______ is for millionaires

[DadJokes]

In light of MMM's recent post, I thought it would be fun to share items where a little extra work is worth the savings.

To start things off:

Paying for parking is for millionaires. We go to sporting events downtown a dozen or so times per year, and all of the parking near the arena costs from $15-$30, depending on the day of the week. However, we park about 3/4 of a mile from the arena in a free lot and walk (regardless of weather). Not only is it free parking, but we get a little exercise and a great view of the city as we cross a pedestrian bridge over the river.

[SaucyAussie]

Paying for haircuts is for millionaires.  Have a friend do it, or do it yourself!

[Freedomin5]

Driving a car / paying for Uber or a taxi is for millionaires. Live walking/biking distance from work and use your two legs to power yourself.

[sabanist]

I think getting any work done on your car is for millionaires.  Get some tools, watch some videos and you'll save yourself thousands per year. 

I do pretty well and have sticker shock at what mechanics charge these days.  Don't know how a low income person can afford it

[Arbitrage]

Buying books is for millionaires.  Public libraries are wonderful, and you'll get to try books you probably never would have tried if you'd been part of the book-buying masses.  Hop on your bike and check it out.

[fattest_foot]

I think getting any work done on your car is for millionaires.  Get some tools, watch some videos and you'll save yourself thousands per year. 

I do pretty well and have sticker shock at what mechanics charge these days.  Don't know how a low income person can afford it

I've seen lots of mobile car detailing around where we live lately. Like, really, you're going to pay someone to vacuum your car out? Or wash it?

Similarly, I'd say having a house cleaner is for millionaires.

[solon]

Putzing around on FIRE forums is for millionaires.

[fat-johnny]

The CEO/founder of my $2.5B company was known for being quite frugal.  He lived in a HUUGE house in an affluent community.  House was probably built in the 1930’s or so, and as such never had central air conditioning.  Until he died in the late 1990’s, he never had air conditioning installed in his house.  When asked why, he would simply reply  “Air conditioning is for rich people.”

From Wikipedia:   “Known for avoiding attention, Forbes magazine once described him as "the shiest billionaire"

[Monocle Money Mouth]

The CEO/founder of my $2.5B company was known for being quite frugal.  He lived in a HUUGE house in an affluent community.  House was probably built in the 1930’s or so, and as such never had central air conditioning.  Until he died in the late 1990’s, he never had air conditioning installed in his house.  When asked why, he would simply reply  “Air conditioning is for rich people.”

From Wikipedia:   “Known for avoiding attention, Forbes magazine once described him as "the shiest billionaire"

My dad worked at Swagelok. He said Fred Lennon did his own yardwork too. My dad is prone to making shit up though, so that may or may not be true.

Hiring someone to mow your lawn is for millionaires. If the story about Fred Lennon is true, it's not even for billionaires. You need to be at minimum a trillionaire in order to even think about hiring someone to mow your lawn :D

On a more serious note, I have several co-workers that make less than me who hire landscapers. These guys are financial messes. They have student loan debt, car leases, and houses that are too expensive. Their lives could be so much better financially if they just made a few tweaks. They're just too short sighted to see it. If a task involves any physical discomfort, intellectual discomfort, or a change in habits, they don't want to do it.

[FIRE47]

I think there is a danger in this line of thinking coming off a bit snobby now that MMM makes hundreds of thousands a year and is worth what, 5-10 Million?

You can't do anything unless you make more than him now, how dare you working serfs make any decision out of convenience? I would hardly say ordering pizza is a luxury, order some pizza for $20 you have a supper and a couple lunches the next day for 2 people - there are worse financial sins.

I understand the point he is making and once you add in compound interest the cost of everything is steep, but you have to draw the line somewhere and to me that line is above the level of ordering the cheapest takeout food there is. Sometimes the juice just isnt worth the squeeze and in this case MMM has squeezed a very small glass of sour lemonade.

[Bateaux]

Putzing around on FIRE forums is for millionaires.

I guess there is lost opportunity costs there.  My time here is time not searched on Amazon Prime for worthless crap.

[Freedomin5]

I think there is a danger in this line of thinking coming off a bit snobby now that MMM makes hundreds of thousands a year and is worth what, 5-10 Million?

