What motivates you other than money?

[Villanelle]

More and more, I am coming to the conclusion that we are going to have more money than we know what to do with.

DH will retire with a very large pension.  He will work longer than necessary (mostly for the challenge and satisfaction). It's entirely possible by the time he quits that his pension (inflation adjusted) will cover our spending at a level that is extremely comfortable, and then we will have a very sizable stash on top of that.

I'm finding that I'm having trouble staying on the MMM path. (We were never super hard core.)  I'm not running out and buying $500 shoes or super fancy cars or anything, but small daily expenses and choices are a challenge.  In short, I'm getting lazy. 

So, what motivates you beyond just cash?  Maybe reading all your stories will re-inspire me!

[mak1277]

I'm finding that I'm having trouble staying on the MMM path.

Just accept that this sentence is neither good nor bad, it just is.  The "MMM path" is not the only way to a fulfilling life.

[Villanelle]

I'm finding that I'm having trouble staying on the MMM path.

Just accept that this sentence is neither good nor bad, it just is.  The "MMM path" is not the only way to a fulfilling life.

I definitely agree which is why we were never super hardcore.  But I'm making choices that are easy, but not ultimately fulfilling. 

We will be moving back to the States next year and I've been researching taking up martial arts and starting some adult ballet classes.  (Dance was a big part of my youth and I'd love to get back to it for both fitness and just fulfillment.)  I can swim well enough to not drown and to get from point A to point B, but that's it, so I've also considered hiring an acquaintance who teaches kids swim lessons to teach me some basics so I could swim for fitness in our brutal summer here.  These are an example of possibly increased expenses with which I'm fine.  It's more the "I can buy pre-shredded carrots and pre-cooked and diced chicken so I don't have to deal with it since I really don't like cooking, especially in my awful kitchen".  Or even, as I start scoping out possible apartment buildings for the move, "What's another $200/mo over my loose mental budget number, when the finishes in that one are so much more attractive?" 

[wageslave23]

I'm finding that I'm having trouble staying on the MMM path.

Just accept that this sentence is neither good nor bad, it just is.  The "MMM path" is not the only way to a fulfilling life.

I definitely agree which is why we were never super hardcore.  But I'm making choices that are easy, but not ultimately fulfilling. 

We will be moving back to the States next year and I've been researching taking up martial arts and starting some adult ballet classes.  (Dance was a big part of my youth and I'd love to get back to it for both fitness and just fulfillment.)  I can swim well enough to not drown and to get from point A to point B, but that's it, so I've also considered hiring an acquaintance who teaches kids swim lessons to teach me some basics so I could swim for fitness in our brutal summer here.  These are an example of possibly increased expenses with which I'm fine.  It's more the "I can buy pre-shredded carrots and pre-cooked and diced chicken so I don't have to deal with it since I really don't like cooking, especially in my awful kitchen".  Or even, as I start scoping out possible apartment buildings for the move, "What's another $200/mo over my loose mental budget number, when the finishes in that one are so much more attractive?"

I think you are misunderstanding the purpose of frugality.  Its not an end in itself but a means to an end.  You have to figure out what that end is for you.  Figure out what the end is and then you can make decisions based on whether it will help or hinder you from achieving that end, instead of just choosing the cheaper option because its cheaper.  Helping others, developing a skill to your highest potential, leaving a legacy, etc.

[soccerluvof4]

What motivated us to save enough money and still be creative/smart about it,  is the ability to get and stay in shape, do a lot more of our own cooking, see and do more with our kids and enjoy a lot more activities and experiences.

[kanga1622]

More and more, I am coming to the conclusion that we are going to have more money than we know what to do with.

DH will retire with a very large pension.  He will work longer than necessary (mostly for the challenge and satisfaction). It's entirely possible by the time he quits that his pension (inflation adjusted) will cover our spending at a level that is extremely comfortable, and then we will have a very sizable stash on top of that.

I'm finding that I'm having trouble staying on the MMM path. (We were never super hard core.)  I'm not running out and buying $500 shoes or super fancy cars or anything, but small daily expenses and choices are a challenge.  In short, I'm getting lazy. 

So, what motivates you beyond just cash?  Maybe reading all your stories will re-inspire me!

I have a question for you regarding his pension. What happens if he passes away shortly after he retires? Does his pension disappear? Honestly, I want to save more just because DH and I have great pensions but having only one when the other passes puts a whole new spin on things.

