#they either have it and are frugal to a point of detriment

[no-name-mutt]

And (Working Title)

Mostly unedited here. Probably many mistakes.

Ji-Woo Suzuki was six generations removed from her ancestor Shimazu Nariakira, a galvanizing feudal lord of Japan during the Meiji Restoration. Shimazu Nariakira’s most famous quote was words that Ji-Woo worked to install firmly into her life.

"if we take the initiative, we can dominate; if we do not, we will be dominated."

  After years of war, scheming and destructive cajoling, Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910. Korea was considered a part of Japan until the end of WWII and subsequently,  the fall of the Japanese Empire in 1945.

 During this time, Ji-Woo’s great grandmother, Jeong-Ja was forcibly betrothed. Jeong-Ja (ji-young ja) was eleven years old. Jeong-Ja was arranged to marry Sora Nariakira. Sora abhorred the thought of marrying a Korean woman. Sora, as with most other Japanese people during this time, saw Koreans as second class citizens to the Japanese. In their marriage, Sora took every opportunity to order Jeong-Ja like a slave. One late night, Sora forced himself upon her and Jeong-Ja became pregnant.

 A daughter was born, Hina Nariakira. While Korea was under Japanese control, it was initially illegal to change your name. As it were, Koreans that refused to change their names, were unable to enroll in school, receive mail or even receive meal rations. Eventually the colonial bureaucracy allowed the changing of names, and as much as 84% of Koreans changed their names. Speaking the Korean language was banned and Korean newspapers and printing houses were forced to close. Nearly 200,000 ancient and historical documents were burned. Korean youths were volunteered and conscripted into the Japanese army. Shinto shrines were built, and became places of forced worship. Japanese colonial policy became a clear policy of unlimited cultural erasure. 

Hina attended school and became a voracious reader and journal keeper. Hina, as a product of her environment, became fluent in both Japanese and Korean. From an early age, it was evident that Hina was highly intelligent. Her vocabulary in both Korean and Japanese quickly surpassed Jeong-Ja’s and Sora’s respectively. Though Sora was quick to forbid speaking Korean in the household, Jeong-Ja taught her in private.  

Sora frequently had Hina recite aloud his military orders. If there was ever a word that he didn’t understand, he would strike her. This was a sign to make the order as comprehensive as possible, though his reasoning was always, “Do not waste my time with pointless words!” 

Life for Jeong-Ja and Hina was of unceasing malaise. Their only solace was in each other. 

From reading Sora’s military orders, Hina became familiar with impending military movements, encampments and strategies. Hina learned of an upcoming landing of US Ships to discuss treaty possibilities. Hina devised a plan in which Jeong-Ja and her would flee their home to seek refuge with the US Navy. Somehow, discovering their plan, Sora attempted to stop the two from fleeing.

In a frenetic haste, Hina jumped on to Sora’s back, holding on to him with an arm around his neck. He drew his Manchukuo manufactured pistol, the Sugiura, and started firing wildly. Hina kept a dull pen-knife for protection and stabbed him three times in the chest, and twice in the neck. In a matter of seconds, Sora had fired every bullet in his pistol, one of which struck Jeong-ja in the head. She died instantly. Hina fled to the US Navy ship, covered in blood and alone.

The Korean peninsula has been in an imperial theater of war since the late 1800s. It remains a strong strategic naval position and is between three of the strongest and most hostile countries; Russia, China and Japan. 

Hina found herself as a refugee, aboard a US battle cruiser. From Hina’s journal, we know that while aboard the ship, she was raped multiple times by a Japanese-American Navy captain. Hina became pregnant. Clinton James Suzuki was a rising star among the ranks and arranged his marriage with Hina. He thought that having a baby out of wedlock would be detrimental to his military career. Hesitant, and silently unwilling, Hina agreed to the marriage. Through this, Hina became a US citizen.The wedding was expedited and facilitated onboard the cruiser. As her belly grew, so did her hatred for Clinton Suzuki.

Hina silently imagined his death in whatever setting they found themselves in. If he choked while eating, she wouldn’t save him. If he had fallen overboard, she wouldn’t call for help. If he slipped and fell down the stairs, she would elect to simply walk away. When the two arrived back in the US, there was to be a Navy welcoming parade in port. All of the seamen were to be standing with their wives (if they were married) on the dock as the Navy cruisers came back to port. Though Hina’s husband would have preferred to not be seen with his very young and very pregnant immigrant wife, he thought it would be a great opportunity to rub shoulders with those higher in command. 

As the ship was coming into port, the anchor was dropped, and four inch thick mooring lines were lashed from the anchor to the ship to the dock. Hina’s husband was the first one out on the dock behind the commanding officers, hoping that it would impress a lieutenant, admiral or anyone with any sort of authority. She happily let him stand as far away as possible from her. 

As the last mooring line was being lashed, a massive and potent rogue wave rocked the ship, and snapped the thick cable. The cable whipped downward and cut him cleanly in half from the right collar bone, down through the groin. His body fell apart like a sliced melon. Hina was silently imagining him drowning in the bay, but she never could have envisioned that. For a second she was stunned, and then started to laugh hysterically. She was finally free.

Hina easily found translator work. Although Hina adhered to strict ideals of frugality, she made enough as a single mother to comfortably support her newborn son Kaito Suzuki. Kaito Suzuki stood an average five foot nine inches. His hair was short, poofy, and straw like. His arms and legs were thin and underdeveloped, though his torso was somehow, rather round. Kaito had a round face, unremitting acne and eyebrows in need of a good trimming. He attended public school. He was unremarkably below average. He found little interest in extracurricular sports and clubs; instead, he spent most of his time skipping class, smoking pot and hanging out with his like-minded friends. After barely graduating high school, Kaito was given an ultimatum, either find work or attend college. In the end, Kaito decided to move out of his mother’s house and found work as a second shift janitor at night and weekend garbage collector. 

