Author Topic: anti-climatic bonus at work  (Read 7731 times)

clarkfan1979

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anti-climatic bonus at work
« on: November 27, 2014, 09:30:05 AM »
My wife is a retail manager and received a $1,200 unexpected bonus at work yesterday. For scale, I make 50K and she makes 60K. She had won a national contest for selling the most of one specific product. This was great news and we are both very thankful for all that we have on this day of Thanksgiving. However, our current savings rate is 44% after taxes and are not strapped for cash. Because we don't really need the money for anything important we didn't have an emotional reaction to the news. I think we both are experiencing a small taste of what MMM talks about when he acquires more money. When you basically have all the important stuff taken care of more money doesn't really make much of a difference. 

Her regional manager called her to tell her the news and told her to sit down before delivery the news. She was thinking that another regional manager had quit or died. For someone living paycheck to paycheck this could be very dramatic. However, for us it was very anti-climatic.




sheepstache

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2014, 09:31:57 AM »
I'm a bit confused what this has to do with the climate, but I'm happy for both of you.

pzxc

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2014, 09:40:05 AM »
I'm a bit confused what this has to do with the climate, but I'm happy for both of you.

Ha!  I was going to say something similar.

Clarkfan, the word you were looking for is "anticlimactic" :)  (notice the C before the last T)

Anticlimatic is a word also, that means "against the climate/weather" instead of "against the climax" -- don't feel bad, it's a common error.

But congrats!  Windfalls are always nice, doubly so when they're unexpected :)

catccc

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2014, 10:02:22 AM »
So I think the word you are looking for is "climactic."  But anyway, I thought you were going to say that it was less than you were expecting.  That's going to happen to me soon.  My bonus at my previous company was around $6k.  I think I'm looking at far less this time, maybe just breaking $1k.  (That will be anti-climactic, I suppose.)

For us, even if I was at a 75% savings rate, $1,200 would still be nice to add to the kids' 529 plans, put towards our next vacation, or just add to the stash.  Maybe we are at a 50% savings rate, but our nest egg, at $550K, has a long way to go before hitting the $1.2M I'd like to have to feel financially independent.  I think it would be disservice to myself if I started to position a certain amount of money as not making a difference or inconsequential to me/my goals. 

But pat yourself on the back for not caring if that's your fancy!

Neustache

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2014, 10:18:39 AM »
Hahah - totally thought you were going to say the bonus was less than you were expecting, too.  How refreshing that it was a totally different sort of anti-climactic (with the c, I didn't know there was a c in there before!)

clarkfan1979

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work (anti-climactic)
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2014, 02:00:00 AM »
Yes, anti-climactic was the word I was trying to use. Thank you for your help. The emotional response was anti-climactic, not the money. I'm not sure if that makes any sense. Her base salary is 50K and has about 10K worth of bonuses throughout the year in her current position. The $1200 was unexpected and might put her over 60K for the year. 

paulc

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2014, 04:32:43 AM »
Really well done! I'm surprice for yours surprise!

DMoney

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2014, 08:43:51 PM »
My husband gets a big bonus every spring and feels pretty excited about it.  I say, "Why should I get excited about some numbers on a computer screen?"  since that's basically what it amounts to.  Since we won't make some big crazy purchase or something.  Then he reminds me to it puts us that much closer to FIRE, and then I feel excited!!

Congrats to you and your wife :)

Johnez

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2014, 09:58:15 PM »
I'd feel pretty excited to be recognized to the tune of $1200, regardless if I need it. A step closer to freedom, congrats. If you need help being excited, $1200 today compounds to nearly $4000 in 15 years at 8%, ($13,000 in 30 years!) to index funds we go!
« Last Edit: November 28, 2014, 10:00:22 PM by Johnez »

Goldielocks

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2014, 01:30:07 AM »
Winning a contest like that is a pretty big deal, even without the cash!  You should be very excited at being married to the BEST!

Miss Prim

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2014, 03:10:53 AM »
I understand where you're coming from.  I also would not get very excited over extra money.  It would just go in the bank to eventually be put into the stache.  I definitely wouldn't go out and buy all kinds of things with it.  I don't really need anything and actually am trying to get rid of extra stuff around here.  But, winning a contest would be cool!

clarkfan1979

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2014, 03:50:21 PM »
My husband gets a big bonus every spring and feels pretty excited about it.  I say, "Why should I get excited about some numbers on a computer screen?"  since that's basically what it amounts to.  Since we won't make some big crazy purchase or something.  Then he reminds me to it puts us that much closer to FIRE, and then I feel excited!!

Congrats to you and your wife :)

Yes, this is how I kind of felt. Since everything important is already taken care of, more money just equates to a higher number on a computer screen. However, in the end, it was an empowering experience. It was kind of fun to not have a strong emotional reaction to the money.

Calvawt

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2014, 04:59:16 PM »
I was just writing about found money/saving windfalls before I jumped onto the forums and saw this.  I think this shows how your views on money has exceeded the american public.  You see it as fuel for financial independence and not an opportunity to go buy a jet ski.  Having the choices across investment accounts sure beats which credit card account to pay, that's for sure.

Congrats!

Stache In Training

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2014, 10:26:00 PM »
Congrats!  And just a reminder, as MMM says: Windfalls are for buying freedom, not Jet-Skis: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/09/20/wealth-advice-that-should-be-obvious/

Enjoy your brand-spanking-new extra freedom!

PerpetualWanderlust

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2014, 03:33:32 PM »
Just be glad it wasn't a membership to the "Jelly of the Month Club"

Stache In Training

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #15 on: December 02, 2014, 10:52:33 AM »
Just be glad it wasn't a membership to the "Jelly of the Month Club"

That's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year.

jamal utah

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #16 on: December 02, 2014, 10:54:18 AM »
Just be glad it wasn't a membership to the "Jelly of the Month Club"

That's the gift that keeps on giving the whole year.

Shitter's full.

myteafix

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2014, 12:54:29 PM »
Agree with a bit of what's been said above. Though the money isn't much, it is neat to be recognized in that way!

Congrats on the achievement!

PloddingInsight

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #18 on: December 02, 2014, 01:03:11 PM »
Based on the numbers OP provided, I estimate that the bonus is about 9.5 days worth of their expenses.  After investing it until ER, it might become more like 30 days of expenses.

Your employer just gave you an entire extra month of time off !!  You just have to wait until just before ER to receive it.  That's a huge gift!  Congratulations!

Davids

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Re: anti-climatic bonus at work
« Reply #19 on: December 02, 2014, 08:12:14 PM »
Congratulations. If you are really not that excited about the extra $1200 you can send it my way.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!