Blow that Dough 2024

Status
Not open for further replies.
I noticed we lost a few members towards the end of 2023. I wonder if that is when the forum upgrade occurred. Been BTD on Ukulele's lately. A new hobby. Currently awaiting a custom Mango Tenor that is being built by a Luthier on Big Island.
 
Fermion said:
Just spent about $6,000 upgrading one of our small sailboats to attempt the 6000 mile Great Loop under sail/electric power only. This included a 6kW electric outboard, 10kwh of battery and 600 watts of CIGS flexible solar. Motor is overkill for this size boat, equivalent to about a 9.9hp gas.
Click to expand...
I was just reading up on the Great Loop the other day. I do hope you share your adventures about your journey. I'm particularly intrigued by the electric drive train performance!
 
DW and I are heading to Bermuda for our twice a year visit along with BIL and SIL in a few weeks. Been doing it for decades.

Pro: Easy 2 hour flight from Boston, easy immigration, beautiful uncrowded island and lovely people. Really low key, upscale and "civilized".

Con: Really expensive. Five days run about $10k for the two of us. BTD and worth every penny.
 
Last edited:
Spent 6 nights in Vancouver BC. Took a ferry to Vancouver Island for 6 nights. Rented a VRBO overlooking the wild Pacific Rim Sound in a small fishing village called Tofino. Salmon, sushi, mussels like I've never had. Tofino has approx. 1800 residents and many indigenous communities on various islands protected by law. No tourists allowed to native lands and only accessible by boat. Stunning beauty, whales, sea otters, eagles galore. Highly recommend if you're into a remote type vaca. The city of Vancouver, well a city. Great restaurants with every ethnic flavor you can think of.
 
Found out that these (VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1000 Power Station 828Wh) are extremely handy for having around the house. Sold my smaller, tester (gave it a year to see the use) to a client for a lesser need. Bought 2 of the newer, larger units (1 for us, 1 for the kids). Quicker charge and larger inverter (better for electronics & fridges).

I also got their jumper cable for the cars. Between losing power at the house, w*rk off site, having a car refrigerator, camping and jumping cars, I'm surprised that I use it so much.

A client couldn't get her gate open to exit her garage, so she put a plug on the gate opener and it gives her the option to use it too.
 
marko said:
DW and I are heading to Bermuda for our twice a year visit along with BIL and SIL in a few weeks. Been doing it for decades.

Pro: Easy 2 hour flight from Boston, easy immigration, beautiful uncrowded island and lovely people. Really low key, upscale and "civilized".

Con: Really expensive. Five days run about $10k. BTD and worth every penny.
Click to expand...
I couldn’t believe Ernesto hit a bullseye in Bermuda - such a tiny place in a huge ocean and to have the eye of the hurricane pass right over. Hopefully they didn’t experience much worse than power outages.
 
audreyh1 said:
I couldn’t believe Ernesto hit a bullseye in Bermuda - such a tiny place in a huge ocean and to have the eye of the hurricane pass right over. Hopefully they didn’t experience much worse than power outages.
Click to expand...
They're quite equipped for such storms. They usually look at them like we might view a heavy snow storm; more of a one or two day inconvenience than a massive problem.

Two years ago (?) we were there when one passed very close by. We had to eat at our hotel restaurant that night but by morning everything was back to normal.
 
We're off to North Cali coast for a week and then meeting 30+ friends from LA, in Mammoth Lakes for week 2. Second year for Mammoth and friends. BTD & BTH (beat the heat).

It's stupid hot in TX...and below freezing there in a couple days.
 
I did not see the small BTD thread so posting here...

Went out last night for our anniversary and did Outback... LOVED the steak, did the bloomin onion etc...

Final bill about $120 total but I have at least 3 and probably 4 more meals out of it (due to DW leaving to visit DD and leaving her meal LOL)...
 
Fermion said:
Just spent about $6,000 upgrading one of our small sailboats to attempt the 6000 mile Great Loop under sail/electric power only. This included a 6kW electric outboard, 10kwh of battery and 600 watts of CIGS flexible solar. Motor is overkill for this size boat, equivalent to about a 9.9hp gas.
Click to expand...
I was pretty serious about doing the Great Loop for a while. I've got a whole library on the topic. Had a specific boat picked-out (crazy nuts BTD for me...a trawler that was ultimate in comfort and handling and still able to get it on a trailer). I lobbied pretty hard, but my wife wouldn't budge. And I wasn't doing it alone. Oh well. Those grapes were sour anyway.
 