Kaito Suzuki and Ji-Woo I(the first) first met when she decided to stay late at the commercial real estate office where she worked. Kaito was just starting his shift, starting by collecting the garbage around the office.  Ji-Woo I was a quiet, mild mannered individual. She came from a good home and an affluent community. Ji-Woo I was going through a “rebellious” phase and began making a flurry of short-sighted decisions all revolving around Kaito. The two developed addictions to different drugs and made small time scams in order to fund these new habits. Ji-Woo I unexpectedly became pregnant. The night they found out, Kaito grabbed her car keys and said he was going out for cigarettes and never returned. Hina was the only person in the delivery room when the daughter was born. Ji-Woo I was emotionless. She stared emptily at the crying newborn girl. Ji-Woo I looked to Hina in silent disdain. Hina nodded in affirmation. When Ji-Woo I was released from the hospital, Hina drove her to the airport and handed her some money. Neither Hina nor the newborn baby girl ever saw her again.

Hina decided to name the baby Ji-Woo II, after her mother. (Whom despite the situation, actually quite liked.)

As a baby, she cried constantly. Even in sleep, she murmured and wept in unsilence. Ji-Woo would stop crying only momentarily if she were fed pureed sweet potatoes or ripe apricots. 

When Ji-Woo was six months old, she stopped breathing for nearly two minutes. Hina panicked, rushed to the emergency room. But by the time Hina arrived at the the hospital and Ji-Woo was breathing again and after that point, Ji-Woo never cried again. It’s as if she were an entirely different baby. Ji-Woo excelled in school and surpassed all of those around her. She had few friends throughout her youth. It wasn’t until her mid twenties when she learned how to simply “get along” with those around her. 

Ji-Woo took a master’s degree in Japanese History. Then continued on to get a doctorate  in Korean History. After a few bored years of teaching, Ji-Woo left to attend law school.

Everything about Ji-Woo was professional. Her skin was fine, with a healthy touch of melanin. She had high cheekbones and slightly sunken cheeks. A slightly upturned, pointed nose, symmetrical eyebrows. A single asymmetrically placed mole populated her face. She was beautiful. Equally strong and delicate, like the skeletal system of a great predatory bird. Her hair was long, to her lower back, though it was always pulled taut into a perfect braid. She wore simple, gold Tiffany earrings. She purchased them for herself. Ji-Woo’s wardrobe consisted mostly of well-fitting dress suits that obeyed her movements like a harshly conditioned army. There was never a loose thread out of place. Not even so much as a single piece of lint dared to adhere itself to her. She had an athletic, hidden, muscular build that I couldn’t help but to admire.

As a lawyer, Ji-Woo was ruthless. She constructed such pithy arguments, the opposition was often left speechless. And on a few occasions they were left literally stammering. Ever professional, Ji-Woo never showed any form of celebration or elation in victory. She spoke clearly, with seriousness and a dose of harnessed emphasis. Ji-Woo’s days were neither ‘good days’ nor ‘bad days’. She took on the day’s obstacles as if she had rehearsed them wholly the day before (though probably didn’t need it.).

The first time that I saw Ji-Woo Suzuki I was somehow dragged into a meeting of which I had no reason for being in attendance. I was struck by her. Though I prayed I could stay hidden, as a fly on the wall. Ji-Woo Suzuki led a team of class-action specific lawyers. Without ever speaking with her, one would simply assume she was the unquestionable leader. Only after an introduction, Ji-Woo Suzuki would offer to call her “Ji”, as a favor to you. It was not uncommon for people to reply to this offer by thanking her. Though, they were often left deciding whether to continue calling her Ji-Woo out of respect or interpreting her offer as an order. Most people continued to call her Ji-Woo or Ms. Suzuki.

I was staring at her. She was unpacking her case notes. People in the room started conversing. She uncapped a Montblanc rollerball and began to write. Just then, she stopped writing, wrinkled her brow in confusion and looked up directly at me as if to ask, “Who are you, and why are you here?” Her look was sharp, piercing but gentle. A needle and thread. 

She looked right through me. And that was the first time I knew, 

I was going to marry Ji-Woo Suzuki.

The meeting must have ended. I assumed so because the room had started to clear out. I hadn’t really been paying attention, not that I should have been. I wasn’t even supposed to be there in the first place! 

I pretended to collect my things slowly trying to match Ji-Woo’s pace so we could incidentally leave the conference room at the same time. This was quite difficult because I had no belongings to pack up, nor a briefcase to put them in. So I took out my phone from my pocket and pretended to reply to an email. I looked up again and she was already pushing her chair in (when did that happen?!). She moved with intent. I hurriedly shoved my phone into my pocket and jumped up to meet her in the doorway. 

“Hi”, I said, giving my best impression of someone far more casual than myself.

Ji looked at me quizzically, replied dryly with “Hello” and continued past me. Just like a fighter-jet breaking the sound barrier, she was gone, leaving only a potent echo. I must’ve blacked out, because the next thing I knew, she was already halfway down the hall. A paper came loose from her briefcase and she didn’t seem to notice.

This

 was

 my

 chance. 

I fast-walked down the hall as coolly as possible, “hey wait!” I called out. But she was already rounding the corner down the hall. I picked up the piece of paper, in perfect cursive writing it read,

I see you, do you see me?

