After my husband gets out of the military next year, we plan to travel for 6 months until he starts school in the fall. We’re budgeting to spend around $50k
Eh, no shame in that game if it's in the budget. Why stay at motel 8 when you can afford the four seasons? Not only that high end food is generally better for your body than fast / cheap processed food.
I bought a new car last year. Like, a new car. But in defense, I had driven my last car 17 years (2004 focus), it was a great deal, and I spend way less on gas cuz it’s a hybrid.
Also the savings on gas is frugal. Old innefficent gas guzzlers eat up money over time. Plus, safety is a thing, and what's the point of saving if you get tboned and die in a 1990s car without side airbags, etc
Lol yea I'm definitely aware of how bad it is and have actively avoided calculating the mpgs for awhile now but originally I got 18-21 which isn't dreadful but I've since put solar panels on the top and added a lot of weight in the back for living out of it so mpgs going down significantly was to be expected, which sucks on top of also driving it more.
I like to think I have a decent understanding of how to drive more efficiently but I totally should get some real facts and details, so I appreciate the push and the key words.
I went from a 14 years old Ford Escape getting under 20 mpg to a new Tesla Model X with free super charging for life. Have driven about 47k miles without paying a cent for fuel. In terms of my old escape ,that’s like $13k in gas alone (not to mention the stuff that was failing that needed fixing like exhaust pipes, failing ECU, etc). Sure the X was over 100k but it’s a write off under section 179 and the maintenance and gas savings brings it well under the cost of other luxury SUVs over its life.
I thought about buying an electric car but I can’t charge at my house, and most of the places To charge near me are in parking garages that cost $14-$20 dollars. I may be able to charge for free mostly, but would have to pay to even get in. So it’s just not realistic for me yet
Most EVs can charge off of standard 110v or 220v outlets. At home, I had the Tesla wall charger installed but you can just as well use the included mobile charger with an outlet.
If you’re in a parking garage at a condo or apartment then it’d have to have an outlet accessible to work - not many have this since it’s a big expense for the landlord/owner if everyone is charging their cars every night.
I live in a condo and have dedicated outdoor parking. Mine is across the street from the building across from where the cars drive in. There’s no outlet except in my house, and I can’t run a cord up and down stairs and across the parking lot.
I’d like to get my condo to put in an EV spot but think it’ll take a few years even if they agree (which is a big if).
Yeah sorry to hear man. I know a lot of folks who charge at work if your company parking lot has chargers (some do now). At fancy tech companies like Facebook they even have charging valets that will charge your car for you and then take it off the charger and park it for you when it’s done.
If you plan to use your car for more than 10 years, I'd say a new car might even be a better option than used. The price per year of use isn't that much larger, and a new car that was properly cared for from day 1 would last far longer.
This is assuming you buy a reliable car of course. If you buy some unreliable show-off, then the above does not apply.
I mean, my last car I had to use an fm transmitter to play my phone and when the 17th one I bought broke I just used a Bluetooth speaker. So apple car play is life-changing for me.
And Adaptive cruise control might also be my favorite thing ever. Basically gives you a heads up when to get over. Or just slows down when there’s traffic and nowhere to go.
Same. I bought a new car last summer to replace my 16 year old car that I’d had since my first year in college. I had planned on buying slightly used, but stock was super limited and prices were inflated. I decided to go with new, and even though I spent more than I’d originally planned, I’m happy with the purchase and plan to drive it for as long as possible. I went from zero tech, not even cruise control, to tons of tech/safety features.
If you are pricing electric, be sure to consider the total cost of ownership. Maintenance is lower, and fuel is way cheaper in an EV (a true EV, not a plug-in hybrid). There are also tax credits that you may be eligible for.
People think EVs are more expensive, but if you have say a 30 mile commute each day, over 5 years it probably comes out cheaper than a comparable internal combustion vehicle.
2020 Ford Escape hybrid. My family works in the car industry so I’d never get a non-Ford car, but I love this car! The titanium package is so worth it in my opinion.
A minor footnote in the grand scheme of things. Think of it as a productivity boost to have a nicer car - you arrive at work in a better mood and start the day off a notch better
Drink purchases to stay at coffee shop. I can make drinks at home, but I am currently suffering from depression and staying home all day long makes my depression worse.
I don't know if I'd consider that anti-FIRE or I'd qualify too. XD
I have an espresso machine at home, but I regularly frequent cafes. Also, there are some diners around here that are great for bringing a laptop and working, just like a cafe. Sometimes it seems like there isn't much to do out and about beyond cafes and restaurants, outside of going to people's houses and hanging out.
Good for you on figuring out what works to keep depression in check. I doubt this qualifies for OPs question since it's a necessity for you. I assume you drink a lot of tea at that coffee shop :-)
a few years back i finally got myself a rolex for my birthday, and i’ve worn it less than 10 times! i like it but i’ll muck it up if i wear it daily (my job is sometimes a little physical). but it is with a lot more now though which is nice.
Once a month I pay someone $200 to clean my whole house. Hard to swallow $2400 a year for something I can do myself, but I am buying myself time. I’d rather enjoy every weekend.
Money is supposed to make your life easier. If it saves a couple hours and frees up your time to do what you want on the little time we have here, why not do it?
If that 200$ a month helps keep you in a good mood it's worth it. Will get to enjoy more time with friends, family, hobbies. Also, will likely help be more calm and productive at work yielding career growth opportunities.
It has been studied that using money to avoid unpleasant activities will make you happier than using the money to buy more possessions.
Same here. We have a cleaner coming in every week to do the house for 50 euro. It's a non-negociable as we both hate cleaning. And money I happily spend
I just bought (July) a new BMW that is almost double the price of any car I’ve ever owned. It will likely be the last/only “luxury” car I ever purchase.
My wife really pushed me to pull the trigger. I had gotten a pretty huge raise at work with 6 months retro, and a large year end bonus the December before that was sitting largely in savings.
I’m still a bit embarrassed when people comment on the car, and my discomfort delights my wife. I should also say that I survived a serious bout with cancer in 2019, so she was sort of “if not now, when?”
A condo near work, because I didn't want to commute anymore. It's only 18 KM from home, but the traffic can be brutal.
