jointers

So true!

Building things for the kids is also good justification. I started with beds when they were young and I had very few tools.

Now that they've moved out, I've built benches for their dining room, kitchen islands & drawers, and yes, still, more beds.

It's hard for SWMBO to argue the need for new tools when it's often her that suggest that I build something for the kids.

Sure but it's hard to "justify" a $2500 tool for a remodel job. It's easier to call it a hobby where no justification is needed (or possible). ;-)

That said, my Festool track saw has seen more use as a home maintenance tool as it has anything else.

Sounds like your pitch (to your significant other and/or yourself) needs some work.... Frame it in terms of "I cannot do this job without that tool" and things go much better. ;~)

That's a win!

Well, moons ago I used that plan (justified more to myself than SWMBO). I generally ended up tools that didn't work to my satisfaction. I moved from that to waiting until I could afford the tool I really wanted. Now I can afford it. Next year I'll have time to use it. ;-)

I was intending to retire earlier this year but I agreed to at least finish the project I'm working on, so it'll probably be September. Covid forced work-from-home has made it really easy.

Seriously, the track saw has been the best power tool I've bought. I didn't believe Leon, several years ago, but I use my table saw a lot less than I once did. The track saw is almost always out.

I seldom use sheet goods so I haven't felt a need for a track saw... and when I do it's something like 1/2" CDX where a hand guided circular saw is accurate enough for the job.

My shaper is my least used stationary tool but when I need it I need it.

The retirement decision is a tough one. Putting things in the context of all my friends, siblings, and other family members who didn't make it past age

You don't make furniture out of CDX? I guess you're no Ikea.

Sheet goods are probably 90% of what I do, so...

I think a router table will do everything I need to do.

It isn't easy. After fifty years working, it's scary. I should be in good shape, barring hyperinflation (everyone in Washington seems hard at work on it though), I should be fine. It's a big decision with no way back. My boss was talking about dropping to two days per week but hasn't said anything in some time. I think the business isn't ready for contractors yet. They got rid of almost all of them a year ago.

Yes it is scary... being frugal and staying healthy so you don't outlive your income is important and challenging. Let us hope we all succeed at that...

So! Now you can get a 100th Anniversary Powermatic.

Comes in Black with Gold highlights!

When sexy is a consideration, this might be it! ;~)

OTOH, I don't expect to live forever. There is something to living well. I think we'll be fine, in fact all things considered I figure we'll have about a $5K lower income and that'll be all but made up by the state tax reduction (elimination) on retirement income.

It's not quite as ugly as the 99th anniversary Powermatic. There isn't an 8" model, either. So, it's either wait, wait, or wait.

As long as inflation stays moderate we will probably be OK. With all the deductions for insurance, savings, retirement plan, and commuting costs going away I'm ahead for now. I'll have to reassess every year... I haven't figured out how to predict the future so I cannot do it now!

Well, insurance is still there. That can be expensive. My drugs, alone, are a fortune. List is around $1K/mo. They're relatively cheap now because of rebate cards but that all goes away with Medicare. The drug plans (Part-D) aren't all that great. I still have a lot to figure out about Medicare. It's almost like it was designed by politicians.

I?ve been talking with 2 different Medicare ?brokers?. One is an independent, the other works for my current insurer. I?m currently covered by SWMBO?s plan with her employer. It?s better than my company?s offering.

They have been very helpful in comparing her 2 adult coverage plan vs. her dropping to single and me going full Medicare. It looks like we could save around $2K in premiums if I sign up for Plan B. Now it?s just a matter of figuring out how much the co-pays and other items will eat into (or eat up) that savings under the various Advantage plans, Part D, etc. An exact match of her coverage would almost be a wash cost wise but we don?t need everything that her plan covers by default.

My shoulder surgery was just about free under SWMBO?s plan and I?m pretty sure I?ll need the other one done next year. We need to decide on the best way to get that covered, her plan or Medicare.

Inflation staying moderate is not likely. With covid and the government giving out money to everyone increased inflation is likely to follow. Why the government is giving out money to every one I'll never know.

My wife's retirement insurance pays 100% for her, 50% for me. My cost of insurance went down when I went onto Medicare, and of course that almost made up the difference in the reduction. I'm about $1000 better off per year.

I'd certainly go for an independent broker. It's a very complicated system and you could easily be led into a "non optimal" situation. The differences are huge and do depend on where you live.

My former employer will kick in some ($3K per year, IIRC) towards MC but I think I have to go trough their broker. I have to get that done soon so that I can plan better.

Medigap Plan-B isn't great at all (check out the differences for yourself). There are a lot of situations that it doesn't cover. Perhaps not all are important but some are. Plan-G is a much better plan and can even be cheaper for me (al this stuff is zip-code dependent). Medicare-D really sucks. That donut-hole is big enough to drive a Suez killer through.

My GABG cost me less than $1000 (of $250K), and that was only because I had two trips to the ER ($250 each). My pacemaker cost me nothing out of pocket. I pay about $2K a year for coverage for the two of us. My employer's benefits are fantastic. It's a (very well known) Japanese mega-company, so tend to take care of employees.

Oh, that's easy. To buy votes. As soon as people figure out that they can give themselves money out of the treasury, the country dies. We're well into that. A cross between China and Venezuela is what they want us to be.

The insurance situation certainly varies across people. For someone who is healthy and doesn't take maintenance meds a free basic Managed Medicare plan that includes pharmacy can suffice for a long time. Later on if the health situation changes the plan can be changed during open enrollment. For someone with chronic health problems who takes multiple maintenance drugs it can get real expensive for sure.

Have you looked into the Managed Medicare plans? Some give you the opportunity to have premiums rebated through various programs.