A Pound of Beef

[Ajax]

My wife LOVES a good steak.

I have steered us away from red meat for health reasons and my wife has been very tolerant of our dietary changes so I wanted to treat her with some nice, grilled steaks.
I didn't like what the Navy commissary had, nor the local Giant so I went to "Whole Paycheck" for two filet de boeuf, or filet Mignon, if you prefer.

I've spent money on a lot of unnecessary things in my life but somehow I always justified it to myself because I score huge discounts by buying used or second hand and the fact that I typically get excellent utility from my things by owning them for long periods of time. Sometimes I'm so cheap that I can make a penny scream. I'm so cheap that I and another guy invented copper wire by fighting over a penny. I normally shop at the Navy commissary and spend a little over $100 for two full weeks of food for two people. I brown bag breakfast and lunch to work. My co-workers are irked because I never go out to lunch with them, preferring to work and eat at my desk.

Somehow yesterday, I was nearly overcome with guilt at paying $31 dollars for 1lb. of beef. Food is a metric of survival and luxury. The fact that I could stand in line to drop $31 on a pound of beef without blinking when there are people who struggle to afford ramen noodles made me feel horrible and I nearly took it back to the meat counter and walked out.

God damnit, it's taken me 27 years of working to crack the 6 figure threshold. I worked my ass off for 20 years in the Navy, and of 11 years served on submarines, 7 full years of that were spent actually underwater at sea, away from my family. Later, I roasted my ass off in the desert ports of the UAE praying I wouldn't have to fend off suicide bombers from coalition shipping. I've worked hard for Northrop Grumman (but not as hard as Navy life) to provide their customers with network infrastructure. I've probably earned a very occasional, good steak.

Why does this eat at me so?

[Benno von Humpback]

Chill and drop a C-note on a bottle of wine next time.

[kimbottles]

Chill and drop a C-note on a bottle of wine next time.

To my unlearned palette a $25 bottle tastes just like a $100 bottle.
But there is a difference going down in price.

[kdh]

There's no real data to support unprocessed red meat's being unhealthy. There are a host of reasons: antibiotics, unhealthy grain diets, poor treatment, to stay away from factory meat though.

From the link below.

A massive review of 20 studies including 1,218,380 individuals found that processed meat was associated with an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. However, no association was found for unprocessed red meat (10 Trusted Source).

In the EPIC study, a very large observational study including 448,568 people, processed meat increased the risk of death, while no effect was seen for unprocessed red meat (11 Trusted Source).

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-red-meat-bad-for-you-or-good

We spend our red meat dollars on grass fed cows that are raised locally.

[Jamie]

I buy half a butchered cow from one of my co-workers once a year. Grass-fed so more lean, but very flavorful.

I get the discomfort with, "conspicuous consumption". On the one hand you've earned it, on the other hand it seems extravagant or wasteful compared to real needs. I personally go down the middle with, "all things in moderation, including moderation". On occasion it's nice to provide something special to those whom you care a lot about.

[Benno von Humpback]

Processed meat, i.e. cold cuts and sausages, is a whole different issue, pretty bad for you, and has been harder than raw meat to cut out. I now grill "happy" chicken or pork or something at the beginning of the week for my wife's sandwiches.

[Rob McAlpine]

You don't know from cheap. My brother, he squeezes every nickel until the buffalo shits in his fist...

Anyways, now that you're rich, can I borrow a little dough? I hear there are these gray market varnishes with something a little special.

I'm in a $42.95/night Days Inn in Jackson, Tennessee, and you're a cheapskate?

[kdh]

My dad's between houses and asked me for $353,000. I gave him $350,000. My own father. You've got nothing on me.

[Benno von Humpback]

You don't know from cheap. My brother, he squeezes every nickel until the buffalo shits in his fist...

Anyways, now that you're rich, can I borrow a little dough? I hear there are these gray market varnishes with something a little special.

I'm in a $42.95/night Days Inn in Jackson, Tennessee, and you're a cheapskate?

Is that anywhere near Bucksnort?

[Rob McAlpine]

My dad's between houses and asked me for $353,000. I gave him $350,000. My own father. You've got nothing on me.

Did he get the "family" interest Rate?

Bucksnort is about halfway to Nashville from here.

[Ajax]

You don't know from cheap. My brother, he squeezes every nickel until the buffalo shits in his fist...