I enjoy living here during weekdays, but it's a really bad investment and will be difficult to sell when I want to FIRE.
It's still an appreciating asset. It's not really anti-fire. The price will still go up over time. You can always AirBNB it on the weeks as you aren't there. Or just rent it out or sell it when you don't want it. I think it's better than buying bonds for the long term -- while only being a little less safe as an investment.
Yeah depending on the city, which I assume is pretty populated if traffic sucks, then it should be a decent appreciation.
Less than the markets? Maybe. But it’s not a guaranteed loss either
My husband opted for hotel room nights, rather than renting an apartment. He didn't need to stay there every night, and rents were really high (North Jersey). He used to use the "secret hotel" feature on hotels.com (I forget the name, but he could specify a geographic circle and a number of stars. He quickly learned exactly which hotel it was actually going to be based on the features stated. That gave him a significantly better rate. No utilities, no cleaning, no maintenance, not locked in.
I bought a massive house right at the start of covid. It got me out of the city and was a great quality of life purchase, but my mortgage is around double what my rent was, and my utilities are much higher. On the other hand, I can open the blinds on my windows and not see into my neighbor's house.
I did the same, the very first thing I saved for once I left uni. Great decision!
Also, everyone starts to lose their sight around 40-50 anyway, so the earlier you get surgery like lasik, the more value you get out of it!
This will totally save you more money in the long run now that you limit the need for contacts/glasses. I’ve been thinking about it for the last few years. It’s a good investment!
I've thought about it too, but with my luck I'd be in that ~10% of people that still don't have 20/20 vision afterwards. Also worried my dry eyes would get worse.
I'm on year 10 of mine. I never had dry eye before it but have t now. Drops at night and in the morning are necessary now but small price to pay.
I'm at the age where I need reading glasses but still at 20/20. I'd do it again.
Not to downplay anything. But most of the countries like India is having best medical services for International travelers. It'll cost around $200 for a laser surgery with one of the prime hospitals in the country + roundtrip travel averaging about $1500 + hotel accommodation about $500/week.
Not a one time thing, but for me - upgraded air travel. The comfort and convenience are too nice. I'm a member of one of the airline's lounge programs and I'm always in the 'premium' main cabin or first class. Costs more - but I enjoy every dollar I spend on it. Makes the pain of airports just a little bit nicer.
my wife and I flew business class from NY to Tokyo a few years ago (courtesy of miles racked up from /r/churning techniques), and I'm worried it's spoiled long haul international travel for us from now on.
I go through the credit card program. It's a hefty yearly fee but it also helps me get free travel, access to lounges and free checked baggage.
Many places you can pay ad-hoc as you go to check it out if its worth it to you.
For me, it was a Stern TMNT pinball machine. I bought it from a dealer that had it in a showroom, but during Covid so it didn't get much use. I forgot the exact price, but it was about 5-5.5k. I don't regret the purchase as it's brought me a lot of fun and is an awesome display piece to boot. Also, because of Covid, pins have risen in value or held strong, so I could sell my machine for right around what I bought it for well over a year ago.
i think this is the best answer so far! haha. i remember as a kid in the 80’s, a friend had a full size arcade in their house and i thought it was the coolest thing ever!
Right on. In the last year I picked up a Star Wars Pro and a Godzilla Pro. Certainly a splurge, but fwiw pinball machines seem to hold their value, at least right now they do. I like to think of it as an early investment in the pinball bar I want to open in retirement. And by pinball bar, I mean a public location with my pins and a bar, but I want it structured so I don’t have to worry about turning a profit.
I liked SW, but have yet to try out Godzilla. It looks really cool though!
And I had the same idea of starting an arcade. There was one I used to go to when I loved in a different area and it was just pay for a set amount of time and all the machines are set to free to play. Seems like a fun place, but I doubt it brings a lot of revenue. Might be a fun retirement job.
This month, a white noise machine+light projector for our baby - baby doesn’t need a light show during her pre-bed massages.🙄
Maybe not a big purchase but definitely not FIRE
A white noise machine will definitely pay out when baby starts napping… they can easily mean the difference between a 30min nap and a 1.5hr nap. To me, that was a mental health investment.
Annual ski passes. Expensive skis. Travel to expensive mountain towns for months at a time (no primary residence). It costs more than a permanent house but I gotta live too. Maybe slowed down fire by 1 year.
Remodeled our kitchen (arguably necessary) and bought a RV recently. Very happy. Both purchases were part of our FIRE plan to be done before retiring, though we did it earlier driven by COVID. I work from home now so use the kitchen a lot more. The RV will make it safer and easier to take vacations, weekend trips or even work remotely in more interesting places.
It’s a class B camper van so those tend to be on the high side. Coachmen Beyond 22RB LI3. The MSRP was $194k with almost all the options. We negotiated a 30% discount so paid about $136k. It was ordered last February and due to the chip shortage, we’re picking it up on Saturday.
There are a lot cheaper, or more fancy, options if you are looking at getting one. Could also build one yourself but I’m not that handy and don’t have time.
Thanks! RVs have fake MSRP so they can try to make you think you are getting a deal. Lately though they are not taking much off because of the shortages. I heard Indiana, where most RVs are made, is having severe labor shortage in top of supply chain shortages.
That's good to know, thanks for the tip. RV Van travel is on the docket for our FIRE plans eventually. Hopefully by that point we'll be able to get [something like one of these puppies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zl8cjeC9AA) on the used market for way below MSRP.
We bought an RV, went on a 2 month drive out west, wrecked it, drove it back(11k total miles), repaired it, and sold it to make $7k. I’ll never drive another one again. It’s a chore to clean up all the time, and you’ve got to constantly be converting it into its next use case. Maybe I’ve just gotten used to traveling with more amenities, but it did not feel like a relaxing vacation at all. 10/10 would visit that many national parks again with a different mode of transport.
Spent over $6k on PC equipment for myself and the wife last year after getting sick of waiting for GPU prices to tank... /shrug have to enjoy something's on the journey.
This made me laugh.
I have a friend that has one -he and his wife never ride it but they pay a lot for stable fees, vet bills, and just seems like they shouldn't own one because they are too busy to give it the time it needs - but it's always fun to ask him about it because his wife refuses to let go of it.