You can't do anything unless you make more than him now, how dare you working serfs make any decision out of convenience? I would hardly say ordering pizza is a luxury, order some pizza for $20 you have a supper and a couple lunches the next day for 2 people - there are worse financial sins.

I understand the point he is making and once you add in compound interest the cost of everything is steep, but you have to draw the line somewhere and to me that line is above the level of ordering the cheapest takeout food there is. Sometimes the juice just isnt worth the squeeze and in this case MMM has squeezed a very small glass of sour lemonade.

You know this is just for fun, right? I don't think he's trying to say you need to cut out Every. Single. Little. Luxury from your life because, as you have mentioned, you can always go cheaper. It's about developing a questioning mentality towards what you do spend, rather than just mindlessly spending because "ordering pizza is just a little thing that doesn't cost that much". And it's about realizing that having a good day and doing fun, fulfilling things do not necessarily need to cost a lot of money.

[roomtempmayo]

Anything that involves the words "horses," "boat," and/or "towing."

[RWD]

I understand the point he is making and once you add in compound interest the cost of everything is steep, but you have to draw the line somewhere and to me that line is above the level of ordering the cheapest takeout food there is. Sometimes the juice just isnt worth the squeeze and in this case MMM has squeezed a very small glass of sour lemonade.

Does he sound sour? I understood the point of his post to be that the cheaper options are actually better for overall life enjoyment. Making pizza at home with family sounds way more fun to me than ordering fancy takeout.

[Kazyan]

High-speed internet is for millionaires, or for businesses that depend on it. You can get the slow version and it'll be fine--any plan available these days has fast enough internet for even a junkie like me.

[sui generis]

I hate to be a complainer, but I also have a little beef with at least the name of his post. I'm a millionaire and I don't feel like I should do most of those things or the things suggested in this thread if I want to safely stay FIREd till I die. I get how "millionaire" can still sound super rich and aspirational, but you might not stay a millionaire long if you do several, much less all the things mentioned here. I feel like saying pizza delivery and paying for parking is for billionaires is probably going too far. But millionaires? This is the one time I think MMM doesn't go far enough in his philosophy!

[SpaceCow]

I think there is a danger in this line of thinking coming off a bit snobby now that MMM makes hundreds of thousands a year and is worth what, 5-10 Million?

You can't do anything unless you make more than him now, how dare you working serfs make any decision out of convenience? I would hardly say ordering pizza is a luxury, order some pizza for $20 you have a supper and a couple lunches the next day for 2 people - there are worse financial sins.

I understand the point he is making and once you add in compound interest the cost of everything is steep, but you have to draw the line somewhere and to me that line is above the level of ordering the cheapest takeout food there is. Sometimes the juice just isnt worth the squeeze and in this case MMM has squeezed a very small glass of sour lemonade.

I agree. I get a sense of paternalism from the statement "X is for millionaires" which makes me feel uneasy. I'm not a millionaire, but my bills get paid on time. I'm not in debt. It is perfectly reasonable for me to choose pizza delivery over a slightly earlier retirement. "X is for millionaires" makes it sound like I don't have a right to purchase something you deem too luxurious for a sub-millionaire peon like me.

[HPstache]

Brand new vehicles

[Hirondelle]

Apple products

[Linea_Norway]

Keeping up to date with fashion is for millionaires. You can wear the same clothes until they get holes in them.

[soccerluvof4]

Buying new cars as opposed to getting a deal on a used one

[Metalcat]

I think there is a danger in this line of thinking coming off a bit snobby now that MMM makes hundreds of thousands a year and is worth what, 5-10 Million?

You can't do anything unless you make more than him now, how dare you working serfs make any decision out of convenience? I would hardly say ordering pizza is a luxury, order some pizza for $20 you have a supper and a couple lunches the next day for 2 people - there are worse financial sins.

I understand the point he is making and once you add in compound interest the cost of everything is steep, but you have to draw the line somewhere and to me that line is above the level of ordering the cheapest takeout food there is. Sometimes the juice just isnt worth the squeeze and in this case MMM has squeezed a very small glass of sour lemonade.

I agree. I get a sense of paternalism from the statement "X is for millionaires" which makes me feel uneasy. I'm not a millionaire, but my bills get paid on time. I'm not in debt. It is perfectly reasonable for me to choose pizza delivery over a slightly earlier retirement. "X is for millionaires" makes it sound like I don't have a right to purchase something you deem too luxurious for a sub-millionaire peon like me.

