issue with the big dog able to scratch it, like the old maple flooring. We are very happy with it. I agree you are much better off with tile in the kitchen and bathrooms as wood and bamboo flooring don’t play well with water.

I can't seem to talk myself into LVP and out of oak. Guess I'm getting wood in Kitchen / breakfast / family room and tile or sheet vinyl in laundry & 1/2 bath. It's just 10k. Yes, blowing $$s

 

[PaunchyPirate]

No accident these two emails came back to back today. Dec '22 cruise in the Haven section, exclusive decks, bars and restaurants. Caribbean route. Have done most of the ports before, but never get tired of it. Something to look forward to....

I’ve got 2 Eastern Mediterranean back-to-back cruises booked on NCL this October. I’m eagerly waiting to see if cruising resumes to some level of normalcy by then. I’m placing odds at 60/40 that it won’t happen. But fingers crossed.

 

[Souschef]

DW problem

We have about $10K in cruise credits that expire next March. I would love to use them to do a California Coastal cruise in a large suite.
I have a BIG problem, DW at this point refuses to go on another cruise or "floating Petri Dish", as she calls them.
Any suggestions?

 

[audreyh1]

We have about $10K in cruise credits that expire next March. I would love to use them to do a California Coastal cruise in a large suite.
I have a BIG problem, DW at this point refuses to go on another cruise or "floating Petri Dish", as she calls them.
Any suggestions?

Wow, big change for you guys!

If everyone had to be vaccinated would that change her mind?

 

[gayl]

We have about $10K in cruise credits that expire next March. I would love to use them to do a California Coastal cruise in a large suite.
I have a BIG problem, DW at this point refuses to go on another cruise or "floating Petri Dish", as she calls them.
Any suggestions?

Princess let's you cash them in. You lose the bonus FCC but get the rest back to the payment source (Visa?)

 

[doneat54]

Wow! DW OK with you going solo? I'd still be out in the woods

Well DW had known since the mid 80s of my plans to retire early and chose to still be working then.... although she now has a retirement date of her own set for next year, but she was cool with it. Of the 170 (I think) days I spent in the RV that year, she was with me about half of them, flying down to SC for the Easter weekend at one point to meet up. We also did a great 12 day trip to Europe that year.

 

[harley]

I went to HD to pick up some lumber today. There was a guy outside with a good offer.

 

[RobbieB]

We have about $10K in cruise credits that expire next March. I would love to use them to do a California Coastal cruise in a large suite.
I have a BIG problem, DW at this point refuses to go on another cruise or "floating Petri Dish", as she calls them.
Any suggestions?

Sure, go by yourself.

 

[ivinsfan]

Sure, go by yourself.

Robbie B..what would we do without you....

 

[Music Lover]

Sure, go by yourself.

I'm sure they thought of that but know that going alone won't be any fun.

 

[Koolau]

I'm sure they thought of that but know that going alone won't be any fun.

Going alone might actually be fun. Coming home would most likely NOT be fun - though I suppose YMMV.

 

[braumeister]

Sure, go by yourself.

I don't see anything wrong with that either. DW and I have taken many, many solo vacation trips over the years. I'm always happy to get away by myself, and she has a list of female friends who are happy to accompany her to places I have no interest in if she doesn't want to be completely by herself. Honestly, even though we love to travel together to places we both enjoy, I've never understood the reluctance to go on your own to someplace that only you have an interest in.

 

[Aerides]

I love to travel by myself, it's a very different trip than as a couple (love those too). But I'm not sure I'd want to do a cruise solo. Then again, it's almost impossible not to be social with others on a cruise, so that should help reduce the loneliness factor or trepidation for someone who has never travelled solo.

Or a family member or close friend? If DH was unable or unwilling to go on something we'd prepaid for, I'd drag my sister along if I really didn't want to go alone.

If that's a non-starter, then find some friends or family who can use the credits instead - surely they are giftable?

 

[pacergal]

We have about $10K in cruise credits that expire next March. I would love to use them to do a California Coastal cruise in a large suite.
I have a BIG problem, DW at this point refuses to go on another cruise or "floating Petri Dish", as she calls them.
Any suggestions?

A large suite, with outside deck for fresh air, get room service for meals.
both vaccinated, relatively safe.
Sit back and enjoy the view.
Don't need to go to the casino, etc if you don't want too.
Or go by yourself
If you can't get cash back or extend the credits, what else can you do?