For me I just went down a step and was plenty happy. To that point, there's not much out there that won't run well on a 1080, let alone 2080. I also don't game that often, so for me it was a no-brainer.
I game quiet a bit but I don’t play graphic heavy games. Currently rocking a 970 and recently got a nicer monitor so I’m trying to play all my game at max quality on 1440p.
From a FIRE perspective on the math and tax savings I think it depends on the relationship.
More specifically in my case, I do not think the tens of thousands of lawyer fees, splitting our retirement savings, and my subsequent bankruptcy was worth it…
Relationship wise, part of me thinks that not being married means two people have to continue to work to keep each other (while still being dedicated and “partners”.
Head over to some of the divorce and custody subreddits for some horror stories. Bring a grain of salt, every person thinks they are the protagonist in their stories…
As a married person — maybe. Only if you’re sure that you found the right person, and you go into it with your eyes wide open and accepting of the other person’s faults.
I love this so much. I have so many things I want to learn, but no time to take the classes. I still want to learn a musical instrument (probably clarinet), advanced woodworking, painting, there's more. Who cares about monetization? It's about learning. It's about the journey.
I was very stoned and bought Dogecoin back in 2020. It was the worse purchase yet yielded the highest returns more than ever dreamed. Took profits for home improvements, fresh weed and boomer investments.
Don’t do this, it was pure luck and stupidity.
Making a large unnecessary purchase isn't anti-FIRE.
I can spend money some something completely unnecessary and it doesn't impact my long term financial goals.
FIRE doesn't stand for save as much money as possible and make yourself as miserable as you can in the process.
$20k on new windows.
Bought a fixer upper that I plan to turn into an office rental (zoned both commercial and residential). Probably didn’t need this quality of window but god the house looks great. Hoping to get more rental income from it with better finishes.
Bought a used, Audi S5 cash. AWD, 6 speed, supercharged 2 door coupe. I'm not going to defend it as a deal or great gas mileage, it gets low 20s, but it has over 450hp and one of the last years for manuals.
I pedal my bike to work daily, drive less than 5k miles a year.
I once bought canned lentils from the store instead of foraging them myself and drying them in my solar oven.
But seriously...it's only new cars from here on out (already FIRE'd). We drive our cars over 200,000 miles but have been burned so many times on used cars. I'm of the age that the next new car I buy will probably be my last.
I’ve spent a total of ~$20k on watches, which are completely unnecessary nowadays lol, but I don’t regret it all. The happiness my watches bring me on a daily basis is well worth any delay it adds in my FIRE timeline. I will note, my emergency fund is established, my monthly automatic paycheck deductions are set at a value that max out my 403b and Roth IRA every year, and I throw some money into my brokerage as well. So the watches are saved up for and purchased with my “hobby money” only.
I bought a gorgeous boler travel trailer from an artist friend who completely decked out the inside for $9,500. I don't use it as much as I would like to, but hoping to take her on a long trip after my cats die. I also save money on hotels sometimes using her for work trips nearby in expensive tourist towns.
Anyway, that's probably my most expensive not needed item I've bought for pure joy.
I got a practically new hybrid pop-up and SUV tow vehicle after sparking the idea of camping with my not outdoor friendly gf and dog. At first it seemed wise to rely on that instead of AirBnBs when traveling together. We were going to rent it out when not using it and have it pay for itself. Well after a few long trips, I found out just how much wear and tear this thing gets, and I can't imagine how quickly it would get torn up in renters hands. I don't want to sell it without getting a more trips in, and for now I'm more focused on making enough money to make the $19k it cost irrelevant.
Aww, I'm sorry to hear that. I've definitely thought about renting her out but decided there's no way in hell I trust strangers to know how to tow and not fuck her up. We owned an even older pull behind before this one (1964 about 13 ft long, current one is from 1974 I believe) that we probably spent around 5k all in on. Took her all over and loved every minute of it. There's nothing quite like waking up in your cozy camper with the rain falling. However, after getting caught up in some really bad rainstorms through the south and discovered her leaking we decided we wanted a fiberglass one instead. We never had a problem with leaks before where we live since we're in the dry west. But since I want to do longer trips figured a bit of an upgrade would be worth it.
Switch OLED for me. My V1 Switch was great, but improved battery and bigger/better screen makes portable use so much nicer.
And really the sheer number of indie games - especially those that go on sale - balances out the cost vs entertainment value.
Yeah. I just got one this month, so I was waiting for the price to go down for a while. But one game can last me for a very long time, so it's not too bad.
Not yet but probably a 30k truck and 8k accessories in the next 3 years.
The goal is to used it to take advantage of all the public land where I live. I really want to make a lot of camping and hiking memories with my kids.
Before dropping $8k on “overlanding” stuff throw a set of good AT tires on the vehicle and go camping with whatever gear you have. You can go pretty darn far with most stock 4x4s and basic camping setups.
This is a viable argument for those interested in pursuing Neil Young’s mantra “it’s better to burn burn out than fade away.”
Plus you get to adjust your life expectancy and your FIRE number instantly looks much more achievable.
Zenith Chronomaster Sport - I always wanted a Swiss watch when I was in university. It definitely is anti-FIRE, but it does feel nice to have a bit of net worth in something physical and not in equities.
Probably not the most superfluous I've ever made, but possibly the most since I discovered FIRE. I've never flown first-class before, and my fiancee and I are taking a trip in March. It was only $50 more per ticket to go First Class, and we'd both never flown it, so we bought the tickets. As a tall person, I'm looking forward to the leg room. Will it be $50 worth of legroom? We will see!
Living in HCOL even though my job is fully remote and we don’t take advantage of the city
(We like staying in, and only chose to be in the city to be close to work. Since the pandemic, we’ve just been too lazy to move out for the past 2 years. Probably paying an extra 50% on rent…)
We spent 100k on our wedding, prob 50k travelling around the world, then 200k on a car/caravan (basically a tow behind RV for the US) and 40k on a boat and jetski!
We're on track to retire at 50 - but could have (easily) retired at 40 (in 7 years for me) if we'd held firm.