MMM has literally always been paternalistic and patronizing, it's a HUGE part of his personal brand.

Underneath that, the message is to always question these little indulgent expenses and really examine if they actually add anything into your life or if they're just habits society deems acceptable, like ordering pizza.

Pete is brilliant at agitating people into reading his content, but underneath the bluster is always the same solid content, which is that we should never stop questioning what we choose to spend on and why.

For the sake of keeping this meant-to-be-fun thread on track, I'll contribute my own content despite the fact that I don't actually judge anyone for what they choose to spend on.

Salon haircolour is for millionaires, sure colourists are experts and can do amazing things, but it's just hair colour, and doing it yourself costs at most $10/mo, while professional colour can be several hundred.

Manicures are for millionaires. Paint your own damn nails! That said, I don't judge anyone for the occasional pedicure, that's a whole other thing with the foot bath and massage chair, etc. Dammit, I want a pedicure now.

Little packets of spices from the grocery store are for millionaires who don't care about food actually tasting good. $4 for a bag of vaguely oregano flavoured sawdust? No thanks.

Designer back packs are for millionaires. I live in a building with a lot of university students and they all carry the same brand of canvas backpack. I saw one in a store and just about did a spit-take when I saw that they retail for nearly $100! For a canvas back pack!
It reminds me of those vinyl Longchamp bags, same friggin' deal.

Smoking is for millionaires. That shit is CRAZY expensive here! A pack is up to nearly $20 now. WTF???

Vaping is probably for millionaires, but I have no idea what it costs. I'm just guessing it's expensive like cigarettes.

Paying for a gym membership when you have a gym in your building that almost no one uses is for millionaires. Our gym is an ugly, windowless basement gym, but we all pay for it with condo fees, so the people who have memberships across the street at the fancy gym are paying twice.

Breakfast cereal is for millionaires. I haven't bought it in a few decades, but a coworker just told me how much it costs to keep her two teenagers fed for breakfast. I...I'm still in shock. It's almost as expensive as cigarettes.

Beef is for millionaires. Might even be more expensive than cigarettes.

Now for a few that I'm totally guilty of

Purebred pets are for millionaires. I have my reasons, mostly to do with allergies, but I've spent several thousand on cats. Ridiculous.

Elta MD sunscreen is for millionares. It's nearly $50 for a tiny bottle. Ouch.

Ice Breaker merino wool clothing is for millionaires. In "Thrift Shop" Macklemore makes fun of a t-shirt costing $50. An Ice Breaker under shirt costs over $100, and I just realized is made in China. Oof...most of my wardrobe is Ice Breaker.

Dance lessons are for millionaires.
So expensive :( but also so much fun :)

Robots are for millionaires.
Robot vacuum, robot cat litter box, Nest thermostat, etc. Between that and all of the motion sensor lights in my very dated high-rise apartment, it's kind of like living in the Jetsons, like a 70s version of futuristic.

[Freedomin5]

I think there is a danger in this line of thinking coming off a bit snobby now that MMM makes hundreds of thousands a year and is worth what, 5-10 Million?

You can't do anything unless you make more than him now, how dare you working serfs make any decision out of convenience? I would hardly say ordering pizza is a luxury, order some pizza for $20 you have a supper and a couple lunches the next day for 2 people - there are worse financial sins.

I understand the point he is making and once you add in compound interest the cost of everything is steep, but you have to draw the line somewhere and to me that line is above the level of ordering the cheapest takeout food there is. Sometimes the juice just isnt worth the squeeze and in this case MMM has squeezed a very small glass of sour lemonade.

I agree. I get a sense of paternalism from the statement "X is for millionaires" which makes me feel uneasy. I'm not a millionaire, but my bills get paid on time. I'm not in debt. It is perfectly reasonable for me to choose pizza delivery over a slightly earlier retirement. "X is for millionaires" makes it sound like I don't have a right to purchase something you deem too luxurious for a sub-millionaire peon like me.

MMM has literally always been paternalistic and patronizing, it's a HUGE part of his personal brand.

Underneath that, the message is to always question these little indulgent expenses and really examine if they actually add anything into your life or if they're just habits society deems acceptable, like ordering pizza.

