Blow That Dough! - 2019

[H2ODude]

Got the Cayenne S, dark gray w gray interior. Has just about all the options I was aware of. I don't use the word awesome but frankly, it is an awesome vehicle. I'm also convinced that I'll never become aware of all the various features and how to use them!

As for blowing dough... Money is really funny stuff for me as I'd guess in different folks it is in different ways. I still can stand in front of a supermarket aisle for a minute or two and self debate about whether one product is worth the extra $0.20 just because that's the way I am. Or be kind of anal about flipping the water spigot to cold because even though I only want a cup of water, I wouldn't want the hot water heater wasting the energy to move a cup of water into the pipes. Anyway. But there I go, adding probably $13,000 to the price of a car because of color selection and I liked the look of the exhausts. And, after wringing my hands about the decision to even trade vehicles, I look at our finances post decision and spending the money and it's like "meh...no big deal. All good!" I still can't bring myself to upgrade to business though!

 

[RobLJ]

Compared to the Cayenne, we just kind of puffed on the dough.

We originally intended to wait until next year and after receiving the 30% Fed credit on the solar panels, but given the discounting going on, we bought a 2019 Chevy Bolt two weeks ago.

No gas, and no maintenance, except for replacing windshield wipers and the cabin air filter every 15k miles or so. Safety features are nice (the interior is a bit Spartan though). DW has even let me drive it, once.

 

[W2R]

Got the Cayenne S, dark gray w gray interior. Has just about all the options I was aware of. I don't use the word awesome but frankly, it is an awesome vehicle. I'm also convinced that I'll never become aware of all the various features and how to use them!

As for blowing dough... Money is really funny stuff for me as I'd guess in different folks it is in different ways. I still can stand in front of a supermarket aisle for a minute or two and self debate about whether one product is worth the extra $0.20 just because that's the way I am. Or be kind of anal about flipping the water spigot to cold because even though I only want a cup of water, I wouldn't want the hot water heater wasting the energy to move a cup of water into the pipes. Anyway. But there I go, adding probably $13,000 to the price of a car because of color selection and I liked the look of the exhausts. And, after wringing my hands about the decision to even trade vehicles, I look at our finances post decision and spending the money and it's like "meh...no big deal. All good!" I still can't bring myself to upgrade to business though!

I think the Cayenne S was a great choice! I just looked at it on Edmunds dot com, and they prefer that trim level too. Besides, you can't take it with you, as they say, and this is something that will make you feel happy and satisfied each day when you drive it.

I really get it when it comes to being frugal about the little expenses. I never have more than one light on in the house, for example. "Take care of the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves." That's a version of a pertinent quote attributed to William Lowndes, 1652-1724, British Secretary of the Treasury.

 

[robnplunder]

Boy are these advanced safety features nice.

Amazing, aren't they? The new safety features will likely save me from accidents.


I've bought a new CD player for half a grand. Marantz CD6006 replaced the old California Labs IKON II cd player I've bought a decade ago. The Marantz, although cheaper, is so much better. It has a USB port where I plugged in a 32G worth of songs, and pushed a "random" play button. Life is good.

 

[socca]

Bought a La-Z-Boy recliner - the first (and hopefully last) piece of "big, heavy" furniture in my place. When I moved into my house a few years ago I went with a hyper-minimalist decorating style which (I'm amused to note) has now become vogue. This was definitely a BTD purchase because there are much cheaper recliners out there, but La-Z-Boy allowed me to specify exactly what I wanted, unlike the mass-produced competitive products. La-Z-Boy has been building recliners for over 90 years so I assume they know what they're doing.

 

[RobbieB]

I love my lazy boy! Seventeen hundred bucks and worth every cent.

Why? I start snoring 30 minutes after reclining - The true test of comfort!

 

[jcfradio]

So that is something I'd like to try, living a month like a local.
Do you have any tips on renting a place ?
What countries have you done this in ?

