Keep up with the Jones's

[onpoint]

I don't keep up with the Jones's. I don't care what the Jones's think of me or my possessions. While they tease me about my 20 year old boat, I smile and catch the same amount of fish, and still pull the kids on the tube in my paid for boat.

My truck is creeping up on 100K miles but it still does what I bought it to do. Newer ones are pretty, but for $60k they get for a new truck, I can buy 40ac of land here for that. $1000k truck payment...no way. I can buy a house for that. Take that $1000K a month and put it in an Roth IRA and see what you have at the end of the 5 years, compared to what that truck would be worth after 5 years.

I'll get to retire when my kids graduate, the Jones's won't.

I'm probably older than you are, but when you look at things a bit differently, it may make sense that the Jones's are broke....even though they may not look like it.

Exactly, perception. Broke, old boats, one old dawg, two old trucks, old busted up body, and old wife...........

 

[rjthehunter]

Like Randy once said, "Hunt when you can, you're gonna run outta health before you run outta money" While that might not be entirely true, it's eye opening. My grandpa hunted the world, he made it to every corner and was able to harvest animals that we can't even hunt anymore. He's gone places that we're not allowed to go anymore. He worked a lot and made smart investments, but that's besides the point. He did these things while he was able. He's mid 70s now and on oxygen due to a genetic lung disease. The point is, he has 100 some mounts, and is able to look at them and each and every one has a story to go with it. He can't hunt like he used to but looking back, he wouldn't change a thing.

I've had a lot of people tell me to take the time off work and do the hunts I want to, because like others are saying, things change, your health or someone you loves health could turn for the worse and you won't be able to do or afford these things. So make use of the time you have. It's only money, you can just make more.

I'd rather work till I'm 65 and have tons of amazing hunting stories and experiences than work till I'm 55 and not have the health left to go and do the things I'd always dreamed of doing.

 

[Hem]

I buy gear as I need it and sell anything of value if it's not being used. A bit of a revolving door. Problem with a diverse outdoor lifestyle is there always seems to be gear that needs replacing.
I've rebuilt my '97 mountain bike three times. Damn I want a new one,but sure dont want to pony up.
But function is important to me. Gear has to work, or its gone.
The bigger picture...retirement isn't a word in my vocabulary. I dont want to stop working, just want to work less. In the meantime my motto is "if not now, then when?" Rather enjoy a steady ride than play catch up .

 

[TheJason]

I've rebuilt my '97 mountain bike three times. Damn I want a new one,but sure dont want to pony up.

If your teenage daughter leaves the garage open all night, you might get the opportunity for an upgrade. Just saying......

 

[Schaaf]

If your teenage daughter leaves the garage open all night, you might get the opportunity for an upgrade. Just saying......

You sound like a man that knows what might happen if a teenage daughter left his garage door open over night.

 

[TheJason]

You sound like a man that knows that might happen if a teenage daughter left his garage door open over night.

Let's just say we have two "new" used mountain bikes in the garage, with the door closed.

On the bright side, by buying used, we ended up with pretty tremendous upgrades

 

[elkduds]

Want what you have, and you will have what you want.

 

[Irrelevant]

Let's just say we have two "new" used mountain bikes in the garage, with the door closed.

On the bright side, by buying used, we ended up with pretty tremendous upgrades

that's exactly what happened to me, except I got lazy and left mine in the truck overnight. Now I have a sweet yeti full suspension that cost about what my last rebuild on my old hard tail cost.

 

[TheJason]

that's exactly what happened to me, except I got lazy and left mine in the truck overnight. Now I have a sweet yeti full suspension that cost about what my last rebuild on my old hard tail cost.

I had to pay $1000 deductible regardless of what we bought, and we have full replacement value on our policy. I never thought I'd own a full carbon mountain bike, but I do now.

 

[Hem]

If your teenage daughter leaves the garage open all night, you might get the opportunity for an upgrade. Just saying......

Let's say it wasnt my daughter who left the garage door open recently.
Riding a bike is a foreign idea to the people in my rural subdivision.
I have a snoopy retiree neighbor who keeps an eye out for tweekers so chances aren't good for an upgrade plus there is a new shop which needs to be stricken from the books.(also a better investment)
The Bozeman crowd can continue scoffing at me up at Copper City for the time being.

