For as long as I can remember I’ve been trained to defer gratification.  I will think of something(s) I want and then I put these items on my don’t forget list while I fine-tune my requirements, monitor pricing options, and then purchase at what seems like a great time to buy.

Vehicles

We did this for our 2006 BMW X5.  We bought it in 2008 when gas was “outrageous at $4/gal and demand disappeared for SUVs and we got a great price.  We did this in reverse for our Toyota Venza in Jan 2021 when there was no demand for cars because everyone was working from home.  We ended up with a hybrid model because gas was so cheap and there was low demand for hybrids.  We ended up with a $1500 dealer discount, plus $1500 cash back from Toyota, and were able to pick our exact vehicle and ship it from Texas at a low transport rate (nobody was shipping anything-pre supply chain news story).

Those two vehicle purchases are great examples of buying off-peak and saving thousands of dollars on each purchase because we planned and lined up our purchasing strategy.  My wife was thrilled with her vehicles.

Toaster

On the other hand, I’ve decided I want something smaller, let’s say hypothetically, a $20 toaster and I research the models (smart) then I spend 90 minutes looking for the best price to save $4 (dumb).

I’ve written about being smart and using your money for things you enjoy.  I’ve also written about being dumb and purchasing/fixing something just before selling it—spending the money, but not getting the enjoyment of the item.

Spinning Bike

This week my wife and I were talking about upgrading her peloton app membership from $14 by buying a peloton bike and subscribing to the All Access membership for $45.  The back story is when covid stopped in-person spinning classes my wife switched to her old spin bike at home and used the peloton app (on a 32” TV).  Six months into the lockdown mess, in the fall of 2020 while still only in the midst of vaccine development, we bought a nice $700 commercial spin bike.  It was MUCH nicer than the old “Rusty” spin bike she had been riding 3-5 times per week.

Through the pandemic, her favorite spin studio closed permanently and she just kept app/TV spinning at home for 2 ½ years.  On a trip in October, she was able to use a peloton bike at a hotel using her app account and realized it was a very nice bike.  Late last week I said, “let’s just get a used one on Craigslist or FB Marketplace from someone who purchased one during covid and doesn’t ride it.”  So, 36 hours later and with a few messages to people, we had a barely used (44 rides) bike in the back of my truck heading home.  An hour later it was set up, plugged in, and connected to wifi with a test ride underway.

The next day we upgraded her membership from the $14 app to the $45 all access membership (amazing how easy they make that) and the dizzying amount of ride statistics began generating data.  I added a member account for myself and we are now both addicted to the statistics.  This may not be a good thing according to our legs.

WHY?!

I was thinking, why did I wait to give my wife the best spinning experience?  It wasn’t really about the money the peloton bike would cost or even the membership.  I think it was that I assumed she would go back to in-person classes ($96-140/mo +gas +driving time) and not need the home bike much. 

Health

There is nothing more important than our health.  Moving our bodies and getting our blood pumping are so important to the ability to live a strong, active life.  There is no question that we should be investing heavily in this activity.

Used Purchase Timing

Did I mention my theory that buying used items on Craigslist or FB Marketplace is often a great strategy before thanksgiving and toward xmas?  I think people are raising money for their holiday purchases so they are motivated to sell.

On the other hand, we did NOT want to buy the bike the last week of, or the beginning of the year when so many have resolutions for fitness.  I feel the demand would increase then, as well as the prices.

Identify the things that enable your Great Life and go fit it if you have created a plan for it to make sense.

*** 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.

There are times when things happen that cause total chaos in our lives.

Some unexpected action or issue that throws everything that was flowing along out of control.  It’s not the same as a freeway backup caused by an accident…unless you’re in the accident.  It’s not like a dam bursting and the rushing water flows down river wiping out structures and nature along the river banks because you kind of—in the back of your mind—know there’s a HUGE amount of water pent up behind that concrete structure.

What happens when something horrible happens to a spouse, thereby  leaving the remaining spouse and family with dozens of issues, problems, and disasters?  What happens when the remaining family (and friends) are distraught with grief and want to work on issue resolution but run into brick walls, bureaucracy, lack of information and quite possibly have health issues that impair their ability to take on the tasks?

