RE Indulgences... what are they and what are they costing you each year?

[audreyh1]

I don't know a single person that started a new hobby when they retired. If you didn't care enough to do it before retirement you probably won't start it at retirement. What retirement does give you is more time to do the things you enjoy, so depending on what those things are your expenses might go up.

- if you like travel you might do more and spend more money
- if you like golf you might golf more, but that may or may not cost more if you had a membership anyway

Here’s one. We started several new ones after retiring and got rid of old ones. Retirement changed everything.

 

[RetireAge50]

We spent $70,000 on an RV and have averaged about 25k per year on international travel. Both of these are new to us since retirement. Golf and home improvements have also increased.

 

[brett]

Four months of international travel each year, occasionally more. Plus some NA travel from time to time.

Keep a convertible maintained only drive it for a few months in the summer.

 

[Live And Learn]

As others have said, the main indulgence is sleeping in and not answering ridiculous phone calls. Early Retirement IS the indulgence. I thought we'd travel, but we haven't had the desire at all. I thought we'd eat out more, but we like our home cooking better. I thought we'd buy an RV but now it sounds like work.

C'est la vie !

 

[pacergal]

Started retirement with $20-30,000 travel budget, which we enjoyed.
Not sure it will continue when things open up.
Right now, spending more on groceries and less on restaurants!

 

[RobbieB]

I like sushi etc, and buy aged soy sauce from Japanese artisans. There are few left making sauce in the traditional way.

Yamaroku 4 Years Aged Kiku Bisiho Soy Sauce from Amazon. Currently $33. I just ordered again yesterday.

The taste difference from the normal “soy sauce” is astounding. When I first purchased I considered it an indulgence, now I won’t have anything else [emoji23]

Used it to make chashu chicken and atijama eggs couple days ago. Amazing flavor.

Thanks for the tip on the Kiku Bisiho soy sauce, I just ordered up a bottle!

 

[51notout]

Thanks for the tip on the Kiku Bisiho soy sauce, I just ordered up a bottle!

You’re welcome. Here’s a pic of the eggs I marinaded in a soy sauce mixture. Had it for breakfast.

 

[RobbieB]

Making sushi tonight, some sake rolls and sake sashimi with the good ole kappa maki for veggies. Gonna have to use the old Pearl River Bridge for now.

 

[jollystomper]

Our biggest (and expected) retirement spending is travel, for both ourselves and to assist other family members to visit us. Each of the last 2 years we took several international trips. No trips likely this year, so it will be way down.

I did join a golf course for the winter. A mild winter and finding out that I could comfortably golf when it was sunny and in the mid 40s, resulted in me saving money. The rounds cost less than half compared to paying them individually. Two days before I was going to sign up for the year membership the state ordered the courses closed. Bowling as well, we started bowling multiple times a week and that was shut down.

We are spending more on charity and gifts than we planned, but with our overall expenses much lower than we planned, we are happy to do this.

Beyond that my most "expensive" hobby before retiring was my "home data center", but since retiring I am still catching up with on all the devices and equipment Megacorp let me keep, plus items DS brought for me from his work to repair and donate or sell, so I have not spent at the level I spend when working.

 

[Christine]

Travel is the big one for me too.


In addition to what is already mentioned by others:


I read a lot. And now have no limit on buying books. On paper. Kindle or audio books. If I want I buy. But there is a limit to how much I can read per week so much less than my travel budget.

 

[DrRoy]

Our travel expense (B4 covid19) is double to triple what it was. We have done some remodeling to the house, but that is one time stuff. I also bought a Nikon D850.

 

[Red Badger]

Travel for us as well for retirement indulgence. Mostly domestic, but some international. We don't fly coach. Spending for first class is arguably a waste of money, but after years of road warrior upgrades, I just-can't-sit-back-there.... Applies to DW as well.

Similarly, we seek nicer accommodations on Airbnb or hotel suites, etc. We want our travel to be as comfy as possible. Like many here, we also leverage the hell out of premium credit card rewards, and that helps shave off of some of the costs.

I'm hoping to ramp up travel Q3/4, but will use C-19 conditions to influence my timing.

