Destined To Spend
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (112717)
United States
April 3, 2021 6:46am CST
When it rains, it pours. It's just always the way it works. The wife and I are destined to spend, despite my always trying to do my best to avoid it. But of course, sometimes it is just a necessary evil, and unless you can enjoy at least some of the fruits of your labors, the labors aren't all that worth it.
We are planning a vacation that will run us anywhere between $4000 and $5000 in August with the fam. It's a five bedroom house somewhere on the beach. My sister has the details, otherwise I'd share.
My wife and her cousin have their annual gambling trip coming up in May and that will set us back another $1500 or so.
We still want to get the pool installed. Nothing fancy. It's just a 22 foot above ground pool. That will cost anywhere from $1000 to $1500.
And of course, I told you earlier that I needed to replace my stove, even more so now because I am down to three working burners. From what I have been pricing out there that's going to set me back about another $1000 when all is said and done.
It's not that we don't have the money, and it's not like I don't have ways to offset the draws in the stock market. It's not like these things won't be fun, or in the case of the stove useful or necessary.
It just hurts to yank it out in such a short period of time.
14 people like this
15 responses
@RebeccasFarm (91299)
• United States
3 Apr 21
Wow ..how long of a vacation is that?
Which beach?
I love the beach..thats where I would go too.
Or hunting in the woods
3 people like this
@RebeccasFarm (91299)
• United States
4 Apr 21
@porwest Well I hope it is near than far..who wants to get on planes right now plus the cost unless you would be driving..still
1 person likes this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
4 Apr 21
@RebeccasFarm It's a bit farther than I prefer to drive. About 12 1/2 hours. BUT, you are right about flying. It's been a pain in the butt since 9/11, and even more of a pain in the butt since Covid. So, considering we have plenty of time to get there, I'm just driving. We will probably hold up for the night in Birmingham, Alabama which is about a halfway point.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
3 Apr 21
Not sure yet. My sister has the details. I want to say it is in St. George, but I am not sure which state. We looked at several. Some in North Carolina, some in California, some in Georgia, some in Texas. Not sure where this one is. It will cost us about $7000 total for the house which is a 5-bedroom beach house. We will have 13 people, so once we break it all down it looks like my actual cost for my wife and I is about $1600, not including how we get there, food, drink, entertainment, and everything else.
We will be there for seven days.
2 people like this
@allen0187 (59648)
• Philippines
3 Apr 21
Same feeling. Expenses are never ending.
2 people like this
@allen0187 (59648)
• Philippines
4 Apr 21
@porwest yes.
Have several streams of income and have money start working for us instead of us working for money.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
4 Apr 21
@allen0187 That is it exactly. Money makes money. So, if money can make money...why not let the money do the work and I will just enjoy the fruits. lol
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52142)
• Staten Island, New York
3 Apr 21
Money is there to be spent. No use for it when you're in the ground. It has to be a great feeling though knowing that you can easily spend that much and you still have a lot left in the bank.
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (52142)
• Staten Island, New York
3 Apr 21
@porwest Very true. I wonder how people live in their retirement if their pension is small and social security ain't that much either.
2 people like this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
4 Apr 21
@lovebuglena They live like poor people. lol.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
3 Apr 21
I am right there with you. But no point to living one day if you DON'T have it either. There will come a time when everyone needs to have money they can no longer earn. So, better to take good care of it and spend wisely and be frugal, and not spend it all, so one day when all you have is what you saved is what you can have when you are later on in years and you can enjoy ALL of your life. Not just the first half of it.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222222)
• United States
3 Apr 21
I know. You actually have physical pain when it comes to spending money. I understand. lololol
3 people like this
@LindaOHio (222222)
• United States
4 Apr 21
@porwest I agree. When we sell the other house we are going to get a standby generator and put aside a big hunk for our month-long belated Anniversary trip to the Keys.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
3 Apr 21
The thing about money is that it is always much more difficult and much more time consuming to make, grow, and accumulate than it is to spend it. I have tons of ways I make money. Stock market, my job, sales commissions, MyLot, private ventures and so on and so forth. But it is STILL harder to make than it is to spend. And so yes...
Letting go of any of it is particularly hard to do. EVEN WHEN you HAVE to enjoy the fruits of your labors and have a good time with at least some of it.
I guess the one thing I am always grateful for is that at least when I do spend, I'm using cash and not having to borrow money, which makes everything you spend on that much more expensive.
3 people like this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
4 Apr 21
@LindaOHio It is right around the corner and you will have a great time. It's coming.
1 person likes this
@ARIES1973 (11944)
• Legaspi, Philippines
3 Apr 21
That's the reason why we are working. To enjoy life. It's good to know that you can do it now.
2 people like this
@porwest (112717)
• United States
3 Apr 21
Enjoying life is part of it. Yes. Of course. But we always have to remember that there will come a time when we either don't want to work, or cannot work, and so keeping some of it is important if you want to also enjoy retirement. At least, that's how I view it.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (44560)
• United States
3 Apr 21
Yeah, I get it. Kind of like going through elective surgery. You know it's gonna hurt, but it will be worth it to feel better. Only your results will be lots more fun. Life is short...enjoy it while you can.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (17029)
• United States
3 Apr 21
It always seems that we go through periods where we have to spend. It can be irritating at times. My mom in law went through that about a year ago when her microwave, refrigerator, washer and dryer, hot water heater and AC unit all needed replacing within a 6-7 month period. Thankful she had the money saved for them. As my Nana said, there is always something.
1 person likes this
@yoalldudes (35030)
• Philippines
3 Apr 21
That above ground pool caught my interest. How long does it usually last? Is it only for the summer?
2 people like this
@Rashnag (30597)
• Surat, India
4 Apr 21
True indeed. I can understand. Especially in these times, we have become more mindful on what to spend our money. Take care
