Senay is off to the University of Florida this weekend. She is nervous, but I am excited for her. She will fit right in. I hope the football team is good this year. They have a tough schedule. We are taking a couple of carloads full of stuff up to her apartment. Times are different than when I went to school. If she forgets anything, she just buys it on Amazon.
The boys are back at school, and they came back the first day in a good mood, which is always an encouraging sign. My wife gave them all a haircut the day before. They prefer her styling to a barber. By the time it was done, it looked like a bunch of black Persian cats had been shaved in my kitchen. They really needed a trim.
I started my own YouTube channel, "Dave's Orchid Oasis." You can check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@DavesOrchidOasis. I already have 800 subscribers! My youngest, Jesse, has no doubt I will get to 100,000, at which point YouTube sends you a silver trophy. I love his optimism! (my channel picture is below)
Please keep my wife and me in your prayers. She and I will fly to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, on Monday.
Advertisers exist to get you to spend money you don’t need to. Over the years, I’ve become increasingly annoyed with so-called "upgraded" and "luxury" items. They prey on your ego and exaggerate the benefits of the "better" item. Let’s look at some that have a very poor return on investment.
1. Luxury Appliances: Do You Really Need a Smart Refrigerator?
Luxury kitchen appliances often have impressive features—refrigerators that can tell you when you’re out of milk and professional-grade ovens that can turn anyone into a gourmet chef. But here’s the reality: it's entirely overkill and unnecessary. I really get angry at the fancy refrigerators I’ve purchased in particular. If it keeps stuff cold, it’s good enough. It’s not like the fancy ones keep the food fresher.
2. Designer Furniture: How to Relax More Effectively
This is another hot-button issue for me. Granted, I have four kids and four pets, so sofas don’t last too long in my house. But I still have difficulty seeing the difference between a $6000 and $2000 couch. Is it three times as comfortable? Am I able to lounge three times as effectively?
3. Luxury Vehicles: Gas is Already Expensive
There’s no denying the allure of a luxury car—the sleek design, the powerful engine, the prestige. But they depreciate faster, and their maintenance and insurance costs are often significantly higher (not to mention that darn premium gas). We had to pay $900 because we lost one of the keys. My wife is going to disagree with me. She loves her fancy car. I just don’t get it. My Honda mini-van is enough for me. It fits the whole family, and I can fit extra orchids from the nursery. The air conditioning is just as cold. The sound system is decent. It has the same safety features. What am I missing here?
4. High-End Electronics: A Completely New Experience?
Speaking of premium sound systems, I am really into sound excellence. My goal has always been to get the best possible quality sound. After many attempts and a lot of money, I’ve discovered that the difference is minimal. Even if there is a difference, your ears adjust quickly, and it doesn’t sound different anymore.
6. Luxury Mattresses: A Better Night’s Sleep?
High-end mattresses can be costly, but do they really offer a better night’s sleep? While the materials and technology may sound impressive, the benefit is often marginal. Granted, cheap mattresses are a bad idea, but there are many reasonable options out there at a reasonable price that are just (if not more) comfortable than the $4000 model at the furniture store.
7. Smart Home Systems: Hot or Cold?
Comprehensive smart home systems can be a significant investment, often costing thousands of dollars. I usually forget how to use them; they must be reprogrammed, and I pull my hair out and give up. Is it that hard to stand up and change the thermostat?
8. High-End Upgraded Fixtures: Meaning of life?
We "upgraded" the lighting in our bedroom and installed two expensive sconces. It wasn’t cheap, and I was surprised to discover that sconces have very little to do with my overall life satisfaction.
9. Designer Clothing and Accessories: Fashion or Financial Pitfall?
We should have this one figured out by now. These brands have figured out how to market this stuff to people who think a designer bag makes them look wealthy. The reality is that it just makes them look like suckers who are trying to look wealthy.
As I get older, and I’m sure many of you agree, most of these upgrades have zero bearing on anything important in your life. I remember looking for a new home, and as we toured houses built thirty years ago, we often saw all kinds of luxury add-ons. They added nothing to the home's value, and they looked dated. Do you remember built-in intercom systems?
Be Blessed,
Dave
If someone forwarded this to you, click here to subscribe and get my weekly updates.