Anyways, now that you're rich, can I borrow a little dough? I hear there are these gray market varnishes with something a little special.

I'm in a $42.95/night Days Inn in Jackson, Tennessee, and you're a cheapskate?

Wealthy people are wealthy because they don't spend frivolously.

Jamie hit it. Conspicuous consumption is what was bothering me but he's also right that I should take everything in moderation, including moderation.
I also didn't really buy the steak for me, I bought it for her.

You know, it was a perfect confluence of thoughts that brought on the guilt attack. The previous night as we were sailing over to the restaurant, my wife said something to the effect of "We are so fortunate to live here, among all this beauty and nature." I heard her comment in my head as I was standing in line, looking at the price of the meat. It wasn't just the meat, it was everything.

[Rob McAlpine]

Wealthy people are wealthy because they don't spend frivolously.

Umm, you just said this to a forum of sailboat owners.

[Ajax]

Wealthy people are wealthy because they don't spend frivolously.

Umm, you just said this to a forum of sailboat owners.

Even Warren Buffet has a few luxuries, including a private jet. (Yes, I know he claims it's for efficiency.)

[Olaf Hart]

You don't know from cheap. My brother, he squeezes every nickel until the buffalo shits in his fist...

Anyways, now that you're rich, can I borrow a little dough? I hear there are these gray market varnishes with something a little special.

I'm in a $42.95/night Days Inn in Jackson, Tennessee, and you're a cheapskate?

Wealthy people are wealthy because they don't spend frivolously.

Jamie hit it. Conspicuous consumption is what was bothering me but he's also right that I should take everything in moderation, including moderation.
I also didn't really buy the steak for me, I bought it for her.

You know, it was a perfect confluence of thoughts that brought on the guilt attack. The previous night as we were sailing over to the restaurant, my wife said something to the effect of "We are so fortunate to live here, among all this beauty and nature." I heard her comment in my head as I was standing in line, looking at the price of the meat. It wasn't just the meat, it was everything.

I think I know that feeling, I call it ethical dissonance.

Doesn’t seem to happen down here in Tassie, but I get it whenever I go to a big city, it’s like another reality.

[Slick470]

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the days inn in Jackson TN is pretty much par for hotels in the town. Not knocking Jackson or Rob for that matter, but I'm pretty sure they don't have many rates over $100 a night.

Going back to cheap, when we'd do those types of trips (before kids) we'd camp. Even with the kids, we'll mix in a few nights of camping on a long road trip. Hotels every night, even cheap ones, add up pretty quick.

[Benno von Humpback]

Wealthy people are wealthy because they don't spend frivolously.

I'll take the position that the whole concept of frivolous spending is thoroughly Middle Class. The wealthy can spend any way they want.

[Anomaly]

Speaking of cheap— just landed in Paris and to save on summer airfares, the dog and I flew on “XL Airways”. A new budget carrier owned by Air France. Not sure we’ll do that again (to be fair it seemed like a lot of the staff were just learning the ropes- perhaps things will improve)

[Benno von Humpback]

Speaking of cheap— just landed in Paris and to save on summer airfares, the dog and I flew on “XL Airways”. A new budget carrier owned by Air France. Not sure we’ll do that again (to be fair it seemed like a lot of the staff were just learning the ropes- perhaps things will improve)

Ropes on a plane are always a bad sign.

When my wife and I fly to Europe, she rides business and I sit in the back on my inflatable butt cushion, thinking of the boat or bike parts I can buy with the savings.

[TheOffice]

If you went to a restaurant and ordered filet it would cost even more. Be glad you ate in.

[kimbottles]

Boats are a necessity when you live on an island, they are NOT spending frivolously.

[Olaf Hart]

Boats are a necessity when you live on an island, they are NOT spending frivolously.

Can I use that one?

[kimbottles]

Boats are a necessity when you live on an island, they are NOT spending frivolously.

Can I use that one?

Of course, last I looked you live on an island.

[Charlie]

Boats are a necessity when you live on an island, they are NOT spending frivolously.

Can I use that one?

Of course, last I looked you live on an island.

Good news! North America is also an island, thanks to the Panama Canal and the Northwest Passage.

[kimbottles]

Boats are a necessity when you live on an island, they are NOT spending frivolously.

Can I use that one?

Of course, last I looked you live on an island.

Good news! North America is also an island, thanks to the Panama Canal and the Northwest Passage.

As a non frivolous boat spender I endorse your theory.