# Spending money



## Micheal (Jan 28, 2009)

Do you have trouble spending money?
I don't mean big items or such but just the idea of loosening the purse strings to spend a buck or two - OK maybe ten or twenty..... 

You know how it goes, all your working career you skimp and save toward your retirement; pinching pennies, denying yourself that cup of latte, a beer after work, etc. all so you can have that more comfortable retirement. Then comes the big day and you retire. 
But did you get rid of those skimp and save thoughts or do you continue them on into your new life?


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## unregistered358895 (Jul 15, 2013)

I'm nowhere near retirement, but I have a TERRIBLE time spending money. Even when I have a plan to spend money and a budget, I put it off. My DH gets so flabbergasted with me.


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## MOSSYNUT (Aug 8, 2014)

I wish that I had problems spending money. I used to tell my wife don't worry I'll make more. I'm not as bad as I used to be but still trying to rein myself in. My wife on the other hand will squeeze a quarter till the eagle screams.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

MOSSYNUT said:


> I wish that I had problems spending money. I used to tell my wife don't worry I'll make more. I'm not as bad as I used to be but still trying to rein myself in. My wife on the other hand will squeeze a quarter till the eagle screams.


Give her a couple for crying out loud. 

When I go by TSC, it just happens.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

I really didn't skrimp and save all those years. I bought what I wanted, I just didn't want a lot. We made good money. Now the kids look back and think, "If I just didn't buy all that junk, I would have that money now" I tell them no, we enjoyed it, we made memories. It isn't like we wasted it, we used it. 

When I set out on my journey back into homesteading, I wanted to do it like I had at 12, no money, just time and reuse what I had and could find. I had less time then but I made it count. I knew I wanted the bare minimum to get to what I wanted and needed. I now have time to just sit and dream, not about what I have or want, the time to enjoy life, my wife, kids, friends, memories and the little world we live in. Money just got us here with time to enjoy it....James


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

When I retired 14 years ago I chose to look at my company pension and the lion's share of my investments as I did my parents while growing up and those income streams cover overhead expenses as my parents covered the overhead expenses of keeping a roof over my head , clothes on my back and food in my belly growing up.

The return of the smaller share of my investment income and any horse trading income is my spending money as my after school job paycheck was when I was growing up.

As far as being frugal I have always been a fixit guy and don't care if the top of my perk coffee pot is patched with JB weld. At the same time if I have to dip a few hundred to fix a vehicle or even a few thousand to repair my roof from my savings to avoid making an insurance claim, I will.

My father said I got it from my grandfather who they joked could squeeze a nickel so hard that the indian ended up riding the buffalo but when it got to my era he said I could squeeze a nickel so hard that I could make Jefferson go inside the house if it wasn't a critical expenditure.


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## Ramblin Wreck (Jun 10, 2005)

I have absolutely no problem spending money, thankfully always within my means.


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

No where near retirement yet - another 20 years to go, but I gotta wonder if once I get there if I won't have the problem of letting go of it and enjoy life.

Not that we really deny ourselves much now - but we do skimp so we can save for retirement. I'm not going to say how much of a percent I have taken out of my paycheck to go into my 401K, but let's just say that I have more money going in than what I get in my check for net income.

My wife and I both have nice retirement savings for our ages - or so I've heard when reading different magazines, but you still gotta wonder "Am I saving enough?"

I would like to travel once I retire - something that we don't do much of now. That is the one thing we probably deny ourselves - we don't do the "regular" vacation that most everyone else does - you know, the big vacation that they "deserve" - going to a beach house for a week, or flying to ______.

Ask me in 20 years once I retire how things are going!


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

my husband and I kept putting off our big vacations. we would do all that when he retired. that's the one thing he regretted when he was dying. ~Georgia.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I have alwats been frugal but I rarely deny myself. My wants are few. 
I am a good shopper and have no qualms about buying used.

For example just today I bought a pair of boots for riding my bike, 4 valances, a duvetcover, a pillow,a rag rug,a shower curtain and day old pastries all for less than $40.
All good quality.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

When the kids were home we took a week summer vacation not a long vacation but 4-500 miles. Usually in Oregon but to also California and Washington. Went to the lake for another week because I got 2 weeks a year. After the kids grew up Sweetie and I took a week along with a 4 day training for work, at the beach. Now we travel as we can and still get our homesteading work done....James


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## jassytoo (May 14, 2003)

We've always been frugal. We had to be as we've always been a one income family and with kids to raise. We did all the traveling we wanted to do after the kids were gone and DH an I went overseas for his job. Now we are retired we are still pretty frugal. We've never bought what we couldn't pay cash for ( excluding mortgage) and we still do that. We fix what we can but spend when we have too. We enjoy little treats without guilt but mostly like being home. I guess if I have a worry about spending it would be about running out of money in the future if or when we get into our 80s and up.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

This actually ended up being a large chunk of my therapy sessions. I just couldn't spend money....especially not on something for myself that wasn't absolutely necessary. My therapist finally bullied me into getting pedicures. She would check my toes when I came into her office(summer time and I wore sandals) to make sure that I had been getting pedicures. 

After so many years of living on practically nothing it was incredibly difficult to spend money. It had nothing to do with the money I had available. Part of it was my ex. If he knew I had money he was going to end up with all of it. So, I learned not to ever act like I had any. Hence the need for therapy 

Once we finally got me to where I could let loose and spend some money, I went in the next week and told her for heavens sakes to 'unfix' me! 