I have been fortunate to have been able to meet up with a friend who worked in the Peace Corps and is now spending about 4-6 months a year being a vagabond in South America. So far we have met up and travelled in Peru, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. We generally spend about a week or 2 in a place and then move on to the next location. So far, we have found places to stay through AirBnB that have been good, or else book at local hotels where the locals would stay (ie. they arent cookie cutter Holiday Inns). The hotels are usually basic with beds, tables bathrooms and a breakfast. As an example, we stayed at a hotel 3 blocks from the main square in Cajamarca Peru, in a very comfortable place with about 20 rooms for $25 US/night. In Europe we also tend to stay in the same place for a week at a time as well. In general, we look for places that are either near the downtown area where things are within walking distance, or near a transit line. No need for cars then. If here is somewhere that we want to go that is not easily accessible by public transit, we will take a small tour .

However, the real difference is in our attitude when travelling. I behave like we are living in he location, so we dont follow a fixed schedule. Sure, there are places that we want to see, but we usually get to them on our own time, not the tours schedule. We can sleep in when we want, decide to chill out if it is raining, go to a nice local restaurant when we want. Yes, it is more work and research than simply relying on a tour company to plan it all for you, but it is the way that we like to travel. Since I spent a lot of my pre-retirement career (that thing called "work") travelling for MegaCorp, I am very comfortable in foreign environments. I respect, though, that others prefer more structure and having someone else organize their travels. To each their own.

 

[BigNick]

As for blowing dough... Money is really funny stuff for me as I'd guess in different folks it is in different ways. I still can stand in front of a supermarket aisle for a minute or two and self debate about whether one product is worth the extra $0.20 just because that's the way I am. Or be kind of anal about flipping the water spigot to cold because even though I only want a cup of water, I wouldn't want the hot water heater wasting the energy to move a cup of water into the pipes. Anyway. But there I go, adding probably $13,000 to the price of a car because of color selection and I liked the look of the exhausts. And, after wringing my hands about the decision to even trade vehicles, I look at our finances post decision and spending the money and it's like "meh...no big deal. All good!" I still can't bring myself to upgrade to business though!

I just cashed in some holdings to raise the cash to replace the 20-year-old kitchen in our soon-to-be retirement apartment. I have always had the feeling that the manufacturers, resellers, and installers of kitchens have a cosy arrangement among themselves to keep the prices high and the true cost of goods sold obscure, but in this case we are also having a dividing wall between the small kitchen and the laundry space demolished, so there is no point in me fantasising that I could do more than 5% of the project myself. So like H2ODude, I am writing one nice fat cheque for what I know will be a well-done job, and it'll be back to recycling dryer sheets and getting groceries at Aldi the week after.

 

[DrRoy]

What we 'need' is only a 2% WR plus my modest pension. In light of the investments breaking out to an unexpected level, for next year I have planned to pull out a 'frothy' 2.8%, and among other things we are going to replace our boring painted pine stairway with stained oak and metal balusters for about $5K.

 

[KB]

I just got an Apple watch. I've wanted one for awhile and finally decided to just do it.

I've ordered a car that will arrive in about a week. 2020 Toyota Rav4 Limited Hybrid. Cant wait.

 

[jabbahop]

Rooftop solar installed. Hoping it will be sufficient to offset most of our AC and EV car charging. 70% of our electricity here is generated by coal so that was a factor for us.

 

[ckelly78z]

My DW was looking at building a "She shed" in our barnyard for her, and our DD to have a dedicated crafting place, where all of the supplies and tools are in one place that is easily accessible. We decided on an older travel trailer that already has plumbing, A/C, heat, and cabinets, so looking at a $1200 camper today.

 

[RobLJ]

We bought a Bolt last month after the solar panel installation, but next year, I may trade the Silverado for a Rav4 plug-in hybrid, because of the AWD (we ski a lot). That would cut our gas expenditures down to only long trips; the rest of driving would be largely fueled by the panels. The 49 miles per charge would cover my local driving & pretty much cover all but the longest drives to Sierra hikes.

I'm still thinking about it, but have a year or so to consider.

I just got an Apple watch. I've wanted one for awhile and finally decided to just do it.

I've ordered a car that will arrive in about a week. 2020 Toyota Rav4 Limited Hybrid. Cant wait.