I finally have something to post in the BTD thread!

Well we really did blow that dough on travel in 2024 with our 6 week Europe trip. It was a blast. In April we did a 3 week road trip that included several locations in Arizona especially 4 nights at Grand Canyon NP South Rim which was awesome. We have one trip left - heading soon to Grand Teton NP for 2 weeks including 3 nights at Jenny Lake Lodge definitely BTD. This will be our 5th trip to Grand Teton NP but somehow it has been >20 years since our last one.

However next year looks like even bigger BTD - just signed up for 2 National Geographic expeditions in Europe thus $$$. The second is a Nat Geo Lindblad Cruise (small ship) visiting the larger Mediterranean islands. We haven’t been on a cruise since 2002 I think and they were all very small boats. endimg the time between the two trips in Catalonia Spain. This trip will probably be around 6 weeks total including a pre-trip family visit and cruise extension. We saved some money though, all the higher end cabins were already sold out Ha Ha.
 
So far this year, we have spent $39,000 on travel, not including any trips that did not get on an airplane. This is about a half of our total spending so far this year, including taxes on everything, i.e., Roth conversion. I just wanted to see how much we could spend in a year without major restrictions. We are not wasting money, I am still buying Basic Economy seats when travel, not even the regular economy seats.
 
flyingaway said:
So far this year, we have spent $39,000 on travel, not including any trips that did not get on an airplane. This is about a half of our total spending so far this year, including taxes on everything, i.e., Roth conversion. I just wanted to see how much we could spend in a year without major restrictions. We are not wasting money, I am still buying Basic Economy seats when travel, not even the regular economy seats.
Click to expand...
I assume you aren’t paying for fancy hotels either. That must represent a whole lot of travel!
 
Our Alaska trip is on! Yesterday we bought a motorhome and are driving it up to the cabin today. I'll add solar panels and upgrade the house batteries (probably LiFePO4) and a few other things. Then store it for the winter. We plan to leave early June. Oh and a good friend called me last night. He and his wife want to follow along also.
 
folivier said:
Our Alaska trip is on! Yesterday we bought a motorhome and are driving it up to the cabin today. I'll add solar panels and upgrade the house batteries (probably LiFePO4) and a few other things. Then store it for the winter. We plan to leave early June. Oh and a good friend called me last night. He and his wife want to follow along also.
Click to expand...
Congratulations. We were supposed to do that with two other couples this year but it didn't work out. How long will you be gone? We planned on close to 3 months. It still may happen next year.
 
I bought an ebike! I have wanted one for a long time and yesterday I went out, picked one out with a new helmet and they are delivering it later today. After a long and happy friendship, I am selling my regular bike. The hills just get harder and harder for me and I still want to ride.
 
In Mendocino right now & driving the avenue of giants today to Trinidad for a few nights. Then on to Mammoth Lakes for the rest of the week, meeting friends there. Getting to zoom around in a Volkswagen golf GTI. Like a rally car on a twisted route.
 
AudiDudi we're leaving late May and will probably spend 3-5 months on our trip. Not really planning yet except for a couple weeks stay at a friend's brother's 80 acre place on a small lake. He's centrally located so a good place to sightsee from. And his in-laws have a reindeer farm. Probably do a glacier flight and a halibut trip. Whale watching, glacier cruise. Trip on the Dempsey hwy to the Arctic.
 
My 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk was starting to have too many problems. We sold our motorhome and my wife drives an SUV so I no longer need a SUV. I have always enjoyed driving and have owned sports cars most of my life, including a Porsche 911 and 2 BMW’s. So, I gave myself a nice 70th birthday present, a new Lexus RC 350 F Sport.

I did a lot of research and this car fit my criteria perfectly; sporty, beautiful, very luxurious and comfortable, and very reliable. I’m sure that most people here would have different criteria, but this car puts a smile on my face every time I hop inside.

IMG_1219.jpeg

IMG_1218.jpeg
 
Received a Ford Maverick Laredo yesterday. Ordered it in June. Went all out and got every option.
Haven’t had a pickup since I was 17, this is a bit different than that ‘67 International.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

W
  • Poll
Blow that dough vs. am I prepared to retire - poll
2
CalBird
C
G
HSA Contributions for 2024 incorrect on W2 Form – What to enter in TurboTax?
G-Man
G
S
2024 Year-End Distributions
2 3 4
Original Wally
O
S
Year 1 update
Koolau
Koolau
latexman
SS Estimates after Retirement
audreyh1
audreyh1

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom