Quote:
Originally Posted by nik-
This thread is just a setup for a humblebrag
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Basically, any time you buy anything like a car or a vacation or fancy house, you are displaying to your peers what you like to do with your money/access to debt. I'll compliment you on your house, your car and listen to you talk about your vacation(s). For some reason, though, it is socially unacceptable to talk about savings, aversion to debt, frugality or the accumulation of wealth. I find it really odd.
People who travel and vacation a lot
always ask what my vacation plans are for the year. My answer is always the same - probably go to BC for a week, a few weekenders in Banff/Lake Louise, drive down to Whitefish for a few days and maybe visit family in Saskatchewan for a bit. They look at me with sad eyes and say "that's cool; should be fun" but really they think it's pitiful.
I would love to ask those people how much they're packing away for retirement, if they've contributed the minimum to their kids' RESPs to achieve the maximum government contribution, if they're paying down their debts or accumulating more, etc. But obviously I can't, because that would be rude.
I think it's absolutely nuts to not lay a strong financial foundation (to the best of your ability given your unique circumstances) during your earning years. It's only sensible that that takes priority over flitting around the globe to show off for Facebook. Now that's bragging. Planning for your future is something to be proud of. Risking your future financial stability for a vacation isn't.
Anyway, we all leverage ourselves and spend our money based on our priorities. Next time somebody makes a thread looking for tips on travelling to here, there or anywhere, I'm going to chime in like a lot of the clowns in this thread to ask them if they're saving enough for retirement and paying down their debts. Isn't this thread supposed to be about retirement savings? If so, why are half the posts about people bragging about their lack of financial foresight?