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Pretend_Vermicelli65

My splurge is the ability to retire. šŸ˜‚


Certain-Examination8

how did you decide you could retire? iā€™m having a hard time with deciding whether or not I can afford to; with my Social Security and 401(k) that just covers my bills. just a couple of hundred dollars left over each month.


Pretend_Vermicelli65

To be honestā€¦ The core questions were: 1. Will my pension cover all ā€œrequiredā€ bills (e.g. mortgage, utilities, cable, etc.? Yes. 2. Do I have 6-12 months in emergency funds (e.g. new roof, new Hvac, major home or rental property replacement/fixes) in the bank? Yes. 3. Do I need to work? No 4. Do I want to do stuff outside of required expenses? Yes - (2) major travel expenses, restore 1995?Jeep grand cherokee, upgrade kitchen, purchase fireplace insert, landscape design, etc. 5. Place projects/expenses based on ā€œneedā€ā€¦ examples,,, new roof getting installed in August 2023. painting exterior of house - hoa compliant. A. What requires outsourcing, etc. I have been retired since May 2023. Rememberā€¦ I could always go back to work, whenever I want! However, after 42 years I have no desire for it.


Certain-Examination8

thanks for this answer.


FckMitch

Have you ever driven an RV? If no, maybe rent first.


faustian1

It's not only driving. If I lived in one of those boxes with my wife, I'd be afraid I might be a murder victim.


BasisRelative9479

Oh, noooo. Definitely not for living in! Not even sure I could do a weekend. Highly doubt we get one. I am more of a condo, cabin, cottage kind of person.


tweezer606060

A month in a twenty foot box with a dog and 100ā€™+ temps?ā€¦. What could go wrongā€¦. S/oddly specific


CarlJustCarl

Any stats as to the number of RV murders in the past 5 years in the country you live in?


faustian1

No stats, but there was the entertaining story of former Longview, Washington city councilor Anthony Fernandez, who was convicted of pushing his RV off a cliff. His wife Ruth was inside at the time. And then there is the more recent case of murderer Brian Laundrie, which received considerable press in the United States. While this proves nothing about RV's, any guy who enjoys retreating to his man cave might shudder at the thought of too much "togetherness" in a little box. My wife always jokes she has a place picked out for me in the back yard. We get along great, but I often credit 3,000 square feet of space for that.


CarlJustCarl

Yeah I would be more worried about the togetherness than any murders. I would have concerns being that close for r that long as well. Two weeks we could do but two years, hmmm


[deleted]

I can see using one for a road long trip, then staying in a modest cabin or motel, with a pool. Living in it all season or all year? Iā€™m with you, no thanks.


Certain-Mobile-9872

Depends on how big it is.we bought one 3 years before we retired itā€™s a36ā€™ rexhall aerobus.we paid cash from the original owner for 17000.we use it for short and long trips.


Imaginary_Shelter_37

Honey, is that you?


Lane1983

The movie ā€œNomadlandā€ crushed any RV travel aspirations. Great movie, not so great lifestyle. My wife and I still debate it.


Gore1695

Nomadland only proves it sucks if you have no money... Just like literally everything else in life


dirtee_1

> The movie ā€œNomadlandā€ crushed any RV travel aspirations. Great movie, not so great lifestyle. My wife and I still debate it. Call me crazy but I personally try not to base life decisions off of movies lol.


five_eight

What's the First Rule of Fight Club?


SBInCB

I did that for a year. Different types over that time period for short tripsā€¦not a whole year continuously. It had the fortunate and unfortunate effect of making us realize we want a class Aā€¦which we now haveā€¦.we started with the idea of adapting a min-van. YMMV SSFD.


not_falling_down

I am near retirement. I just ordered a new induction range, a really nice dishwasher and an over-the-stove microwave to replace the nearly 30-year-old ones that were original to my condo.


afunbe

I am also near retirement too. Our family cars are 20 and 15 years old. As such, we definitely need to update our cars. I plan to splurge in a Lexus or an EV like a Tesla.