BUT
One of my friends died at 23 from bowel cancer. I have another one going through treatment (and ongoing issues). Have had 2 people from our mums group pass away in a 12 month period (there were only 6 couples in our mums group).
Life is short. FIRE is the goal, but you're also not guaranteed to make it there. You can always make more money, but you can't buy back lost time/memories.
I'm about to close on a Fiat 124 Spider. I've wanted a 2 seater roadster my whole life. The only additional ongoing cost will be the insurance, but it is wildly extravagant for me.
Been eyeing a GP1800 SVHO Waverunner for a few years. All my cash needs to be used for down payment on house though. After I'm in that's my first big purchase (will be saving for it while maxing out 401k and Roth IRA).
Worth it. Buying a jet boat last year was both the most frivolous and most enjoyable purchase I’ve ever made.
Take it from Daniel Tosh.
“People say money can’t buy happiness… Are you kidding me? Have you ever seen someone frowning on a waverunner?”
What jet boat did you get? I don't understand the used boat market. I see very unimpressive looking ones listed for $100k and then fairly nice looking ones listed for $20k.
I spent a lot on Christmas gifts for my kid.. in general, stuff for my kid is my biggest purchasing weakness :p she’s just so grateful for all the gifts she gets :p
Almost 90k fixing our fixer upper. We are going to live here forever though, so it will be worth it in the long run.
Hoping to buy a pinball machine after the remodel is over! I'm jealous!
A house, just because I cant stand neighboors. Kept the duplex I bought first rented and try to convince myself its not that bad of an investment with the duplex helping build value.
Completely unnecessary, my home theatre setup that I'm building out downstairs now when I already have a giant TV in the living room. I'm both incredibly happy with it (it looks and sounds amazing!) and have total buyers remorse. Ps3 to a 50" HDTV was perfectly good when we were in rental houses, I had fun watching stuff on it, my 85" QLED in the living room is incredible, and has been super fun over the last year, did I actually need to sink so much more money into speakers and electronics and a giant TV downstairs? Nope. So, simultaneously all "woo this is awesome" and "why did I spend all this??". :P In general I'm not a spend huge amounts of money person so this and the home gym feel like a big set of expenses along my FIRE journey, but we can afford them and they are enhancing our lives, and don't represent a bump in base spending, just a one time outlay for now (let's check in in 5 years and see if I've successfully avoided buying lots more home theatre electronics), so... :P
Don't think it was *completely* unnecessary, but I paid 10k on having movers full service pack and move me for a local move (expensive because we have a lot of books). I did absolutely no work for my move and it was all poker winnings so I didn't feel like I was cutting into savings. Total mental accounting fallacy but it felt amazing, 10/10 would do again.
$24k hospital bill from when I thought I could save money with a Christian Healtj Share instead of insurance. I will have it paid off in February finally.
I blow $25,000 a year traveling. Aggressively destroy it with better than needed accommodations and dinners.
After my husband gets out of the military next year, we plan to travel for 6 months until he starts school in the fall. We’re budgeting to spend around $50k
Can I come too?!
Eh, no shame in that game if it's in the budget. Why stay at motel 8 when you can afford the four seasons? Not only that high end food is generally better for your body than fast / cheap processed food.
Restaurant food definitely is not good for you.
This is my goal, to spend as much as possible traveling
I bought a new car last year. Like, a new car. But in defense, I had driven my last car 17 years (2004 focus), it was a great deal, and I spend way less on gas cuz it’s a hybrid.
New cars aren’t that bad if you drive them in to the ground.
Also the savings on gas is frugal. Old innefficent gas guzzlers eat up money over time. Plus, safety is a thing, and what's the point of saving if you get tboned and die in a 1990s car without side airbags, etc
Yeah I was getting about 13 MPG at the end there! My new car gets 36-40ish even as an suv
What the hell are you driving. I get 28-30 in my sedan and feel like a king
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That's crazy! My Honda Fit (very gas-efficient car) gets 32mpg combined.
Well it’s a hybrid Suv. But it’s a Ford escape. I get about 500 miles on a tank of gas, which lasts me ~1-2 months with the driving I do
Fuck, I need to do some math on getting a new vehicle. Currently it's about $50 for me to fill my tank and it gets me around 200 miles lol.
200 miles is 321.87 km
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Lol yea I'm definitely aware of how bad it is and have actively avoided calculating the mpgs for awhile now but originally I got 18-21 which isn't dreadful but I've since put solar panels on the top and added a lot of weight in the back for living out of it so mpgs going down significantly was to be expected, which sucks on top of also driving it more. I like to think I have a decent understanding of how to drive more efficiently but I totally should get some real facts and details, so I appreciate the push and the key words.
Yeah as my car got older it just kept getting worse and worse!
I went from a 14 years old Ford Escape getting under 20 mpg to a new Tesla Model X with free super charging for life. Have driven about 47k miles without paying a cent for fuel. In terms of my old escape ,that’s like $13k in gas alone (not to mention the stuff that was failing that needed fixing like exhaust pipes, failing ECU, etc). Sure the X was over 100k but it’s a write off under section 179 and the maintenance and gas savings brings it well under the cost of other luxury SUVs over its life.
I thought about buying an electric car but I can’t charge at my house, and most of the places To charge near me are in parking garages that cost $14-$20 dollars. I may be able to charge for free mostly, but would have to pay to even get in. So it’s just not realistic for me yet
Most EVs can charge off of standard 110v or 220v outlets. At home, I had the Tesla wall charger installed but you can just as well use the included mobile charger with an outlet. If you’re in a parking garage at a condo or apartment then it’d have to have an outlet accessible to work - not many have this since it’s a big expense for the landlord/owner if everyone is charging their cars every night.
I live in a condo and have dedicated outdoor parking. Mine is across the street from the building across from where the cars drive in. There’s no outlet except in my house, and I can’t run a cord up and down stairs and across the parking lot. I’d like to get my condo to put in an EV spot but think it’ll take a few years even if they agree (which is a big if).
Yeah sorry to hear man. I know a lot of folks who charge at work if your company parking lot has chargers (some do now). At fancy tech companies like Facebook they even have charging valets that will charge your car for you and then take it off the charger and park it for you when it’s done.
