I was having a conversation with a friend about using the Fun Bucket. 

The conversation talked about great market returns in the past (many) years in FIRE.  We talked about SORR, Sequence of Return Risk, since we FIREd, and about the SORR into the future.  At this point, our lifestyle is still small enough that we’re OK.

Knowing that we’re OK.  Knowing that we had a formal, professional “retirement plan” completed.  Knowing that there is some extra money for the Fun Bucket to be emptied and refilled. 

Knowing these statements are true (at this time), the question came up about a future flight to Europe.  I said we are flying business class and paying the extra money.  My friend was working the points system, trying to locate and lock in low-point airfares up front.

He mentioned that if the seats didn’t come up on the points sites, he would sit in premium economy. 

Don’t get me wrong, premium economy is a nice upgrade from economy class.  But let’s be clear, premium economy is not the ridiculous level of business class.

Is business class worth it?   Is business class worth the money?  Hell no, business class is not worth the money it costs to lay-flat flying over an ocean.  BUT, should he/we still spend some of our extra fun bucket on such an elevated experience?  I’m saying yes, and so did my retirement planning professionals.

We saved well.  With growth, our savings (now 12 years later, into FIREment) have grown to more than we normally spend today, projected into the future. 

We have taken quite a number of trips the past year and a half, but not to the point that 5 or 6 business class flights are emptying our fun bucket.

For these reasons, I am pushing for the position of No More ‘Behind the Curtain’ flights.

Or to put this elitist post another way: NMS = NO Middle Seat (in our row).

This is not frivolous, well, not totally without value.  But it is a well-calculated allocation of resources assigned to enjoyment.  This resource enjoyment will lead to more Action, more travel, more experiences, more life-living, more memory dividends (with loved ones) that I will have forever.

Yes, we could travel less expensively as we have always done.  Yes, we have older memory dividends or standing in longer lines, jamming stuff into crammed overheads, riding public buses, etc. 

But travelling a notch or two, or THREE higher, is not breaking the fun bucket.  I would not have known this without trying it and trying it again.

BALANCE your resources and your life in a calculated way.  Try to stretch/reach and see how the dollars fall.  See how this makes you feel before, during, and after your trip.

Good Luck to you.   

Oh, by the way, you probably deserve this for all you’ve done in the past.

*** Nothing in this article is to be construed as financial advice.  I am not a financial planner, nor do I pretend to be.  You should always consult your own professional when seeking advice. This post is not a piece of literary mastery, just a random thought I had.