Weekend Reading – No Spending Regrets
Hi Everyone,
Welcome to some new Weekend Reading about spending regrets, or none at all in fact depending on the circumstance…
Before that theme including some news to go along with it…
I recently shared some thoughts on gold / gold prices and whether they might go higher (?), do I invest in gold myself, and more.
…and beyond that post, based on a reader question this week about my asset location and stock mix prior to retirement, I remind all reminders that I’ve really simplified our U.S. assets inside registered accounts in recent years.
We’ve sold almost all our U.S. individual stocks at this point in our portfolio and replaced them with low-cost ETFs for ex-Canada investing instead.
Weekend Reading – No Spending Regrets
Headlining this Weekend Reading edition and related to my theme, a Globe article (subscription) recently struck a strong emotional cord with me.
The Globe and Mail profiled a 20-something who is bent on saving more money, so she cut out car ownership and pet ownership in her life due to cost of living expenses.
“To date, she estimates having saved more than $30,000 by saying no to both car and pet ownership. (The data suggest she might’ve saved even more.)”
Can’t really blame her given her savings focus.
“When it came to pets, it wasn’t just the food and grooming bills, or even the soaring price of veterinary care that had Ms. Wei, who works in business and finance and shares personal finance tips on social media, swearing off pets in her 20s. It was also the lost opportunity costs.
“Having to go home early from let’s say a client dinner, or a work function to go look after their pet,” she said, was a big consideration.”
I get that.
However we’ve had cats in our lives for many years now. They are a responsibility but one my wife and have enjoyed.
We have loved them dearly over the years.
Given my wife and I don’t have any children, we’ve pretty much spoiled and pampered our cats to no end.
We lost one of our cats in May 2024.
Sadly, we also just lost our remaining cat, Jasper.
His decline was sudden and tramatic for us. After a follow-up from one recent specialist appointment (where we knew he was aging and declining, slowly), seemingly out of the blue he crashed-out on us in the days after this appointment. That was Sunday.
He wouldn’t eat much.
He wouldn’t drink water.
He ignored his favourite treats.
He wouldn’t purr or cuddle up with us like he had been doing.
He wanted to be alone.
We took him to an animal hospital nearby we trust for a few days for any recovery earlier this week…
But it was not enough.
And, given some of the complications he had (cutaneous lymphoma, while very rare in cats), those were very serious and his issues seemed to increase expotentially on us in recent days. Something he was slowly masking for many years, got triggered. Add along old age and this cancer escalation this week was not something he could overcome. We decided on compassion care for him at home recently – leaving us in the process.
When it comes to spending regrets, including lots of money spent on our cats over years, we have absolutely none.
We loved our cat, Jasper, just like we loved his companion Martin who left the year before us.
Spending money on things, people, experiences and dear pets you love and value is what money is for.
I’ve written about that many, many times on this site and it remains one of my core beliefs – so true today.
When comes to time, energy, money and a bundle of love devoted to both of our cats over the last 7-8+ years…we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Thank you, Jasper. You have given us so many, many amazing years of overall good health and love.
We will never forget you.
Our friend, JasperOur friend, Jasper.
Take care, and see you all again on the site soon.
Mark
Sorry for your loss Mark. We have always had pets in our home. Losing one is never easy.
When my parents passed (three months apart – to the day) they had both been dealing with cancer. My sister and I were fortunate that they could live in her home and that is where they passed. So much better than a hospital setting.
We knew they were ill and time was short. My sister gave them the best environment possible (she’s a nurse). When they passed, I remember I didn’t cry. I was prepared and the last seven days for each of them were about morphine drips and oxygen concentrators.
About six months later we had a very unexpected need to rush one of our cats to an emergency clinic. We had no idea he had cancer and it was untreatable. That cat was my daughter’s loyal guardian and she was devastated. I cried and cried.
Our dog just turned 8 and I sometimes ponder her mortality. But that always sets me up to make sure I’m giving her the best life possible, and in turn I know she’s doing the same for me.