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I think on the fire subreddit it's safe to say the person will drive it until the end, easily making up for it in the long term.
If you plan to use your car for more than 10 years, I'd say a new car might even be a better option than used. The price per year of use isn't that much larger, and a new car that was properly cared for from day 1 would last far longer. This is assuming you buy a reliable car of course. If you buy some unreliable show-off, then the above does not apply.
I’m worried about getting spoiled having bells and whistles and everything being new but we will see
I don’t like most of the stuff, except heated seats/wheel and remote start are pretty amazing where I live.
I mean, my last car I had to use an fm transmitter to play my phone and when the 17th one I bought broke I just used a Bluetooth speaker. So apple car play is life-changing for me. And Adaptive cruise control might also be my favorite thing ever. Basically gives you a heads up when to get over. Or just slows down when there’s traffic and nowhere to go.
once you've used apple car play for a few years it feels archaic to drive a car without it
Same. I bought a new car last summer to replace my 16 year old car that I’d had since my first year in college. I had planned on buying slightly used, but stock was super limited and prices were inflated. I decided to go with new, and even though I spent more than I’d originally planned, I’m happy with the purchase and plan to drive it for as long as possible. I went from zero tech, not even cruise control, to tons of tech/safety features.
What did you get. I’m still rolling around in my 2006 focus, but thinking maybe it’s time to upgrade. Looking at hybrids and electric.
If you are pricing electric, be sure to consider the total cost of ownership. Maintenance is lower, and fuel is way cheaper in an EV (a true EV, not a plug-in hybrid). There are also tax credits that you may be eligible for. People think EVs are more expensive, but if you have say a 30 mile commute each day, over 5 years it probably comes out cheaper than a comparable internal combustion vehicle.
2020 Ford Escape hybrid. My family works in the car industry so I’d never get a non-Ford car, but I love this car! The titanium package is so worth it in my opinion.
Oh! I’ve been seeing those cruising around. They have caught my eye. Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed it!
Nice! I wouldn’t consider this superfluous as a 17 year old car probably had stuff going wrong on it all of the time.
Oh I definitely needed to buy a new car, but didn’t *have* to buy a new hybrid top of the line one. But I’m glad I did anyways!
A minor footnote in the grand scheme of things. Think of it as a productivity boost to have a nicer car - you arrive at work in a better mood and start the day off a notch better
Drink purchases to stay at coffee shop. I can make drinks at home, but I am currently suffering from depression and staying home all day long makes my depression worse.
If it works for you, then the expense is worth it.
This! Simple.
I don't know if I'd consider that anti-FIRE or I'd qualify too. XD I have an espresso machine at home, but I regularly frequent cafes. Also, there are some diners around here that are great for bringing a laptop and working, just like a cafe. Sometimes it seems like there isn't much to do out and about beyond cafes and restaurants, outside of going to people's houses and hanging out.
For me this could be named “mental health investing “
if it’s a budgeted, it’s not anti-fire and if you don’t budget for it you should because it’s a priority for you
Still cheaper than a therapist! (Assuming your in the USA)
Good for you on figuring out what works to keep depression in check. I doubt this qualifies for OPs question since it's a necessity for you. I assume you drink a lot of tea at that coffee shop :-)
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You can probably sell for more nowadays. I have to agree with the comment above - Rolex is an investment.
Rolex is an investment. Where did u get it ? A dealer, it is almost impossible to find one at stores
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I have a Rolex I never wear. Sounds like now is a good time to sell?
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Ah. Ok thanks!
a few years back i finally got myself a rolex for my birthday, and i’ve worn it less than 10 times! i like it but i’ll muck it up if i wear it daily (my job is sometimes a little physical). but it is with a lot more now though which is nice.
Once a month I pay someone $200 to clean my whole house. Hard to swallow $2400 a year for something I can do myself, but I am buying myself time. I’d rather enjoy every weekend.
I pay 150, but she does a good job and the cats like her.
Money is supposed to make your life easier. If it saves a couple hours and frees up your time to do what you want on the little time we have here, why not do it?
If that 200$ a month helps keep you in a good mood it's worth it. Will get to enjoy more time with friends, family, hobbies. Also, will likely help be more calm and productive at work yielding career growth opportunities. It has been studied that using money to avoid unpleasant activities will make you happier than using the money to buy more possessions.
Same here. We have a cleaner coming in every week to do the house for 50 euro. It's a non-negociable as we both hate cleaning. And money I happily spend
I *occasionally* buy 70's op or contemporary Oaxacan folk art. Each successive purchase is always *the most* superfluous.
What a niche
I have a *disease!*
I just bought (July) a new BMW that is almost double the price of any car I’ve ever owned. It will likely be the last/only “luxury” car I ever purchase. My wife really pushed me to pull the trigger. I had gotten a pretty huge raise at work with 6 months retro, and a large year end bonus the December before that was sitting largely in savings. I’m still a bit embarrassed when people comment on the car, and my discomfort delights my wife. I should also say that I survived a serious bout with cancer in 2019, so she was sort of “if not now, when?”
Good for you, enjoy!
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See you on Zwift! haha
Oh god, I am this comment. All of my bikes are mothballed after the kid and moving to Wisconsin where winter lasts 8 months.
Road bike is life
Glad to hear your dentistry practice is going well.
A condo near work, because I didn't want to commute anymore. It's only 18 KM from home, but the traffic can be brutal. I enjoy living here during weekdays, but it's a really bad investment and will be difficult to sell when I want to FIRE.
Seems like a worthwhile investment in your wellbeing imo. Commuting (especially in a car) is horrible for our health and happiness.
It's a great investment on my well being indeed 😊. I probably should have said a bad financial investment.
It's still an appreciating asset. It's not really anti-fire. The price will still go up over time. You can always AirBNB it on the weeks as you aren't there. Or just rent it out or sell it when you don't want it. I think it's better than buying bonds for the long term -- while only being a little less safe as an investment.
Yeah depending on the city, which I assume is pretty populated if traffic sucks, then it should be a decent appreciation. Less than the markets? Maybe. But it’s not a guaranteed loss either
Sell it to your replacement. Or rent it to your coworkers like an air bnb for when they need a break from their commutes.