Pete is brilliant at agitating people into reading his content, but underneath the bluster is always the same solid content, which is that we should never stop questioning what we choose to spend on and why.

For the sake of keeping this meant-to-be-fun thread on track, I'll contribute my own content despite the fact that I don't actually judge anyone for what they choose to spend on.

Salon haircolour is for millionaires, sure colourists are experts and can do amazing things, but it's just hair colour, and doing it yourself costs at most $10/mo, while professional colour can be several hundred.

Manicures are for millionaires. Paint your own damn nails! That said, I don't judge anyone for the occasional pedicure, that's a whole other thing with the foot bath and massage chair, etc. Dammit, I want a pedicure now.

Little packets of spices from the grocery store are for millionaires who don't care about food actually tasting good. $4 for a bag of vaguely oregano flavoured sawdust? No thanks.

Designer back packs are for millionaires. I live in a building with a lot of university students and they all carry the same brand of canvas backpack. I saw one in a store and just about did a spit-take when I saw that they retail for nearly $100! For a canvas back pack!
It reminds me of those vinyl Longchamp bags, same friggin' deal.

Smoking is for millionaires. That shit is CRAZY expensive here! A pack is up to nearly $20 now. WTF???

Vaping is probably for millionaires, but I have no idea what it costs. I'm just guessing it's expensive like cigarettes.

Paying for a gym membership when you have a gym in your building that almost no one uses is for millionaires. Our gym is an ugly, windowless basement gym, but we all pay for it with condo fees, so the people who have memberships across the street at the fancy gym are paying twice.

Breakfast cereal is for millionaires. I haven't bought it in a few decades, but a coworker just told me how much it costs to keep her two teenagers fed for breakfast. I...I'm still in shock. It's almost as expensive as cigarettes.

Beef is for millionaires. Might even be more expensive than cigarettes.

Now for a few that I'm totally guilty of

Purebred pets are for millionaires. I have my reasons, mostly to do with allergies, but I've spent several thousand on cats. Ridiculous.

Elta MD sunscreen is for millionares. It's nearly $50 for a tiny bottle. Ouch.

Ice Breaker merino wool clothing is for millionaires. In "Thrift Shop" Macklemore makes fun of a t-shirt costing $50. An Ice Breaker under shirt costs over $100, and I just realized is made in China. Oof...most of my wardrobe is Ice Breaker.

Dance lessons are for millionaires.
So expensive :( but also so much fun :)

Robots are for millionaires.
Robot vacuum, robot cat litter box, Nest thermostat, etc. Between that and all of the motion sensor lights in my very dated high-rise apartment, it's kind of like living in the Jetsons, like a 70s version of futuristic.

When I saw that Ice Breaker is made in China, I had to look it up. It’s $40-$50 Cdn on Taobao, probably being sold by the factory that manufactures it.

[SaucyAussie]

I think there is a danger in this line of thinking coming off a bit snobby now that MMM makes hundreds of thousands a year and is worth what, 5-10 Million?

You can't do anything unless you make more than him now, how dare you working serfs make any decision out of convenience? I would hardly say ordering pizza is a luxury, order some pizza for $20 you have a supper and a couple lunches the next day for 2 people - there are worse financial sins.

I understand the point he is making and once you add in compound interest the cost of everything is steep, but you have to draw the line somewhere and to me that line is above the level of ordering the cheapest takeout food there is. Sometimes the juice just isnt worth the squeeze and in this case MMM has squeezed a very small glass of sour lemonade.

The ".... is for millionaires" part is tongue in cheek.  It's just meant to make you look hard at your expenditures, not laws set in stone.

[Cranky]

Keeping up to date with fashion is for millionaires. You can wear the same clothes until they get holes in them.

Surprisingly, you can also keep wearing clothes after they get holes in them.

[undercover]

Making lots of money and then saving/investing it in an amount that leads to at least a million dollars is for millionaires? *shrug* that’s the best I got. I must be boring, but I don’t think there are any rules on what you can and can’t spend along the way. Being cheap in general will get you there as long as you have the income though.

[Metalcat]

Keeping up to date with fashion is for millionaires. You can wear the same clothes until they get holes in them.

Wait... are you telling me I'm supposed to replace my clothes when they get holes in them? You must be very wealthy! :)

(EDIT: @Cranky beat me to it!)