I also enjoy the challenge that comes with saving money. Make a game of "finding" an extra $X a week or month. Maybe use half of every dollar "saved" by choosing not to buy that coffee or the lunch out to better someone else by donating to a charity or local food pantry. Save up and then purchase extra school supplies to donate to classrooms or churches that give away supplies to low income families.

[J Dough]

Giving is a motivator to me. If you find a few causes you are passionate about and your money can make a big impact, you might find shredding carrots and dicing chicken to be worth it again. Not having to worry about money is wonderful and you've worked hard to be in that position. Enjoy it and share it!

[scottish]

I like building useful things.    That motivates me.   Fortunately this type of work also pays well.

[Moustachienne]

I posted a very similar question in the Post-Fire section a while back.
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/post-fire/what-do-you-do-with-the-'extra'/

I would be very interested to see some more posts from Mr. MM on this topic.  Last one was https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2017/12/04/how-to-give-money-and-get-happiness-more-easily/

Basically, it's just as MMM says, if you live a good life according to non-consuming values, you will be rich, i.e. you will have more money than you need to be happy. 
https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/04/02/what-would-you-do-with-way-more-money/

Currently reading "The Life You Save" which has plenty of ideas for the surplus...

[TartanTallulah]

Curiosity is a big driving force for me and gets me to go places and do things beyond my comfort zone.
I'm also motivated by praise, explicit or implied. I sometimes wish it were not so because the line between a healthy desire for approval and martyrdom is a fine one.
Maintaining my physical and mental health is another of my motivators as I get older.
And I'll do almost anything for premium quality chocolate.

[BookLoverL]

Ultimately, a desire for freedom and happiness.

Also, I like to do things that work towards sustainability for my own lifestyle/my local area/the planet, because I find climate change/resource depletion/associated issues very concerning.

In terms of what actually makes me happy when I have free time, generally I look at something and go, "ooh, that looks interesting" and then spend between the next few days to the next couple of weeks investigating it a lot, then I look at something else and the cycle repeats. Very fun for me, but it has a tendency to accumulate low level knowledge only and end up with not much getting finished. If I was  FIRE, though, that wouldn't matter. ;) So yeah, I guess curiosity for me too.

[Hirondelle]

Things that motivate me to stay frugal:
- More flexibility in case of a job loss/health problem/changed economy/changed desire to work
- Environmental reasons (less flying, less driving, less fancy gadgets, less stuff overall)
- Physical fitness (homecooking vs takeout, driving vs biking)
- If you have kids - being a good example; I've met quite a few people from rich families who're just totally used to superspendy lifestyles and if they don't manage to get into equally paid careers they're in big trouble unless parents support them endlessly.
- Being able to give more; even if you're not interested in saving more for yourself, it can be worthwhile to cut out a little spending and direct this to charitable giving.
- Being more mindful; I just personally hate mindless spending/unnecessary spending which has to do with my desire to optimize things (kinda what MMM describes a lot as well). So if I realize I'm leaking $10/month towards a subscription I don't use, I can't stand it anymore no matter how insignificant the amount of money might be.
- Being in control; kinda relates to the former one. If I'm very aware of where my money goes and that this is rather optimized + some frivolous areas I also know where to cut when SHTF and can act on it immediately without the need to figure it out first.

[StockBeard]

- Environmental reasons (less flying, less driving, less fancy gadgets, less stuff overall)

+1 on this one.
Whenever I feel like buying something, whether it is a new gadget or a fancy vacation, I remind myself that this comes at a cost to the environment, on top of a financial cost for me. I keep thinking that if somehow I had to pay for this thing to be "environment-neutral", I'd probably have to pay twice as much for it, if not more. Usually that's enough for me to at least delay the purchase.

Whatever works :)

[sparkytheop]

I'm a bit "trapped" with the golden handcuffs of a decent pension and health insurance for life, as long as I stay until I'm 57.  I really want to leave by 52, but the health insurance and instant access to pension, tsp, etc, will keep me there.

What motivates me:
The .0001%  chance that my position may ever be eligible for an early out if they came up again.  We are a 24/7 position, and run with a minimum crew size, so they'd have to change the way we do the job in order to eliminate a position.  I'd be eligible for an early out as far as years of service when I am 46.  I want to know that I am set up as possible to jump on this if it were to ever come up (there is no COLA until you turn 62, and my pension would be less than full-age due to fewer years of service, but if I do it all "right", I'll be fine).

