Hooray, I finally figured out how to sign in so that I could comment!
I guess I'm an ICE retiree and didn't know it. Hubby retired two years ago at 66. He had been working full-time for 50 years and was more than ready. I wasn't ready to quit teaching piano, which I love, so I'm working several days a week, which (combined with social security for both of us) gives us enough to live on without drawing from savings. Knock on wood, I'll be able to continue doing this until I'm ready to stop. We haven't had any debt for over twenty years and we're used to living frugally, with some traveling when we want it. We don't feel deprived at all, even though our income is less than when we were both working.
I realize that if I was living on my income alone it would be a different story, so I am grateful that, for now, we are able to live how we want.
P. S. After almost two years I mentioned to hubby that I was a bit frustrated by our grubby house, because after teaching all day and making dinner and whatever other activities I was involved in, I really didn't have the energy to clean. He rose to the occasion and now has a daily cleaning schedule. How cool is that? 💙
I too suffer from an excess of frugality at times. We flew to visit our daughter and five grandchildren on Christmas Day 2021 and flew home on New Year's Day, as tickets are traditionally cheap on those days. We had plans to do the same this last Christmas but to my horror it would have cost us almost $2,000, in contrast to the year before when it was only about $800. We're living on SS and my earnings, as hubby retired a year ago and we're not planning on drawing on our savings until forced into it. We've also had a lot of other expenses lately so we decided sadly not to go. I have to say, we weren't so sad when we saw the horrible mess that was air travel in the USA for that week between Christmas and New Year's Day. My frugality paid off this time. But I agree, sometimes you've just got to enjoy your hard-earned money and throw caution to the wind.
Comments
Hooray, I finally figured out how to sign in so that I could comment! I guess I'm an ICE retiree and didn't know it. Hubby retired two years ago at 66. He had been working full-time for 50 years and was more than ready. I wasn't ready to quit teaching piano, which I love, so I'm working several days a week, which (combined with social security for both of us) gives us enough to live on without drawing from savings. Knock on wood, I'll be able to continue doing this until I'm ready to stop. We haven't had any debt for over twenty years and we're used to living frugally, with some traveling when we want it. We don't feel deprived at all, even though our income is less than when we were both working. I realize that if I was living on my income alone it would be a different story, so I am grateful that, for now, we are able to live how we want. P. S. After almost two years I mentioned to hubby that I was a bit frustrated by our grubby house, because after teaching all day and making dinner and whatever other activities I was involved in, I really didn't have the energy to clean. He rose to the occasion and now has a daily cleaning schedule. How cool is that? 💙
Post: Fire Meets Ice
Link to comment from February 10, 2024
I too suffer from an excess of frugality at times. We flew to visit our daughter and five grandchildren on Christmas Day 2021 and flew home on New Year's Day, as tickets are traditionally cheap on those days. We had plans to do the same this last Christmas but to my horror it would have cost us almost $2,000, in contrast to the year before when it was only about $800. We're living on SS and my earnings, as hubby retired a year ago and we're not planning on drawing on our savings until forced into it. We've also had a lot of other expenses lately so we decided sadly not to go. I have to say, we weren't so sad when we saw the horrible mess that was air travel in the USA for that week between Christmas and New Year's Day. My frugality paid off this time. But I agree, sometimes you've just got to enjoy your hard-earned money and throw caution to the wind.
Post: Meant to Be Spent
Link to comment from January 21, 2023