To your question, RDQ, yes, I considered inflation in my retirement planning and am prepared. In fact, I feel conflicted about claiming SS in two more years at age 70; I won't need it and would only be contributing to the problems. A good primer on fixing SS is in this month's The Atlantic: The Elixir of the Payroll-Tax Cap and Other Social Security Myths .
Along with Dana (DrLefty, below), I believe that much of our activity comes down to how we are wired. In this regard, I've long felt torn in two directions. My retirement life reflects this, split as it is between productive mornings and "me time" afternoons. And not all of it need be busy. Watching clouds drift by and ants in the grass are just as engaging and meaningful now as when I was young.
Good to know, Dana, that you are having a great retirement. With health and resources, what a wonderful life stage it can be! I, like you, retired from a full-on academic career and identity. I haven't looked back. My days now belong to volunteering, exercise, nature, a (very) part-time job, and afternoons of making art. The latter occupies my thoughts much of the time and always involves learning and problem solving. Those in turn contribute to a sense of purpose and enjoyment. In your year ahead, be open to what could do that for you.
I make my own art cards and write personal messages for people special to me. If I counted my supplies and time, the cost would well exceed $6.99. I also sometimes buy cards for less important occasions. Supporting local artists by buying their cards, typically costing around $5, always feels good and seems like a bargain.
Wonderful first post, Javier. Please write more! I would guess my relationship to money developed around family that had lived through Depression and war. To waste any resource was wrong and to save and spend thoughtfully was right. That foundation remains with me, though consideration of the planet's limited resources guides me more now in what I spend on and enjoy.
Have you considered a heat pump that would air condition in summer and heat in winter? Depending on your source of winter heat, you might recoup some of the installation costs over time in savings due to greater efficiency. You might also qualify for a rebate, too.
Such wise and sentient refections, Andrew. Sadly, I'm afraid that "trying to protect the people we love and build a better future for those who follow us" is often the reason given for waging war.
I don't see any downsides, Mark. I do something similar with fixed income, as virtually all of my 403(b) is invested in TIAA Traditional. Returns mirror 10 y Treasurys and principle also seems secure. No worries and no regrets.
Comments
To your question, RDQ, yes, I considered inflation in my retirement planning and am prepared. In fact, I feel conflicted about claiming SS in two more years at age 70; I won't need it and would only be contributing to the problems.
A good primer on fixing SS is in this month's The Atlantic: The Elixir of the Payroll-Tax Cap and Other Social Security Myths .
Post: About that inflation in retirement
Link to comment from July 13, 2026
Along with Dana (DrLefty, below), I believe that much of our activity comes down to how we are wired. In this regard, I've long felt torn in two directions. My retirement life reflects this, split as it is between productive mornings and "me time" afternoons. And not all of it need be busy. Watching clouds drift by and ants in the grass are just as engaging and meaningful now as when I was young.
Post: Haunted Head
Link to comment from July 5, 2026
Good to know, Dana, that you are having a great retirement. With health and resources, what a wonderful life stage it can be! I, like you, retired from a full-on academic career and identity. I haven't looked back. My days now belong to volunteering, exercise, nature, a (very) part-time job, and afternoons of making art. The latter occupies my thoughts much of the time and always involves learning and problem solving. Those in turn contribute to a sense of purpose and enjoyment. In your year ahead, be open to what could do that for you.
Post: Retirement, One Year On
Link to comment from July 2, 2026
I make my own art cards and write personal messages for people special to me. If I counted my supplies and time, the cost would well exceed $6.99. I also sometimes buy cards for less important occasions. Supporting local artists by buying their cards, typically costing around $5, always feels good and seems like a bargain.
Post: Exercising true frugality
Link to comment from July 1, 2026
A beautiful message and a tribute to you and the Dolezals.
Post: A Letter 40 Years Later: What Mrs. Dolezal Remembered
Link to comment from July 1, 2026
Wonderful first post, Javier. Please write more! I would guess my relationship to money developed around family that had lived through Depression and war. To waste any resource was wrong and to save and spend thoughtfully was right. That foundation remains with me, though consideration of the planet's limited resources guides me more now in what I spend on and enjoy.
Post: Quiet Failure: The Stories We Tell about Money
Link to comment from June 29, 2026
Apart from cost, one could consider a ceiling mounted heat pump and leave the radiators in place. Having a back-up heating system would seem a plus.
Post: The Price of a Cool Pillow
Link to comment from June 26, 2026
Have you considered a heat pump that would air condition in summer and heat in winter? Depending on your source of winter heat, you might recoup some of the installation costs over time in savings due to greater efficiency. You might also qualify for a rebate, too.
Post: The Price of a Cool Pillow
Link to comment from June 25, 2026
Such wise and sentient refections, Andrew. Sadly, I'm afraid that "trying to protect the people we love and build a better future for those who follow us" is often the reason given for waging war.
Post: Four Walls
Link to comment from June 24, 2026
I don't see any downsides, Mark. I do something similar with fixed income, as virtually all of my 403(b) is invested in TIAA Traditional. Returns mirror 10 y Treasurys and principle also seems secure. No worries and no regrets.
Post: TSP G Fund as the only Fixed Income Investment
Link to comment from June 21, 2026