What are you putting off?

[Gone Fishing]

With FIRE pending, and the related nervous excitement, I have noticed that I am checking off tasks at light speed trying to pull things along.  It makes me think back on all the things that I put off over the past decade that cost me money (not reshopping insurance, internet, not doing my taxes, etc) and the fact that I would be a few months ahead right now if I had gotten off my ass and made a change when I should have vs when I got around to it. 

Just thought we could start a thread where anyone could lay out things they have been putting off, and we could collectively deliver and receive facepunches where needed to help with motivation! 
   

[pzxc]

I got new health insurance when I started this job a year ago, and I have not had a single doctor's appointment, not even a checkup.

Facepunch me!!!

[lizzie]

Oooh, good topic. But also painful, as I am due for some facepunches!

I recently made a to-do list that includes (1) researching cheaper car/home insurance, (2) reviewing my allocations in my TSP account, and (3) taking a closer look at my Vanguard funds (without going into too much detail, I've been direct-depositing money in them and I think I should maybe change the allocation).  I should probably also (4) talk to my husband about whether we should set up a health savings account for next year (not having one already=a whole other level of facepunching).

[mak1277]

I'm struggling with a different problem.  I have a fairly lucrative pair of golden handcuffs at my job that vest in early 2019.  That is also the date (approximately) when I'll hit my FIRE target if I continue to save at my current rate.  Increasing my savings will only pad my SWR cushion...it won't change my FIRE date.  So I'm having a really hard time motivating myself to save/cut more than I currently am.

[Threshkin]

I'm struggling with a different problem.  I have a fairly lucrative pair of golden handcuffs at my job that vest in early 2019.  That is also the date (approximately) when I'll hit my FIRE target if I continue to save at my current rate.  Increasing my savings will only pad my SWR cushion...it won't change my FIRE date.  So I'm having a really hard time motivating myself to save/cut more than I currently am.

Mak, do you plan to cut expenses when you FIRE in 2019?  Or is your package large enough to maintain your current lifestyle?  If you intend to cut expenses post-FIRE then I suggest you gradually start work on that now.

To the original poster - I am mainly putting off RE, I could have done it a year ago.  Other than that just the standard stuff, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning! The garage/basement, my office, the yard, my books, old clothes, etc.  These are all projects that keep getting pushed to the back of the queue.

[mak1277]

I'm struggling with a different problem.  I have a fairly lucrative pair of golden handcuffs at my job that vest in early 2019.  That is also the date (approximately) when I'll hit my FIRE target if I continue to save at my current rate.  Increasing my savings will only pad my SWR cushion...it won't change my FIRE date.  So I'm having a really hard time motivating myself to save/cut more than I currently am.

Mak, do you plan to cut expenses when you FIRE in 2019?  Or is your package large enough to maintain your current lifestyle?  If you intend to cut expenses post-FIRE then I suggest you gradually start work on that now.

I'll cut expenses because I plan to move/downsize at the same time and eliminate my mortgage payment entirely.  Beyond that, the amount I'll have saved (excluding the package) will put me at around 3.25 - 3.5% SWR at my current spending level plus inflation.  The package will be gravy but is timed in a way that it won't help me FIRE any earlier.

[mozar]

I'm usually pretty good about financial stuff, but other stuff falls by the wayside (doctor, cleaning). But I was supposed to decrease the amount of taxes I pay (it's monthly automatic) by $15 because it was over estimated. But I put it off till it was too late. Now of course no one as been in the office when I call.

[Annie-Blake]

Having taken 2 months to set a budget and as part of this, making a plan of 6 yrs to pay off our mortgage, I am putting off working out what to do with the extra $4,000 - $4,4000 a month we will have in our pocket once the mortgage is repaid.

So far, I have been having many non-mustachian dreams...getting hubby his private pilots licence, big expensive overseas holidays, upgrading the car to an expensive SUV...it's ridiculous. I need to get all this out of my head, but I can't.  Hopefully rational thought will come in soon. 

