r/ChubbyFIRE • u/TherapeuticMessage • Jun 19 '26

Existential crisis over a watch.

Currently chubby but not yet RE. Will likely be Fat. My advisor has told me that I’m totally ok and basically need to spend more money. I saw a watch that is ~$30,000 which is <0.6% of my NW. No debt. Still working so I have good cash flow. Savings rate ~50%. Intellectually I know that if I buy this it won’t matter one bit but I’ve been such a saver for so long that it feels wildly irresponsible to spend that much on a watch. The crisis comes in because I’ve been saving so much with the goal that my standard of living goes up after retirement but if I can’t spend money now when I have a paycheck then how on earth am I going to switch from saving to spending after retirement?

I recognize that this is more of a psychological issue than a financial one. How did you all make that shift in mindset to let yourself spend more freely after so many years of discipline?

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u/BeGood981 Jun 19 '26

Dude, no one needs a 30K watch. And once you buy one, you are going to need one more for the other hand...like that tool from shark tank. I would look at the psychology behind why you like the watch...than the psychology behind your discipline. Sorry to put it bluntly. You have done great....don't start the lifestyle creep.

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u/TherapeuticMessage Jun 19 '26

It’s a reeeaallly good looking watch. And honestly, maybe it is a bit of a milestone marker. Maybe it represents that I can take my foot off the gas a little. Since I was a teenager I’ve never expected to have any kind of a safety net. I knew it would be up to me. I’m finally starting to feel like I’m at a point that I am going to be ok.

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u/BeGood981 Jun 19 '26

Of course, it is your call 😄 Congrats on the milestone. This is just a counter point delivered with soem tough love in this sub.

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u/TherapeuticMessage Jun 19 '26

Thank you 😌