The art of spending money

Expotter

zagfles said:

The near death experience is a good one and something everyone should think about. If you were on your death bed tomorrow, what would your biggest regret be? What would you wish you'd have done?

I know what no one, ever, has said on their death bed: "I wish I had spent more time at work"

Albermarle

For instance those who were snubbed when poor feel the need to display their wealth as "revenge", whereas those who were never poor don't.

Not quite sure how to interpret 'snubbed' but I came from a poor( ish) background, in the Northern Industrial town where we lived, but never feel any need for 'revenge' now I am more comfortable. I guess that is because everybody else around us was poor to a greater or lesser extent, and so it did not hurt/make us feel humiliated. It just seemed normal.

Good story about your friends Dad. I guess the excitement, or even fear of those early travels, has imprinted itself on his brain, and even had a role in forming his character.

The article also explains the illusion of houses being a great "investment" as people go on about their (or their parents/grandparents) house bought decades ago for what seems a tiny sum now being worth a fortune, but when you account for costs and the time period the ROI really isn't that great.

I agree with this, although there is a lot to be said for owning your own home, I do not think the financial returns are as good as is often made out. I heard a neighbour saying their house had gone up by some massive % over the years, but not surprising as they had built two extensions and a loft room and seemed to spend every spare hour on working on the house for one thing or another.

Albermarle

Expotter said:

zagfles said:

The near death experience is a good one and something everyone should think about. If you were on your death bed tomorrow, what would your biggest regret be? What would you wish you'd have done?

I know what no one, ever, has said on their death bed: "I wish I had spent more time at work"

The ex Poet Laureate, John Betjeman said on his deathbed 

On our deathbeds we're not going to regret all the work we didn't do. We're going to regret all the s*x we didn't have!

SouthCoastBoy

For me, the most important things are the joy of watching your children grow up and family holidays.  

I'm grateful for work as it has enabled me to put a roof over our heads and meant my wife has been able to stay st home with the kids when they were young. Once I retire though I'm fairly confident I won't miss it

squirrelpie

"I didn't say that we found Singapore expensive, I said that it is expensive."

Forty years ago, I used to buy stuff in Singapore when we went there. Books, electronics, clothes etc etc. Nowadays, we buy stuff here to take to relatives there. Prada bags etc. Cars are ridiculously expensive there, for perfectly sensible reasons. Lee Kuan Yew's memoirs are well worth reading.

fly-catchers

I spent more money last year than I have ever done. And to be honest I think I was scammed over a lot of it! But the work that was done has improved my environment considerably and despite the cost still seems worthwhile! But since retiring in late 2020 have still tended to concentrate on saving rather than spending. But realise that spending is good when you see the benefits. Plus you can’t take it with you!

RG2015

fly-catchers said:

I spent more money last year than I have ever done. And to be honest I think I was scammed over a lot of it! But the work that was done has improved my environment considerably and despite the cost still seems worthwhile! But since retiring in late 2020 have still tended to concentrate on saving rather than spending. But realise that spending is good when you see the benefits. Plus you can’t take it with you!

I think all of us savers have difficulty in acknowledging the true value of spending. Add this to a climate of rocketing inflation and we have a double whammy!

I always do my due diligence and to be fair as long as I get a good quality outcome on my spending I have to be happy.

Subconsciously though I only admit this grudgingly.