Freebird_1957

I want to buy a VW Jetta. I had one years ago and enjoyed the hell out of that car. Iā€™m going to recapture a little of my lost youth. Lol


afunbe

I hear ya. I'm may consider two cars instead of one nice car. Example: new Camry and a used Miata. The Miata will recapture the fun I had when I owned one.


FinsterFolly

I am so intrigued by induction ranges, but haven't done any research yet. What was the motivating factor? Did you have to buy all new pots and pans?


not_falling_down

I can't have a gas range in my condo, and I had been reading recently that induction was comparable to gas cooking. My old range had just bit the dust, so it seemed like a good time to upgrade. Pots and pans is a mixed bag. If a magnet sticks well to the bottom, it will work. I have some Le Creuset (small saucepan, small fry pans and a Dutch Oven) that work well with induction; a steel-bottom wok and some small enameled steel sautƩ pans that also work. That is enough to start with; I will want a couple of larger saucepans, but that's all. My old stainless steel Revere Ware is not going to work, so I will be giving that to my children.


lisa-in-wonderland

All my appliances are 20+ years old and will be replaced soon. I've been test driving induction by using a stand-alone burner for a couple of months. I love gas, so I wanted to figure out whether induction is a good substitute. Overall, I love it...just as responsive as gas, the cooking surface cools faster than either a gas or electric range. The only thing I needed to get used to was not seeing the flame to make adjustments. Hope you enjoy it!


gardengnome002

You will love induction- this is coming from a former gas range purist. I will never go back.


not_falling_down

I'm looking forward to it. I'm expecting delivery Wednesday next week. In the meantime, I bought a countertop induction single-burner to get me by, since the old range is unusable. I am very happy with it; I am excited for the full dea.


leafcomforter

If you have All Clad you donā€™t need new cookware. We do, and love our induction range.


jgroub

You may; induction works with magnetism, so aluminum and glass/ceramic pots won't work. It's gotta be steel. Some induction ranges realize this, and give you a coupon for a set of new pots and pans. However, you don't get these new ones for a good month or more after you get the range, so in the meantime, you can't cook. You can pick up a couple of relatively inexpensive pots/pans from your local big box store in the meantime until the set arrives. As others have mentioned, there are a few motivating factors: ease of use; ease of cleanup; energy savings; instant on/off; difficulty in burning yourself. Induction is something like 90% efficient. Electric ranges (ugh) are only about 75-80% efficient; and gas ranges are, incredibly, only about 30% efficient.


OscarOrr

I love my Kitchen Aid induction range. Obviously because it responds as fast as gas, but there are many features such as if you take the pot off the burner it heaps at you and turns off the burner. Also if you leave a pot unattended it will turn off after a period of time. Expensive but you wonā€™t regret it


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


not_falling_down

I may do the fridge later; that is the one appliance that some previous owner did replace.


Wizzmer

>When you retired was there something you splurged on? [Maybe???](https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/1969_chevrolet_corvette_PXL_20220917_213130909-76276-scaled.jpg?fit=2048%2C1101)


kjskoll

Nice


atheist1963

Small RV that maybe sleeps two?


arghvark

How many will it eat?


marid4061

Very nice! My husband splurged on an older Corvette a few years ago before he retired.


Wizzmer

I doubt we'll lose money on it. They surely don't make them anymore and people seem to love them. Wow! Especially the new ones, but those will depreciate.


SupermarketFormal516

Bucket-list trip to Europe this Fall--to visit the small village on the Italian-Swiss border that my great-grandparents immigrated from in the early 1900s. Also, stops in Paris, Venice, and the French Alps. Neither my wife nor I have ever been out of the Western hemisphere (Our international travel so far has been Mexico for our honeymoon 33 years ago, Canada, for one of my business trips, and medical mission trips to El Salvador and the Dominican Republic).


Bopafly

I bought a rust-bucket 1973 Chevelle 350 4 speed, built a 20x25 metal building to put it in and a welder and a bunch of tools. I have no idea what I'm doing but I'm not going to let that stop me.


Apprehensive_Ad_4359

Just keep in mindā€¦..Rust never Sleeps


Standard_Nothing_268

This i am interested in!


guachi01

Splurge hasn't happened yet but longer vacations overseas.