As someone who is tall, a little clumsy, and does a lot of messing around with firewood and lumber, I need to find holes in my clothing pretty quickly. All of my "work pants" (that is, the ones I wear at home when doing physical work) have big holes in the knees. I have never had a pair of jeans last me more than a few years without wearing out.

Of course, to disagree with the above - I once bought a Honda Fit brand new. I should've kept it "forever" but I sold it (privately, not trade) after 4 years. It hadn't depreciated too terribly and it was one of my lower cost vehicles over time. I was not a millionaire then ;)

Actually, in general, I'm just around to disagree ha!

To be fair, the pp did specifically compare buying used to getting a deal on a used car. To me, that assumes that they weren't talking about buying a lightly used car that holds its value well.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Making lots of money and then saving/investing it in an amount that leads to at least a million dollars is for millionaires? *shrug* that’s the best I got. I must be boring, but I don’t think there are any rules on what you can and can’t spend along the way. Being cheap in general will get you there as long as you have the income though.

Yup

Brand new vehicles

This is one I agree with.  Even millionaire FIRE bloggers don't buy new vehicles.  MrTako ($3M and wife is working) just bought a used, dented 10k vehicle / RoG ($2M) bought a used mini-van, etc.  So my take-away is that even when FIRE folks hit millionaire status, they are the same frugal people (just with more money). 

But yeah, if you want to be a millionaire as soon as possible, focus on the big stuff like cars and housing.  Big wins there will buy years of ER.  Little stuff like pizza vs. making your own at home is more for a psychological win (at least here in Houston where we can get take-away pizza for ~$10).  Personally, we balance making our own and buying pizza because making the crust our-self is healthier and making personal pizzas is a fun sleep over activity for the kids.

[Linea_Norway]

Keeping up to date with fashion is for millionaires. You can wear the same clothes until they get holes in them.

Wait... are you telling me I'm supposed to replace my clothes when they get holes in them? You must be very wealthy! :)

(EDIT: @Cranky beat me to it!)

As someone who is tall, a little clumsy, and does a lot of messing around with firewood and lumber, I need to find holes in my clothing pretty quickly. All of my "work pants" (that is, the ones I wear at home when doing physical work) have big holes in the knees. I have never had a pair of jeans last me more than a few years without wearing out.

You are of course allowed to walk around in clothes with holes in them, or repair the holes, which I often do. It's just that I don't think a Mustachian is obligated to walk around in clothes full of holes just to save money.

[DadJokes]

Keeping up to date with fashion is for millionaires. You can wear the same clothes until they get holes in them.

Wait... are you telling me I'm supposed to replace my clothes when they get holes in them? You must be very wealthy! :)

(EDIT: @Cranky beat me to it!)

As someone who is tall, a little clumsy, and does a lot of messing around with firewood and lumber, I need to find holes in my clothing pretty quickly. All of my "work pants" (that is, the ones I wear at home when doing physical work) have big holes in the knees. I have never had a pair of jeans last me more than a few years without wearing out.

You are of course allowed to walk around in clothes with holes in them, or repair the holes, which I often do. It's just that I don't think a Mustachian is obligated to walk around in clothes full of holes just to save money.

All of my clothes have holes- that's how I get my head and limbs into the clothing.

[terran]

Making lots of money and then saving/investing it in an amount that leads to at least a million dollars is for millionaires? *shrug* that’s the best I got. I must be boring, but I don’t think there are any rules on what you can and can’t spend along the way. Being cheap in general will get you there as long as you have the income though.

Yup

Brand new vehicles

This is one I agree with.  Even millionaire FIRE bloggers don't buy new vehicles.  MrTako ($3M and wife is working) just bought a used, dented 10k vehicle / RoG ($2M) bought a used mini-van, etc.  So my take-away is that even when FIRE folks hit millionaire status, they are the same frugal people (just with more money). 

But yeah, if you want to be a millionaire as soon as possible, focus on the big stuff like cars and housing.  Big wins there will buy years of ER.  Little stuff like pizza vs. making your own at home is more for a psychological win (at least here in Houston where we can get take-away pizza for ~$10).  Personally, we balance making our own and buying pizza because making the crust our-self is healthier and making personal pizzas is a fun sleep over activity for the kids.

Counterpoint: Jim Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth.