I'm thinking of spending more time in Mexico. At least that way I am spending pesos rather than dollars :thumb:


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

Being frugal is as necessary in retirement as it always has been for us. We've always enjoyed life but in a "small" way financially. Vacations were camping trips and usually at state parks. We went to the state fair, local celebrations and made an occasional out of state trip. Our kids have good memories of camping trips. 

Now days our medical expenses (insurance premiums, non-covered dental, eyes, co-pays, deductibles etc.) take a minimum 26% of our income each and every month. Vacations no longer happen due in large part to dh's health issues but budget does play a part. 

I've learned to enjoy the challenge of frugal shopping, repurposing, repairing, etc. If I wanted to sit around a feel sorry for myself, I could do that. But I don't. Sometimes I get pi$$ed off and angry over things like our property taxes jumping $212 this year or Medicare deciding not to cover something that used to be covered or something breaking that I really cannot afford to replace, but sitting and crying over lack of money isn't something I do.


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## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

Both DH and I have always been relatively frugal. We both worked hard and put money by for what we needed, but we did take some and use it for modest pleasures, too. When we lived in England we spent many a weekend in Paris, Venice or Barcelona. Quick couple of days in a cheap hotel, but a break from the ordinary. Now we may blow a couple of extra $$s on a nice meal at a good restaurant or a bottle of nice wine. I think it is the balance that is important. 

I would hate to think that I couldn't have a small indulgence now and then. On the other hand I cringe when I see people blowing everything they have with no thought for the future.

Mary


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## Cabanaboy1313 (Oct 15, 2014)

I have lived with in my means, pay cash for most things, including the Homestead, the 2 cars and the Harley. I know my budget and keep within it. Having said that it doesn't keep me from speeding money. If I see something me and the Gal want to do, we will do it. For instance we went to over 20 concerts this summer. If you can't enjoy your life a little, why bother??


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## jpani (Dec 18, 2012)

Michael W. Smith said:


> I would like to travel once I retire - something that we don't do much of now. That is the one thing we probably deny ourselves - we don't do the "regular" vacation that most everyone else does - you know, the big vacation that they "deserve" - going to a beach house for a week, or flying to ______.
> 
> Ask me in 20 years once I retire how things are going!


Why is deserve in quotes? I definitely think I deserve to get away every year. Seeing the world is something my husband and I agreed on sharing in together. When you work hard for yourself, there is no need for the quotations.

As for the post topic, I'm not at retirement, but I put away a decent amount each pay, but am looking into other ways I can start saving for retirement to reduce expenses. An HSA account would be nice, especially when we're older and have medical expenses to worry about.

Like most people in this thread, I don't deny myself, but I don't go overboard with everything under the sun. Frivolous purchases usually happen in the form of food, because my eyes and stomach are conspiring against me. Other than that, I don't just look at the bulk of the things I buy/own as stuff I like, but I seriously ask myself whether I'll utilize that item. But I think, considering the self sufficient ideals this site embodies, being able to decide between a necessity and luxury is a skill most people have fine tuned. 

One thing I've learned from watching my parents and their friends who are in their 70s is that the habits you build now will definitely carry into retirement. So if you have spending issues that you want to fix or money philosophies you'd like to change, start doing it now. Like everything in life, it comes with practice.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Micheal said:


> Do you have trouble spending money?


YES!!! I do. I go over the cost again and again in my mind. Can I get by without it? Can I buy it used? Do I really need it/want it? It is much harder to spend money now than it was ten years ago. I don't know why, but it is really a lot harder because I want to be frugal and responsible.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

I don't have any trouble spending money because I am frugal with a purpose. I save on things so that I can buy and do other things. I wash plastic bags because it helps the environment but also because it saves money. A box of large zip-lock bags for the freezer is over $4 but if I re-use them I can make a single $4 expenditure instead of buying 3 boxes ($12) over a year. That is $8 that I can use elsewhere. There are a thousand things like this that I do and as a result I have money to spend on other things and people. For me the secret is to have a very detailed budget that I follow religiously. I have lots of emergency funding which is my security so that I can have budgets for vacations and celebrations and new clothes or furniture or vet bills so when I have the cash I can spend it happily and not worry about not having what I need. Of course this takes time and patience to accumulate. When you have a project in mind save for it then do it. The money is set aside for this purpose and life is meant for living not just saving.


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## Jlynnp (Sep 9, 2014)

There was a time in my life when my motto was "we can do it later". We didn't take that trip to the beach or Disney and always would put the kids off when they wanted something. Not that we couldn't afford it but it was just easier to put it off. Well then came July 7, 1977 - the day my son and daughter were both murdered. No long could we take that vacation next year or buy that cool toy next month. I no longer live that way, we do watch what we spend, follow sales, coupons and discounts but that was a very hard lesson to learn and one I hope none of you ever have to.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Jlynnp, I am so very sorry. Your post brought tears to my eyes. You have my deepest sympathy. I promise to never again complain about dh spoiling our kids when they were younger.


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2014)

Jlynnp... Oh. No. 

I am in tears. 

I look back and think of the stuff I coulda/shoulda... But I can call my kids and discuss the financial situation in which I found us, and my decision process. 

My heart hurts for you. 
I cannot imagine... I am speechless.


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