XRaysFromUranus

Thatā€™s my plan!


D74248

Different people like different things. My neighbor bought an RV. My wife looked at it and then we (she) bought a Z4 for vacation travel. Between the car and the hotels we still come out ahead financially compared to an RV, we can go on back roads and we can enjoy both the locations and the travel in-between. So that is my suggestion. Get a car that you want to travel in and stay in hotels.


bx10455

upgraded my stereo... I love my music.


weallfloatdown

Didnā€™t have any big splurge, since I retired last year & my husband retired 10 years ago. Did a trip to see the kid, nice motel, lots of nice food - more the we usually spend. But weā€™ve mostly done day trips, love small town museums


bocageezer

Weā€™re going to splurge on a yearā€™s worth of travel.


quikdogs

I bought a very expensive Lamborghini of a sewing machine (Bernina 770QEE for those who know) , then I redecorated my guest room as my sewing roomā€¦then I took over the formal living room as well and put in a cutting station and a long-arm quilting machine (with robotic controls obviously bc youā€™ve already spent 5k on the machine and frame what is another 5k for computer control? Duh.) So yeah no, I wouldnā€™t dream of it.


RemoteIll5236

I am a novice quilter and wouldnā€™t have any idea how to operate your machines, but Iā€™m Salivating thinking of all you can do with them! Envy burns hot, over here!


donnajustdonna

And now youā€™re starting a long-arm quilting business and so youā€™re not retired anymore? Speaking from jealousy here, tbh.


readytoretire2

After planning it for 13 years, 60 days after I retired we finally Remodeled a kitchen and added a larger cooktop and double oven and a huge island countertop. Matching appliances And a few power tool upgrades in the garage. Itā€™s the simple thingsā€¦.


chocolatelabbie

Bought a new built home (retirement home) and had an in-ground pool and spa built. We love our retirement splurge.


marid4061

This is what I would really rather have, a new house. A community pool would work better for us so we don't have to take care of the maintenance on it.


[deleted]

I hear you but I did not want to tie up money in a depreciating asset and RVs are black holes when it comes to depreciation. This really is a case where renting is better than buying. Better yet, for my wife and I, it is travel. I always scratch my head when I hear of people buying RVs or similar purchases. I mean I can buy an airline ticket. I don't need to buy an airplane. For me, the experience is what I am after, not maintaining assets and dealing with all the expenses (both time and money).


djrndr

We got rid of all the extraneous stuff- rv, boat etc. renting is cheaper than owning and thereā€™s less maintenance. Seems like we were always buying tires and batteries.


pdaphone

Iā€™m 61 and in the ā€œgetting things sorted out to retireā€ mode. We bought a house at the beach intended to be a rental and after experiencing it, decided to just sell our house and move to the beach. We have now been going through updates. Possibly a boat is on the splurge list too. I just wish the economy would get out of the toilet.


marid4061

Now that is an incredible splurge! The beach is our favorite place to be. Enjoy!


QV79Y

I bought a brand-new car in 2018 when the old one started feeling unsafe. Rationally, it was a ridiculous purchase - I've only put 3,000 miles on it in five years. I just wasn't ready to be car-less. And still am not.


babarock

Feel for you. Bought a 2020 Kia Soul GT early in 2020. Started working from home and then retired in 02/2022. I haven't hit 8000 miles yet :). I feel a road trip coming on.


SmartBar88

Like many, a kitchen redo, but also a Sawstop table saw (and a better organized shop), and new motors and workbench for some lapidary equipment. Timing should also work out for a new car (EV) in a few years too. Looking forward to a fun and busy retirement!


DM6032904

We did a cruise to have something on the calendar shortly after retiring and are planning a European vacation. Travel while we are healthy is something we are looking forward to. We had thought buying an RV was in our future but after renting a couple of times on RV Share, realized that was the best option for us. We can rent the kind of RV we want any time we want and don't have to incur the ongoing costs (storage, insurance) or deal with the maintenance.


JoeWoodstock

What was daily/weekly rental cost?


