I don't regret it.
I am living the best I have ever lived.
I enjoyed my $50 kayak more than most people enjoy their $50,000 boats which mostly sit in the driveway and collect dust.
Most people spend lots of money on expensive toys they seldom use, to pretend to have a high status.
Enjoying life is far more about attitude than expensive vacations or toys.
The thing to really regret is not having more children or close friends.
Once you have basic food and shelter needs met, life is far more about your internal attitude than spending money.
Once I retire, I plan to buy a metal detector, and have lots of good hunts.
Where did you find a $50 kayak? Would love to get my hands on one at that price.
Well said! My husband and I are both retired and have limited savings. We enjoy the occasional week at the beach or long weekend at the cabin, go out to dinner once a month with friends and mostly live a simple life on a fixed income. No regrets because we have the Lord, each other, our kids and grandbabies. Enough for us.
The attraction of travel is really for the younger folks.
Toys likewise.
Both are now so prohibitively expensive for all but the wealthiest. If I were fresh-out-of-the-box today I would cultivate a smaller house and set of possessions.
BTW friends are not friends because you travel with them. Real friends cost nothing except staying in contact with them.
Rick Steves type checklist tourism is a phony laborious hell.
Visiting a series of historic landmarks or towns is an empty experience unless you're interested in the place and have read a lot about it. That kind of trip is very different from the standard tour.
I would prefer to live in a cabin in the woods with my animals and books. And I will, if and when I can find the right cabin.
great outlook on real life laz! took full retirement just a few years ago but have never been busier...or happier. was in my early 30’s when I briefly dated a woman from an uber rich family who told me something I have never ever forgotten and set the tone for the rest of my life...”Money is only important if you haven’t got enough of it”. most of my friends at the time thought her pompous or an elitist but I understood the import right away. IF one has enough money to pay for the needs of life then money is no longer the most important aspect of life leaving one free to explore other aspects of life. that one single statement changed my life! not rich by a long shot but we have everything we need and enough of what we want to make our lives a joyous occasion every single day! good to know other folks think the same way. “live long and prosper” is more than just a Vulcan greeting...it’s a way of life.
Cheapskate. I spent $250 on two used kayaks. But I agree.
I go kayaking and tubing, hiking and fishing. And I take grand children when I go (hence the TWO kayaks). Last summer we took a couple grandkids to La Jolla. I taught them how to fish, how to snorkel, and how to body surf, on what was actually a frugal vacation (we know of a nice clean CHEAP place to stay within walking distance of La Jolla Shores.)
That's the way we vacationed when we had kids: fun, cheap, outdoor activities. Trips to theme parks were few and far between.
Saved for retirement and live well but I can’t break my penny pinching habits. I currently live in a grandchildren centric universe. The only thing I splurge on is them and I’m still trying to save, hoping to die with enough left to make a difference for each of them.
Great observations about the toys.
Several of my friends at one time owned horses. They always complained: the horses ate while we slept!
Absolutely correct. I had a sailboat once. The best part of it was looking forward to getting it. It sat too much, I didn’t have time for it. Simple pleasures are the very best. I have not been as rich as Solomon but I have had the same experiences of having lots of things that didn’t make me happy or accomplish much. Not everything is for everyone. You have to do what makes you happy. I see retirees that seem to do what is expected of them and they are not any more happy for it. Actually, some find it uncomfortable and too much work. I don’t need or even want to be on the go all the time or much of the time for that matter. The best part of any trip is coming in the front gate, parking the truck in the barn sealing myself away. My style, my choice. It might be different if I had not already seen most of the world but I rather doubt that.
Someone here posted a youtube video where the guy basically said you can rent those things.
...for the few times most actually use them...that makes a lot more sense.
This seems like a reasonable way to look at retirement. I think I’ve also been a frugal retiree & I don’t regret it. I had little before retiring & managed to save some after retiring just by reducing as many expenses as possible. I didn’t make much while working, so didn’t lose much in retirement & the resulting decreased income. As far as enjoyment in life, I might wish I had joined the USAF Reserves after leaving the military earlier in life.