When Do You Pull The Trigger?

[Pool Boy]

I am at a point in my life where, if I want to, I can spend $x to go do the thing I want to do. Like go see a concert. With really good seats. Possibly even if it involves overnight stays. Travel. Another country. If I want to. The thing is, most of me thinks 'This is crazy - all the expense this would be for what - a concert?!'

But then I think some of the people I want to see are getting on in years. Other people are potentially fleeting and awesome. Why not? How many chances will I get?

And yet still I mull and dither.

When do you pull the trigger?

[Ericandblueboy]

I paid for business class seats to fly to Italy with the kids only to have the coronavirus screw everything up.  We had box seats for Aladdin at the Kennedy Center last year.  We go to every Cirque du Soleil that comes to town.  We go to my favorite operas at the Kennedy Center.  We've been to Disney and stayed at their deluxe resorts so many times the kids are sick of it.  I haven't pulled the trigger on a Porsche yet though.  I'm still a bit surprised at how many people around town drive $80k+ vehicles.

[DonRocks]

On 3/12/2020 at 9:26 PM, Pool Boy said:

When do you pull the trigger?

When you decide (like I did last October) that opening older, 1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th-growth Bordeaux for a friend is worth getting two free 2019 World Series tickets. (In 1993, I decided that selling two All-Star Game tickets at Camden yards (purchased for face value; sold for market value) was worth more than attending the game - even though I sort-of, kind-of regret it now, it was the correct decision at the time.) 

To put this in perspective, I have never - not once - asked someone whether-or-not they traveled too much when they were younger, and had them say yes (and I've asked people many times).

Did you travel too much when you were younger?

Think about lying on your death bed, and asking yourself, 'Am I glad I took that month-long trip, or should I have left my estate $20K more?'

On 3/12/2020 at 9:37 PM, Ericandblueboy said:

I haven't pulled the trigger on a Porsche yet though.  I'm still a bit surprised at how many people around town drive $80k+ vehicles.

In 1989, I had a decision to make: Do I want to spend $15,000 on a Mazda 626 LX and also purchase a Yamaha G2, or do I want to spend $8K more on some low-end BMW, and not have a piano? The only reason I wanted (and still want) to sell the piano is so I can buy a nicer one (i.e., no regrets about buying it 30+ years ago).

[Keithstg]

20 hours ago, Pool Boy said:

I am at a point in my life where, if I want to, I can spend $x to go do the thing I want to do. Like go see a concert. With really good seats. Possibly even if it involves overnight stays. Travel. Another country. If I want to. The thing is, most of me thinks 'This is crazy - all the expense this would be for what - a concert?!'

But then I think some of the people I want to see are getting on in years. Other people are potentially fleeting and awesome. Why not? How many chances will I get?

And yet still I mull and dither.

When do you pull the trigger?

Now. Don's comment about deathbed regrets seems spot-on to me.