5:00pm

My temple wrinkled in confusion. I looked up again and she was gone. The heart in my chest reminded me of its presence with a mighty thump. I felt myself sweat. Was this meant for me to find? I returned to the copy room and returned to my work. 

But all I could think of was one Miss Ji-Woo Suzuki. One moment she was there, and then she was not. 

In the periphery, 

of where I wanted to be. 

I felt invigorated. Anxious and curious. 

Piqued.

I got back to the copy room and looked at my digital casio watch, 2:04pm.

My inbox of “to be copied” was now spilling out. I assumed position in front of the plastic, off-white monstrosity. 

First, I’ll take the source material in my left hand! Then! I read the copy instructions and made the proper adjustments and number of copies. After the copies were completed I placed a single paper clip on the ream and set it in the pick up box. Organized alphabetically. To most people, the job would seem boring, though I would argue that there are quite a lot of nuances to it. For example: Eighteen copies of pages one through three, six copies of pages four through ten, and that’s an easy one. 

A page goes in, the scanning light travels from right to left, and left to right, pages come out. I know the machine inside and out. I know because I have had to take it apart and reassemble it, not without hiccups, of course. I went home that day with a black ink stain on my chest. Like I was blasted by a shotgun, and bled black. The skin on my belly was still stained where the ink and bled through the shirt. 

Occasionally pieces of dust or folded paper would cast a shadow on the rest of the page. It caused a ghastly, black, pixelated shadow to print on the copies. Sometimes the shadowed copies were fine to pass along, sometimes, they were better discarded. 

At five pm, I stood outside of Ji-Woo’s office. I was nervous to enter. She sat behind a sleek mid-century desk with her legs folded. Her slate gray dress suit and Mac Pro reminded me of a brutalist era sculpture I saw once as a teenager. I didn’t understand the sculpture then, though maybe I do now. 

She had nice legs, I absolutely understood that. I caught glimpses of her toned calf muscles through the gap of her desk as I paced as casually as possible in front of the open doorway. 

After a few paces back and forth, I heard her call out to me, “You can come in, you know.” I froze. Then somehow came to find myself sitting in the chair across from hers. The desk remained between us. I didn’t know what to say, at that moment, I couldn’t be sure if I knew how to speak. 

“I noticed you today in the Carter vs. Amadeo-Hastings meeting.” She said. 

“No… I mean, yes, I was there. Just trying to learn what it’s all about.” Do you think she bought it?

“Are you interested in practicing law?”

“Uhm, yeah, interested? Definitely.” 

I actually had only worked at the office for about a month. I was still fairly unclear on what business the office conducted, let alone the ‘partners’. Before, I worked at the busiest copy center in Seattle. I got let go after I yelled at a customer, “Stop breaking my shit!” and in my defense, they were going to break the

Konica Minolta c754e! Those things aren’t cheap, and the replacement parts take three weeks to get to the states. 

 “Would you like to go to dinner with me?” She asked. 

    I felt a draft in the back of my agape mouth. Ji-Woo liked a breeze in the office. I found that out later that night when she told me at dinner. 

We continued to see each other after work every Tuesday and during the day on Saturday. This was when Ji-Woo allowed herself recreational time. I learned a lot about Ji-Woo’s schedule during this initial period of dating. I found her structure and stoicism quite sexy. She made all of the reservations at restaurants. And not just nice restaurants, she even made reservations for tacky hole-in-the-wall places that she knew I would like. A few times she would order for me. Like a mind reader, she would always order exactly what I wanted yet never in a demeaning way. She seemed to know exactly when I wanted to speak for myself and when I was comfortable with her ordering for me. 

After about a month, midday on a Friday, she sent me an email. The subject line simply read, 

“Tomorrow Night 4/16/2019”

Hi Kentaro, 

Please meet me at my house tomorrow night at 6:00pm. We’ll go to dinner. I’ve made reservations at 7:30. Casual attire.

Ji

This was more or less the usual date query. Though, interestingly, she signed it at just Ji. Futhermore, she would usually ask to meet at six with reservations about the time it took to get to the restaurant. Surely we weren’t going somewhere that was an hour and a half away. 

That night, I was talking to an old friend of mine, Leo, on the phone. I was telling him about Ji-Woo and I. About how I eagerly awaited those Tuesdays and Saturdays. And about the one time I asked her out on a whim on a Friday night. She declined. I was upset for a while. But respected her need for personal space, and strict schedule. “It’s just how she is”. 

 I told Leo that we hadn’t had sex. “That’s good dude, she’s probably a Sazae Oni” he replied sarcastically. I didn’t understand his reference, but as his tone implied, it was a snide comment I’d best ignore... but didn’t. 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I asked sharply. 

“Sa-zae Oh-ni!” He said louder and slower in syllables, as if it were common knowledge. He continued, “They’re these folk tale snail mermaids that preyed on Japanese pirates. They would pretend to be in distress, but when the pirates brought them onboard, the sazae oni would chop off their balls and hold them ransom for gold. They’re like, obsessed with gold or something.” A weird silence filled the phone line as I looked around the room, waiting for him to finish. 

He started again, “ok, it doesn’t matter. You’re the Japanese one, should you know what a sazae oni is?”

I held my lips taught, annoyedly. 

“Well, is she someone you’d bring home to meet your mother?” He asked me. I thought about this for a while. I imagined a cartoon caricature version of my mother asking me, “Why would you want to be with someone that is so serious all the time?”

Up until this point I had never even seen the inside of her apartment. Whenever I was to meet her there, she would already be outside the gate waiting for me. 