 

[GravitySucks]

Got a porterhouse steak and king crab legs and cooked them up for DGF and me.
Way cheaper than eating out, but still a splurge.

 

[audreyh1]

Cool! Found something new for blowing that dough!
https://www.costco.com/covap jamon-...-and-knife,-15.4-lbs. .product.100519895.html

It's a fantastic deal for 100% bellota jamon Iberico. Usually these top quality legs go for at least 2x and far more expensive by the pound pre-sliced, without the stand and knife.

We're thinking about what to do with such a thing......

 

[NW-Bound]

^^^ Saw a similar ham at the local Costco, but it was the lesser Jamon Serrano and not Iberico like the above. The price ratio is 5x.

 

[audreyh1]

^^^ Saw a similar ham at the local Costco, but it was the lesser Jamon Serrano and not Iberico like the above. The price ratio is 5x.

We saw the exact above in Costco this week, which is why I looked it up online for possible home delivery - just $29 more for shipping.

And what we saw at the store was the 100% Bellota version. That is really premium jamon Iberico, the best you can get.

 

[NW-Bound]

You can invite the whole neighborhood over to partake. They will be talking about this for years to come. You need to find a good wine to pair with this.

Then, break out your Louis XIII Cognac at the end.

 

[aja8888]

We have our own ham's running around the neighborhood area. Real live ones! (feral) (we are just not allowed to shoot them near the houses) LOL

 

[RobbieB]

Ordered up a Corbin saddle for my Bonneville T100, six hundred bucks. My Christmas present to myself.

You should always buy yourself something you really want for Christmas because nobody else will -

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Ordered up a Corbin saddle for my Bonneville T100, six hundred bucks. My Christmas present to myself.

You should always buy yourself something you really want for Christmas because nobody else will -

Wow, you got off easy, that's dirt cheap for a saddle! Did you get that used? Oh, and what kind of horse is a Bonneville?


(For anyone whose memory might be anywhere near as bad as mine, I mentioned our horse expenditures many pages back in this thread! Luckily for me, I'm the tertiary caretaker, all I have to do is "pony" up the $$$$$...)

 

[audreyh1]

You can invite the whole neighborhood over to partake. They will be talking about this for years to come. You need to find a good wine to pair with this.

This is exactly what we were thinking about.

The wine choice is easy. A Reserve Rioja or Ribera del Duero will go perfectly. But if the neighbors are coming - they can bring the wine!

 

[aja8888]

You should always buy yourself something you really want for Christmas because nobody else will -

I did! I ordered myself a new multimeter.

I'm going to wrap it and put it under the tree, too!

 

[NW-Bound]

This is exactly what we were thinking about.

The wine choice is easy. A Reserve Rioja or Ribera del Duero will go perfectly. But if the neighbors are coming - they can bring the wine!

Some people recommend a good sherry, or a Cava Brut. Nothing too tannic or oaky, which overpowers the delicate jamon.

I would have my preferred bottle handy for myself, in case the neighbors do not bring the type I like.

We have our own ham's running around the neighborhood area. Real live ones! (feral) (we are just not allowed to shoot them near the houses) LOL

If that is turned into ham, I think you will need to knock it down with strong moonshine, and not some delicate wine.

Ordered up a Corbin saddle for my Bonneville T100, six hundred bucks. My Christmas present to myself.

You should always buy yourself something you really want for Christmas because nobody else will -

I did! I ordered myself a new multimeter.

I'm going to wrap it and put it under the tree, too!

I hope it's one of the new fangled DC clamp ammeters. Once you use it, you will wonder how people can measure any DC current without it. In fact, they rarely measure any current, because it was too cumbersome to break into the circuit, and they would not have the right shunt.

 

[aja8888]

I hope it's one of the new fangled DC clamp ammeters. Once you use it, you will wonder how people can measure any DC current without it. In fact, they rarely measure any current, because it was too cumbersome to break into the circuit, and they would not have the right shunt.

No, it's just a small conventional one to use in the garage as my 40+ year old Craftsman one died. But, I have to agree, the clamp on ones for measuring DC current can be handy.