Pets give us so much joy and while I’m sad for you for your loss, I’m also happy for you that you had such a great relationship with your cats.
James, thanks very much. Sounds like you’ve been through a lot in your life….in terms of loss.
Jasper was our joy but we have fond memories and we’ll take those with us always. 🙂
Mark
Sorry to hear about Jasper those are tough times, we are a cat family as well (currently 4 boys and one foster girl). In our experience they do tend to stick around for 15-20 years during which time they do cost money yes but also enhance your live in ways few material things can. There are things you can do without (car, designer clothes, Starbucks, meaningless weeks in Cancun I mean the list is endless) but there are also experiences you do not want to skimp on. A 20-ish yo with that severe of a money/work mindset is a bit concerning to be honest, might need counseling. Save to say I’m not looking to her for any advise.
Take care,
Ben
Thanks very much for your kind words, Ben. It’s been very tough to be honest…but things will get better in time. We loved both cats very much to say the least…
I’m not sure I would take any money advice from any 20-something or even 30-something these days. Most of them I read about talk about money shaming and/or instant money gratification. Not sure what I could learn from a 20-something who hasn’t worked much nor signficant life experience. 🙂
All my best to you and your 4 “boys” and 1 foster “girl” fur friends. Pets are special.
Mark
My condolences to you and your wife Mark.
Pets are definitely part of families and having to let go of them can be a real challenge. I have gone through this years ago when our dog became old and sick. Having to let her go was very difficult and I thought never again. Yet, a few years later we got another dog! 🙂 That one is now over 12 years old and it has dawned on me recently that the will eventually pass away and leave a very large hole in our family.
While I respect Ms. Wei’s opinion, pets do cost money (and might present challenges in some situations) I also consider that pets also bring companionship, joy and, in the case of dogs, some health benefits; they have to be walked. For me and my family that has always been a very net positive.
Thanks, Guy. We loved him so much and as time passes, I know we will be grateful for the time / care / love we had with him. It won’t fade. 🙂
I get the Globe article, Ms. Wei is also a young 20-something who is just maturing and finding her financial footing.
I hope you have more more years with your dog.
Mark
Hi Mark,
Very sorry to hear about Jasper. I’m sure he provided you both much joy as you gave him. We also have an orange tabby cat and love him to death.
Always tough to hear about losses like this but it makes me happy to know that he was loved and taken care of.
Thanks, Maas. It has been very hard but we are comforted by the great memories and gratitude for the time we had with him.
He was so loved. 🙂
Mark
Mark, my condolences to you and your wife on the loss of your beloved Jasper. We’re fairly new to pet ownership having got our Bernedoodle puppy Charlie coming on to 5 years now. Hopefully we can enjoy many years with the little guy but we know it will be difficult for all our family – especially my daughter who is SOOOO close to him. Take care ….
Thanks very much. Hard to stop crying this weekend to be honest…
I hope you enjoy many great years with Charlie. 🙂 Pets can be special friends.
Mark
My condolences to you Mark. I appreciate you taking the time to discuss the positives of having a pet . As I write this my beautiful dog “Peanut” is snuggling on my lap. Having the love and giving love to a pet goes way beyond the present , it helps long term health( mental and physical ) and life enjoyment in the future . I hope you will eventually find a new cat to fill that space left by Jasper.
Thanks very much, Grant.
We can make/create special bonds with our pets in that the feelings and memories last forever. I feel that today despite a broken heart.
I hope you have many amazing years with Peanut. 🙂 Enjoy every day.
Mark
My condolences Mark, very sorry to hear about Jasper. Losing a pet is incredibly hard — they bring so much love into our lives. Thinking of you during this difficult time.
Very hard, trying to stop crying this weekend will be a good goal. 🙂
I hope your Summit talk went well and you are doing well overall.
I appreciate your kind words my friend.