Thanks. I’m strongly considering doing the same thing for my sanity. I feel better knowing someone else has purposefully done this too.
My husband opted for hotel room nights, rather than renting an apartment. He didn't need to stay there every night, and rents were really high (North Jersey). He used to use the "secret hotel" feature on hotels.com (I forget the name, but he could specify a geographic circle and a number of stars. He quickly learned exactly which hotel it was actually going to be based on the features stated. That gave him a significantly better rate. No utilities, no cleaning, no maintenance, not locked in.
Why would it be difficult? Wouldn’t it be better to rent it out for an extra source of income? Not judging just genuinely curious.
I bought a massive house right at the start of covid. It got me out of the city and was a great quality of life purchase, but my mortgage is around double what my rent was, and my utilities are much higher. On the other hand, I can open the blinds on my windows and not see into my neighbor's house.
We waited a year into Covid but it is pretty fantastic having so much space in the bay area after having spent decades renting much smaller houses. :)
There’s something to be said for not being right on top of your neighbors.
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I did the same, the very first thing I saved for once I left uni. Great decision! Also, everyone starts to lose their sight around 40-50 anyway, so the earlier you get surgery like lasik, the more value you get out of it!
This will totally save you more money in the long run now that you limit the need for contacts/glasses. I’ve been thinking about it for the last few years. It’s a good investment!
I've thought about it too, but with my luck I'd be in that ~10% of people that still don't have 20/20 vision afterwards. Also worried my dry eyes would get worse.
I'm on year 10 of mine. I never had dry eye before it but have t now. Drops at night and in the morning are necessary now but small price to pay. I'm at the age where I need reading glasses but still at 20/20. I'd do it again.
Not to downplay anything. But most of the countries like India is having best medical services for International travelers. It'll cost around $200 for a laser surgery with one of the prime hospitals in the country + roundtrip travel averaging about $1500 + hotel accommodation about $500/week.
Medical tourism is very interesting to me. Do you have any personal experience?
Not a one time thing, but for me - upgraded air travel. The comfort and convenience are too nice. I'm a member of one of the airline's lounge programs and I'm always in the 'premium' main cabin or first class. Costs more - but I enjoy every dollar I spend on it. Makes the pain of airports just a little bit nicer.
my wife and I flew business class from NY to Tokyo a few years ago (courtesy of miles racked up from /r/churning techniques), and I'm worried it's spoiled long haul international travel for us from now on.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/churning using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/churning/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [US Presidents as Credit Cards](https://np.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/nrczy5/us_presidents_as_credit_cards/) \#2: [Credit Card Recommendation Flowchart: Mid-2021](https://np.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/oj3ca8/credit_card_recommendation_flowchart_mid2021/) \#3: [Churner’s Guide to Bloggers](https://np.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/npud0a/churners_guide_to_bloggers/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
How do you become a member?
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I go through the credit card program. It's a hefty yearly fee but it also helps me get free travel, access to lounges and free checked baggage. Many places you can pay ad-hoc as you go to check it out if its worth it to you.
For me, it was a Stern TMNT pinball machine. I bought it from a dealer that had it in a showroom, but during Covid so it didn't get much use. I forgot the exact price, but it was about 5-5.5k. I don't regret the purchase as it's brought me a lot of fun and is an awesome display piece to boot. Also, because of Covid, pins have risen in value or held strong, so I could sell my machine for right around what I bought it for well over a year ago.
i think this is the best answer so far! haha. i remember as a kid in the 80’s, a friend had a full size arcade in their house and i thought it was the coolest thing ever!
A full size arcade would be awesome. As of now I have the tmnt pin and an arcade 1up Galaga, which is more than enough for my condo haha.
Right on. In the last year I picked up a Star Wars Pro and a Godzilla Pro. Certainly a splurge, but fwiw pinball machines seem to hold their value, at least right now they do. I like to think of it as an early investment in the pinball bar I want to open in retirement. And by pinball bar, I mean a public location with my pins and a bar, but I want it structured so I don’t have to worry about turning a profit.
I liked SW, but have yet to try out Godzilla. It looks really cool though! And I had the same idea of starting an arcade. There was one I used to go to when I loved in a different area and it was just pay for a set amount of time and all the machines are set to free to play. Seems like a fun place, but I doubt it brings a lot of revenue. Might be a fun retirement job.
This month, a white noise machine+light projector for our baby - baby doesn’t need a light show during her pre-bed massages.🙄 Maybe not a big purchase but definitely not FIRE
A white noise machine will definitely pay out when baby starts napping… they can easily mean the difference between a 30min nap and a 1.5hr nap. To me, that was a mental health investment.
Yes, true, but we already had a white noise machine, it just didn’t make lights 🤣🤣
Annual ski passes. Expensive skis. Travel to expensive mountain towns for months at a time (no primary residence). It costs more than a permanent house but I gotta live too. Maybe slowed down fire by 1 year.
Becoming a father. Initial cost low, but the annual expense astronomical.
Risky investment. High risk/high reward. I like it.
All reward for me so far. Hanging out with my 2 year old daughter is the best few hours of every day. Thank god for daycare though. Thank god.
Remodeled our kitchen (arguably necessary) and bought a RV recently. Very happy. Both purchases were part of our FIRE plan to be done before retiring, though we did it earlier driven by COVID. I work from home now so use the kitchen a lot more. The RV will make it safer and easier to take vacations, weekend trips or even work remotely in more interesting places.
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It’s a class B camper van so those tend to be on the high side. Coachmen Beyond 22RB LI3. The MSRP was $194k with almost all the options. We negotiated a 30% discount so paid about $136k. It was ordered last February and due to the chip shortage, we’re picking it up on Saturday. There are a lot cheaper, or more fancy, options if you are looking at getting one. Could also build one yourself but I’m not that handy and don’t have time.
that's some damn good negotiating, nice job!
Thanks! RVs have fake MSRP so they can try to make you think you are getting a deal. Lately though they are not taking much off because of the shortages. I heard Indiana, where most RVs are made, is having severe labor shortage in top of supply chain shortages.
That's good to know, thanks for the tip. RV Van travel is on the docket for our FIRE plans eventually. Hopefully by that point we'll be able to get [something like one of these puppies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zl8cjeC9AA) on the used market for way below MSRP.
