We don't think about money very often.
I guess what we spend, is mostly from habil. Truthfully, can't even think of anything we'd buy, even if we had the money to spend.
I guess the term is "comfortable in our own skins".
So the Cadillac is now old enough to drink, and the lincoln, less than a year behind. Love the comfort, love the ride, and the looks are becoming "Classic". Book value of the Cadillac has gone up 300% in the past 3 years...
Love the leather, love the ride, love the JBL and BOSe sound systems, and now that we don't drive very much, really like the low upkeep.
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/best-value-in-a-luxury-car-80923.html#post1701956
Now... about the diamond rings...and thereby hangs a tale. Senior in college, and working all summer long, and three meals a day in the fraternity kitchen doing dishes for 56 guys... for the whole school year... for four years. that and Summer work as a life guard and then waterfront director at the Maine State YMCA Camp. Back then, pay worked out to about $.60/hr, and free meals. (Imagine... the school costs $62,500/yr, today).
In Senior year, 1957, proposed to Jeanie... Yeah.. the diamond. So she was in school at BU, in Harvard Square... (Read that "Money"). A few of her classmates were engaged, and the big thing was "the diamond". Not to be outdone, my trip to Kay Jewelers. I really couldn't afford the 'setting', never mind the diamond. The diamond they showed me was $300... and so small, I couldn't hardly see it. OMG... her classmates would laugh her out of the room!
"Wait...wait!..." the saleslady spotted my dejection... Out from under the counter, a 1/2 carat biggie. For me... $200. Never mind the viewer... that baby was HUGE!... $20/mo. for two years. A week later... in her living room... the formal, "on his knees" proposal interrupted only by the milkman, coming to the door... Our first congratulations. Thrill of a lifetime... and then to go back to her dorm, to show off that gleaming beauty. Life's highpoint!!!.
It was only a few months later that Doug, my best friend, quietly pointed out that there was a big piece of black carbon, floating around in the middle of that magnificent jewel. Sobeit... DW has a one of a kind diamond unmatched throughout the world, and throughout the centuries.
My original post here on ER, was Sharing 23 years of frugal retirement. Somehow, in retrospect, the word frugal doesn't seem appropriate. It's no longer a matter of trying to "save"... Although we don't look at anything resembling a "budget", a look at our net worth YTY, shows ever decreasing expenses, even though it's not intentional.
Hmmm... spoke too soon. Yesterday DW bought two brand new lampshades at the Salvation Army store, for a total of $6.99 for both. I looked them up on google, found they are indeed new and current, and sell for $49.95 each.
I guess it's just a way of life.