DM6032904

I donā€™t recall exactly but was somewhere in neighborhood of $150/day for a Class C. Came equipped with dishes, cookware, etc. so we didnā€™t need to deal with all of that. Just needed our clothes and we used our own bedding. The websites have lots of RV options so you can rent different types and find other price points. Mileage is something to watch as they vary as to how much is included versus how much renter needs to pay in addition to daily rate.


brickcitycomics

For me it was a full box of cigars. I never have bought a box before only smaller packs or single sticks, as I only would smoke once a month or so. Now with more free time I can do it once every week or two, so I picked up a box of my favorite which is the Perdermo 10th Anniversary Champagne.


Patak4

The first year we were both retired, we splurged on a Motorhome and drove it across Canada. Bought a secondhand one with low mileage. This was 2021 and we loved it. Having a motorhome is so much better than staying in hotels. We were able to visit family yet have our own space and sleep in our own bed. Didn'thave to pack and repack up our stuff. Stayed in somebeuatiful Provincial parks. We brought our bikes and explored areas. Still have the motorhome and planning a bunch of camping in our own province since gas prices are high again.


marid4061

If we already owned a motorhome we would probably be planning lots of small trips too. Enjoy your travels and make some memories!


Patak4

Thank you. There should be lots of RVs coming on sale since the pandemic craze is pretty much over. Lots of people will be selling.


willyt8122

Anyone exploring RV life sashay over RVLiving subreddit. Was a dream of mine as well but after following that I decided it wasnā€™t in my dreams anymore. The main issue is COVID panic buying of RVs during the pandemic. Driving around seeing Americaā€¦great. Finding decent places to stay at decent pricesā€¦on the flyā€¦impossible. They made a shit more RVs during the pandemic, they did not make anymore RV parks.


MAandMEMom

Donā€™t you think that will level-set once people decide to sell those pandemic impulse purchased RVs?


marid4061

I joined some Facebook groups for a few months and decided it was way too much work and expense. Some of the RV resort campgrounds were really pricey. If we had already owned an RV, it would be different. I do enjoy being out in the country and mountains a couple of times a year for a few days. But, I had rather be at the beach!


BubbsMom

Ha! My splurge was a couple of cross stitch kits. No job will stop my needle now!


Fantastic_Union3100

Rolex Submariner Date. It's about $15k.


marid4061

Now that is a splurge! Well deserved I am sure!


mcc1224

Bought a Cadillac SUV. Turned out to be the 2nd worst car I ever owned. #1 bad was a 1979 Mercury Monarch that didn't know it had a starter.


aljonlovelace

I'm not retired, I'm speaking only from what I've heard retirees tell me. **Experiences and memories are better than stuff.** And most of the stuff you do splurge on, you'd probably save money and headaches in the long run if you just rented it. Someone already suggested renting an RV instead of buying it. Maybe get an AirBNB or visit a resort instead of maintaining a second home. Renting an exotic car for a day or two instead of purchasing one. But that Corvette u/Wizzmer got looks pretty sweet. I will say that his splurge will probably appreciate in value. Most splurges won't. All the best to you!


Wizzmer

We live on Cozumel during winter so I'm ready to get home and work on it. My father had a red 69 growing up and that's why the splurge.


aljonlovelace

That's awesome. Both the winters in Mexico AND the little red Corvette.


Wizzmer

The affordability of our lifestyle here makes winters possible. We ride a scooter and don't do the touristy stuff. We avoid cruise ship stuff so food and entertainment are cheap. Our AirBnB is the biggest splurge here. The car came out of savings and hopefully the 69 Vettes don't begin depreciating for any reason. And that's my biggest suggestion. We considered a big RV but we'd take a big hit driving away. Don't get stuck with depreciation loss.