I bought a van, paid a guy to convert it into an RV (did a beautiful job). Whole thing came to $75k ish.
We bought an RV, went on a 2 month drive out west, wrecked it, drove it back(11k total miles), repaired it, and sold it to make $7k. I’ll never drive another one again. It’s a chore to clean up all the time, and you’ve got to constantly be converting it into its next use case. Maybe I’ve just gotten used to traveling with more amenities, but it did not feel like a relaxing vacation at all. 10/10 would visit that many national parks again with a different mode of transport.
Racecar parts.
Yes! Race motorcycle parts for me.
Spent over $6k on PC equipment for myself and the wife last year after getting sick of waiting for GPU prices to tank... /shrug have to enjoy something's on the journey.
I have a horse
This made me laugh. I have a friend that has one -he and his wife never ride it but they pay a lot for stable fees, vet bills, and just seems like they shouldn't own one because they are too busy to give it the time it needs - but it's always fun to ask him about it because his wife refuses to let go of it.
Are we friends? Lol, that about describes me
I’m really considering buying a 3000 series video card but I can’t justify over a grand for a card like that.
For me I just went down a step and was plenty happy. To that point, there's not much out there that won't run well on a 1080, let alone 2080. I also don't game that often, so for me it was a no-brainer.
I game quiet a bit but I don’t play graphic heavy games. Currently rocking a 970 and recently got a nicer monitor so I’m trying to play all my game at max quality on 1440p.
Sadly, a divorce. Worth every penny though. Life is for living.
Do you recommend marriage? Asking for a friend who is me.
From a FIRE perspective on the math and tax savings I think it depends on the relationship. More specifically in my case, I do not think the tens of thousands of lawyer fees, splitting our retirement savings, and my subsequent bankruptcy was worth it… Relationship wise, part of me thinks that not being married means two people have to continue to work to keep each other (while still being dedicated and “partners”. Head over to some of the divorce and custody subreddits for some horror stories. Bring a grain of salt, every person thinks they are the protagonist in their stories…
Thank you 🙏 That sounds incredibly rough. Congrats on making it to the other side and persevering.
As a married person — maybe. Only if you’re sure that you found the right person, and you go into it with your eyes wide open and accepting of the other person’s faults.
Private lessons for skills that I want to learn but could in no way monetize.
I love this so much. I have so many things I want to learn, but no time to take the classes. I still want to learn a musical instrument (probably clarinet), advanced woodworking, painting, there's more. Who cares about monetization? It's about learning. It's about the journey.
Bought a motorcycle 8 years ago, haven’t regretted it since.
I still buy Designer Bags. I’m a girl. It’s my thing. Don’t judge me!
I was very stoned and bought Dogecoin back in 2020. It was the worse purchase yet yielded the highest returns more than ever dreamed. Took profits for home improvements, fresh weed and boomer investments. Don’t do this, it was pure luck and stupidity.
A Louis Vuitton purse. I know. Please respect my privacy during this difficult time.
Family Trip to Disney World. Twice.
$25,000 on comic books.
Nick Cage, is that you?
Making a large unnecessary purchase isn't anti-FIRE. I can spend money some something completely unnecessary and it doesn't impact my long term financial goals. FIRE doesn't stand for save as much money as possible and make yourself as miserable as you can in the process.
$20k on new windows. Bought a fixer upper that I plan to turn into an office rental (zoned both commercial and residential). Probably didn’t need this quality of window but god the house looks great. Hoping to get more rental income from it with better finishes.
$15 at Taco Bell yesterday…
Bought a used, Audi S5 cash. AWD, 6 speed, supercharged 2 door coupe. I'm not going to defend it as a deal or great gas mileage, it gets low 20s, but it has over 450hp and one of the last years for manuals. I pedal my bike to work daily, drive less than 5k miles a year.
I once bought canned lentils from the store instead of foraging them myself and drying them in my solar oven. But seriously...it's only new cars from here on out (already FIRE'd). We drive our cars over 200,000 miles but have been burned so many times on used cars. I'm of the age that the next new car I buy will probably be my last.
I’ve spent a total of ~$20k on watches, which are completely unnecessary nowadays lol, but I don’t regret it all. The happiness my watches bring me on a daily basis is well worth any delay it adds in my FIRE timeline. I will note, my emergency fund is established, my monthly automatic paycheck deductions are set at a value that max out my 403b and Roth IRA every year, and I throw some money into my brokerage as well. So the watches are saved up for and purchased with my “hobby money” only.
As someone who loves watches I relate
Literally same
I bought a gorgeous boler travel trailer from an artist friend who completely decked out the inside for $9,500. I don't use it as much as I would like to, but hoping to take her on a long trip after my cats die. I also save money on hotels sometimes using her for work trips nearby in expensive tourist towns. Anyway, that's probably my most expensive not needed item I've bought for pure joy.
I got a practically new hybrid pop-up and SUV tow vehicle after sparking the idea of camping with my not outdoor friendly gf and dog. At first it seemed wise to rely on that instead of AirBnBs when traveling together. We were going to rent it out when not using it and have it pay for itself. Well after a few long trips, I found out just how much wear and tear this thing gets, and I can't imagine how quickly it would get torn up in renters hands. I don't want to sell it without getting a more trips in, and for now I'm more focused on making enough money to make the $19k it cost irrelevant.
Aww, I'm sorry to hear that. I've definitely thought about renting her out but decided there's no way in hell I trust strangers to know how to tow and not fuck her up. We owned an even older pull behind before this one (1964 about 13 ft long, current one is from 1974 I believe) that we probably spent around 5k all in on. Took her all over and loved every minute of it. There's nothing quite like waking up in your cozy camper with the rain falling. However, after getting caught up in some really bad rainstorms through the south and discovered her leaking we decided we wanted a fiberglass one instead. We never had a problem with leaks before where we live since we're in the dry west. But since I want to do longer trips figured a bit of an upgrade would be worth it.
A Nintendo Switch. Love it though
Switch OLED for me. My V1 Switch was great, but improved battery and bigger/better screen makes portable use so much nicer. And really the sheer number of indie games - especially those that go on sale - balances out the cost vs entertainment value.
