Blow That Dough - 2022

[ScoopKona]

l continue throwing money at an air-cooled German car. It's tantalizingly close to being ready to ship to the farm. But I need to build a place to store it!

 

[athena53]

Jewelry has always been a serious weakness of mine but I've slowed down- I have plenty and rarely see something I can't live without. I've had my eye on this for the last 6 months and was waiting for a sale. Instead they said prices were going up 4/15. So, I pulled the trigger. I LOVE this site and will probably buy more- but not in the near future. Although the price is crazy compared to the intrinsic value of the materials, the work is exquisite, it's all made in Greece and they're giving 5% of the cost to Ukraine relief efforts so it's a good cause, right?

 

[bizlady]

jewelry has always been a serious weakness of mine but i've slowed down- i have plenty and rarely see something i can't live without. I've had my eye on this for the last 6 months and was waiting for a sale. Instead they said prices were going up 4/15. So, i pulled the trigger. I love this site and will probably buy more- but not in the near future. Although the price is crazy compared to the intrinsic value of the materials, the work is exquisite, it's all made in greece and they're giving 5% of the cost to ukraine relief efforts so it's a good cause, right? ;d

gorgeous piece!

 

[yakers]

Taking our first Road Scholar trip, overseas to Portugal, adding on days in nice hotels. Used to travel cheaper.

 

[Koolau]

Taking our first Road Scholar trip, overseas to Portugal, adding on days in nice hotels. Used to travel cheaper.

Yeah, didn't we all! Not only is everything more expensive now, but the old bones appreciate a bit more luxury than when we were "young" (you know, back in our 50s.)

 

[bltkmt]

Taking our first Road Scholar trip, overseas to Portugal, adding on days in nice hotels. Used to travel cheaper.

My parents did at least 65 Elderhostel/Road Scholar trips in their lifetime and loved them. I can't get my wife interested in them unfortunately....

 

[audreyh1]

Sounds like money well spent!

Exactly! What else are you saving it for?

 

[athena53]

My parents did at least 65 Elderhostel/Road Scholar trips in their lifetime and loved them. I can't get my wife interested in them unfortunately....

So.. go by yourself or take a kid or grandkid with you if you have them and they're up for it or maybe a friend. I've seen happy marriages where one partner has wanderlust and one is a homebody. Go for it!

 

[Chuckanut]

So.. go by yourself or take a kid or grandkid with you if you have them and they're up for it or maybe a friend. I've seen happy marriages where one partner has wanderlust and one is a homebody. Go for it!

Grandkid is a great idea. I know a lady who used to travel with her late husbland. After his death, every year she picks one grand child and lets him/her select a tour from one of several tour catalogs. When I met her she was with her 17 year old granddaughter. She mentioned how nice it was to have a young person to help with the luggage, etc.

 

[RobLJ]

So.. go by yourself or take a kid or grandkid with you if you have them and they're up for it or maybe a friend. I've seen happy marriages where one partner has wanderlust and one is a homebody. Go for it!

Two weeks ago we spent 4 nights and 5 days camping at Pinnacles National Park with our 4 year old grandson to celebrate his upcoming 5th birthday. What a hoot! He really enjoyed seeing the batcaves, turkeys, two coyotes trying to get the turkeys, condors, and the roving pack of raccoons that came out every night about 30 minutes after dark. And he entertained all the neighboring camper retirees. The day it rained we took him to the Monterey Aquarium--huge hit. It helped that he is able to hike 2-4 miles, even with elevation, if we took it very slow.

We're going to take his 2 year old brother to Santa Cruz in August to celebrate his 3rd birthday, but for only 2 nights.

I think taking grandkids on a US or overseas trip is a great idea. Some of my fond memories are with my Okla Granddad/Grandmom, who took one of us each summer to stay with them at their Colorado cabin that he had built himself outside Carbondale up the Crystal River valley, for about 20k-- 50 miles downvalley from Aspen. His own father had taken him there in the 1920s when he was a kid to camp on the Frying Pan River. One of the prettiest areas of the US; he taught me how to flyfish there. And he was a modest postal worker who saved and built his own place, so it wasn't luxurious by any means. My twin brother and I would sleep on the porch and freeze in July since it was at 7500 feet elevation, but I woke up to a huge stag coming up his gravel driveway one morning at about 5:30 am.

