Saving for financial freedom is the best product available

Maybe an opposite answer is that I am happy for neighbors when they do update. We all bought 15 or so years ago with small dc. Houses are 1970s colonials. Galley type kitchens, small closets, old baths.

50 yrs later these places are dated. No one has torn down or added crazy huge additions but added screened porches, updated to hardwoods, updated kitchens without changing footprint, updated bathrooms. Opened up a wall. Our neighborhood even has a home tour.

Updating a house a bit is all very normal and does not have to be over-the-top. I only had one friend who could but had no interest but even she finally thought her old outdated kitchen could be improved. Looks great, did not spend a fortune, and she’s happy she did it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In an online forum I can admit I don’t judge you. I do judge your renovating neighbors though. What a dumb way to spend money!

It’s theirs and they can. But they are much better things to do with it (give it away if nothing else).

I know a lot of people renovate just to get the latest style, but since so many of oP's neighbors are renovating I wonder if all the houses were built around the same time and it really is time for them to be renovated, so it's not such a stupid use of money. I don't want to spend the money to renovate but our cabinets really are falling apart so it wouldn't be a waste to do it.

This is dumb, to me. "Time to be renovated"? Kitchen and bathrooms can last a long, long time.

Anonymous wrote:We are also non-renovators. It basically comes down to…do I hate my outdated kitchen enough to live through a major renovation and pay through the nose to do it? And the answer is no, I do not.

This is me. I enjoy other people's nicely done houses. I'm just fine with my 30 year old kitchen and bathrooms. Like, its fine. Shrug.

Anonymous wrote:In an online forum I can admit I don’t judge you. I do judge your renovating neighbors though. What a dumb way to spend money!

It’s theirs and they can. But they are much better things to do with it (give it away if nothing else).

I know a lot of people renovate just to get the latest style, but since so many of oP's neighbors are renovating I wonder if all the houses were built around the same time and it really is time for them to be renovated, so it's not such a stupid use of money. I don't want to spend the money to renovate but our cabinets really are falling apart so it wouldn't be a waste to do it.

In an online forum I can admit I don’t judge you. I do judge your renovating neighbors though. What a dumb way to spend money!

It’s theirs and they can. But they are much better things to do with it (give it away if nothing else).

Welcome to the majority of people, OP. You just notice the few that DO renovate, because it's more noticeable.

Anonymous wrote:OP this is so dumb.
A) no one cares
B) are you suggesting you WOULD renovate just so that your neighbors know you can afford it?
C) no one cares
D) no one cares

B. - Definitely NOT.

Just genuinely wondering if people think anything of it when they come to our house. Sounds like mostly no, which reinforces that I am just being insecure.

OP this is so dumb.
A) no one cares
B) are you suggesting you WOULD renovate just so that your neighbors know you can afford it?
C) no one cares
D) no one cares

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ppl care far less than you think op.

Yes, this. I feel like this is a humble brag OP.

OP here - I swear its not! Any money we spend renovating would take away from college or retirement savings. I didn't mean to imply the money means nothing to us. My DH is very comfortable in his skin, with his choices and I really envy it. He never worries about appearances at all. I grew up lower middle class and I can be insecure at times. It feels like my immediate area is very "trend" focused and we are outliers.

Anonymous wrote:Ppl care far less than you think op.

Yes, this. I feel like this is a humble brag OP.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not think anything of it. Unless your home is messy or I see a cat jump on the counter, I am just happy to be invited.

-lives in a new construction house in Arlington

It's what cats do, PP. Most are not trainable, unlike dogs. If you go into a home with cats, just know they've been everywhere.

Our cat isn't even allowed in the kitchen, much less jump on a counter! I would not have a cat who did that. But I think your assumption is sensible.

Ppl care far less than you think op.

I wouldn't think much about it at all. I'd think you value other things more than appearances.

I think, why renovate a fifteen year old kitchen that works fine, just to replace it with another functioning kitchen that will be considered dating in five to ten years?