[quote=sdrealtor]If you read back on the 2009 you’ll see I consider myself a very conservative investor particularly with the account that matters (my long term hold account). I think of my self as not being as smart or successful as most people. I cant afford to make mistakes which I cant recover from so I forego bigger gains for things I perceive having downside protection. Part of that means taking excess profits in my best working years to pay off debts or make long term investments (solar, drought tolerant landscape etc) to minimize my need for money when I cant or dont want to work anymore. My next and probably last big project will be building a really nice guest house out back to live in so I can generate income off my main home which while easily affordable is quite a bit more than I need. Of course that guest house will require a wine cellar too.[/quote]

If you really want to cut expenses, booze is a good place to start. I accepted the five mindfulness trainings in february in deerpark monastery in escondido, and part of that is a vow to abstain from booze. so far, so good. Not one drink. I send them $50 a month as a donation, and I figure I save 200 a month in booze; probably more, I was in denial. in my weird mind, as long as i send them $50.00, I wont be drinking. I definitely dont want to let Thich Nhat Hanh down! I made a vow!

Not bad. plus the tax deduction for the donation.

skip the wine cellar, the booze, drinkign in bars, restaurants. it’s very profitable.

Usually i would think, well then, why continue living? whats the point if i get to have zero alcohol. It’s a great pleasure of mine.

yeah, well….maybe. an hour of meditation a day can clear the mind much better than a bottle of wine. no cheaper hobby than meditation!

in my more lucid moments, i think how wonderful it would be to be completely disconnected from news, particularly financial news. imagine a life where you truly didn’t give a crap what was going on in the larger world. Paid off house, low expenses, super low risk investments…i wonder if such a lifestyle could extend ones lifespan.

it would be a nice way to live. out of the game, the rat race, the bullshit, the second guessing, the anxiety over decisionmaking….

also looking at leaving some money to the Thich Nhat Hanh foundation in my will (maybe total booze savings?). my last will didn’t have any tricky stuff like this, just family members.

feel like maybe i should spread some money around…