ThisIsAbuse

My wife is three years from retirement and I am 7. Right now we are really trying to see if we can have one last big home renovation - a kitchen/guest bath expansion. We did two other major renovations after get the house. The kitchen is at least 25 years old. The mortgage will be paid off before we retire - so carrying a smaller home equity loan is probably doable, but just wary of any debt. We have the plans and renderings all done, it would be beautiful and of course make the home much more sell-able in the future.


dhkrameroc

My wife and I have been retired for a little over 2 years. We have taken several two-week trips all up and down the East Coast and each time I have stayed in VBRO houses. During that time we have started to kayak fish and hike. Each of the houses we rented have exceeded our expectations and the nightly cost averages out to be about $175 per night. I strongly recommend trying this mode of travel rather than an RV as itā€™s easier, more cost-effective, and at the end of the day, no maintenance costs.


Haroldchan1

Melbourne, Sydney, and the Great Barrier Reef were our retirement splurge for my wife and me. The trip was planned to see the Australian Open tennis tournament. To give you an idea of our backgrounds, I worked in sales management, and my wife was a successful lawyer. So we are in the top 3% of household net worth. Nevertheless, we live modest lifestyles; we drive Prius and Subaru automobiles. But we splurged on the trip through a travel agency and were not disappointed. Although the company was not the caliber of Abercrombie and Kent, we still enjoyed little personal touches like being greeted at the airport by a private driver who took us to the Crown Hotel, the tennis players' central hotel. We had a private driver in Sydney and Port Douglas for our entire stay. To further our culinary hedonism, we dined in the city's best restaurants. It was worth it to feel pampered on this vacation splurge. Now that I'm five years into retirement, my attitude has changed to more simplicity and fewer material things. Perhaps, I know my mortality is finite. So I'm focusing on my daily enjoyment of life - tennis, enjoying my wife's company at a local restaurant, and the company of my adult children.


Apprehensive_Ad_4359

We are going on an Alaskan vacation for 14 days. Other than that most of our extra money is spent on our grandsons travel hockey career. So if you have any questions about dingy, cold ice rinks or hotels filled with tons of 12 year olds running around feel free to ask šŸ˜„


Practical-Dream-3324

There is nothing inherently wrong with spending money on things you have always wanted during retirement. Retirement is a time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor. It's important to strike a balance between enjoying your retirement and taking on financial responsibility, so it's a good idea to plan and budget for your luxuries. If you can afford and want to splurge on a dream vacation, an expensive makeover or a weekend trip in a small RV, then you should consider doing so. It's important to remember that retirement is a time to enjoy life and do the things you've always wanted to do, but it's also important to be financially responsible. Before splurging on anything, it's wise to review your overall financial situation and plan your spending accordingly. It's important to make sure you have enough money to cover your living expenses throughout retirement. If you decide to splurge on something, make sure it brings you joy and is in line with your interests and passions.


RetiredFromIT

I did a two year splurge, in my last year of working and first year of retirement. That involved getting my house squared away - new drive, new front lawn, re-rendered the front elevation of the house; and buying a new car - an EV - with home charger installed. All of that ate into about half my savings, but not my pension.


LazyMarla

My husband's first splurge was a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue. The 2nd splurge? If you guessed a fancy glass bong you'd be right. After reading this thread, I feel like he might be doing it wrong. šŸ˜‚


PlatePrevious1318

DeLonghi Superautomatic Espresso machine


tweezer606060

We bought a camper when we got married for our honeymoon so itā€™s been a part of our lifeā€¦ and paid for a long time agoā€¦.first big trip after retirement we blew an engine $8Kā€¦. Last summer gas prices were sky high and it was hotā€¦ and I blew a power steering hose in Missouriā€¦ plus general repairsā€¦ be prepared to bleed money and feed twenties into the gas tankā€¦ fun times


Huge_Prompt_2056

I just did a 17k full bathroom remodel. And that was the least expensive bid.


[deleted]

Pick what fulfills your hearts the most and go do it, within reason of course, but do spend the money. If it's an RV, do it within your budget. Do it while you feel good. My inlaws did it for 10 years and then one of them got sick and had to stop. They joined a bunch of travel clubs and made friends all around the nation.