Enjoy your grandkids--while you can.


Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.


The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.


That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

 

[Christine]

Jewelry has always been a serious weakness of mine but I've slowed down- I have plenty and rarely see something I can't live without. I've had my eye on this for the last 6 months and was waiting for a sale. Instead they said prices were going up 4/15. So, I pulled the trigger. I LOVE this site and will probably buy more- but not in the near future. Although the price is crazy compared to the intrinsic value of the materials, the work is exquisite, it's all made in Greece and they're giving 5% of the cost to Ukraine relief efforts so it's a good cause, right?

Very pretty - had to check out the site. My WOOT list just got longer.

 

[Stwicky]

The wife and I spent January and February traveling around Spain and Portugal. Lovely.

 

[PageTwo]

I'm about to spend 50K on a renovation of my patio and backyard. A big project but badly needed as the outdoor spaces of the house didn't get much TLC during my w*rking years.

Not the easiest decision to make in a down market when you don't "feel" rich (I know it's [-]all[/-] mostly in my head!) I want to avoid selling stocks for a few more months so I'll burn a portion of the cash I have in my emergency fund and see what happens with the markets. I know it's a gamble and that it can turn against me, but I can't get myself to sell anything now! I also don't want to delay the project, I've been truly looking forward to a nicer backyard for a while.

 

[W2R]

I'm about to spend 50K on a renovation of my patio and backyard. A big project but badly needed as the outdoor spaces of the house didn't get much TLC during my w*rking years.

Not the easiest decision to make in a down market when you don't "feel" rich (I know it's [-]all[/-] mostly in my head!) I want to avoid selling stocks for a few more months so I'll burn a portion of the cash I have in my emergency fund and see what happens with the markets. I know it's a gamble and that it can turn against me, but I can't get myself to sell anything now! I also don't want to delay the project, I've been truly looking forward to a nicer backyard for a while.

Great decision (even if not an easy one)! When I first bought this house the yard was a wildly overgrown jungle with gargantuan trees wrapped around the power lines, thick impenetrable bushes everywhere providing homes for rats, bugs, etc. So as soon as I moved in I fixed that. I had my landscaping completely redone, removing all the trees and bushes. Then I had the concrete work, sidewalks, concrete walkways, and patio re-done, the yard re-graded, new dirt put in, and then had the grass re-sodded. All was done with low maintenance in mind. What a wonderful improvement to my retired life - - I got a lawn guy to mow, and I haven't personally had to do even 5 minutes of yard work since the new grass took hold, six years ago.

And just think - - it may seem expensive for you to do this project, but it's a one time expense. Also it's nowhere near as bad as buying another house right now, which many others all over the country have been doing this past year or two.

 

[Koolau]

Jewelry has always been a serious weakness of mine but I've slowed down- I have plenty and rarely see something I can't live without. I've had my eye on this for the last 6 months and was waiting for a sale. Instead they said prices were going up 4/15. So, I pulled the trigger. I LOVE this site and will probably buy more- but not in the near future. Although the price is crazy compared to the intrinsic value of the materials, the work is exquisite, it's all made in Greece and they're giving 5% of the cost to Ukraine relief efforts so it's a good cause, right?

DW and I both have long been into gold chains (for her.) She too has a weakness for rings as well. I usually let her buy her own rings as my taste in rings is not her taste. Over the years, I often gave her a neck chain or even neck with matching ankle and wrist chain. Talk about BTD! One day, we were reviewing what she had and realized we had a fair commitment to Precious Metals, just in her jewelry. With the increase in value of PMs, she has quite an investment should worse come to worst. She appreciates that aspect but mostly just likes the "bauble" aspect of jewelry. YMMV

 

[NW-Bound]

The wife and I spent January and February traveling around Spain and Portugal. Lovely.

My kind of BTD, if my wife can find someone to look after her mother for that long a period.