Any tips on what we should do when it's paid off? With our current retirement plan we will be well looked after by our employer so no worries there about finances at all (hubby on track to receive $35,000 per year and I will get about $20,000 per year in retirement)  ..plus we can access this at age 55 (early acess).  I will be 35 when the house is paid off, hubby 37.  We have no other debt besides our house mortgage and 2 investment property mortgages.  We have 1 child and plan to have another soon. 

Any tips greatly appreciated.

[Exflyboy]

Having taken 2 months to set a budget and as part of this, making a plan of 6 yrs to pay off our mortgage, I am putting off working out what to do with the extra $4,000 - $4,4000 a month we will have in our pocket once the mortgage is repaid.

So far, I have been having many non-mustachian dreams...getting hubby his private pilots licence, big expensive overseas holidays, upgrading the car to an expensive SUV...it's ridiculous. I need to get all this out of my head, but I can't.  Hopefully rational thought will come in soon. 

Any tips on what we should do when it's paid off? With our current retirement plan we will be well looked after by our employer so no worries there about finances at all (hubby on track to receive $35,000 per year and I will get about $20,000 per year in retirement)  ..plus we can access this at age 55 (early acess).  I will be 35 when the house is paid off, hubby 37.  We have no other debt besides our house mortgage and 2 investment property mortgages.  We have 1 child and plan to have another soon. 

Any tips greatly appreciated.

I not only have my private pilots license I am also instrument rated. I built two airplanes, the last one had a cruise speed of around 200mph and I used it to teach aerobatics.

I stopped flying and sold the airplane shortly before I RE'd last year. "oh because I couldn't afford it anymore?" you assume?... nope that wasn't it at all. I can easily afford to fly but the problem is light airplanes are NOT airliners.. you can't just go somewhere whenever you want.. weather will always stop you.

Even if you can fly in clouds.. unless your airplane has deicing equipment (it won't) then potential airframe icing will make it way too risky.

I have been stranded 500 miles away from home when I'm just stinking tired and want to be home.. This has happened numerous times.

Flying is just not a useful way to get around.. yes its fast when you can go and when you can get back.. Unless you intend to fly hundreds of hours per year then your Hubby simply won't be safe unless flying in perfect conditions.

I have about 1200 hours and used to fly 200 hours a year.. eventually I realised "this sucks!" and it was time to move on.

I also became an expert skydiver before I was a pilot... I got bored with that after 500 jumps too..:)

My advice.. don't do it.. the grass really is not greener on that side of the airport fence..

Frank

[Annie-Blake]

Having taken 2 months to set a budget and as part of this, making a plan of 6 yrs to pay off our mortgage, I am putting off working out what to do with the extra $4,000 - $4,4000 a month we will have in our pocket once the mortgage is repaid.

So far, I have been having many non-mustachian dreams...getting hubby his private pilots licence, big expensive overseas holidays, upgrading the car to an expensive SUV...it's ridiculous. I need to get all this out of my head, but I can't.  Hopefully rational thought will come in soon. 

Any tips on what we should do when it's paid off? With our current retirement plan we will be well looked after by our employer so no worries there about finances at all (hubby on track to receive $35,000 per year and I will get about $20,000 per year in retirement)  ..plus we can access this at age 55 (early acess).  I will be 35 when the house is paid off, hubby 37.  We have no other debt besides our house mortgage and 2 investment property mortgages.  We have 1 child and plan to have another soon. 

Any tips greatly appreciated.

I not only have my private pilots license I am also instrument rated. I built two airplanes, the last one had a cruise speed of around 200mph and I used it to teach aerobatics.

I stopped flying and sold the airplane shortly before I RE'd last year. "oh because I couldn't afford it anymore?" you assume?... nope that wasn't it at all. I can easily afford to fly but the problem is light airplanes are NOT airliners.. you can't just go somewhere whenever you want.. weather will always stop you.

Even if you can fly in clouds.. unless your airplane has deicing equipment (it won't) then potential airframe icing will make it way too risky.

I have been stranded 500 miles away from home when I'm just stinking tired and want to be home.. This has happened numerous times.

Flying is just not a useful way to get around.. yes its fast when you can go and when you can get back.. Unless you intend to fly hundreds of hours per year then your Hubby simply won't be safe unless flying in perfect conditions.

