Ends of Frugality

Now that Mr FS and I are in our 60s, we are having lots of "what" and "when" discussions. When should we retire? What if...we retire? What if...we have to retire? And, of course, the biggies: What is it I/we really want? What's it all about?

And that brings us to "ends." Ends in the sense of "purposes." Ends in the sense of "the end." I've been thinking about endings, well, ever since I became a serious reader.  

Right now I'm thinking about the purposes of my lifelong habits of frugality. I am thankful for the example my frugal parents provided. Frugality got me through many years of panic in graduate school, more panic during a difficult job market. More panic though worries about tenure. More worries about ...well many things. I am a worrier. It must be genetic.

It occurs to me (us) that I (we) don't really need to be particularly frugal any more. We've done what we've done. What we do now won't make that much difference. This would not be the case if we hadn't saved over the years. Then it would be great to adopt frugal practices, which WOULD make a big difference in retirement. So maybe we are--or could be--at the end of frugality in that sense.

So we can keep chugging along in our frugal fashion. Or not so much.

To that end (haha, pretty obvious), we have a plan that is sort of frugal, sort of not frugal. If we do it, I'll write about it. (OK--we want to build a little guest room behind Frugal Son's New Orleans house. Where we can stay).

To that end, Mr FS does NOT want to retire any time soon. We both love teaching, in spite of living in a state that has not valued us for many years (If interested, do a google search. Too dispiriting for me to rehearse all the indignities).

To that end, I had my eyebrows tinted at the nearby beauty college.

To that end, I've redone my wardrobe via various online sites that do NOT involve auctions (more another time).

Treats are really fun when they are occasional. Ditto for vacations. Looking forward to spring break...

I was going to close with the "last words" of some piece of literature, but instead I'll end with something from the END of the FIRST ACT of Shakespeare's Henry 4, Part 1. 

If all the year were playing holidays,
To sport would be as tedious as to work;
But when they seldom come, they wish'd for come.

Good Price for Longchamp Bags: FYI

Last year, I had the goal of buying a little iconic something for my 60th birthday. After all, there's not much benefit at this point in practicing super-frugality. So my second goal for now and the rest of my life is to loosen up on the frugality. Unfortunately, I never got around to picking out my iconic something. Another birthday has passed.

Miss Em--still in Belgrade--emailed us recently and told me to buy a Longchamp bag given the recent drop in the Euro. Good idea Miss Em! A Longchamp bag is a good starter iconic piece: it IS iconic and it is NOT SUPER EXPENSIVE. That was my planned for treat in June, when we will be heading to Paris.

Today, I got a sale announcement from a place called "What She Buys," with notice of a 40% off sale on selected Longchamp. Readers, I got a Le Pliage. Not only was it already on sale, but was an additional 40% off. The 40% off alone brings the price down to only a teeny bit higher than the Paris price.

After I checked out, I was given a "referral code." If you buy using the code, I will get 500 points and you will get 100 points. The points don't seem tremendously valuable, but hey, better than nothing I guess.

There are lots of bags available. You may have to call to get the 40% off link/selection.  I linked through the email. I think this is a very short special.

Free shipping too.

I think I'm going to keep a list of my "be less frugal" accomplishments. It's hard to break ingrained habits.

Back to School: Frugal Bliss

I've been off in my still-frugal universe. My colleague Merton (still teaching at 72) and I were discussing financial issues. I told him that he can probably loosen up and spend more. To which with characteristic  Zen wisdom he replied: "Frugality is my life." Selfishly, I don't WANT Merton to retire. He is my only frugal colleague and he is a good mentor to me.

Aside from being back AT school, I have gone in a sense back to school. In addition to practicing my French via Duolingo, though I have been rather a slacker at that of late, I have been blissing out at Yale. That is, at the FREE Yale on-line courses.

This seems to have been an idea that came and went, since all the courses were posted in 2005 or thereabouts. If you bliss out taking in an excellent academic lecture: here is your chance. So far, I have watched courses on the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is easy enough to read the primary texts under discussion.

Even if you think these will be boring, based on your memories of college days, give them a try. I am a way better student now than I was then. There are quite a few available, by the way.

I am really dying to watch/listen to a good art history course. Does anyone know of one?
Any other good courses available?