Many times in the past I’ve proclaimed that our guaranteed sources of income fully fund our retired lifestyle. An exception was in 2023 when we had a new home built, but that was more like moving money from the IRA bucket into the real-estate bucket. 
We have been taking a 3% distribution from the IRAs, mostly from my account due to the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), and end up transferring excess funds into non-qualified savings and brokerage accounts.

My friend is an independent IT Systems Integrator. She essentially pitches for tenders from large corporations and government departments for help with new software integration. It’s a very well-paid job, but there can be lulls between contracts. This requires a good deal of business savvy to manage not only the workload and tendering process, but also her intermittent financial situation and the need for constant training to stay relevant.
A woman who has her life together you would think.

I’ve always been a minimalist – even as a teenager I had no interest in having lots of clothes, shoes, or other trappings of high school life in the 80s. That pull toward minimalism was reinforced during the 2 years I spent teaching English in Japan after college. No dedicated bedroom that sits empty and unused all day? My bed folds up and is stored in the closet? A tiny fridge forcing me to buy fresh fruit and vegetables every other day?

I’ve always been a saver. From my first job singing in the church choir, I stashed earnings in a snap-top Band-Aid box. I added to my savings by sweeping the patio of a family friend.
Sometimes, I’d shake my savings onto my bedspread and count it. It gave me a great feeling to find that I had $10.50 or $15.65. The stacks of silver quarters gave me a sense of security as a child.
That’s why it’s been a bit of a letdown to start withdrawals from my 401(k).

I was in a large discount retailer yesterday with my grandson, picking up some school supplies for his return to school after the summer break. Bearing in mind it’s late August, around 20% of the store was roped off while staff were busy unboxing and displaying Christmas merchandise. Unbelievable!
I overheard a few people asking staff when the display would be open for business, and you could sense a general excitement within the store about this new buying opportunity.

I went on a little shopping spree last week for some new tunes, ordering some records from a reputable online music store. Like a little kid who just ordered PlayStation 5 from Amazon, I’ve been anxiously tracking my order on the fine United States Post Office website.
I cannot make the following story up. 
On 8/11 I placed my order.
On 8/12 the retailer delivered my records to the USPS origin facility in Louisville KY. 
So far so good.

On occasion I have claimed to be frugal. But after a bit of research, I’m not sure that is always true. For sure we have avoided debt except a mortgage. Our last car loan was thirty years ago and we never had credit card debt, but beyond that my claim of frugality slips a bit. I think we may just be prudent.
When I read a comment about being frugal as part of living in retirement,

I just realized the only time I see my money is when I withdraw from an ATM. Ye gads, my wealth accumulated over 70 years is all in cyberspace.
I am at the mercy of computer systems and the folks who run them – and maybe someone in a tiny village in Mongolia. Everything hinges on a programing language which are all Greek to me. 
Even my last ATM attempt didn’t go well. There is only one branch of my bank on the Cape.

A NEW TARIFF REGIME takes effect today. If the costs are passed along to buyers, the price of cars, orange juice, clothing and Swiss chocolates could increase, possibly dramatically.
I dealt with price shocks earlier this year. It gives me some insight into how we might behave if prices rise suddenly. Although I could have afforded the higher prices, the strong emotional impact made me highly adaptive. The price shock mobilized me to take action, even though it was only over a dollar or two.

Yesterday evening, I decided to test out my brand-new, shiny bike. Around half an hour later, I was standing bemused, looking down the 20% gradient hill path I’d just cycled up. I was just a bit out of breath, and if you know anything about cycling and gradients, you must be thinking I’m talking rubbish. That steep slope should literally be a wall of unendurable pain, and on my normal bike, I wouldn’t even have attempted to go near it.

I’m seriously sticking my neck out with this speculative, non politically correct observation and expect to get it chopped off by someone. And deservedly so!
Last week, my wife, Suzie, spent a considerable sum of money on hair care, nail salons, and other female-focused purchases. Certainly enough to make my right eyebrow twitch slightly. I only highlight this for the sake of my speculation, not as a manly moan about female spending choices. But the spending got me thinking about retirement calculators.

While attending a recent wedding, something rare happened to me—an event so unique, I’d say it hasn’t occurred in at least thirty years.
My main task before the wedding, anticipating significant spending, was to transfer extra funds to my debit card. Understandably, or so I thought, I forgot. My wife, Suzie, disagreed with my assessment, suggesting I was simply a bit “daft.” The result of this oversight? I was extremely intentional with my spending throughout the three-day event.

Suzie and I are packing a travel bag right now. Later this morning, we’re off to the Fermanagh Lakelands, a two-hour drive from our holiday home. We’re staying for three nights in a fancy hotel that’s also the wedding venue for the daughter of a very close friend. We’ll be attending the festivities there. I’m looking forward to the wedding, except, of course, for the suit I’ll have to wear.
I’m particularly interested in seeing the bride in her wedding dress because,

I have a grievance this morning. Strange as it may seem this involves a chicken and bacon burger, one of my favourite restaurants, the global market economy and golf. At first glance they seem odd bedfellows don’t you think?
Yesterday afternoon I was feeling peckish and decided to indulge myself with a chicken burger. Whilst about to order the offending item I was alarmed to discover the price had increased by 125% in a matter of a week.

Suzie and I had a delicious meal last night – slow-roasted chicken, stacked on a bed of buttery Irish champ with a Bailey’s Cream-infused peppercorn sauce, very tasty! Top-quality restaurant fare. But the thing was, I made it from scratch.
I’ve always, for as long as I can remember, had a passion for cooking. It’s one of my favourite activities and brings me immense personal satisfaction seeing people enjoy the food I’ve created. Now that I am retired,