That Saturday night I took a cab to her apartment building as I usually did. It started to rain on the way over and fog grew in density the closer I got to the apartment. I didn’t check the forecast beforehand, and I didn’t have an umbrella. I arrived at the gate and Ji-Woo wasn’t around. I checked my phone for any missed messages from her, but there were none. 

    I buzzed her intercom. “Hi, I’m here. Are you there?”

    “Still getting ready, come up.” 

She buzzed me in. This was it, I was finally going to see where(and how!) she lived. 6th Floor, apartment 6F. Embarrassingly, I panted a bit when I got to her floor. I stood on her doormat, it said ‘Welcome’. I was slightly damp, everywhere. I wore an old grey knit sweater. I had washed it so many times the collar was getting tiny holes. Faded blue jeans and shabby sneakers. I checked my casio, 6:00pm exactly. “Yes! Perfect timing” I exclaimed silently as I clenched my fist in victory, then knocked on the door insouciantly. “Come in!”, I could hear Ji-Woo shout from behind the door. I opened the door, slowly. I floated in like an astronaut, opening the hatch to an alien planet. I opened it to a small foyer. There was a modern-looking coat rack which I hung my soggy jacket on. To the right was an inviting, lamp-lit living room. There was one of those long arched floor lamps spilling its light on an Eames Lounge chair. I imagined Ji-woo perched on it, with a warm beverage, reading a dense book. Floor to ceiling bookshelves and floor to ceiling windows lined the rest of the room, I realized it was a top floor corner apartment. Black and white photographs and pen drawings hung on the wall. There were blankets draped on the modern couches. It felt uncharacteristically cozy. The furniture all flowed perfectly, like it was a team of designers’ life’s work. 

    On the left there was another closet. Then further down, it opened up to the dining room. “In here” She shouted, from that direction. 

    I kicked off my tattered sneakers and the uppers deflated like popped balloons. I took one step toward the kitchen and I was struck with the most extraordinary smell. It was rich, minerally and spicy. I let my nose lead the way. 

She stood at the stove. She was wearing a loose knit navy sweater that was well loved and jeans. Her sleeves were pushed up. She was wearing a nice apron. Her hair was pulled back, not in a braid, but in a perfectly round bun. 

    The dining table was set for two. Plates, silverware, a wine glass for her and a beer glass for me. There were two candles and a decorative bowl. The bowl was filled with some unknown liquid that looked like molten gold. I wanted to stick my finger in it but didn’t. 

    She turned and saw me, and I saw her. “I didn’t mean that casual.” she said jokingly. Lately she has been making more and more jokes, but only during our dates. It was comfortable, and usually pretty funny. 

“It smells so good, what is it?” I said. I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter by the stove. She leaned over and planted a kiss on my lips. I was so surprised that it was over before I could react. There was a battle in my head between the heavenly smelling food and the thought of the kiss. 

“It’s almost ready. Get us drinks from the fridge.” She instructed me. The fridge was filled with different sized glass containers. They all stacked neatly, each with a label of what it was and a date. There was a bottle of white wine and a fancy looking beer with today’s date. I took them from the fridge and opened them. She looked as though she were a professional chef. She moved with tempered urgency and precision. “Budae-Jjigae. Budae is ‘army’ or ‘army base’, jjigae is ‘stew’. It’s a recipe my grandmother taught me... a long time ago.” She stopped what she was doing and looked off into space. 

A few seconds later, she regained consciousness from her memory and started to plate the food. It was finished. 

It was delicious. It was perfect. It was obvious that Ji-Woo had made this dish many times and was able to recreate it perfectly. “How many other romantic interests had she made this for?” I wondered, but quickly spurned the thought. I wasn’t shy, and got a hearty second helping. 

I wiped my mouth and leaned back in my chair, and polished off the last of my beer. I wanted badly to unbutton my pants and relieve the pressure on my waistband. Instead, we got up and cleaned the kitchen together. 

Later on, we found each other on the sofa near the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. I was elated. Warm, with a full belly. Calm, sleepy, but present, I closed my eyes and relished. 

“Do not fall asleep.”

Ji-Woo instructed me. “I will be right back.” She said. 

Insubordinately, I was falling asleep when from down the hall, I heard her call me, “Come here, I need to show you something.” I sleepily approached the room at the end of the hall. A bedroom. As I got closer to the doorway, I could see a mirror’s reflection in the bedroom. It truly was a bed-room. A queen size mattress and two small side tables with lamps were the only furniture. Warm, golden light spilled out of the bedside lamps that reflected off the polished hardwood floors and floor-to-ceiling mirrors. A single, brand new candle was lit on the nightstand. But there was no lighter or matches anywhere. How was it lit?

    Ji-Woo lay on the bed, one leg crossed over the other. Her right arm supported her posture. Her hair was down. It was now I could fully realize the length and volume of her hair. It flowed down her back and fanned out perfectly behind her like a ginkgo leaf. The low lighting in the room accented her dark makeup. Her eyeshadow shimmered subtly.

She was wearing a lacy bodysuit of lingerie so scant, it could hardly be described as clothing. A lacy and delicate fabric choker connected to thin straps perfectly obfuscated her nipples. Ethereal panties suspend a pair of elegant garters. The fabric adhered to her slender, toned body as if it were made custom. 

She eyed me fervently,

And I was very awake then.

After it was over I felt euphoric and peaceful,

Unburdened. 

I turned over, towards her in bed.

I put my head on her chest.

 And I heard nothing.

