What do you buy/consume/collect/own/use that others might think a $$$ waste or extravagance?

2 credit cards that have ~$500 each in annual fees. Most people don’t realize that I get way more than that in value from the cards from the lounge access to hotel status. With how much I travel it’s a godsend to be able to sit in lounges when the airports are a zoo and just relax.

 

I hear ya! Although it's quite possible I might end up dabbling in some crazy, cash consuming hobbies when I retire, lol! I'll remember this thread and share my wasteful endeavors!

I know guys who've worked construction for their whole careers just keel over and die from inactivity. I guess their bodies were so used to work that the leisure life took it's toll on their health. I'm gonna try to keep active as much as possible although I'm a lazy guy by nature. I need the stimulus of work goals and schedules to keep me going otherwise I'm a couch potato.

I plan to spend money (yikes!) on maybe a weight bench or bowflex. I already bought a body punch/kick bag with stand with a speed bag attached. I also will look for senior Tai Chi classes. I also want to take drumming lessons so I'll take classes because if I buy a drum set I'll drive my neighbors crazy.

So you can see that as I head into retirement I just might be spending a bit more money on things I never had a chance to do when I was working.

Oh, and I might go back to fishing......

 

Yikes, this thread made me stop and think..... love this one painter, have twenty eight paintings of his. 65 Mustang that is primo and Cartier watches.

 

That reminds me: We have quite a few good pieces of art. No Pollocks or Picassos, but not posters or pots from Pier 1, either. SWern/Western regional (but don't think cowboy/Remington).

 

Phahhahahahahaha @Richard Alpert this gotta be “epic best response” ever... church bulletins and have double phahahahhahahahahaah you are a genius sir.

 

Watches.. and watches, used to own few Rolex’s, omegas, tag etc then I got rid of them all...down to just couple watches (this collecting shit was costing way to much lol) I have kids in college now lol

 

Wait, you now collect kids in college? How does that work?

 

I love it!!!! Lol well I miss my daughter everyday now my son will start this year and I will miss him everyday as well!!! Much as this is costing me lots of $$$ i really don’t care about $$$ anymore ... money comes and goes ( nah I take that back, it’s costing me arms and legs lol)

 

I don’t think those come and go as easy as money does

 

I like to eat, and eat in restaurants in particular. I do this much less often than I want to but much more often than I should.

I have a garage full of boxes from our last house that should just be thrown into the trash. Anyone want my dusty notebooks from grad school, come get them in San Diego and they are yours. Otherwise I don't really like owning a lot of stuff that isn't income producing or having a house big enough to contain all of it, although I do for now. Once our kids are both out of the house, I'd like to get rid of all the dead weight and downsize to a 2 bedroom apartment.

For now, I find that my biggest line items are rent (which is ridiculous here, but slightly less ridiculous than owning), insurance (also ridiculous), saving for retirement and my kids' college, and dues to our synagogue. Whatever is left, which isn't much, goes to a couple low budget vacations, including one or two long weekends in Las Vegas, and one more to someplace we have never been before.

That was probably way too much information, so please disregard.

 

Maintenance on a 24 year old small RV. We bought it new and DH has kept in spotless. Between insurance and repairs, it adds up. We don’t go long distances anymore. Both the driver and it are getting tired. Nothing like stopping at a nearby lake and listening to the waves lapping. Also like to visit family and not have to stay in their house.

Living in Canada, our days available for camping are limited. No matter what costs average out to per night, it was worth every dollar.

 

My big self-indulgent splurging comes from collecting Las Vegas casino chips. A lot of them go back to the 30s and 40s. I also have a nice first edition collection of books and manuscripts in my library. Peter Lik is one of my favorite photographers and I have four or five of his pieces; oddly enough I've purchased each one in Vegas.

 

Travel, gambling, buying gifts for loved ones. On most other things I’m pretty frugal/measured. I do like to buy books, but even that habit has calmed.

 

The most extravagant for me, probably, though not nearly most expensive, is my sous vide hobby, which turned in to a steak hobby in general, which turned in to I always have steaks on hand that are $100-200 a pound, and a usda prime ribeye is 'the cheap stuff' at my house. Lately though I've been spending most of my wasting money on travel, and zero regrets on that.

Oh and +1 for event tickets. Definitely that. I'm a 'good seats' snob for sure. I spent more for Celine Dion tickets than it would have cost to go to Sandals in Jamaica for a week in one of the nicer rooms. And it has gotten to my brain, too. Was looking at Lionel Ritchie tickets the other night and found myself thinking "wow only $800ea for front row?!? That's so cheap!"

 

I am into luxury watches. Got a collection of 14 watches mainly focusing on certain harder to get models (think Daytona) - so far checking market prices none of them actually dropped in value if in reasonable shape. I consider it both a hobby and an investment.

 

That exotic broccoli...

 

Snowglobes.

 

I should have mentioned tickets too!

 

I always liked buying shoes and earrings ... since moving to Florida - I got rid of many pairs of shoes and now have many pairs of flip flops - all different colors - I just can't resist... and the earrings are all just costume jewelry, nothing expensive, but I can't resist a cute pair of earrings.

 

I can relate on flip flops, but I consider them necessities. Always lived in Florida. My ex and I have bought Reefs in bulk (6-8 pair at a time) on multiple occasions. I'm wearing a pair from a bulk purchase right now