I want to state first and foremost, I cannot understand, or explain all of—or most of—the possibilities that can unfold.  I just want to spark in you (hello anyone out there?) the idea that you may be able to pre-prepare (I thought I would double emphasize that) some structure to help in case you get hit with the bad card.

1. Make sure those you love and care for know you love and care for them.  (I’m making note of this now for myself)
2. Create an organized structure of “what.”  What things need to be taken care of?  What accounts do you have?  What the logins are?  What your wishes are?  What the process is.  What’s most important?  What are the procedural steps?  Some call it the “love letter” for their spouse.  “Hey honey, I love you, but don’t forget to pay the electric bill.”  Maybe that’s not the best example.
3. Do not leave your distraught follow-up person (spouse, child, executor, trustee, lawyer, friend, bad person) to have to do forensic accounting to put your financial and personal records organization into an organized manner.
4. Death vs Disability.  If you become incapacitated, that is different than being deceased and having a death certificate to assist in taking action.  Power of attorneys are important as are Medical Rights documents…and having those medical documents ready at a moment’s notice and when arriving at a hospital.
5. Monthly operations, bill paying, cash flow, stabilization.  Share the bills/accounts and the process that you use.  Hopefully, you have an automated process.  Also, make sure both you and your spouse are listed as approved/trusted parties on each account.

It’s so much better to have planned for those taking over your operational duties before there is a need for such a transfer of power.  Don’t leave a pile of paperwork, or worse, PDFs for someone to deal with.  Leave instructions and the ability for them to make changes.

*** 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.

Life around me keeps changing.  Life around all of us keeps changing.  I’m sure that our normal pattern of whack-a-mole issue resolution is very common.  It’s our nature to fix each problem that pops up and then move on, often to the next problem.

I’m suggesting that we take a moment—many moments—to stop and recognize, then think about the goodness of our life and our days.

I’m sure if you are reading this that you have your $h!t together.   You are a thinker, an organizer, and someone who gets things done.  At least that’s how I feel overall about myself.

It just seems like things are in constant flux and we spin from challenge to challenge, task to task.  This happens so naturally that we don’t even notice it’s happening.

STOP!  Just for a minute, please.

TAKE TIME TO DO SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS.  Do the special things that give you personal, soul-enriching joy.  Try like crazy to do some of these things each and every day.  To assist in the action of this suggestion, you need to have your 10 favorite things to do any day list handy, maybe on your phone notes/keep

It doesn’t matter if you’re dealing with your health, others’ health, family, parents, children, siblings, niblings, home, work, finances, weather, cars, etc.  You need to stop and bring the goodness of your life—whatever that may be—to your forefront and reset.  I know it sounds easy, but…

I write this as an introvert who feels very comfortable being by myself and doing my own thing.  It’s the outside activities that add stress.  Others may be extroverted and get their energy from others and it’s when they’re alone that they feel stressed.  We’re all different.  Of course, we are, but we all still have our favorite things that bring us joy. 

Paragraph two about introversion; I must say that after spending time with very good friends for almost a week that I felt better and happier being with friends.  It seems we can be both introverted and be energized (rather than exhausted) by others.

No matter how much crazy stuff is going on and how many moles you keep whacking down, I believe it’s important to have people around you, in your life, that make you better.  Having these people around you that you enjoy.  And just as important is having people around that you can help, that you will help. 

I guess we all just need to have our tribe and work together when possible.   Who knew?

*** 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.

I’ve often thought of activity and effort in relation to gear shifting in a car.  More specifically, to me downshifting at times. 

Some of us understand the concept of shifting from 4^th gear to 5^th gear and driving harder or downshifting from 5^th gear to 4^th gear for an upcoming corner.

Recently I was driving (?) a boat.  I should add a little more, we—a group of 8 of us FIRE folks (see slacker post)—were boating on a beautiful summer Thursday from 10:30a to 2:30pm and had 90% of the river/lake to ourselves.

