Do you ever feel like you are too frugal?

[Dicey]

Z, when he can’t work he should apply for everything he qualifies for.

Most Senior/Low Income Housing places have waiting lists that are years long. Better to get on the list and hope you don't need it than to need it and not have it be available to you. @Cassie, your advice is spot on. I like the way you think.

[Cassie]

Thanks Dicey, yes you have to think ahead.

[FIRE_Buckeye]

This topic and many of the replies in it really hit home.
It's really easy for me, and I assume many in this community and ones like it, to fall into the trap of trying to continuously improve savings rate (usually at the expense of spending on things that would actually improve happiness or quality of life).

My father scrimped and saved his whole life. He died of cancer at 50. Never got to enjoy it.

My mantra is to save what I need to or should (max 401, extra to VTSAX, 529, etc) and don't feel guilty about the rest. I do not have the 70% savings rate that many on here do. But I am happy with the amount I save.

I try to not spend foolishly: old car, use the library, few/no new clothes. But when I want to I just buy it or spend the money or do the thing that costs extra.

You have to find the balance for YOU. Remember, you could be dead tomorrow.

Same boat here. Dad died at 55. Lost a close uncle who was in seemingly perfect health to a heart attack out of the blue at 51.
Really drove home the point that life is too short to spend the greater part of it obsessing over savings rate. DW and I make sure to meet our annual savings goals, and if we spend the entirety of our surplus beyond that on things or experiences that improve our quality of life, that's perfectly fine with me.

[Cassie]

I had never been out of the country and was waiting until we retired. Then my best friend died. We were in Europe 6 months later and were 50. About every 3 years we took a big trip because time is promised to no one.

[LightStache]

Yes I do. But the main benefit of FIRE to me is to be mindful about spending and happiness, not a sky-high savings rate. So when I think about buying a nicer car or nicer home, I always come to the conclusion it's not worth it. But I spend lavishly (by MMM standards) on restaurants and travel. Because of that I hit a modest 41% savings rate, 55% if you include loan principal payments.

I never envy people who are carefree with their spending. They'll have to pay the piper when they're older and that just seems ignorant to me.