An online group recently discussed the question “what are some ways that you SPLURGE or treat yourself in retirement?” Over 740 people responded to the question with many saying that a lifetime habit of pinching your pennies for the future is a difficult habit to break.
Far and away the top comment was “More Travel” – especially upgraded with first class seats, 5 star hotels, Michelin restaurants, and private tours & experiences. Many said to travel now as it is harder later in life. “Fly first class today … or your kids will tomorrow.”
In addition, people splurged on their health, homes, entertainment, and vehicles. There are so many ways people plus-up their lifestyles. Also, importantly, many people commented on giving and charitable pursuits – across generations and with others.
Here are the top 80 comments summarized. If your retirement nest egg is growing faster than you expected, you can use this as inspiration …
TRAVEL
- Travel around the world
- Upgraded airline seats / cruise cabins
- First class plane tickets
- Stay at fabulous hotels / 5 star luxury
- Around the world cruise
- Move to Italy, Spain, Caribbean
- Travel with loved ones – treat them
- Girl’s beach trip / Guy’s Vegas trip
- Ride across Europe on the Orient Express
- Reach all 7 continents / 50 states
- Local private guides / tours
- Exotic / adventure destinations
- Pay the bellman to deal with your luggage
HEALTH & FITNESS
- Personal trainer & chef
- Regular massages in our own home
- Buy another bike
- Spa days – facials & massages
- Hot tub / Swim pool
- Country club membership / golf cart
- Manicures & pedicures
- Electronic massage chair
- Home sauna
- Private healthcare / a good dentist
- Build a home gym / golf simulator
LUXURY LIVING
- Treat ourselves to nicer restaurants
- Michelin gourmet restaurants
- Filet Mignon every time
- Alaskan King Salmon Filets
- Expensive wines & tea
- $30 wine vs $5 wine
- Fashion brands & fancy shoes
- New clothes / nothing frayed or worn
- Jewelry / high end perfumes
- Pet spa / high end grooming
- Splurge day at the Mall
- Spend as much on drinks as dinner
- Premium kitchen appliances
- Buy myself roses every week
HOMES
- Buy a lake / beach house
- Snowbird place in Florida
- Hobby farm / Barn-dominium
- New, comfy furniture & art works
- Reclining double bed & mattress
- Home improvements / makeovers
- Boat & fishing gear
- Hire a housekeeper / maid service
- Big screen TV / man cave
- All the latest Apple devices
- Riding horse / stable
- Solar panels / Tesla energy storage
- Garden renovation
- Hire someone to mow / shovel snow
EVENTS
- VIP Concert Tickets
- Season Pass for Broadway Shows
- Pro sports season tickets
- Annual passes at Disney
- Christmas show for whole family
- Art exhibitions / gallery tour
- Museum memberships
LEARNING
- Take classes at university
- Train for private pilot’s license
- Dog training classes / enrichment
- Culinary classes / experiences
WHEELS
- Buy a your dream car
- Buy a sports car / Porsche 911 / roadster
- Build a camper van
- Performance motorcycles
- Buy a Corvette / join a car club
- New / larger RV / luxury motorhome
- Vintage muscle cars
- Speed boat / pontoon / sailboat
GIVING
- Be Santa for needy kids
- Set up a scholarship program
- Share it with our kids
- Pay off my kid’s mortgage
- Taking my grandkids on trips
- Pay for grandkid’s college
- Giving to political campaigns
- Pick up the check for the whole table
- Give out $100 to strangers
- Pay for a young mom’s groceries
- Tip 200% at restaurants
- Donate to organization’s capital project
I thought the oddest comment was “giving to political campaigns”!
Which of these surprise you the most? What would you add into your future?
Images: Pixabay
MrFireStation 
I think the following two are odd.
1) Solar panels / Tesla energy storage, seems counter to the frugality that helped one achieve a well funded retirement. This type of equipment has a very poor ROI. I recommend to my neighbors who are thinking about this, invest in electric utilities instead so that you can fund your green energy and make a better return without maintenance hassles. Let the pros handle it!
2) Tip 200% at restaurants, I tend to be what I consider to be a generous tipper at around 20%. 200% seems extreme.
One of the most fulfilling on the list was having the family work with an excellent dog trainer with private lessons. She helped us help two adopted dogs become popular members of our household.
Concierge health care would be interesting. The Medicare Advantage Plan we are on seems too bureaucratic and does not offer much to someone who is fairly healthy and is interested in wellness instead of putting band-aids on illness.
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I think the poor ROI of Solar / Tesla power storage is exactly why it’s on a “splurge” list. Maybe an engineer who thinks the technology is interesting, or wants to be off the grid. I have a friend that did this … and not because he thought it made financial sense.
I once tipped our regular wait staff $100 at the end of our Curling League season. It was fun.
I had not heard of “Concierge Health Care” before. Below is a link for anyone who is interested. It looks like it runs between $2K-$5K per year. I could see that being a very viable concept for as expensive & important as health care is.
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Concierge Health Care helps one navigate the bureaucracy that has taken over the US Health Care System. Most US healthcare has become too top heavy, limits doctors spending ample time with their patients and tries to control their treatment options.
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If I had an acute medical condition, I think I would definitely splurge for concierge health care help.
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Here’s an observation of what stimulates splurging from retirees who have sent the majority of their lives in saving mode. Required Minimum Distributions from IRAs and 401-k’s force people to convert retirement accounts into cash. I sometimes watch a show called Graveyard Carz where people get a perfectly restored dream Mopar from their high school years. A more accurate name would be RMD Carz.
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Yeah – I’ve seen that show! How is your car project going?
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No recent progress. I just completed installing a whole house automatic back generator with redundant internet service. During the month of September, I finished my garage into a proper work space and weight room. Installed a mini-split, had an insulation contractor spray 1.5 inches of high density foam and add batts of R-30 insulation below that in the cathedral ceiling, installed R-15 Rockwool in the walls myself, contracted for a floor polisher to polish and seal they floor to look like a Costco warehouse floor, hired drywallers to install drywall and paint it. The drywall guys were so good I had them help me install and finish around two new skylights. They helped me cut and replace roof tiles afterwards.
Remaining steps are organizing the workspace and installing highly insulated garage doors that I ordered.
I have a neighbor who has full time carpenters working for him. He is going on a full month cruise during October and was gracious enough to rent his carpenters to me for the month. I will be replacing a deck attached to my house next month. This deck hasn’t been touched in 35 years. Buying materials, tweaking the layout to improve the strength and durability. I plan to roll up my sleeves and work alongside the carpenters. You can get better results if you support the tradespeople and watch over what they are doing.
The car will have to wait until I get through these projects in the winter. I will have great space to work then.
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Wow – that sounds like a lot of work. Especially in the garage. You will have a wonderful new workspace to work on the car when it is all done!
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The irony is that I will have to move stuff off the deck and store it in the garage as well as stage materials. The head carpenter thinks he could get the job done in two weeks. My neighbor is betting three weeks. I have plenty to keep him busy for another week. Then, the decrappifying can commence. Seeing two neighbors houses that burned because the stuff in their garages caught on fire is a real call to action.
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