More frugal now that you are retired?

[Mulligan]

Eh, nobody ever accuses me of being optimistic. And I have been disappointed a few times. I have always chuckled when reading about people's plan to live to 100. The fully ambulatory 90 year old ones you see at the airport, surely who would not want to be like that. But I have seen the 70-year old in really bad shape in nursing homes and hospitals. Those, the public does not see too often, and also not the ones already ended up in urns, or sprinkled around places. Spend, spend, spend...

I agree with you 100%, but it sure would help me in planning to spend this extra money by having a more accurate estimate of what age I am going to fall apart. BTW- funny you mention an ambulatory 90 yr. old. I was taking my father to a doctor appt yesterday and a 90 year old man was showing me his recent scar in the doctors office. He took the opportunity a few weeks ago of a large snow pile pushed up from the city snow plow next to a tree to cut a limb down. The chain saw fell out of his hands and gashed his leg a bit while on the snow pile. His daughter who took him there to the unrelated appointment was not happy hearing him brag about the story again.

 

[NW-Bound]

Despite my gloomy outlook, I may just last till my 80s, but from the people that I have seen like my mother, my inlaws, and other relatives, most people slow down quite a bit. And other than travel, there is already not much I care to spend money on. So, I think I should step up in that area, while I still can instead of waiting until later when life enjoyment may not entail more than a rocking chair or a swing on the deck, with a petunia pot by my side.

And speaking of travel, it's not like we have deprived ourself. We always took two domestic vacation trips a year when we were working. In the last 12 years, we have stepped that up to as much as two international trips and two domestic trips a year. Since getting the RV, I have done a couple of month-long trips a year. When my health recovers, will want to intersperse one or two international trips a year there too.

Spend, spend, spend...

 

[ERD50]

... I have always chuckled when reading about people's plan to live to 100. ...

I think there is a big difference between 'planning to live to 100' and having a plan 'in case you live to 100'.

While I don't expect to live to 100, who knows? Or maybe my spouse will? I don't want to be a burden on my kids if I do. And I want to have resources for good care if I do.

So I used to run FIRECalc for 45 years, I guess I can move that back to 40 years this year. Time flies.

-ERD50

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

And I can only eat and drink so much.

It's about quality not quantity.

For instance, organics, nicer restaurants, premium liquors, a private chef if you really have extra cash to burn...

 

[NW-Bound]

I would not care about private chef, even if I were that rich. I get more fun out of learning to cook myself.

In terms of higher quality, it does not necessarily mean higher cost. It's diminishing return after a certain point. While I like filet mignon, it does not taste better than a good rib-eye for example, and often less. And as my taste bud is getting dull, I can barely tell the difference between XO cognac and VSOP now. Also, after having prosciutto for a few days, I start to crave for plain American ham. I do not normally eat at McDonalds, but after a week or two in Europe, a hamburger really hits the spot. It's not always that more money brings more pleasure.

I read a book by Anthony Bourdain, where he said that cooks at fancy restaurants often ate cheap stuff like Kentucky fried chicken when they got together after work hours. It's comfort food!