In what way are you LEAST frugal?
in [Frugal Living]
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From: Al on 25 Oct 2009 15:57 On Oct 24, 3:20 am, "OhioGuy" <n...(a)none.net> wrote: > I was having a discussion with someone this past week, and had to admit > that while I try to be frugal in nearly every part of my life, I simply want > a long, hot shower - sometimes I take a half hour one. <this came up because > our new house has no natural gas hookup, and I've heard that the electric > water heaters can have trouble keeping up with usage> > > So this is probably the area where I'm not so frugal, and I allow myself > to indulge. Anything I buy for my kid. She will be here long after I'm gone. I want to see her enjoy things now. She turned 13 Thursday and is carving pumpkins at the party now.
From: Rod Speed on 25 Oct 2009 16:36 Al wrote > OhioGuy <n...(a)none.net> wrote >> I was having a discussion with someone this past week, and had >> to admit that while I try to be frugal in nearly every part of my life, >> I simply want a long, hot shower - sometimes I take a half hour one. >> <this came up because our new house has no natural gas hookup, >> and I've heard that the electric water heaters can have trouble >> keeping up with usage> >> So this is probably the area where I'm not so frugal, >> and I allow myself to indulge. > Anything I buy for my kid. She will be here long after I'm gone. And will be picking your nursing home. > I want to see her enjoy things now. She turned 13 Thursday Uh oh, are you in trouble now... > and is carving pumpkins at the party now.
From: Napoleon on 26 Oct 2009 09:50 On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:36:52 -0400, Tony Sivori <TonySivori(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >The dividend to this self discipline is that I have a healthy bank >account, a nice 401k, and I'm paying off my 30 year mortgage in 9 years. >If my health and my current job holds out I'll retire early and with >relative comfort. Nothing against you Tony, it's great to be debt free and be able to retire early. I just have to question those people who sock away money for their "retirement" and refuse to live or enjoy life before their "retirement." It seems the American dream is to work, work, work, and if you're LUCKY you will live to 72 to be able to retire. Then you can get your 401K tax free, SS, and Medicare. Then you can travel, partake in the hobbies you always wanted to do, volunteer, build that dream home, etc. Unfortunately, by then it is more likely you will be sick or invalid, and be unable to do all the things you hoped for when you were young and healthy. Why don't people live for today instead of waiting for a tomorrow that may never come? My father died one day before his retirement after working for 40 years. I vowed then to live for the day and spend my money WISELY each day instead of socking away cash and living even more poor just so there might be a nest egg when I turn 72 (and there is no way I'm living to retirement age, which in my case will be 76, since everyone in my family dies young). So, I guess I'm least frugal in that I don't have a 401k or IRA or pension, and merely have a savings account that is used for the present, as well as for the future.
From: Tony Sivori on 26 Oct 2009 12:53 Napoleon wrote: > On Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:36:52 -0400, Tony Sivori <TonySivori(a)yahoo.com> > wrote: >>The dividend to this self discipline is that I have a healthy bank >>account, a nice 401k, and I'm paying off my 30 year mortgage in 9 years. >>If my health and my current job holds out I'll retire early and with >>relative comfort. > > Nothing against you Tony, it's great to be debt free and be able to > retire early. > > I just have to question those people who sock away money for their > "retirement" and refuse to live or enjoy life before their "retirement." You raise an excellent point. It is possible to live only for tomorrow, never enjoying the present. Fact is, I do enjoy my frugal life. I'm one of the fortunate people that don't require a lot to be happy. Relaxing in my backyard, or a good read, or a project well done all bring me substantial pleasure. That said, make no mistake that the stores are full of shiny stuff that I want. The difference between me and many people that I observe is that I have come to realize that the shiny stuff brings a fleeting satisfaction. > It seems the American dream is to work, work, work, and if you're LUCKY > you will live to 72 to be able to retire. Health care will be my biggest obstacle to early retirement. If "Obamacare" passes (fingers crossed), I should be able to retire at age 59. I'm already in my early 50's. > Then you can get your 401K tax free, SS, You'll pay taxes on both your 401k and Social Security. You'll just be in a lower tax bracket. > and Medicare. Then you can travel, partake in the hobbies you always > wanted to do, volunteer, build that dream home, etc. Unfortunately, by > then it is more likely you will be sick or invalid, and be unable to do > all the things you hoped for when you were young and healthy. > > Why don't people live for today instead of waiting for a tomorrow that > may never come? Another excellent point. You are right, I (or anyone reading this) might be run over by a truck today. It is one of my few anxieties that I may not live long enough to see the final fruit of my labor. Nonetheless, I think it is prudent and logical to assume in ones plans that one will survive. If you don't, problem solved. If you do survive, you could find yourself living in poverty. > My father died one day before his retirement after working for 40 years. My Father died young too. He enjoyed 10 years of early retirement before dieing of lung cancer. If he had waited until age 72, he would have worked until he dropped. > I vowed then to live for the day and spend my money WISELY each day > instead of socking away cash and living even more poor just so there > might be a nest egg when I turn 72 (and there is no way I'm living to > retirement age, which in my case will be 76, since everyone in my family > dies young). You might want to consider what your family is dying young from (for example cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc) and make lifestyle changes that will make the odds more in your favor. That said, it is your life. You'll get no argument from me that you should live it to suit yourself. I suit myself by enjoying the simple day to day pleasures and having a plan that will allow me to avoid working until I drop, and quitting the rat race while I'm healthy enough to enjoy it. -- Tony Sivori Due to spam, I'm filtering all Google Groups posters.
From: me on 26 Oct 2009 12:59
Tony Sivori <TonySivori(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >That said, it is your life. You'll get no argument from me that you should >live it to suit yourself. Greta discussion! From both sides! Thanks |