I have about 1200 hours and used to fly 200 hours a year.. eventually I realised "this sucks!" and it was time to move on.

I also became an expert skydiver before I was a pilot... I got bored with that after 500 jumps too..:)

My advice.. don't do it.. the grass really is not greener on that side of the airport fence..

Frank

Wow, thanks so much Frank! I will be showing this to my husband tonight.  It really has been a life long dream and he grew up flying around the State with his Dad on weekends.  So it's in the blood.  Hopefully he too will realise that the grass is not always greener.  And it is such an expensive 'hobby' just to fly around for a few hours and land back at the same little airport! He has a motorbike, surely that's enough thrills hehe!! : )
would love to work up the courage to even do 1 skydive!

[Lyssa]

Quite a few facepunches overdue for me...

My and SOs taxes

Researching best rate for gas

and power

and landline including internet

[Dee18]

I put off allergy testing---until yesterday.  I was always too busy, etc.  Ridiculous!  I am going to try immunotherapy (shots).  Can't believe I waited this long...

[Forcus]

I'm putting off more actively being involved in my investments. Now day trading by any means but seeing if there is a better conduit then just letting the company's outside money managers handle it.

[Chranstronaut]

I really need to go to the dentist before I quit my job in January and lose my insurance.  I feel positively about the dentist, but I just loathe making appointments with new providers.  It's such a dumb thing to keep putting off!

Annie-Blake and Frank, how do you guys feel about gliders?  My SO has a glider license and I'm thinking of getting mine.  It's cheaper than powered for rental and instruction, and there is no illusion that it's a practical mode of transportation :D If you just want to experience flying for flying's sake, I think this is a good option.

[AlanStache]

Having taken 2 months to set a budget and as part of this, making a plan of 6 yrs to pay off our mortgage, I am putting off working out what to do with the extra $4,000 - $4,4000 a month we will have in our pocket once the mortgage is repaid.

So far, I have been having many non-mustachian dreams...getting hubby his private pilots licence, big expensive overseas holidays, upgrading the car to an expensive SUV...it's ridiculous. I need to get all this out of my head, but I can't.  Hopefully rational thought will come in soon. 

Any tips on what we should do when it's paid off? With our current retirement plan we will be well looked after by our employer so no worries there about finances at all (hubby on track to receive $35,000 per year and I will get about $20,000 per year in retirement)  ..plus we can access this at age 55 (early acess).  I will be 35 when the house is paid off, hubby 37.  We have no other debt besides our house mortgage and 2 investment property mortgages.  We have 1 child and plan to have another soon. 

Any tips greatly appreciated.

I not only have my private pilots license I am also instrument rated. I built two airplanes, the last one had a cruise speed of around 200mph and I used it to teach aerobatics.

I stopped flying and sold the airplane shortly before I RE'd last year. "oh because I couldn't afford it anymore?" you assume?... nope that wasn't it at all. I can easily afford to fly but the problem is light airplanes are NOT airliners.. you can't just go somewhere whenever you want.. weather will always stop you.

Even if you can fly in clouds.. unless your airplane has deicing equipment (it won't) then potential airframe icing will make it way too risky.

I have been stranded 500 miles away from home when I'm just stinking tired and want to be home.. This has happened numerous times.

Flying is just not a useful way to get around.. yes its fast when you can go and when you can get back.. Unless you intend to fly hundreds of hours per year then your Hubby simply won't be safe unless flying in perfect conditions.

I have about 1200 hours and used to fly 200 hours a year.. eventually I realised "this sucks!" and it was time to move on.

I also became an expert skydiver before I was a pilot... I got bored with that after 500 jumps too..:)

My advice.. don't do it.. the grass really is not greener on that side of the airport fence..

Frank

Wow, thanks so much Frank! I will be showing this to my husband tonight.  It really has been a life long dream and he grew up flying around the State with his Dad on weekends.  So it's in the blood.  Hopefully he too will realise that the grass is not always greener.  And it is such an expensive 'hobby' just to fly around for a few hours and land back at the same little airport! He has a motorbike, surely that's enough thrills hehe!! : )
would love to work up the courage to even do 1 skydive!

