Blow that Dough 2023

[jeroly]

Excellent BTDs. Do feel free to PM us regarding the national parks here. We live close to Rainier and our new home is in the rain shadow of the Olympics.
The lodge at Hurricane Ridge burned down this spring so that area is closed but it may open up by the time you get here. We know the parks well.

Thanks, skyking1!

I had another BTD moment related to the hiking trip...

I was able to book campgrounds in both Olympic and North Cascades NP at which I will set up my tent, but Mount Rainier was another story - all the campgrounds were booked except for the two most appealing ones - and those only take reservations the day before. Since I will be coming directly from Olympic NP to MRNP it would have involved getting up at the crack of dawn, hightailing it to a place where I could get an internet connection, and only then starting my hiking day on my second day in the park - not only a real PITA but very stressfull as there would be no guarantee that I'd get a campsite after all that!

So I blew all the dough I saved through my senior discount (half price with a senior parks pass) plus (quite) a bit more and booked a room for two nights at the Paradise Inn. It's around $215/night -a tad higher than the $10 (reduced from $20) campground fee! It's right in Paradise, the prime hiking area of the park, and is iconic in its own right as it's apparently the first US National Parks lodge - and having it booked means that everything is set for my trip without a need to scramble for a campsite reservation.
____________________________________

BTW - here's a way not to blow more dough than you need to when it comes to $80 lifetime senior National Park passes... the problem with the lifetime pass is that if you lose it it can't be replaced, you have to buy a new one. Apparently, though, you can buy an annual senior pass and then apply its cost to the purchase of a lifetime pass - so if you lose it in the first year you're only out $20 instead of $80!

 

[street]

With high spending this year so far with complete kitchen remodeling plus floor which I will start soon. Plus, riding lawn mower, I hope the bleeding stops soon. Lol

Even though the spending doesn't affect us financially, the frugal part of me doesn't like the spending.

 

[5Miler]

Heh, heh, wait 'til you buy ammo!

I roll my own.

 

[audreyh1]

Thanks, skyking1!

I had another BTD moment related to the hiking trip...

I was able to book campgrounds in both Olympic and North Cascades NP at which I will set up my tent, but Mount Rainier was another story - all the campgrounds were booked except for the two most appealing ones - and those only take reservations the day before. Since I will be coming directly from Olympic NP to MRNP it would have involved getting up at the crack of dawn, hightailing it to a place where I could get an internet connection, and only then starting my hiking day on my second day in the park - not only a real PITA but very stressfull as there would be no guarantee that I'd get a campsite after all that!

So I blew all the dough I saved through my senior discount (half price with a senior parks pass) plus (quite) a bit more and booked a room for two nights at the Paradise Inn. It's around $215/night -a tad higher than the $10 (reduced from $20) campground fee! It's right in Paradise, the prime hiking area of the park, and is iconic in its own right as it's apparently the first US National Parks lodge - and having it booked means that everything is set for my trip without a need to scramble for a campsite reservation.
____________________________________

BTW - here's a way not to blow more dough than you need to when it comes to $80 lifetime senior National Park passes... the problem with the lifetime pass is that if you lose it it can't be replaced, you have to buy a new one. Apparently, though, you can buy an annual senior pass and then apply its cost to the purchase of a lifetime pass - so if you lose it in the first year you're only out $20 instead of $80!

I hope to stay in Paradise one of these years.

 

[ls99]

Minor BTD, new queen size matress.

 

[pacergal]

Just back from our family trip to the Oregon coast, rented a lovely house right on the beach in Depoe Bay.
$8500 all in, house, food, one restaurant meal, some shopping with DD. Not bad for 7 of us, 5 days. Well worth making memories with the DGKs!

 

[marko]

We just installed a new, small swimming pool. I was not in favor, DW wanted it, but now I'm glad we did it.

Now, for the BTD: Our next door neighbor just completed his new pool. $300,000 and a full year of construction! Yeah, here in New England where the pool season is about 8 weeks long! About $30k just for furniture.

He said he expected it to run about $100k but he ran into all sorts of problems and delays. The thing is gorgeous and something you'd see more at a high end hotel, but....he seems happy. Broke but happy.

 

[ElizabethT]

Just booked our first cruise on a true luxury line, a 21 day trip from N. Europe to Boston, including stops in Greenland among many others like Norway and Iceland. D#mn I'm excited to see Greenland, which has polar bears among other unknowns!

 

[marko]

Just booked our first cruise on a true luxury line, a 21 day trip from N. Europe to Boston, including stops in Greenland among many others like Norway and Iceland. D#mn I'm excited to see Greenland, which has polar bears among other unknowns!

This sounds like a Hurtigruten cruise, no?

 

[explanade]

Saw a Viking Cruises commercials for Antartica. They show passengers watching scientists in some lab on board.

Then they showed a big picture window with glaciers and ice floes outside and I sweat some passenger on the other side of the window were in an indoor swimming pool or hot tub.

That's got to be one big BTD.


Starts at just under $12000 but it could go several times that.

https://www.vikingcruises.com/exped...ions/antarctica/antarctic-explorer/index.html

Thing about that video is a lot of the spectacular scenery was shot from the air, as opposed to from on board the ship, on kayaks, maybe on a glacier. Are you allowed to get close to the penguins? Are they feeding them to draw them near?