 

[Sue J]

Jewelry has always been a serious weakness of mine but I've slowed down- I have plenty and rarely see something I can't live without. I've had my eye on this for the last 6 months and was waiting for a sale. Instead they said prices were going up 4/15. So, I pulled the trigger. I LOVE this site and will probably buy more- but not in the near future. Although the price is crazy compared to the intrinsic value of the materials, the work is exquisite, it's all made in Greece and they're giving 5% of the cost to Ukraine relief efforts so it's a good cause, right?

Oh, that's beautiful! And there is a matching ring!

 

[RobbieB]

Bought the 1979 Johnson 15 HP 2 stroke after seeing it run in a tank. Starts easy and runs smooth.

 

[Sunset]

DW and I both have long been into gold chains (for her.) She too has a weakness for rings as well. I usually let her buy her own rings as my taste in rings is not her taste. Over the years, I often gave her a neck chain or even neck with matching ankle and wrist chain. Talk about BTD! One day, we were reviewing what she had and realized we had a fair commitment to Precious Metals, just in her jewelry. With the increase in value of PMs, she has quite an investment should worse come to worst. She appreciates that aspect but mostly just likes the "bauble" aspect of jewelry. YMMV

Sadly jewelry is worth a small fraction of the paid price once the customer walks out the door.

But it can be pretty.

 

[Luvtoride]

Sadly jewelry is worth a small fraction of the paid price once the customer walks out the door.

But it can be pretty.

Except if it’s luxury watches! We have bought a couple of Rolex watches over the past year…yes big BTD purchases but these will hold/ increase in value. One Jeweler we deal with has offered us several thousand more than we bought the watches for (at authorized Rolex dealer) making these our best % increase performing Assets in our portfolio over that time! Lol.

 

[VanWinkle]

Bought 2 E-bikes after test driving a friends bike in Florida this winter. I'm waiting for the weather to warm here before riding them.

 

[street]

Bought the 1979 Johnson 15 HP 2 stroke after seeing it run in a tank. Starts easy and runs smooth.

That will be a great motor for you. Need to fire them up often is the best maintenance you can do for those two strokes.

I had a 25 hp and was a great dependable motor.

 

[athena53]

Sadly jewelry is worth a small fraction of the paid price once the customer walks out the door.

But it can be pretty.

I agree- no fantasy that it's an "investment". I did get really good prices, maybe 22% above meltdown value, when I bought 22k gold jewelry in India over the years. What I've seen from "we buy gold" places is about half the meltdown value of the gold.

 

[Koolau]

Sadly jewelry is worth a small fraction of the paid price once the customer walks out the door.

But it can be pretty.

Heh, heh, not in our case. I buy used from trusted pawn brokers and gold dealers I've known for years. I weigh each piece and calculate the "jewelry" premium. I've never paid more than 30% above the gold value. Well, once I did - my first time. Probably my "worst" deal. It was the first chain I bought for DW. It was 0.75 (18 Karat) and weighed 36(+) grams which translates to almost exactly .9 TR OZ. At the time, Gold was going for about $450/TR OZ and I paid almost $600 for the chain. So I paid a premium of about 50% for the jewelry. That's okay. That piece is DW's and my favorite of all her jewelry (well, besides her wedding set.)

In the "trusting your dealer department": The clasp on DW's chain finally broke and we took it to our favorite "guy." He replaced the clasp and gave us a few dollars. Huh? He explained that the gold value of the new clasp was less than the old one (Don't recall if the new clasp was even gold - probably 10K.) So for his service, he took the .75 gold clasp and gave us the difference. He also offered to give us back the gold clasp and charge the fee.

I've heard it said that gold is like real estate. You never pay too much, you just buy too early or too late. Today the gold value of the chain is about $1700. Of course, that $600 invested in the S&P 500 back then would be worth more than $1700. But, DW can't wear the S&P so YMMV.

 

[RobbieB]

That will be a great motor for you. Need to fire them up often is the best maintenance you can do for those two strokes.

I had a 25 hp and was a great dependable motor.

Yeah, I never had a problem with the carbs gumming with my 2 stroke OB's, the oil mix has fuel stabilizer in it. I've gone out to my boats and fired right up after sitting 6 months or more. Can't say that about my 4 stroke motorcycles.