 

[beginnerhunter]

Pff, unless you're in the extreme minority whose portfolio includes stocks/bonds AND real estate (not your house) AND gold AND etc. then we're all just gambling our retirement in the stock market anyway. I'm not going to scrimp and save like Dave Ramsey (with the ridiculous RoR in the examples he gives) just so it can all be flushed down the toilet during the next recession.

I'm kidding, but only half. People should responsibly spend their money on what they like. If driving a high dollar rig makes you happy then buy it! But you probably dont have the right to complain about NR tag prices while driving a $65k truck!

 

[geetar]

Check the balance in my checking account! That pretty much halts anything!

Works for me also

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

I always think back to the last time I bought something I didnt necessarily need and how fast the new wore off and it's just another thing in the driveway, closet, safe, or shed.
I also think about retirement and how I wanna do alot of stuff that needs retirement money and if I'm not saving and having lots of monthly payments when I'm 60 years old I wont be able to do things i really want to do.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

As for vacations and hunting excursions I say plan wisely and do them as much as you can. Those are memories not shiny objects and memories are way more important than shiny depreciating objects that cost you $500-$1000 a month. I can do alot of camping and memory making with a monthly budget of $500-$1000 a month.

That being said if you need me I'll be at the tractor store. For real I really need a tractor!

 

[devon deer]

And I am personally ashamed of how many fly rods I have.
But old Winstons are sooo nice...........................

Same here, but not Winstons, Sage XP's !

As for the original post, I couldn't give a toss what others have, I look after my family first, me second and friends third, that satisfies me, my truck is old, but reliable, I could keep up with others but I'm happy with my lot.
One of my goals in life was to be mortgage free by 50, I did it with a year to spare, then threw in my job to follow my dream, full time fly fishing/hunting guide, I'm not sure I could ever really retire, doing nothing would do my head in!
I treated myself to a Blaser a few years back, not to keep up with anyone, it was just for my own pleasure.

I have seen too many friends waste money just to keep up appearances, all it has done is limit their disposable income now when they really need it.

Cheers

Richard

 

[teej89]

I find that for me, the best antidote is getting outdoors. I tend to dream of new guns and gear when I'm sitting in my office 60 hrs a week during the hunting season. When I'm pheasant hunting, I seldom think of the autoloader that I may dream about at my office desk. The custom long-range rig that I envision building someday never crosses my mind when I'm glassing for elk. I think that sometimes I buy gear in some feeble attempt to make up for what I'm missing in time outdoors. Just my two cents...

Wow, helluva hypothesis and thinking about it, shockingly accurate....

 

[Gr8bawana]

I seem to always find myself wanting something more, something better.

For example:

My house is more than sufficient for myself, my GF, and the dog, and yet I find myself dreaming of building a house in the near future.

I have a fully functional truck, but I seem to catch myself dreaming of a newer rig. If I buy a newer truck it will be better on gas, will be better towing the camper, etc. That's what I tell myself at lease.

I have multiple shotguns, but I don't have an autoloader yet, and that could increase my success pheasant hunting.

I have a functional generator for boon-docking in the camper, but it sure would be nice to have a smaller quieter one instead of the loud SOB I have currently.

I have plenty of hunting clothes, but I always find myself looking at the sales rack wondering if the product will be better than what I currently have.


Normally I am pretty good about not buying things I really don't need, but if I want something enough I can always use logic to convince myself I have to spend the money on it.



What does everyone else do to keep from keeping up with the Jones's?

Look far into the future and see if you want to work until you die.

By not trying to keep up with the Jones's all of our married lives my wife and I were able to retire with pretty good pensions from our union at a relatively young age. My wife was 57 and I was able to retire at 52. Not 70+ like many who over in-debt themselves.
We raised 2 kids in a modest house that we could afford. We had no need for the newest car and truck out there, we kept them for many years.
We took the kids on a 2 week vacation every summer so they never did without, and and I always took a week off for deer hunting.
We watched many friends and relatives go into debt up to their eyeballs trying to impress everyone with the things the had and they will have to work until the day they drop dead. That's not my idea of something to look forward to.

 

[thusby]

An Italian side by side 12 does sound nice

 

[cgarner]

create a budget and stick to it.

 

[Borny1]

Who are the Jones's?