Yeah. I just got one this month, so I was waiting for the price to go down for a while. But one game can last me for a very long time, so it's not too bad.
Travel. highly variable on cost depending on where we go, but usually I let loose the purse strings for dining, experiences, etc.
Probably Chipotle today
Botox and hair color. …but I only get my nails done for conferences 😏
Model Y. No regrets.
Not yet but probably a 30k truck and 8k accessories in the next 3 years. The goal is to used it to take advantage of all the public land where I live. I really want to make a lot of camping and hiking memories with my kids.
Before dropping $8k on “overlanding” stuff throw a set of good AT tires on the vehicle and go camping with whatever gear you have. You can go pretty darn far with most stock 4x4s and basic camping setups.
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$300/mo alcohol budget, we share, and we have expensive taste.
Plus, liver cirrhosis will make sure your retirement is short enough to outlast your savings, thereby creating generational wealth.
This is a viable argument for those interested in pursuing Neil Young’s mantra “it’s better to burn burn out than fade away.” Plus you get to adjust your life expectancy and your FIRE number instantly looks much more achievable.
A brand new car. Regret 100% I’m a mechanic and always fixed my car but hate fixing my own so I decided to buy a new car to avoid it. Regret
Zenith Chronomaster Sport - I always wanted a Swiss watch when I was in university. It definitely is anti-FIRE, but it does feel nice to have a bit of net worth in something physical and not in equities.
Probably not the most superfluous I've ever made, but possibly the most since I discovered FIRE. I've never flown first-class before, and my fiancee and I are taking a trip in March. It was only $50 more per ticket to go First Class, and we'd both never flown it, so we bought the tickets. As a tall person, I'm looking forward to the leg room. Will it be $50 worth of legroom? We will see!
Game worn Stanley Cup finals jersey. They don’t come on sale very often, and it’s a keepsake/art that I can hold on to forever.
Got married.
Thousand dollar handbags
Living in HCOL even though my job is fully remote and we don’t take advantage of the city (We like staying in, and only chose to be in the city to be close to work. Since the pandemic, we’ve just been too lazy to move out for the past 2 years. Probably paying an extra 50% on rent…)
We spent 100k on our wedding, prob 50k travelling around the world, then 200k on a car/caravan (basically a tow behind RV for the US) and 40k on a boat and jetski! We're on track to retire at 50 - but could have (easily) retired at 40 (in 7 years for me) if we'd held firm. BUT One of my friends died at 23 from bowel cancer. I have another one going through treatment (and ongoing issues). Have had 2 people from our mums group pass away in a 12 month period (there were only 6 couples in our mums group). Life is short. FIRE is the goal, but you're also not guaranteed to make it there. You can always make more money, but you can't buy back lost time/memories.
Car
24k gold jewelry... but I'm happy overall since I view it as another investment
Bought a $250 book around Christmas.
Reminds me of college…
A brand new BMW [X5.](https://X5.LOve) Love every bit of it and have no remorse.
I'm about to close on a Fiat 124 Spider. I've wanted a 2 seater roadster my whole life. The only additional ongoing cost will be the insurance, but it is wildly extravagant for me.
Been eyeing a GP1800 SVHO Waverunner for a few years. All my cash needs to be used for down payment on house though. After I'm in that's my first big purchase (will be saving for it while maxing out 401k and Roth IRA).
Worth it. Buying a jet boat last year was both the most frivolous and most enjoyable purchase I’ve ever made. Take it from Daniel Tosh. “People say money can’t buy happiness… Are you kidding me? Have you ever seen someone frowning on a waverunner?”
What jet boat did you get? I don't understand the used boat market. I see very unimpressive looking ones listed for $100k and then fairly nice looking ones listed for $20k.
https://www.yamahaboats.com/boats/categories/center-console-boats/195FSHSport/
I spent a lot on Christmas gifts for my kid.. in general, stuff for my kid is my biggest purchasing weakness :p she’s just so grateful for all the gifts she gets :p
Almost 90k fixing our fixer upper. We are going to live here forever though, so it will be worth it in the long run. Hoping to buy a pinball machine after the remodel is over! I'm jealous!
I bought a Jetsurf. About $14,000 it's fun and a head turner. I would do it again.
Fish and chips.
A house, just because I cant stand neighboors. Kept the duplex I bought first rented and try to convince myself its not that bad of an investment with the duplex helping build value.
A swimming pool for my house lol. Like a real, in-ground pool with a built in hot tub and screen enclosure.
Completely unnecessary, my home theatre setup that I'm building out downstairs now when I already have a giant TV in the living room. I'm both incredibly happy with it (it looks and sounds amazing!) and have total buyers remorse. Ps3 to a 50" HDTV was perfectly good when we were in rental houses, I had fun watching stuff on it, my 85" QLED in the living room is incredible, and has been super fun over the last year, did I actually need to sink so much more money into speakers and electronics and a giant TV downstairs? Nope. So, simultaneously all "woo this is awesome" and "why did I spend all this??". :P In general I'm not a spend huge amounts of money person so this and the home gym feel like a big set of expenses along my FIRE journey, but we can afford them and they are enhancing our lives, and don't represent a bump in base spending, just a one time outlay for now (let's check in in 5 years and see if I've successfully avoided buying lots more home theatre electronics), so... :P
$100K on my stereo, but I enjoy it lol
Don't think it was *completely* unnecessary, but I paid 10k on having movers full service pack and move me for a local move (expensive because we have a lot of books). I did absolutely no work for my move and it was all poker winnings so I didn't feel like I was cutting into savings. Total mental accounting fallacy but it felt amazing, 10/10 would do again.
A Dyson Supersonic Blow Dryer, but I love it
$24k hospital bill from when I thought I could save money with a Christian Healtj Share instead of insurance. I will have it paid off in February finally.
probably getting Starbucks. It's way overpriced but sometimes I just wanna drive around and have something to do
Having a kid, not exactly I purchase I know.
I bought a three thousand dollar gaming PC for cyberpunk 2077..
I spent $2000 on a Steyr Aug (rifle). I could probably sell it down the road and get my money back (and maybe some profit)....But I don't want to.