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I've known several individuals who lived beyond their means, threw away products and re-purchased because they didn't want to bother with the hassle of returning them, etc., and even I have been criticized, e.g., by having two full-sized garden tractors as well as two walk-behind lawn mowers in case one of them would go down and need service.
But a co-worker took the cake, especially in his retirement years. On the one hand he was frugal in closing off rooms to save energy, A/C in summer, oil furnace in winter. OK, good for him. But if he got too chilled with the A/C in summer he'd crank up his oil burner. This happened frequently because he slept in the basement, where all the cool air from the A/C fell after having been run all day. Instead of just pulling up a comforter, he'd run the furnace. There were also instances -- albeit less frequently -- in the winter where he'd have the furnace running while his son visited and was using the wood-burning stove. As soon as the old guy felt the least bit uncomfortable, he'd run the A/C.
Used to say that at his age, he didn't care anymore about counting every penny or being "greener" when it came to energy.
My husband. He does stupid stuff like that. It's an NC summer...95 degrees (with a 102 degree heat index during the day) and like...85 degrees at night. He will refuse the leave the thermostat alone during the day and will jack it down from 72 degrees to 50 degrees. Then, when it gets cold, he'll turn the heat on for a while. Then, he'll turn the AC back on.
He used to turn the shower on to "heat it up" and get distracted playing video games for so long (an hour) that all the hot water would run out and would turn cold. He would then turn the shower off, fuss and complain about the water heater, let it "warm back up again," then start all over.
I can also spend like $200 at the grocery store and buy every single thing that I can think of that he likes to eat, but I swear, he'll still say, "You know what would be good right now?" and will name something that we somehow don't have.
Actually both families i can think of that I consider extravagant are in our family. One is our younger daughter, she and hubby stay at the best resorts, buy top of the line cloths, live in a house that is double the size hey need and she just buys the food she wants, doesn't even check prices. This is ok with me, I am happy for her They have no kids, no pets and can afford their life style.
The second family is my one granddaughter. Just like our daughter, who is her aunt. Granddaughter has her 2 pre schoolers in a very expensive private day care center 3 days a week so she can do volunteer work, they have an awesome home. They eat out when and where they want and take luxury vacations. Again, they can afford it and she is not affected by the money she has. She is one of the most down to earth people I have ever known. She just happened to meet and marry an older man who has been very successful.
As long as one can afford the extravagant life style and gives to the community, good for them. I have a probem with people who live way above their means and we all know a few of them as well.
^^ Picking up on your point, nmnita.....OP I'm sure you know that "extravagance" is is the eye of the beholder, it's SUBjuective. Which is why it the list of examples could he as long as your arm.
I'd wager that none of us make the frugal choice every. single. time. We all likely have some areas where we're willing to be frugal and others not so much.
OP, am I picking up from your comments that you think extravagance is a bad thing -- or you just find it interesting that people will save in one area and not in another....and how people would spend (or waste?) their money on things you wouldn't? (with no judgement applied)
To your question I'd answer that I have a friend who is very into designer goods and brand names. She collects (and uses) Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Dooney and Bourke handbags. And Gucci shoes. And while she has a 401K and Roth IRA, she's not maxing them out, and she carries some credit card debt. Yet, she shops sales for groceries, looks for bargains on clothes (TJ Maxx, Ross, etc).
She's SINK and makes in the low six figures.
What makes the spending extravagant?
I shop at thrift shops and Walmart for clothes. Yet at the supermarket buy what I want and never look at prices.
I'll keep the heat or AC off until the temperature is so hot or cold I can't stand it. Yet I treat myself to sushi (and lots of it) any time I want.
Oh, and yes I've thrown things out versus return them to the store for a refund.
^^ Picking up on your point, nmnita.....OP I'm sure you know that "extravagance" is is the eye of the beholder, it's SUBjuective. Which is why it the list of examples could he as long as your arm.
I'd wager that none of us make the frugal choice every. single. time. We all likely have some areas where we're willing to be frugal and others not so much.
OP, am I picking up from your comments that you think extravagance is a bad thing -- or you just find it interesting that people will save in one area and not in another....and how people would spend (or waste?) their money on things you wouldn't? (with no judgement applied)
To your question I'd answer that I have a friend who is very into designer goods and brand names. She collects (and uses) Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Dooney and Bourke handbags. And Gucci shoes. And while she has a 401K and Roth IRA, she's not maxing them out, and she carries some credit card debt. Yet, she shops sales for groceries, looks for bargains on clothes (TJ Maxx, Ross, etc).
She's SINK and makes in the low six figures.
What makes the spending extravagant?
I shop at thrift shops and Walmart for clothes. Yet at the supermarket buy what I want and never look at prices.
I'll keep the heat or AC off until the temperature is so hot or cold I can't stand it. Yet I treat myself to sushi (and lots of it) any time I want.
Oh, and yes I've thrown things out versus return them to the store for a refund.
I'm no stranger to extravagance and have never been accused of being frugal, but using the furnace to offset the A/C and vice versa comes off as brain dead. As you and others have said, what's extravagant is in the eye of the beholder.
My co-worker's husband. He buys every new gadget, but never unpacks them. She told me they have 5 TV's sitting in boxes, unopened and unused. He insists that they eat out every night, and refuses to eat home cooked food. They take extravagant vacations every summer, staying at expensive resorts, and flying them and 2 kids there.
He also constantly complains that they have no money, they don't have any retirement accounts, and live paycheck to paycheck.
Not to derail the thread....but...having been an independent woman all my life -- my first thought was where is the wife in all this. He may buy TVs. But SHE is right there going on those vacations with him. If SHE has no retirement money saved that's on her. In my case HE would have no retirement account. But I sure would. My brother had to divorce his wife over her spending. (That was just one issue but in the top 2).
That might be a good thread...about couples and their money. Never having been married, I can't even phathom letting someone else take me down financially. (or even just jeopardize my financial future). Love isn't practical, I guess.
It's not. The one who dies with most toys wins. Their partner loses.
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that "extravagance" is is the eye of the beholder, it's SUBjuective. Which is why it the list of examples could he as long as your arm.