[robartsd]

Anything that involves the words "horses," "boat," and/or "towing."

Unless the towing is moving things with a bike trailer.

Of course there are lots of things wrong with the article. MMM HQ is the biggest - that truly is for millionaires. Sure it's better than the vacation home he compares it to, but I imagine the capital is seriously under-performing if you look at it as an investment.

High-speed internet is for millionaires, or for businesses that depend on it. You can get the slow version and it'll be fine--any plan available these days has fast enough internet for even a junkie like me.

So true. You only need 5-7 mbps for HD video, my provider's lowest tier is currently 20 mbps.

[Kazyan]

How are you defining high speed internet? I assume anything above 56.6 kbps?

I don't want to go into a full caveat-filled dissertation about an off-handed comment to fit everyone's situation, but generally, your service provider will offer internet at different speed tiers, all of which are measured in Mbps. They all do what you want, fast enough for it not to matter which one you pick.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Brand new vehicles

This is one I agree with. 

Counterpoint: Jim Collins, author of The Simple Path to Wealth.

Even Jim Collins seems to say that millionaires should not buy new cars.  In the article, he says he's been FI since 1989 and his first new car is being bought in 2019!  He goes on to talk about wanting to hand the car over to his wife when he passes on, that they are nomadic and thus rely on their car more than most, and they need the AWD for snow.  There's also some weird stuff about how they must've gotten a 'deal' since they 'had to take a loan' and 'not buy the lowest cost' - but he hasn't revealed that bit yet.

For what it's worth, I bought I brand new 2015 Honda Fit for $17k (my first new car) and it's been cheaper over-all than owning the used MiniCooper my Dad sold me for $7k (but needed repairs (and started failing emissions tests because of the catalytic converter), expensive maintenance, and low resale value).  But I really did love that MiniCooper, the Fit is just a lukewarm romance.

I originally was going to be really grumpy and respond to this thread that getting medical care or dental care work done is for millionaires...

[RWD]

How are you defining high speed internet? I assume anything above 56.6 kbps?

I don't want to go into a full caveat-filled dissertation about an off-handed comment to fit everyone's situation, but generally, your service provider will offer internet at different speed tiers, all of which are measured in Mbps. They all do what you want, fast enough for it not to matter which one you pick.

The ISP I chose only offers one tier and it is not measured in Mbps (1 Gbps for $80/month). Also, I work from home so internet speed and stability are extremely important. I had a slower connection (~5 Mbps?) at our previous residence and it severely impacted my work.

[BicycleB]

For the sake of keeping this meant-to-be-fun thread on track, I'll contribute my own content despite the fact that I don't actually judge anyone for what they choose to spend on.
...

Little packets of spices from the grocery store are for millionaires who don't care about food actually tasting good. $4 for a bag of vaguely oregano flavoured sawdust? No thanks.

But...but...I buy little packets of spices all the time! (Every few months).

Like this:

ETA - On second thought, you're right... I'm not a millionaire!

[Kazyan]

Hmm, so I assume that the cheapest option, which I have, is not high-speed.
(It's 100 Mbps in both directions for $40. But that's the cheapest they offer! Did I mention I'm here to cause trouble? I'm seeing how affordable it is.)

People like you are why people like me turn into rambling lunatics, who either 1) overexplain everything they say in off-putting ways or 2) don't speak at all.

[robartsd]

The ISP I chose only offers one tier and it is not measured in Mbps (1 Gbps for $80/month). Also, I work from home so internet speed and stability are extremely important. I had a slower connection (~5 Mbps?) at our previous residence and it severely impacted my work.

Stability and speed are not the same thing and speed has more important factors than the download speed advertised. Up-link speed is frequently slower on residential service than download speed. This could be a problem for those uploading large files or hosting video conferences. Low-latency is important for online interaction with others, you're most likely to notice a difference between connections when video conferencing.

Bottom line is that gig speed internet isn't really what you want even though it is what the consumer sucka ads sell. It is the numbers they aren't selling that will be more important to your experience. Usually you can find the rated up-link speed of a plan in the fine print. Latency has a lot of factors, only a few of which are controlled by your ISP so your ISP can't easily sum up what they provide with a number. A provider's latency is likely the same regardless of download speed you subscribe to. You get some idea of these speed factors for your connection by visiting a speed test site (often they also have profiles of providers in your area based on speed tests others have run).