As it is, if I go as I have until full retirement, and stocks go along no worse than they have historically, I'll have more money than I'll know what to do with.  I started a lot of things very young (worked since I was in fifth grade, had my son when I was 18, bought a house when I was 19, started my retirement fund when I was 21...) so the compounding interest and other things have been on my side (while life, and a few dumb decisions, on the other hand have often fought to hold me back!)

So, I seek balance.  Right now I can still claim my son as a dependent, but not much longer.  So, I reduced my retirement savings from almost max to 7% of my income.  More money in my hand now means more I can set aside to help him with college.

I also have a few interim goals that keep me from just blowing money frivolously... I want to build a house on my property in the woods.  It's been a lifelong dream of mine to live where I am surrounded by trees (where I have lived my whole life is semi-arid desert.) 

I love to travel, so I have to save for this as well.

One thing I love about my job is my schedule.  It's rotating 12 hour shifts, but two pay periods line up perfectly to give me 16 days off for just 16 hours of vacation time.  So, another goal is to visit a different country at least once a year for two weeks.  I'm taking a solo week long road trip later this month to go to a concert in a state I've never been to (I could have got great seats, but I chose a lawn ticket instead).  I don't just save for retirement, but I set money aside for the fun stuff too.

Sure, I could continue to max everything, but I've decided my early start has given me enough of an edge that I can relax a little early and enjoy life, when many of my peers are just starting to think about their future in retirement.

So, I keep saving, but I don't deprive myself of living my life now either.  It really comes down to your priorities.  What is worth saving/spending for you?  What can you sacrifice without it being a sacrifice at all?

[dashuk]

- Environmental reasons (less flying, less driving, less fancy gadgets, less stuff overall)

+1 on this one.

Make that +2.

I found the "What if you won $100m" thread pretty depressing, because so many people would, if not constrained by money, take actions to substantially increase their footprint beyond the already unsustainable level of 'typical American/Australian/Western European'.

Back in the realms of normal day-to-day spending, I could just buy lunch every day, or coffee, or get snacks from the vending machine.  There is a tiny effect on my time-to-FIRE every time. But there's also the fact that each item comes with its own chunk of single-use plastic, and its own carbon-intensive (relative to shipping bulk goods to supermarkets) supply chain.

[Cranky]

Vil, I think it's about the Big Picture. What do you want *your* life to look like?

There's nothing inherently terrible about buying pre-chopped carrots, but for me, it's kind of limiting because it turns out there's a lot of different kinds of carrots out there, and I want to try them all. If I only buy carrots at the grocery store, I might as well buy the prechopped ones, I guess, but I'd rather go to the Farmer's Market and get different, fresh carrots and try cooking them different ways. The fresher carrots probably won't be cheaper, but they'll be more interesting to *you*. Food is important in my life. I have a bigger food budget than absolutely necessary as a result, and that fits into my budget.

But I think you have to work out in your own head what gives meaning and purpose to your life, and plan your spending around that.

[Villanelle]

I'm finding that I'm having trouble staying on the MMM path.

Just accept that this sentence is neither good nor bad, it just is.  The "MMM path" is not the only way to a fulfilling life.

I don't think I'm misunderstanding.  I think the "end" for us was always the FIRE lifestyle that we had in mind.  We've now basically secured that life, so I'm doing the mental work to find a new "end" that is meaningful for me because just wasting money, simply because we don't need it, isn't fulfilling or comfortable either. 
I definitely agree which is why we were never super hardcore.  But I'm making choices that are easy, but not ultimately fulfilling. 

We will be moving back to the States next year and I've been researching taking up martial arts and starting some adult ballet classes.  (Dance was a big part of my youth and I'd love to get back to it for both fitness and just fulfillment.)  I can swim well enough to not drown and to get from point A to point B, but that's it, so I've also considered hiring an acquaintance who teaches kids swim lessons to teach me some basics so I could swim for fitness in our brutal summer here.  These are an example of possibly increased expenses with which I'm fine.  It's more the "I can buy pre-shredded carrots and pre-cooked and diced chicken so I don't have to deal with it since I really don't like cooking, especially in my awful kitchen".  Or even, as I start scoping out possible apartment buildings for the move, "What's another $200/mo over my loose mental budget number, when the finishes in that one are so much more attractive?"