Mark
I love cats … runs in the family. My paternal grandfather suffered a lot during WW1 and I remember him as a distant man … but that cat he had never left his side, and would follow him everywhere even during the hours he spent in his workshop repairing this and that using loud hand tools. It was uncanny. My grandmother never had the same relationship … with either. He was a painter hobbyist I have his painting of Buzz (1944-1958) on the bedroom wall.
In the area I grew up in Vancouver we favoured a local bakery with the best cinnamon buns around. Mabel was nearly 84 when she finally sold Ideal Bakery … the cash register must have been as old as she. Often as I strolled in her cat, Blackie, whom she claimed was in his mid twenties, was lying in the storefront window sill. Apparently she had a long running and feisty fight with the city health department about that. I think she grinded the idiots down.
Great story, Barry. That made me smile during a very rough weekend right now…
We have very special memories of Jasper and I know we always will.
Take good care and stay in touch.
Mark
So to hear Mark. You are completely right that having a pet – in my case a cat gives us lots of joy and companionship. Always sorry to lose them but never any regrets having them around and caring for them..
Thanks, Dave. It’s been very tough, hard on us to be honest – the tears flow often. But we also know in our hearts we gave everything to him emotionally and financially and everything in between for him to thrive. I have zero regrets and that gives us comfort to heal our heart.
Mark
Mark, I’m so sorry you and your wife lost Jasper. RIP to all our loving furry friends xo
Thanks very much, Nachelle. We take some comfort (although very, very raw right now) that we gave him everything possible.
Mark
My sincere condolences Mark, to you and you wife. We lost our family dog Bob, of 14 years, just one month ago. Our hearts are broken. The house is so quiet now. Still come home expecting to be greeted with barks and endless love. Sheesh. Not sure we’ll ever be ready to welcome a new fluff-ball into our home, but I know that I wouldn’t have traded all the wonderful time with him with any amount of money. 💕
Thanks, Maria – we can certainly relate now. There is a small hole in our hearts. Coming home and opening the door feels very odd with nobody here to greet us with excitment. It’s quiet.
I don’t think we’ll get another pet for many years from now. It will be too hard to compare near-term and it’s not what we want right now anyhow.
I wouldn’t trade all the time we had with him for anything.
Mark
Condolences Mark. Our cat of 20+ years passed a few years ago. She was a life companion for my wife and I and our 3 daughters. My wife said that’s it, no more pets because it is too hard to lose them. Well 6 months later we got a new kitten (against my wife’s strong objections) and now a few years later now, my wife would likely choose the cat over me if it came down to that. LOL! Pets are wonderful companions and a big part of the family. I hope you guys will also consider a new kitten at some point.
Thanks for your note, Dave. Yes, we had a cat before, she passed…and then we got / rescused both Martin and Jasper from someone else…and it was one of the best decisions of our lives well over 8 years ago now.
They were family to us.
We’re going to take some time to grieve and get through this process and maybe someday, years down the line, another cat but not near-term. Just too much to think about and unable to really replace.
All my best,
Mark
Our condolences, Mark. Pets are family. I never knew this until we had a dog in our lives, and now a cat. Our dog, Chara, is long gone, but just the other night I had a dream of her, which I never anticipated doing. I woke up so happy, yet sad at the same time. Funnily enough, she was waiting for me at the VW dealership where we went to buy the new EV van, haha. Your cats will live on in your memories and when lucky, in your dreams, too.
Sorry for your loss too but I’m sure we’ll have positive dreams of Jasper in good time. He will be with me always and made a huge impact on my heart.
Mark
My condolences, it broke my heart when I lost my cat. Dreading the day I loose my aging dog. Pets break your heart but it is worth it for the joy they bring.
Thank you, Rocky. Here’s hoping your dog has many more good times with you in the meantime.
Mark
So vey sorry to hear Mark. We lost our cat a few years ago just before Christmas and it was very hard for us. I can imagine what you’re going through. RIP Jasper.
Thanks very much, Bob. A real struggle today. My heart is broken but it will mend and we have great memories with Jasper.
Mark