OK. I admit I chose a provocative title. This was bound to be irritating to some, which I understand completely. I apologize to the serious and loyal members of this forum whom I may have offended. Sorry.
(However, I refuse to apologize to all the Canadians about the coins. You guys do go on…)
My purpose was to poke a little at some minor Mustachian inconsistencies I saw, have some fun, and ask a few Big Questions.
I honestly did not believe that there existed a sentient being in our universe who would actually take #5 seriously. Geez, folks, c’mon.
If I were told to remove every trace of parody, nuance, sarcasm and plain-old entertainment value from #5, it might read something like this:
People who drive giant SUV’s and trucks seem aloof, and they seem to have less concern for their fellow human beings than they should. They have to come up with elaborate excuses to rationalize their gas-guzzling ways. A Honda CRV would probably be a better choice.
I may have hit a nerve with #8 too, although it’s hardly an original thought. One of the foundations of Mustachianism is deferred gratification, and for human beings that is really, really hard. At 27, when your friends are leasing BMW’s and putting trips to Cabo on their cards, and the whole world is telling you to spend now, it can be very tough to stand strong and do the right thing. And 40 (and early retirement) can seem many lifetimes in the future. Hang in there, you can do it!
Although I can only begin to scratch the surface, much of this forum seems to focus on the nuts and bolts of how to get there, along the lines of how to cut another $15 off this month’s grocery bill. It’s a great road map. But I don’t see a lot of discussion of how much is Enough, and what you should do as a human being when you have More Than Enough. Believe me, you will get there. Maybe we should think a little about who we will be when we arrive.
For the record:
I’m in my 50”s, have been retired for a while. My life is good and I am very, very lucky to be living it.
I drive a Honda Element, which I bought new 12 years ago for $20k, paying cash. And it’s a five-speed manual, so no one but my family ever borrows it, because they can’t drive it!
Most of my investments are in Vanguard index funds, definitely the way to go.
No mortgage, car payments or credit card debt. As near as I can tell, I’m at least 75% in agreement with MMM on how to manage your financial life.
And yes, I own a VFR! I still can’t believe he sold it (I should get over this, I know, but I am obviously unable to do so). There is nothing like exploring large chunks of the planet on a decent sport-touring bike.
Thanks for listening.
nm