[myownpersonaldemons]

Selftober Prompt 27

Shyness

UF!Grillby/Reader

SO THIS IS VERY MUCH EXPLICIT because Fellby is a sinful boy. So, uh, if you’re not like 18+ don’t read? Please?

Grillby adored you.

There was literally no other way to describe the way he felt about you. He’d worship the ground you walked on if it wasn’t for his not giving a fuck reputation. There was just something…delightful about you. Something that made his SOUL sing and made him want to crush those who thought they had a fucking chance with you.

When he first saw you, you were humming quietly under your breath as you were debating between two different items at the grocery store. He’d been…annoyed as fuck because you were blocking the way. Of course, to his detriment, now he realized it was a blessing, the two of you had the same routine of shopping for groceries at the same time. Each time you were in a variety of different outfit styles from work clothes to leggings and a sweater, and one time you were in a dress.

The day you were in a dress was when he first flirted with you.

You had frozen, face screwing up in confusion and then a beautiful blush decorated your cheeks as you squeaked out a thank you before hiding your face.

Of course, the fact that you had reacted so cutely made him want to continue flirting but something in your demeanour made him back off. You were…uncomfortable. He’d merely winked at you and sauntered away instead, and the next time he saw you, he gave you a smirk and said hello but left you alone to your own devices.

After that, you would occasionally greet him when you saw him and on the rarest of times, stop to chat with him.

Then surprise, surprise! You had appeared in his bar with a friend. Oh? He invited you up to his VIP section and your friend had been surprised that ‘you were telling the truth about knowing the owner’. That made him puff up because of course you were talking about him.

Yet? You went and didn’t give him the time of day…which just piqued his interest more, and then his jealousy when the next time you graced his bar you hit it up with Sans immediately. Grillby had been in a bad mood the rest of the night when you barely paid him any attention and laughed with Sans the entire night. Even as he muttered that if you wouldn’t sleep with him there was no way Sans was getting any either.

You had merely snorted in derision at that and turned back to Sans and…fucking tossed a few flirts right back at Sans! In front of him!

The only thing that stopped him from kicking Sans out for life after that was the fact that you went home alone, and then Sans had quietly informed Grillby why you weren’t giving him the time of day. An asshole cheater of an ex boyfriend.

Grillby had made a comment about not looking for a relationship, but he found himself…considering it. But, in the end he realized that his hands were too dirty for a relationship. Too much sin contained in his body, and as much as he paraded around pretending that he was hot shit, he fucking hated himself and everything he had become.

Then…you had actively avoided him, only for him to figure out that you were avoiding him because he was…a murderer.

It hit him hard.

Grillby got it, he really did. There was no one out there that could be more disgusted with himself than himself. If he went back in time and met the Grillby who fought in the war between humans and monsters? The Grillby who was a guard, a Knight, a General? A virtuous second-generation fire elemental who hated the fact that he had to carry a weapon to defend his people. Hated the fact that he had to kill to defend his people.

What would that Grillby say to him now? The Grillby who had killed people before because of a whim?

It sickened him greatly to be reminded of his past and for a while he had become secluded…and then he had drunk too much and went to you. To explain himself, not for forgiveness…but to get that weight of his chest. You told him to go to therapy. So he did.

Not for you, but for the man he used to be.

The beginning of your relationship was rocky, but once you two got sure footing? It was smooth sailing.

Now? He had the pleasure of calling you his wife. The once incredibly shy, reserved women who would blush at even the tamest of flirts. The women who still hid her face if her shyness overwhelmed her. You were his wife.

The pleasure of seeing the beautifully designed ring on your finger that the two of you had designed together (and you balked at the price because you were frugal as fuck, but he’d convinced you that it was okay and he wasn’t going to lose sleep (you were guilty until he promised to donate twice that amount to charity on your behalf which you had been incredibly surprised about.)) and a delicate lace choker with a purple amethyst that rested on the hollow of your throat. The monster equivalent to a ring.

Of course, he wore a wedding band, a simple black band with an amethyst embedded into it that glowed from his flames. Apparently, Grillby stared at the ring a lot when he was thinking about you, according to Sans. Grillby thought very, very briefly about not wearing it but then got his ‘fuck it’ attitude. Anyone who had a problem that he was thinking about his wife could fuck off.

Right off.

He’d happily break his promise to you about not getting into as many fights if someone tried to tell him that giving a fuck about you was a weakness. After all, he didn’t get where he was by letting people walk over him. Plus, you said as many fights, not any fights. He’d even punch them with his left fist so they felt his wedding ring. Fuck them.

Grillby rolled onto his side, propping his head up on his hand to stare at your sleeping form.

You were lying naked beside him in all your beauty, a thin sheet covering your lower half and your hair splayed over your arm and pillow. He reached over and gently brushed aside a chunk of hair from your face.

The choker was resting alongside your wedding ring on your bedside table as you didn’t like to sleep with them on as the choker made you feel like you were…well choking if you woke up in the middle of the night, and you were afraid of losing the ring. He loved helping you put it on every morning, getting to stroke your shoulders and press kisses against your delicate skin.

Grillby leaned forward and nuzzled your soft, soft shoulder.

Fuck, he was so fucking soft around you.

He was glad that you weren’t big on PDA in public or else he might be caught being…cutesy in public. Then what would happen to his reputation? Stars. What was it about you that made him want to be okay with destroying his reputation? Swear off all this bullshit and return to that knightly asshole he used to be? He had drunkenly said that to you one night, after an incredibly rough therapy session, and you had looked at him and said that he wouldn’t be him if he wasn’t the ‘pompous purple prick’.