 

[Koolau]

We just installed a new, small swimming pool. I was not in favor, DW wanted it, but now I'm glad we did it.

Now, for the BTD: Our next door neighbor just completed his new pool. $300,000 and a full year of construction! Yeah, here in New England where the pool season is about 8 weeks long! About $30k just for furniture.

He said he expected it to run about $100k but he ran into all sorts of problems and delays. The thing is gorgeous and something you'd see more at a high end hotel, but....he seems happy. Broke but happy.

Hmmm - I never knew that July 10 to August 15 was 8 weeks!

 

[ElizabethT]

This sounds like a Hurtigruten cruise, no?

No, not Hurtigruten. I don't think they are a luxury line, though I do have a goal to sail on them in Norway some day. I love that they do port-to-port drops after some of their excursions.

 

[marko]

No, not Hurtigruten. I don't think they are a luxury line, though I do have a goal to sail on them in Norway some day. I love that they do port-to-port drops after some of their excursions.

I consulted for them for awhile and yes they are not a luxury line and deliberately aim not to be. But they do have some nice places that they visit. They used to have a 30+ day run from Norway, through the Panama Canal and down to Antarctica for about $12k.

I really hope you enjoy your trip!! Sounds like a blast.

 

[DrRoy]

A local jewelry store is having a Going Out of Business sale. We went up there last week and mostly looked at diamond earrings. The top two contenders were a set of lab grown 1.5 ct studs for $999, and .6 ct clusters for $1009. I really thought the studs were amazing and a great price, but DW thought people would not think they were real diamonds, and that the cluster 'spoke' to her. I told her to get the ones that she liked. Now I wonder if I should see if the other ones are still available.

 

[Badger]

A local jewelry store is having a Going Out of Business sale. We went up there last week and mostly looked at diamond earrings. The top two contenders were a set of lab grown 1.5 ct studs for $999, and .6 ct clusters for $1009. I really thought the studs were amazing and a great price, but DW thought people would not think they were real diamonds, and that the cluster 'spoke' to her. I told her to get the ones that she liked. Now I wonder if I should see if the other ones are still available.

You may already be aware but price is also based on color and clarity. A good jewelry store will teach you and provide comparisons for you to see the differences. The store should also supply you with documentation and guarantee but if they are going out of business the guarantee may be worthless.

Cheers!

 

[DrRoy]

A local jewelry store is having a Going Out of Business sale. We went up there last week and mostly looked at diamond earrings. The top two contenders were a set of lab grown 1.5 ct studs for $999, and .6 ct clusters for $1009. I really thought the studs were amazing and a great price, but DW thought people would not think they were real diamonds, and that the cluster 'spoke' to her. I told her to get the ones that she liked. Now I wonder if I should see if the other ones are still available.

You may already be aware but price is also based on color and clarity. A good jewelry store will teach you and provide comparisons for you to see the differences.

Cheers!

Yes, I am already aware of the four C's of diamonds. I mentioned that the stud solitaire set was lab grown, so by definition flawless. That was never part of the issue.

BTW, I did go back and BTD on the second pair of earrings. They were just too good to pass up.

 

[timbervest]

Just booked 10 days in Iceland for an adventure with DS in November -- Northern Lights, ice caving, glacier, hot springs, and hopefully the volcano will be open again by then. Can't wait??

 

[TrvlBug]

Just booked 10 days in Iceland for an adventure with DS in November -- Northern Lights, ice caving, glacier, hot springs, and hopefully the volcano will be open again by then. Can't wait??

I'm jealous. Iceland is on my bucket list. Have a wonderful time.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I watched the YouTube videos on Iceland. I am not sure I would like to visit but I do like the Videos. I watch "Iceland with a view" she is pretty good.

 

[steady saver]

Just booked 10 days in Iceland for an adventure with DS in November -- Northern Lights, ice caving, glacier, hot springs, and hopefully the volcano will be open again by then. Can't wait??

Nice! My sister and BIL went to Iceland to see the Northern Lights mostly. They had a wonderful time and I'm sure you will too.

Congrats for blowing that dough on a neat experience!

 

[Teacher Terry]

My kids went to Iceland and said it was absolutely beautiful! I have seen the pictures and you will love it.

 

[DrRoy]

Just booked 10 days in Iceland for an adventure with DS in November -- Northern Lights, ice caving, glacier, hot springs, and hopefully the volcano will be open again by then. Can't wait??

I went in 2021.

 

[timbervest]

I went in 2021.

Nice photos!

 

[Koolau]

^^^^^^

Truly amazing!

 

[wmc1000]

Getting bids to add a 16x16 gable end screened in porch with a 28' diameter circular concrete patio extending out from it. Porch floor will be concrete also but need to be 14" above the ground level patio so the step out from the house is only 4" down. Hoping to stay under 50k!

Completed last week at a total cost of "only" $32K so we also had our 3000 sq ft. driveway/parking upgraded from gravel to concrete for $13K so we stayed under $50K for both projects!, excluding the furniture we now need to buy.