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Ah, I’ve got one - paying to run a 5k is for millionaires.  Don’t people know running is free?

[Sand101]

Grubhub/Doordash is for millionaires.  Not just eating out, but paying for eating out to be delivered.   Burning money.

[Cranky]

Grubhub/Doordash is for millionaires.  Not just eating out, but paying for eating out to be delivered.   Burning money.

What amazes me is that people will pay to have McDonalds delivered.

[Just Joe]

I think getting any work done on your car is for millionaires.  Get some tools, watch some videos and you'll save yourself thousands per year. 

I do pretty well and have sticker shock at what mechanics charge these days.  Don't know how a low income person can afford it

THAT!

[Sand101]

Grubhub/Doordash is for millionaires.  Not just eating out, but paying for eating out to be delivered.   Burning money.

What amazes me is that people will pay to have McDonalds delivered.

100% percent chance of cold fries.  Heresy!

[RWD]

The ISP I chose only offers one tier and it is not measured in Mbps (1 Gbps for $80/month). Also, I work from home so internet speed and stability are extremely important. I had a slower connection (~5 Mbps?) at our previous residence and it severely impacted my work.

Stability and speed are not the same thing and speed has more important factors than the download speed advertised. Up-link speed is frequently slower on residential service than download speed. This could be a problem for those uploading large files or hosting video conferences. Low-latency is important for online interaction with others, you're most likely to notice a difference between connections when video conferencing.

Bottom line is that gig speed internet isn't really what you want even though it is what the consumer sucka ads sell. It is the numbers they aren't selling that will be more important to your experience. Usually you can find the rated up-link speed of a plan in the fine print. Latency has a lot of factors, only a few of which are controlled by your ISP so your ISP can't easily sum up what they provide with a number. A provider's latency is likely the same regardless of download speed you subscribe to. You get some idea of these speed factors for your connection by visiting a speed test site (often they also have profiles of providers in your area based on speed tests others have run).

My connection has stability, speed, and low latency. I've only noticed an internet hiccup once in 3.5 years and only for a few minutes. My upload speed is just as fast as my download speed (see attached speed test).

I did not choose my ISP because of some advertisement and I don't particularly appreciate you implying that I don't know my own real connection performance. I deliberately looked for the best possible internet connection I could get in the city I currently live in. In fact, it was one of our criteria when house shopping, that the house was served by this specific ISP.

In addition in 3.5 years this ISP hasn't once tried to raise my rate or sell me other services. Not that it would matter much to me if they did, as my company pays 100% of my internet bill.

[albireo13]

People delivering McDonalds "food" is something to be discouraged at all costs!

[Firehazard]

Canned beans are for rich people.  We buy dry beans and cook them ourselves.  And they are so much better tasting than canned.

[Metalcat]

Canned beans are for rich people.  We buy dry beans and cook them ourselves.  And they are so much better tasting than canned.

I was actually thinking of adding this to my post.

[Linea_Norway]

Ah, I’ve got one - paying to run a 5k is for millionaires.  Don’t people know running is free?

Running on a threadmill in a gym is for millionaires. You can run for free outside (after buying some spike shoes and reflexes for the winter).

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Ah, I’ve got one - paying to run a 5k is for millionaires.  Don’t people know running is free?

Running on a threadmill in a gym is for millionaires. You can run for free outside (after buying some spike shoes and reflexes for the winter).

I ran outside all through the winter in Norway - the electrically heated floor of the bathroom after the shower was heavenly!

[damyst]

Keeping up to date with fashion is for millionaires. You can wear the same clothes until they get holes in them.

Wait... are you telling me I'm supposed to replace my clothes when they get holes in them? You must be very wealthy! :)

(EDIT: @Cranky beat me to it!)

As someone who is tall, a little clumsy, and does a lot of messing around with firewood and lumber, I need to find holes in my clothing pretty quickly. All of my "work pants" (that is, the ones I wear at home when doing physical work) have big holes in the knees. I have never had a pair of jeans last me more than a few years without wearing out.

You are of course allowed to walk around in clothes with holes in them, or repair the holes, which I often do. It's just that I don't think a Mustachian is obligated to walk around in clothes full of holes just to save money.

All of my clothes have holes- that's how I get my head and limbs into the clothing.

Username checks out.