I’m pissed that my kid is 21 and he still doesn’t quite get it when it comes to spending priorities, unfortunately. Things I get mocked by him about include…
My 6 year-old iphone that still works fine after the $40 battery swap.
The minor rust on the plain jane stock rims that came on my paid-off and low-mileage 2014 Toyota Tundra (I should buy nice rims, and big tires, and a lift!).
Lack of premium sound system in my fishing boat that isn’t paid off, but could be. There were great financing options last year, another byproduct of good credit from good financial management.
How lame my shoes are compared to his. My shoes, incidentally, are also paid off.
My lack of tattoos. For some reason he thinks I should get one, but I like my present budget of $0 for tattoos and body modifications.
He also recently admitted to spending $1,000 in one night at a Miami strip club with his friends. While I’m happy he’s comfortable discussing his more egregious behaviors with me, it wasn’t the best use of those funds for his future. He has absolutely zero regrets about that night, or at least none that he will admit to me. He earned the money, so…
The reason we have a fishing boat, money for travel, no financial stress and an inheritance for him is due to frugality and skill development, but I still think he’ll get this lesson at some point, possibly even sooner than I did.
Contrast basic frugality with my co-worker struggling with money, stress and blood pressure…
He complains about his wife’s spending but wants to buy a new Traeger Grill to replace his Traeger Grill.
He complains about his wife’s spending but wants to get into ammo reloading and build a new high-end carbine.
He complains about his wife’s spending but has a vast wardrobe of designer clothes.
He complains about his wife’s spending but he’s looking to buy a new truck to replace his new truck that he hauls or tows nothing with.
He complains about his wife’s spending but he brings massive amounts of very delicious and good-quality smoked meats in to feed his coworkers, not that I’m particularly complaining about that.
Like I said, great guy to work with. I really hope he figures things out for him and his family.