Oh, back to the point, for part of the rental period I was able to captain our vessel.  During my time on the bridge (I’m sure it wasn’t as grand as it felt to me) I had to slow the boat down by pulling back on the throttle in differing amounts.  Each time I lowered the throttle the boat had a strange “settling” feeling of slowing and almost as if we were sinking a little bit.

When slowing the boat, there is a very distinct gravitational change.  Maybe the change is due to the level of boat riding on the water related to the boats’ speed.  Maybe the feeling is related to the friction/drag of the water.  But it was very different from slowing—downshifting or braking—a car.

Reflecting on the different gravitational (pull) feeling due to the change in speed, I realized that the change in forward progress that any of us feel may result in very different gravitational and physical body sensations we may have.

Retirement/FIRE—really LIFE—is exactly the same, in that, not everyone, and nothing quite feels the same from event to event or change to change.

Other analogies that come to mind are floating-the sense of freedom, the differences between upstream and downstream, pulling a crazy tube behind the boat, anchoring, fueling, sunning, shade, docking at new locations, spinning in circles for tubers or just for fun, other boats passing (sizes, propulsion systems, play/housing), and age of the boat.

To look at this from another angle, when I Throttle Up, the craft raises up a little and cruises along the surface with less drag, less wake rocking and bounce, and more wind in my hair—covering more distance per life moment.  Isn’t that a great way to take on life, with an increased throttle zipping and having fun?

I know I’m different.  I know my mind is strange.  I know I see analogies (and equations/word problems) in real life differently than normal people.  In most cases, I know that works for me.  For “me.”

I had so much fun with my slacker friends.  I also learned so much in less than a week with super-intelligent friends.

Do you see special things in life that make you better, your life better?

*** 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.

I’m 52 and I realized that I’ve now reached 40 years of finance/saving/planning experience.  I’ve mentioned before that my dad started teaching me about our family finances: spending tracking, saving, bond investing, home mortgage, etc when I was 12 years old.

Saving

I had to open a savings account when I was 12 after I  received some money.  It was hard at the time watching  ALL of my friends spent the money they received.  Instead of buying new acquisitions, I  learned what a passbook savings account was—not the most exciting acquisition for a 12-year-old.  Now, decades later, I think I’m still less of a spender than many of my friends, or maybe just a different spender.

Shortly after my passbook savings account experience, I shifted into a brokerage account for my savings.

Over the following years of Jr high, high school, and college, I always saved a chunk of my income.  I also spent a chunk—usually on smallerish items—but I always saved.  Sometimes I used part of my savings to fly places, but often I would fund those trips with new income.  I think I was pretty good at saving.

Employment

Looking back, I can say that after moving to Phoenix in the mid-1990s, I did tend to save less money until 1999.  That was the fall when my job was outsourced to IBM and I realized that I wasn’t much more than an “employee badge number.”  The following year (2000) we made sure that we lived off only one of our incomes and saved the equivalent of the second income.  That living-off-one-income continued until 2005 when we decided to push harder with a 7-year Early Retirement plan—target 2012.  We hit our goals in 2011 when my wife left her career, and I followed after another nice three years of working.

In the great recession, or housing crash, or whatever it was called in 2008/09, I learned from Clark Howard about Total Market Index investing and (trying to) ignore short-term variability and invest for the long term. 

Stocks

My first equity investing started in 2009 with 5k or 10k chunks.  I did experiment with buying a handful of stocks in the 2001 dip but NONE of those investments recovered to previous levels.  Interestingly, I did sell my MSFT around 12 years later in 2013 because it was still flat.  Oops, 2001-2013-2022.

Spending

I’ve tracked my/our spending since high school-college, then again from 2001+.  Just like my father told me once, our spending stayed almost exactly the same over the months/years for over a decade.  As he said, “some things go up, and some go down over time.”  His observations were exactly the same for us. 