I think you are misunderstanding the purpose of frugality.  Its not an end in itself but a means to an end.  You have to figure out what that end is for you.  Figure out what the end is and then you can make decisions based on whether it will help or hinder you from achieving that end, instead of just choosing the cheaper option because its cheaper.  Helping others, developing a skill to your highest potential, leaving a legacy, etc.

[Villanelle]

More and more, I am coming to the conclusion that we are going to have more money than we know what to do with.

DH will retire with a very large pension.  He will work longer than necessary (mostly for the challenge and satisfaction). It's entirely possible by the time he quits that his pension (inflation adjusted) will cover our spending at a level that is extremely comfortable, and then we will have a very sizable stash on top of that.

I'm finding that I'm having trouble staying on the MMM path. (We were never super hard core.)  I'm not running out and buying $500 shoes or super fancy cars or anything, but small daily expenses and choices are a challenge.  In short, I'm getting lazy. 

So, what motivates you beyond just cash?  Maybe reading all your stories will re-inspire me!

I have a question for you regarding his pension. What happens if he passes away shortly after he retires? Does his pension disappear? Honestly, I want to save more just because DH and I have great pensions but having only one when the other passes puts a whole new spin on things.

I also enjoy the challenge that comes with saving money. Make a game of "finding" an extra $X a week or month. Maybe use half of every dollar "saved" by choosing not to buy that coffee or the lunch out to better someone else by donating to a charity or local food pantry. Save up and then purchase extra school supplies to donate to classrooms or churches that give away supplies to low income families.

We are still deciding, but there is an option to basically decrease his pension slightly and in doing so, buy the right for me to collect for as long as I live, should he predecease me.  Or we will purchase a life insurance policy in lieu of that.  Either way, I'd still be more than fine. 

[MrThatsDifferent]

The freedom to experience the world

[Anon in Alaska]

Plotting to rule the world with an iron hand?

[Zikoris]

I wouldn't say anything really motivates us. The lifestyle we live now is as close to our ideal as we can get while still working, so it doesn't require and struggle or motivation - we just live our day to day lives doing what we want. And we happen to be very low-key, and like to eat tasty home cooking and baking, spend lots of time reading, and just generally relax and enjoy life. And when you live like that, the money takes care of itself.

[Dances With Fire]

Love. (Family & Great Friends)

Passion. (Find things that you love to do.)

Adventure. (Go see the world even if it's a hiking trail near your home.)

Freedom. (A healthy stash and time to do what you want to do.)

What more could a stoic need...?

 

[John Galt incarnate!]

So what motivates me is having time to do our hobbies. Those are what make me relaxed.

Same for me.

My enjoyment of stress-free time/hobbies motivates me more than money.

I like stress-free relaxation too ("doing nothing").

I hasten to add that   acquiring $ (FIRE) was my predominant  motivation so that I could enjoy free time/hobbies.

Also, tax avoidance motivates me.

Enjoying hobbies/stress-free time /"doing nothing" = tax avoidance.

[Lan Mandragoran]

Oddly money doesn't motivate us very much at all. 

Time/Health motivates us. Money is just the way to access much more of those gr8 things.

[Dances With Fire]

Love. (Family & Great Friends)

Passion. (Find things that you love to do.)

Adventure. (Go see the world even if it's a hiking trail near your home.)

Freedom. (A healthy stash and time to do what you want to do.)

What more could a stoic need...?

Edit: .....Good Health! This past week I have watched older family members stuggle with some very serious health issues. Money will "help" but only so much. This is becoming more and more of a priority every day...

[John Galt incarnate!]

Love. (Family & Great Friends)

Passion. (Find things that you love to do.)

Adventure. (Go see the world even if it's a hiking trail near your home.)

Freedom. (A healthy stash and time to do what you want to do.)

What more could a stoic need...?

Edit: .....Good Health! This past week I have watched older family members stuggle with some very serious health issues. Money will "help" but only so much. This is becoming more and more of a priority every day...

My maternal grandmother lived to the age of 94.

She was healthy right up to the end of her life.

"When you have your health you have your wealth."

^^^

Here's an  oft-repeated saw of hers that I'll never forget.