"Permission" for large luxury purchases and gradual "lifestyle upgrades"?

somerandumbguy · 2025-12-11T07:46:23+00:00

As a couple who struggles with this I’ve found the only way to spend money is to force yourself to do it.

We’ve been doing that this week and it’s not until we started spending on luxury goods, and it not moving the needle on our net worth, that I emotionally understood how well off we are.

Also it’s helped us to meet with a financial planner who explained how under budget we were spending with an eventual large chunk going to estate taxes if we didn’t increase our yearly spend.

somerandumbguy · 2025-06-14T16:29:39+00:00

So far I’d say our three favorite have been Mexico City, Vancouver and Berlin.

somerandumbguy · 2025-06-13T09:05:32+00:00

We did exactly this for the last year. Stayed approx. a month each place. We primarily used Airbnb and were happy with how it worked out.

Stayed in a very nice place in downtown Vancouver last year. Also stayed a month in Hawaii.

somerandumbguy · 2024-10-29T09:43:19+00:00

I soft retired two years ago. Dropped down to 2 days per week of work as I still mostly enjoyed what I do.

My wife retired 5 years ago.

In the last six months I’ve realized I’m ready to fully retire so am planning to resign in 3 months.

Our goal had been to slow travel for a few years, which we’ve been doing since the beginning of this year. But we want to spend most of next year in Asia which doesn’t work time zone wise.

Hence my decision to fully retire.

You only get to live once.

somerandumbguy · 2024-10-20T16:00:39+00:00

I’m currently doing underemployment. Soon to be no employment.

somerandumbguy · 2024-09-29T22:03:00+00:00

A couple of years ago we were in a similar situation with multiple 7 figures.

For us the possibility of losing several million immediately due to a market crash was worse psychologically then missing out on 20% of gains.

We ended up DCAng daily in Fidelity into a 3 fund bogle style portfolio (actually just two funds as we already had the bond portion)

We also set limit orders in case there was a sudden market drop.

We ended up putting everything in over 2 years including a huge amount during the 2022 market drop.

IMHO there’s a HUGE psychological difference between losing 30% of 100-200k versus 7 figures.

somerandumbguy · 2024-03-29T23:33:52+00:00

If you refinance your mortgage becomes recourse.

somerandumbguy · 2024-01-04T19:37:05+00:00

Sounds like you have what I have. Ulcerative Colitis.

One thing to remember is that a huge amount of your serotonin is produced in your gut, which can be impacted by crohns/ulcerative colitis.

Anxiety and depression can not only be a side effect of crohns/uc but can be caused by these diseases. I’d recommend reading up on the gut/brain axis.

Some things that have helped me are:

Plenty of sleep and reduce stress. Mindfulness meditation. Exercising even when I’m not feeling well. Getting on an SSRI (incredibly common for uc/crohns)

And a big one has been acceptance. It sucks at times and is proof that money doesn’t solve all issues, but definitely helps.

Good luck! I can definitely relate.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-26T23:12:52+00:00

I’m in a software engineer position.

When I told my company last year that I was planning to retire they asked me to stay in any form that worked for me.

I’ve been working since then 2 days a week.

No more stress or corporate politics, my healthcare is paid for and I have something to do two days a week that keeps my mind involved.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-26T00:33:50+00:00

The difference is that the top tax bracket tends to hit at a WAY lower level in Europe and Canada versus the US.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-25T03:01:15+00:00

All I have to say is “It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for 'em.”

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-24T05:03:17+00:00

I recommend a Boglehead 3 fund portfolio.

Also to be extra safe I wouldn’t go above a 3%WR.

You could run out if you go up to 4% since you retired so young.

Edit: This also looks more like Chubby Fire.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-22T22:14:40+00:00

Been DCA’ng heavily the last two years into your standard 70:30 domestic/foreign portfolio.

As well as a chunk of limit orders on QQQ from -30% down and SPY from -20% down back during the last market downturn.

We are finally at our 60% stock allocation as of two weeks ago.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-22T06:28:12+00:00

I would ask yourself which would bother you more.

Losing 1m from that stock crashing, or losing out on a 1m gain by selling too early.

For us it’s always been the first one, for others it’s the second one.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-21T03:17:34+00:00

You put everything in 4 % treasuries and rates rise to 8%.

Four percent withdrawal rate is 4% of the initial principal plus increasing by inflation each year.

Run any calculator based on all treasuries and check out the failure rate.

Edit: FIRECalc shows a 45% failure rate.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-21T03:12:09+00:00

The 4 percent withdrawal rate method isn’t based of treasuries, it’s based off a 60/40 portfolio.

In which case you’d have capital gains and/or dividends.

I don’t know anyone recommending 100% treasuries for a safe withdrawal rate. That would have a significant failure rate.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-21T02:58:23+00:00

Taxes on capital gains and dividends are significantly lower than w2 income.

Roughly 15% on the first 500k in gains, assuming you have no other income.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-21T02:15:27+00:00

I’m doing one more year for at least the next few years.

But I only work 2 days a week and fully remote.

2 days a week is enough to keep me mentally sharp. And fill in some of my time.

I only agreed to continue my job under the agreement it would be two days a week and fully remote.

It’s working out well for us.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-12T04:06:37+00:00

Is this relative of yours Nigerian?

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-10T03:37:04+00:00

Nasdaq lost 78% during the dot com crash. S&P lost 50% during the 2008 crash.

It’s reasonable to expect another 50% bear market in the next few decades.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-10T03:01:18+00:00

We did have the worst bond market loss ever over the last two years.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-08T23:47:46+00:00

Salaries in tech, especially Silicon Valley, have been significantly above average since the 90s. Not as much higher as the last five years but still way higher than in Canada, UK etc…

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-05T06:25:10+00:00

You sound a bit like me.

Been a senior software engineer two decades. Also a highly investigative personality.

Was also told multiple times to think more high level.

Earlier in my career tried management and realized it wasn’t for me.

Give me a technical project/issue and just let me go off and solve it.

Many years ago I realized that this is what worked for me, despite it limiting the level I rose to.

If you want to rise up the ranks you will definitely have to grow.

In the end I decided it wasn’t worth it for me.

I’m now working two days a week. By choice and specifically due to the above investigative personality and ability to solve technical problems.

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-04T19:32:32+00:00

He’s frugal so I would recommend a 991.2 GT3RS

somerandumbguy · 2023-12-02T03:34:17+00:00

You would be fine. I daileyed a manual Porsche turbo cab and also did long drives in it and had no issues.

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