You mumbled sleepily and gently whapped his face with a hand before rolling onto your back, your head rolling to face away from him. A quiet chuckle reverberated through his chest at the light attempt to get him to stop nuzzling your skin in your sleep. He did stop because he didn’t want to wake you, but his eyes drank in your exposed chest and down to where the blanket was resting along your hips.

Grillby remembered the first time he had gotten you to bed. It was after he had gotten off work and came to visit you at what you described was ‘balls am’. You were wearing cute mismatched pajamas and you sleepily were getting yourself water when he wrapped his arms around you and kissed your exposed shoulder. He couldn’t not, you were too fucking cute when you were tired.

His hand had slid across your stomach to rest on your opposite hip to pull you closer to him as he kissed up your neck. Of course, he had no intentions of taking that further, you had expressed your desire to wait for a while before the two of you had sex. Yet, you had finished your water, and then gently took his wrist and shifted his hand further down.

“Do you really want to go there?” he had whispered against your ear.

You nodded and breathlessly said, “yes...”

All of the progress you had made of shedding off your shyness when it was just you and him went out the door the moment he crossed the threshold of your bedroom. Your legs hooked around his waist, his head buried against your neck, and your arms clinging to his head and back as you made the cutest noises in response to his nibbling and hot mouth against your sensitive neck.

You’d been so embarrassed your face was bright red, and you kept attempting to curl up and hide. He’d never experienced a lover like you and so he was utterly lost when he started to pull up your shirt and you had grasped it and let out an embarrassed noise preventing him.

“I…did I misunderstand? Do you not want to have sex?” he asked, genuinely confused and removing his hands from you immediately, “Did I cross any lines?”

“Uh! No!” you squeaked out, “I just! I’m…I!” you stammered covering your face with one hand, “I want to! I just!....Nervous?”

He sat back, staring down at you, “…the fuck? Why?”

“Why?” you parroted back, peeking through your fingers, face still as red as your shirt. “B-because! I’ve…never…done…this?”

That surprised him, “never?”

You shook your head.

“Ever?”

Another head shake.

“You’ve had other partners before?”

“Not sexually,” you mumbled, embarrassed and sat up.

He realized at that point that he probably should’ve discussed that aspect much earlier than when you were sitting in his lap, legs still around his hips, your lips slightly swollen from kissing, and your neck littered with small love bites. A wholly fuckable look, if he was honest. Still, Grillby had restraint, and his hands were still lifted away from you.

He had stared at you long enough that you quickly started to ramble. “I mean unless you count like fumbling in the dark, heh…plenty of that but not like with the lights on or…you know the man being made of fire. I get it if you’re weirded out because you’ve been with plenty of people who probably all have had more experience than me. I mean, I’m in my twenties and y’know had full on sex? OR whatever you want to call it-“

It snapped Grillby out of his thoughts and he lowered his hands back to your waist, you jumped slightly at the touch. “Well, then I guess I just use a different tactic.”

“Uh…w-what?” you said, looking down at his hands on your waist.

“Is this okay?” he asked, sliding his hand down before slipping them back up beneath your shirt. Your face darkened and you nodded. He stopped, “gotta say ‘yes’ or some shit like that.”

“Y-Yes.”

He’d quickly figured out that you had an intense praise kink, and he kept that first time so languid and slow. Explore every inch of you, getting permission before doing anything so you weren’t surprised. It eased you into what was happening, and slowly…so slowly, you uncurled like a beautiful flower. The shyness was still there, but it was buried by the feelings and emotions that were swirling through you. Honestly? It was probably his best fuck, and one that he thought of on the rare occasions when you weren’t there to help sate his desires.

You were still shy in bed, and you rarely initiated sex because of that very reason…but when you did? He made sure to break out the praise.

He kissed your shoulder before relaxing back against the pillows.

You grumbled tiredly and pushed onto your elbows to peer at the clock, “…what’re you doin?” you mumbled looking over at him.

“Appreciating my wife,” he drawled, voice crackling in the way he knew you liked. You blinked sleepily at him before you rolled towards him and onto his chest. He ran a hand down your back and you pressed a kiss against his fiery chest. “My ravishing, sexy wife.”

Your face flushed at that, and you tucked your face against his chest and mumbled out, “who’re you talking about. ‘Ravishing.’”

He snorted, “You, my love.”

You curled slightly against him, and he trailed his fingers up your spine slowly. You peeked up at him, “m’all dishevelled from earlier, how is this ‘ravishing’.”

Grillby trailed his hand up to your hair and gripped it loosely to tug your head up a bit further. “Maybe I like how you look after I’ve fucked you.”

“Grillby!” you squeaked, face reddening.

He laughed, making you bounce slightly on his chest, “How are you still shy? I fucking talk like that so often you’d think you’d become immune by now.”

“I! Am not shy!” you blurted out as his fingers uncurled from your hair and returned to stroking your back. “I’m! Uh!” you gave up and buried your face against his chest.

“You’re one of the shyest fucking beings I know,” he retorted, before flipping over to press you into the mattress. Your face reddened, and you made a noise of surprise. “You wanna know what my favourite thing is?”

You wriggled slightly underneath him. Your gaze took in his features, no longer tired before you nodded slowly, your arms looping around his neck.

“It’s when I go down on you,” his hand slid down your chest, “you flush the prettiest shade of red…but the look on your face? The sinful delight in your eyes?” his hand slipped between your legs and you arched against him, face reddening. “The most beautiful fucking thing in the world and I’m the only one who gets to see it. My beautiful, shy, wife.”