I guess that means we never really inflated our lifestyle too much as our incomes increased.  I’m sure much of the consistency is due to staying in the same started home (still) and driving our used cars for 10+ years.  Looking back, yes, we did miss out on moving to a nicer (larger) home— no big deal.  Yes, we did go without many of the new car features (I just, in the past month started driving a car with built-in Bluetooth…a 2000ish technology).  SAD!  But we’re in a much better place now…I can drive my 2012 car all day, any time, any day rather than leave it in my workplace parking spot!  Just the same, I get to enjoy my little house all day, every day.

Allocation

I’ve felt comfortable with our asset allocation (67/33ish  or 65/30/5 cash).  Yes, we have seen our balances drop A LOT in the past 6+ months, but I realize that is a “drop” from an all-time high and now down to around where we were in fall 2020…when at that time the balances were” so high.”  Turns out our allocation has been doing well for the past 12+ years.  (IF ONLY I’D STARTED IN EQUITIES IN THE EARLY 90s)   I am still VERY disgruntled when my alumni association asks for money when their academic program never taught us about Index Investing while we were getting our Bachelor’s or MBA.  So much useless alpha, beta, regression analysis academic textbook garbage.  Reading one Bogleheads blog would have resulted in maybe 200% more net worth…ONE Boglehead post.  Or even a Jack Bogle Tiny Book of Investing book.

As Brian Preston from The Money Guy podcast says “let your army of dollar bills march off to work each day so you don’t have to.”  There have been years (in retirement) where our account balances went up more than we earned while working.  Many times the growth was more than double our earned income.

I should end right there.  Multiple years of doing whatever we want without work and yet our account balances increase(d) more than any amount we ever earned while working.  That’s the power of investing early, often and lessons learned…on the good side of the ledger.

*** 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.

I’m thinking way out of my knowledge zone here, but here goes…

I understand that tribes tend to gather around a fire for community and cultural activities.  I heard on a podcast that the tribes often put their most experienced or most influential storytellers close to the campfire.  It’s like center stage in the tribal world.

When the influential members are centered it’s important for other members to be close enough to the fire to hear the stories and gain the wisdom of what’s being shared.

Let’s ignore the US movies where people tell scary stories around the campfires and these are good, important stories being shared.

I can only imagine that the fires allow the transfer of legends and legacy to flow from generation to generation over the years, decades, and probably centuries of a tribe’s existence.

I’m pretty interested in the FIRE topic from a life perspective more than a night-warming perspective.  However, there is still a great correlation to the storytelling idea.  Many high-profile FIRE members are sharing their experiences to influence others in the FIRE community, as many call us thinkers, their “tribe.”  (tribe  “a social group …”)   

It seems as though the fireside concept of sharing is alive and well in the FIRE community.  I find it intriguing that I have made this strange connection.

While many people may not align perfectly with all of the FIRE leader community (I think the title “influencer” is asinine, or is that the follower?) there are many of whom you may relate to.  It’s possible that many of these leaders may be your “elders.”  It may be possible that many are younger than you, but happen to be in a different life stage or have a different perspective that can help you and your thinking.

Should you step back from the blogs/podcasts and pull up a seat around and close to the fire, and listen to the FIRE sharing just in case you can learn something new, different, or add to your perspective?  And, if at all possible, please share your experiences for/with others.  You may just share the perspective that resonates with them.

*** 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.

As a teenager in the 80s, many things stick into your core— into your expanding nature, and your nurture—just as anyone teenager’s decade.  But I never realized such a simple connection existed between terminology and its definition over the past 40 years.

While traveling (driving) around the Pacific Northwest area I listened to a LOT of podcasts.  I would say close to 100 hours of incessant speaking.  One topic—combined with reading— struck me as an ah-hah moment. 

I ask you the question: Do you find awe in your days?  Do you see the wonder in your day?  Do your days just flow from beginning to end—morning to night— without much amazement in between?  Do you experience awesome?  Or as I like to hack my words—awesomeness?

Somewhere along my drive, or visiting school friends, I heard the word “awesome” and then realized the root of the word is “awe.”  I never made the connection between the valley girls of the 80s and the amazement of awe.  It just made sense all of a sudden.  At 51 years old a lightning bolt struck.  The state of awe is awesome.