I second the "meh" on private pilot thing, got most of the way done with the private before stopping, things got in the way and I realized I would never do anything with it.  Flying yourself some where you are hostage to the weather, if you are renting you have to pay to keep the plane away from the owners, and rent a car at your destination + pay to do what ever + hotels.  Coworker has his own plane and says "you will not save money but you will do things you would not otherwise do ie go 500 miles for a long weekend" fair point.  If your hubby wants to fly have him look at the sport license or (the more dangerous) powered parachutes.  Spending 200$ to go put some holes in the sky only to end up where you left from gets old.  Also there is A LOT of bs paper work, rote memorization and repetitive-boring math (I'm an engineer) involved with flying/earning the licence. 

Soloing for the first time was fucking awesome no question.  Maybe suggest he work up to that and then reevaluate and reread these comments.

Re gliders: have never tired one but know those who have.  From the outside it seems like the powered private licence is like renting a 1980 Corolla without AC to drive around for an hour with your mother inlaw back seat driving; where gliders are like going for a satruday bike ride.

[couponvan]

Any tips on what we should do when it's paid off? With our current retirement plan we will be well looked after by our employer so no worries there about finances at all (hubby on track to receive $35,000 per year and I will get about $20,000 per year in retirement)  ..plus we can access this at age 55 (early acess).  I will be 35 when the house is paid off, hubby 37.  We have no other debt besides our house mortgage and 2 investment property mortgages.  We have 1 child and plan to have another soon. 

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Unless your employer is the government, I would highly recommend you obtain the latest financial statements of the pension plans you are in and check the funded status.  If a plan is not well funded, it risks being terminated/frozen by your employer.  Many of the plans I audit have been frozen in the past 5 years, and some are quite poorly funded (you want to see at least 80%, preferably above 90%).   The annual financial statements of the plan are filed each year with the Department of Labor.  The funded status is reported on Schedule SB, Part III(Usually around page 4-5 of the filing pdf).  Below is the website where you can look up your plan.

https://www.efast.dol.gov/portal/app/disseminate?execution=e1s1

[Chranstronaut]

Re gliders: have never tired one but know those who have.  From the outside it seems like the powered private licence is like renting a 1980 Corolla without AC to drive around for an hour with your mother inlaw back seat driving; where gliders are like going for a satruday bike ride.

Sorry to keep off topic, but this is hilarious!  Gliding really is like being a bird-- it's so quiet and peaceful.  But you generally need to join a club and pay dues to have access to the infrastructure necessary to make it work (tow plane or ground tow, etc).  These seem REALLY interesting if you have the landscape for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0KzLeCm-Jw

[skunkfunk]

Ugh. I need to add cross bracing to my roof, figure out why the hell my plumbing flows so terribly, fill out my wife's roth, change out the front seal on my car's transmission, replace wheel bearing too, clean my trombones, swap out the keyboard on wifes laptop, construct a permanent mount for the heater in my well house, replace quarters and fenders on car, fix water heater, get some gigs, study for the PE.

I'm quite the procrastinator.

[mollyjade]

Moving an old 403(b) to Vanguard. It involves getting something notarized, which is logistically complicated to arrange (but probably not as much as I think).

Using my vision insurance to get a pair of prescription sunglasses. It's worthwhile to pay for the insurance if I get the glasses, but otherwise a waste of money.

[MrsSmitty]

Updating our car insurance. My husband and I married a few months ago and have been meaning to combine/update our policies ever since. The one time we tried I played phone tag with the insurance company for a couple days. We both had the same insurance company already so i was trying to add him to my policy but then cancel his. So they needed some info from him but couldn't reach him because he was at work. Then I get the info but now they need his permission. So he calls but then I had an issue with the website so I call. Then we need his VIN so he calls. Round and round and round. Then we thought we might buy a new car so I gave up. But we didn't end up buying the car yet I still haven't gotten back around to it. I keep telling myself I'll call when we're at home together but I just haven't yet.