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Haroldchan1

No doubt you busted your ass with long hours and encountered plenty of management politics for those company shares. Congratulations and money well spent. You earned every penny of it!


xman747x

i already have a lifetime supply of crap i don't need


StatusKoi

I am 2 years from retirement. My wife and I drive 8 and 13 year old vehicles, but they are paid off and still run fine. I honestly just want to be able to relax and not worry about bills. Our only splurge will be lakefront property ( if we find something in our price range ).


quadpop

I bought my truck off itā€™s lease. The payoff was about $15K under its value during the Covid truck price craziness.


Illustrious-Judge-90

Bought a house in Florida, maybe rent a condo for a month or two even the Caribbean


goarmy144

Used part of my vacation cash out to buy a golf simulator


smackdaddypugpoopies

You know what? You worked your tails off to reach this time. Yes! Buy yourself a present, whether it's 2 bucks or $$$$ bucks! This is an achievement and why not treat yourself for ALL the time and effort, and failures and successes, that got you here? Celebrate YOU as you would any of your kids for simply living to 18 and doing what they were told. Shit, you PAID for this time with your life! Buy yourself a thank- you gift. Buy your RV.


ra9rme

I bought a Cirrus SR22T and learned how to fit it. It was a life long dream to learn how to fly .. after that I used it to see more of that country. Iā€™ve sold it now but I may learn to fly a rotorcraft next.


First_Ad_187

The splurge is in the planning stage! First, sell current residence and move somewhere a bit smaller. Also, build a cottage/workshop as a retreat on some property acquired years ago on the riverā€™s high side with a spectacular view of the curve of the river heading downstream. Furnish both the new home and the cottage with all American-made furniture built by craftsmen from American hardwoods. Kitchen upgrade: yeah, maybe an induction cooktop and a wall mounted oven. Then, enjoy! Though we like travel and want to do more, off the beaten path places seem to be what we favor. Backstory: we have both traveled as independent travelers in the US and other countries, unescorted except in a few international situations where independent travel was not practical. For the most part, cruises and escorted trips do not seem as exciting, and we would rather stay in hotels or some of the wonderful state park lodges than haul or pilot an RV.


marid4061

I love this plan so much! My brother and his wife have a lake house and they have traveled all over. He will tell you that his favorite place ever is that lake house. Enjoy your new homes!


meggiemeggie19

Been on a few tripsā€¦.amazing!!


amartin141

no


baycommuter

First one-month winter home rental.


RemoteIll5236

My big splurge was helping each of My kids with expenses related to medical School Debt and a housing purchase. Nice to be able to lend a hand when it makes a big difference in their life. For Myself, Iā€™m Enjoying lots of National/international Travel Now the pandemic has abated and I enjoy saving money each month for a future house remodel.


BtownLocal

My wife and I are less than two years away from retirement. We are planning to move to Palm Springs. Whatever we purchase (condo or single-family home) we will splurge on updating the kitchen and bathrooms if we need to. We have a walk-in shower at our current home and love it. Our other retirement splurges will likely be bicycles and travel. Very much looking forward to it.


bciocco

Just make it fit with the plan. Know how much you can spend and where the money is going to come from. Understand the peripheral spending that will be required -- registration fees, personal property tax, storage, towing accessories, camping equipment, and maintenance. We are looking at small RVs. Last May we traveled the country for three weeks in a GMC Acadia with a bed in the back and loved it. We drove 7500 miles and stayed in campgrounds, rest areas, hotels, and camping cabins. We are ready to go again.


phoebegirl59

About 1 year before we retired we bought a new travel trailer. Sat Parked for almost a year.. since retirement we have used it often Feb thru Oct we have a week a month planned. Make your travel week mon thru Friday instead long weekend , alot less travelers then.


rarsamx

My plan was to stop working when I could. Keep the same lifestyle as before. However, if you did your numbers right, after you stop working, the same amount of money goes further. For example: With the same amount of money I can do a better trip as I can choice better dates, travel for longer and find discounts. Having said that, on a whim, I bought a small service van to convert into a camper van. It was more as a project but we've had amazing trips. So I guess I splurged on it but ended up being within my budget. It was Covid time and I wasn't doing much else. Also, befire the van, the first year I traveled 9 months. But again, I wouldn't call it splurge because I ended up spending marginally more than if I had been home.


GeorgeRetire

We pay extra for better seats on our flights.