 

[RobbieB]

Me too. Spent a lot of years travelling for work in the "back of the bus", not going to do that now. Don't travel much, I'll pay to do it nice. Same with hotels, give me a view and a jacuzzi in the room please.

 

[Arizona1]

I guess the most we splurge on these days is great food ingredients as we both like to cook. Renting a beach house for part of the month visiting family near Cancun has been a nice getaway for them and a nice change for us from the hot jungle.
Our first idea to follow the weather in a big motorhome is still the most ideal lifestyle I can imagine after 20 years. We only move every few months and have our favorite places. We have stored it and lived on a houseboat on Lake Powell, lived on a lake in Bavaria while traveling Europe for a year and a half, and had a beach house on the sea of Cortez. Cruising and summers in Switzerland have been nice but the only thing that has stuck is the RV. It’s liberating not to own many physical things. If everything isn’t just perfect we move spaces or parks.

 

[Kimo]

Our biggest yearly expense by far is the 2-3 months we spend in Hawaii during winter.

 

[Steeler75]

1. Wine - too much $ to admit!
2. Prime aged beef
3. Kona coffee flown in monthly.
4. Can’t wait to start traveling again... but saving money in the interim.
5. My first car restoration, now that I’ve owned it for almost 40 years!
6. Home projects, once construction can start up again.

 

[Gumby]

I did just drop $300 for an array of bug killing products for my organic garden. I guess that is an indulgence too.

 

[Major Tom]

Don't we all want to have Robbie's attitude to "blow the dough" and not have to fret about it?!

No, I don't actually. Robbie's a cool guy n' all, but I don't really like "blowing" dough. I'd much rather spend it wisely. Yes, I know. I'm no fun at parties

Up until last year, my annual spend was around the $18K mark. Then, my rent went up from $650 to $750/month, which is still very reasonable for the SF Bay Area. The big budget killer was my purchase of a little campervan. Suddenly, my annual spend seems to have jumped to just under $28K. I'm still evaluating the long-term expenses of owning this little RV, but it looks to have increased my annual expenses by about $10K, which is a lot for me.

Nevertheless, although it wasn't an essential purchase, it has been fun to own, and gives me something to do. So yes, I guess my indulgence has been the extra $10K/year I spend on this little gas guzzler on wheels. I could sell it and, even with the slightly increased rent, go back to spending around $20K/year, but I like this little home on wheels.

 

[Rambler]

I’ve taken to dry aging my own beef. A prime grade rib roast from Costco can run $300 or so. Since Covid hit, our spending on travel has been zero, but I’ve been buying some cooking tools, a Sous vide machine, a chef’s torch, some cast iron. Earlier, we bought a diesel pusher Motorhome and built a shop to store it in...but then we moved interstate and now store it at a covered lot. We’ve invested in some tools and a crafting table for my wife’s crafting and quilting. In any case, without being able to be out and about much for the past 6-8 weeks, we haven’t spent nearly the usual. We like to support our local restaurants during the downturn, but (patting myself on the back), I’m quite the culinary artist myself, so we’re often disappointed.

 

[ychuck46]

Spend without concern $10K on travel per year, plus be sure to take at least 2 cruises per year if anything seems interesting.

Two cruises per year for us as well, but more on travel if you count our timeshare maintenance fees in the mix. We have a lot of points and we travel 4-5 months per year with them, so the fees are higher than many pay.

 

[Teacher Terry]

We bought a used motor home in 2007 and took some fun trips in it. We sold it recently. We spend between 5-14k/yearly on travel. We eat out once a week, go to some happy hours and a jazz club. Much of our entertainment is getting together with family and friends.

 

[HI Bill]

Travel is (was) by far and away, #1. I had planned to spend $80K in 2020 on travel, in what was to be my inaugural FIRE year. I've only spent $15K, and am feeling a little grumpy about it.

 

[RobbieB]

I blow all my dough wisely, not foolishly like some people...

 

[msanniee]

Traveled for a few years after I retired. Now I spend my time gardening and completing the hardscape in my yard. My most expensive indulgence is to have 3 French Bulldogs.

 

[Retired Expat]

Biggest Indulgence is traveling a Business class. We travel between our South American home and our US place at least 2x a year. Have to figure the upgrades run close to 20k a year. That to me is an indulgence!