Even if you already are well aware of this, be absolutely sure that every day you take some moments to realize the awe in your life.  Life is (Spicolli) “Awesome, Totally Awesome.”

*** 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.

Somehow along the way I’ve become encircled with gratitude.

While I do take the moments after reaching my first-morning consciousness to take some breathes and appreciate my morning/day/life, I also have other gratitude times.

I know, I know, again with my “commute,” but when I’m sitting in my spa, or on my patio each—and every—morning and I hear the birds chirping, or even people hiking on the hills in the desert close by, I just feel relaxed.  It helps that it’s often before 8am and most likely a weekday.

Take the time to do something(s) you love each and every day.  You deserve it!

Lately, I’ve been asking myself a double question: if I could have anything, do anything, what would it be?  Have you ever taken a few minutes to dream about anything?  I’m not good at that.  I am way too functional/tactical in life.  I don’t really have an overly strategic, vision-planning mindset.

I tend to find a target and create a plan to reach/succeed in that goal.  I know that’s a good trait to have.  My wife tells me that I tend to strive to be a “fixer” and resolve issues.  Maybe that’s how I was raised.  I really don’t know any different.  I just try to figure out how to streamline, maybe even optimize, the path towards completion.   College was me aiming to earn 91% to lock in my “A” and then do whatever else I wanted with my remaining time.

The thought of thinking (dreaming) of an “anything” event is easy enough, yet I cannot find anything grand to complete the thought.  Everything that I come up with is minor, or simply that I “have the greatest already” answer.

I should be clear that of course, I wouldn’t decline a beach house in Hermosa Beach CA or a private jet.  Neither of which is required for life when I can substitute a similar option in my lifestyle.

I’m wondering if I’m asking these questions as I’ve aged into the second half of a century, or if it’s just because we have purposely been actively in MoJo mode.

I have purposely been on a (minorish) forced spending practice for the past year and a half.  Once I stumbled into earning a small stipend doing some work while in FIRE, I decided to force myself to spend ALL of that playcheck money.  I track this in a file on my computer to be sure I honor my spending commitment.  I also picked some favorite spending categories to help steer me to meeting my goal.  I chose: Health, Fitness, FIRE Lifestyle, and Tech.  I have dozens of cool items I would have NEVER purchased.  Many of these items are amazing and I should have MoJo’d them anyway, but I would not have spent on them.

Back to anything.  When I struggle so much to spend my earned playcheck, how can I dream bigger, to an anything level?  I’ve been taught to save money since I was 12 years old.  I continued saving some of every single paycheck, check, garage sale cash, everything.  How do I change gears?  How much do I change?  Do I just force a “fun bucket” strategy of $10k and go for it?  Do we set aside $100k for the decade?  Do we do hundreds of thousands of our life savings for living now in our GoGo years/MoJo decade? 

I don’t even believe my inability is tied to the fear of running out of money before end-of-plan.  I truly believe it’s a 40-year methodology/personality that requires changing.  A small little black purchase of an Epiphone ’58 Goth Explorer that proves to me that some frivolous purchases may add ongoing wonderful enjoyment to your days.

I do want to say that I’ve been very—maybe very-very— supportive of my wife’s spending.  Those who know me have seen her Shelby.  That’s not at all something I would have done in the past.  YOLO is 100% true (based on my understanding of the multiverse).  I just want the Live/life part to remain fully funded and cautious.

Lots and lots of babble above, but that’s my point.  It’s very hard (for me) to come up with a specific “anything.”  I will continue to add amazingness to our lives.  I will continue to make purchases.  I will continue to strive for experiences and adventures.  I will push to make each and every day enjoyable.

I will, without any question, do some of “my favorite things each day.”  Did I mention the coaster vibrating off the subwoofer in my living room?  I could FEEL my music.  My iphone alerted me to an “unsafe noise volume” and exposure risk…one of my favorite things.

Do you ever stop and dream as big as you can?  An Anything dream?

*** 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.