COVID Silver Linings?

[pacergal]

My refund from cancelled flight on Alaska was sitting in the "my wallet" account, due to expire before I thought we would be able to fly safely.
I received an offer for exchange of 100 miles for every $1. The miles don't expire.
Seemed like a good deal, so I took it.

 

[braumeister]

My refund from cancelled flight on Alaska was sitting in the "my wallet" account, due to expire before I thought we would be able to fly safely.
I received an offer for exchange of 100 miles for every $1. The miles don't expire.
Seemed like a good deal, so I took it.

Probably a good decision. For several reasons, Alaska Air miles are considered the most valuable ones in the business.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I disputed the airfare with my CC and got a refund for 1700.

 

[Tekward]

Zoom Teaching

I'm still teaching in retirement - mostly a no-cost class for veterans. Zoom has greatly expanded my reach, to the point I have done many more classes in 2020 (my 34th class is next month, after starting in 2013). It is very cool to teach great veterans deployed in Naples and Africa.

I used to worry that moving to a lower cost state would cause me to lose my veteran network and limit my training classes, but now I can go anywhere. My stretch goal is 1,000 veterans trained and that will take several more years (now at ~550 - hopefully before I turn 70).

 

[Lsbcal]

I'm still teaching in retirement - mostly a no-cost class for veterans. Zoom has greatly expanded my reach, to the point I have done many more classes in 2020 (my 34th class is next month, after starting in 2013). It is very cool to teach great veterans deployed in Naples and Africa.

I used to worry that moving to a lower cost state would cause me to lose my veteran network and limit my training classes, but now I can go anywhere. My stretch goal is 1,000 veterans trained and that will take several more years (now at ~550 - hopefully before I turn 70).

Cool. What are you teaching?

 

[Tekward]

It's an 8 hour Lean Six Sigma course with exam & certification. I have a wait list and prioritize unemployed &/or transitioning veterans. I'm paying it forward after 38 years in uniform.

 

[Bigdawg]

I'm paying it forward after 38 years in uniform.

Thanks for giving back. The Corps doesn't let people do 38 years. Which service? Reserves?

 

[ohyes]

Love your story. Thank you for sharing.

I started dating during the pandemic after losing my DW of 45 years in May of 2019. By starting to date during the pandemic, I was able to spend time sitting in a park and talking for hours with the person I met on Christian Mingle. She was also a widow, and we had so much in common. During normal times, and the usual dinner date, I would have never learned so much about this person.... She intends to retire at the
end of this year and we hope to begin traveling and enjoying each others company on a regular basis. This has had a profound effect on my loneliness
and my children are very happy for me.

 

[2017ish]

Spending less on travel this year, which is mixed blessing. BUT, Alaska was great during June and July with no crowds, as was Honduras for diving in September. (Northern Wisconsin and U.P. of Michigan, however, were pretty crowded in late September/November.)

 

[FIYes]

I have taken up oil painting. I am taking a Zoom class and enjoying it a great deal. So far, no masterpieces, ha, ha. In fact, I have used the nice weather to be out in the garage and paint/gesso over my paintings so that I can reuse the canvases.

 

[athena53]

Two more good changes: I just returned from a road trip from KC to SC to visit family (Dad is in LTC and siblings nearby) and have started taking a cooler and a full supply of snacks and drinks with me after encountering too many places along the way where the employees couldn't be bothered to wear masks. I'm finding that it shortens my pit stops a lot- no browsing the shelves of convenience stores looking for something with honest ingredients (NOT the mystery Meat on the roller grill!) and trying to make a sensible selection or waiting for a Subway sandwich. Sometimes if I don't need gas I can use the highway rest stops, which are even faster.

Another bonus: the travel industry is welcoming leisure travelers with open arms after realizing that Business travel is unlikely to pick up in the near future. Cancellation provisions are more flexible, status extended and up till 10/1 I was getting double points on Hilton stays. Still haven't gotten the nerve to fly, though.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

More time with my cat =)

 

[braumeister]

started taking a cooler and a full supply of snacks and drinks with me

That's what we've done on all our road trips this year. Many highway rest areas were really nice, with picnic tables in shaded areas. But even just sitting in the car to eat was pleasant.

This has also been a wonderful help:
https://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/car-coolers-104857.html

 

[2017ish]

Two more good changes: I just returned from a road trip [and] ... have started taking a cooler and a full supply of snacks and drinks with me after encountering too many places along the way where the employees couldn't be bothered to wear masks. I'm finding that it shortens my pit stops a lot- no browsing the shelves of convenience stores looking for something with honest ingredients (NOT the mystery Meat on the roller grill!) and trying to make a sensible selection or waiting for a Subway sandwich. Sometimes if I don't need gas I can use the highway rest stops, which are even faster.

...

This also has been great for us in retirement. We do it on all of our domestic road trips. Rest areas, parking lot at parks, wide shoulder on the road, wherever! Luckily, neither of us gets tired of having the same lunch "menu" for months at a time. We've actually upgraded to a Yeti knockoff from Walmart and stock up for a week or two at a time--including simple syrup and other drink ingredients for the evenings as well.

 

[harllee]

I am saving so much money--I really never realized how much money I was spending on eating out and fast food. Plus what I eat at home is much healthier.

 

[audreyh1]

Two more good changes: I just returned from a road trip from KC to SC to visit family (Dad is in LTC and siblings nearby) and have started taking a cooler and a full supply of snacks and drinks with me after encountering too many places along the way where the employees couldn't be bothered to wear masks. I'm finding that it shortens my pit stops a lot- no browsing the shelves of convenience stores looking for something with honest ingredients (NOT the mystery Meat on the roller grill!) and trying to make a sensible selection or waiting for a Subway sandwich. Sometimes if I don't need gas I can use the highway rest stops, which are even faster.

Yes, this is what we have done. Also we take whole meals (simple stuff like stews, crustless quiches) plus a set of dish ware for heating breakfast and dinner in the microwave. Saves time, good food, don’t have to deal with restaurants even carry out.

 

[fromtx]

X

 

[Finance Dave]

Almost started a new thread, then saw this one.

We have saved an enormous amount of money due to the pandemic....although not by choice lol.

A large portion of our budget is going out to eat/drink. We spend about $60 on a typical meal, and used to go out about 3x/week. We also avoided going out at all when the pandemic first hit...just going for "curbside touchless" groceries...so our gas costs went way down. Lastly, we have not taken any vacations this year...and won't until next year...and we typically budget about $15k/year for vacations.

As a result of all the above, our spending will be down this year about $30k versus most past recent years.

I told my DW, when this thing clears up, we're going to make up for it lol.