#uf!grillby #uf!grillby/reader #fanfiction #fanfic #myfanfics #my fanfics #undertale fanfiction #selftober #self insert #reader insert

[royalvoices]

#RoyalQuery I have two questions, if you are willing to answer both of them. 1. I am a classical musician, but I always had an interest in radio/voice over work/podcasting. Any tips on how to get started? 2. I have noticed that all of your audios are either female or gender neutral oriented. Are you guys willing to do a male oriented audio someday?

NOTE: Not all of the princes answered as per usual. >

Question 1:

Prince Marck: “I totally understand where you’re coming from. As a classically trained musician myself, it was hard to drop my reeds and mouthpieces for an instrument that resides within my own body. If you really want to get started on voice acting, I’d say use your vocal and lung strength to your advantage! You have the capability to stretch your vocal range due to the practices that take place with various breathing and body stability techniques that you learn throughout your time as a musician - woodwinds, strings and brass alike. Personally, I started voice acting with friends for fun! I picked a character that I really liked or one that somebody told me that I happened to sound similar to and ran with it from there. You eventually learn the various kinks in your voice - range, pronunciation, accents, even low grumbling and high falsetto techniques! Developing into the characters that you eventually want to sound like helps too - for example, I typically have a mid-high voice range, but with practice I was able to open myself up to low-mid roles. It’s all about how you practice your craft and the kind of voice acting you’re interested in. The best part? You don’t need a fancy mic to get started. Phones have some of the best microphones nowadays, and with the right environment, your recordings can sound much like people who have very mid-tier mics (a.k.a.  headsets or “beginner” desktop mics). Hopefully that helps! And the best of luck to you on your voice acting journey!“

Prince Kenji: "Marck’s answer is really good! My advice will be for the more professional-ish side rather than the hobby side of VA-ing. I’ve seen a couple of experienced online voice actors recommend a series of videos to newcomers, called "How to be an Online Voice Actor” by SBN3 on Youtube. It’s a little tongue-in-cheek but it gives you a good idea of what goes into recording and acting. I also recommend JelloApocalypse’s podcast series, “Tip of the Tongue,” which has great advice about auditions, demo reels, developing a voice, and networking. He also has guests on his show who talk about podcasting, too. Good luck, and I hope you have fun!”

Prince Chris: “step one: meet zachstep two: gargle battery acidstep three: profitno i would just recommend joining online groups and meeting likeminded people to help develop your skills, honestly you learn lots by simply doing and creating a good base.definitely listen as well, you never know what aspects of other people’s performances and projects you might want to incorporate”

Prince Riku: “Biggest tip I can say when it comes to radio/voice over/podcasting: Do not be afraid to sound stupid. Like if you’re doing a crazy character for any reason, and you can look back on it without any sense of shame or embarrassment, you’re doing it wrong. (Aside from that, just take notes from anime for reaction noises, try to sound human and not like a robot playing a character*, and you’ll be alright!)*watch ADR dubbing scenes for help on that bit”

Prince Zach:“Prince Zach’s Comprehensive Guide for Voice Acting1. Your mic is your best friend. Get yourself a solid mic a good starter would be a Blue Yeti USB fed microphone if you’re feeling frugal. It ain’t as good as an XLR but, it’s hardy enough for professional usage given the right environment.2. Drink a f*ck ton of water. The golden rule is to drink water consistently at least 2 hours before recording and to sip a few bottles while recording. Room-temp is best as cold water is a bad as soda.3. Do your vocal exercises. This will keep your voices from cramping and help your speak more clearly. Also don’t record while sick as it’ll strain your voice.4. Network! Talk to other actors, get involved in communities and audition for everything that fits your voice type.5. Find your base range! Base range is hard to find but, it’s detrimental to maximizing your voice’s best range. A lot of guys will generally artificially lower their voices which will damage your talky bits and a lot of girls will try to artificially heighten their voices and they will try to use those artificial highs and lows as their base range and it just won’t work. So, just try to find a a mid-point to start off with that won’t strain your voice.6. Learn to yell. Voice acting is an art form and just like any form of art half-@ssing it won’t work. So practice projecting your voice and and learn how to use inflection with your screaming so don’t wimp out and whisper scream. Just learn to say "f*ck it” and go for your audience’s throats.“

Question 2:

Lady Maddy (Director): "We do have some male oriented scripts written. The way we operate is by letting our princes choose what scripts they wish to record for the season! The male oriented ones just haven’t been claimed yet! So hang in there! They day shall come ;;”

Submit to the #RoyalQuery!

#RoyalVoices #Royal Query #Prince Marck #Prince Kenji #Prince Chris #Prince Riku #Prince Zach #Lady Maddy #anonymous

[crit1rael]

Aaaaand Again

1. Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with?

Closest to their age group would be their older sister, Ed’hel, but they’re not close anymore. They were reasonably close - Ed’hel wasn’t around for long, but Rael quickly took to them because they were the only one close to their age around.

2. What is/was your character’s relationship with their mother like?

Rael had a very good relationship with their mother. Rael basically did what they were told when they were told - they were very obedient - but Rael also genuinely respected Faelen’s talents and what she was capable of.

3. What is/was your character’s relationship with their father like?

Similar to that of their relationship with Faelen. Merith was just as quiet, if not more so, than Rael, so it was frustrating to try and communicate at times, but they had a quiet understanding of one another.

4. Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

Feltas. It was really bad all around. They hated everything about it and came out of it feeling older than they did, to the point that they immediately declared themselves an adult. The rest of the party experienced it with them.

5. On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?

Left belt pouch: treats for Sai. Right belt pouch: components for Hail of Thorns and other magical arrows. Left pants pocket: some feathers they picked up. Right pants pocket: a small skull they found and intend to give to Fatal.

6. Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams?

Nothing prophetic, and they don’t generally remember their dreams. They don’t dream a whole lot at all - they meditate instead of sleeping.

7. Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares?

See above.

8. Has your character ever fired a gun? If so, what was their first target?

Not yet, but soon!

9. Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up?

Not really. They’re homeless, by choice, but they have a sum of money back home.

10. Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing?

They don’t care much either way. Clothing is functional, sometimes it’s a hindrance. Depends on the situation, but they’re not a prude about it.

11. In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been?

The Shadowfell - this was partially (mostly?) due to Shadowfell sickness, but they solidly believed they were going to die.

12. In what situation was your character the most calm they’ve ever been?

Taking the final shot at the troll they fought in Feltas.

13. Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?

No.

14. Does your character remember names or faces easier?

Definitely faces, mostly because if it’s not someone they care about, they also don’t care to remember their name.

15. Is your character preoccupied with money or material possession? Why or why not?

No. It just doesn’t really matter to them. As long as they can eat, fend for themselves, and survive without money, they’re fine without money. They would care more if it was more a requirement for day-to-day life - if they moved back home and restarted the farm, they’d be frugal.

16. Which does your character idealize most: happiness or success?

Success. You can’t measure happiness. Success is more fulfilling for them.

17. What was your character’s favorite toy as a child?

A little cat ragdoll - it was supposed to be a lynx, but it was badly sewn by Faelen. It was lumpy, and they loved it, because they couldn’t carry around an actual lynx.

18. Is your character more likely to admire wisdom, or ambition in others?

Both, depending on the situation. Evil ambition? Bad. They lean towards wisdom a bit more.

19. What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?

Blind trust. Their blind trust in Ed’hel actually helped her in hurting Rael’s family - Rael found her in the woods, thought she needed help, and convinced their family to take her in. Ed’hel was running away from an entity that was looking for her, and in her time with Rael’s family, she was slowly growing more powerful as a sorcerer. The entity was chasing her and it was its drawing closer that caused the blight on Rael’s family’s farm. Ed’hel was about to leave when the entity found her - she tried to reason with it for her own life, and traded Rael’s family to save herself. She is likely working for that entity now. Rael doesn’t know that it destroyed their relationship.

20. In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?

Self-criticism. They hate their lack of vocabulary, eloquence, and people skills, and seeing that in others frustrates them.

21. If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?

It depends. If it’s a social situation, they’re likely to blame the person who’s mad at them, but generally, when they fuck up, they’re aware of it.

22. What does your character like in other people?

Bluntness and honesty.

23. What does your character dislike in other people?

Holier-than-thou attitudes.

24. How quick is your character to trust someone else?

After the con artist incident - and a couple of other similar ones… in rapid succession… they trust no one and nothing immediately. It takes a long time.

25. How quick is your character to suspect someone else? Does this change if they are close with that person?

It definitely changes. They are suspicious of people in general. If they’re close, they give more benefit of the doubt.

26. How does your character behave around children?

Patient, to a point. They don’t know how to deal with children in distress, though. It freaks them out and they try to remove themselves from the situation.

27. How does your character normally deal with confrontation?

Aggression. They’ll try to avoid it, but if it’s not avoidable, they don’t really know another way. If others are depending on them - in a diplomatic situation, for example - they try to stay quiet because they know they might mutter something detrimental.

28. How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?

If they’re by themselves and don’t have a group that is relying on their silence to stay alive, then they are very quick to resort to violence.

29. What did your character dream of being or doing as a child? Did that dream come true?

They assumed they would inherit the farm and expand it to have more animals - basically they wanted to warden the whole forest nearby.

30. What does your character find repulsive or disgusting?

Undead.

31. Describe a scenario in which your character feels most comfortable.

Tracking, hunting, survival activities, foraging, leading people through an area they recognize, navigating wilderness… they just like being in nature. There are probably better rangers in the world, but Rael is pleased with what they can do.

32. Describe a scenario in which your character feels most uncomfortable.

Fancy gala. They’re not good at diplomacy, tact, dressing up… none of it is their strong suit.

33. In the face of criticism, is your character defensive, self-deprecating, or willing to improve?

It depends on who’s giving the criticism and what it is about. Generally, defensive.

34. Is your character more likely to keep trying a solution/method that didn’t work the first time, or immediately move on to a different solution/method?

If it didn’t work in the same instance, e.g. shooting a bugbear because they’re resistant to damage, they would try it again just to make sure, then move on to a different solution.

35. How does your character behave around people they like?

If they like them in that they are attracted to them, they get stupid - try to impress them and normally fail, because they’re putting on a front. Around friends, they’re just more relaxed and joke around more. They feel more able to be themselves.

36. How does your character behave around people they dislike?

Blunt, aggressive, defiant.

37. Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status?

Defending their honor. They don’t really have any status. Even if they did, they would be more concerned with protecting their owner - deeds reflect who you are as a person.

38. Is your character more likely to remove a problem/threat, or remove themselves from a problem/threat?

Depends on the problem. If the problem is a social one, they remove themselves. If it’s a monster of a bad guy, they remove the problem.

39. Has your character ever been bitten by an animal? How were they affected (or unaffected)?

Yes, plenty, whether hunting and finishing off a kill or by Sai during normal handling. It never affected them mentally, and wounds heal. The only exception is the purple worm.

40. How does your character treat people in service jobs?

As well as they can. They try to tip well.

41. Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?

There’s no real “deserve” about it, but if they work towards something, they do feel they should have it.

42. Has your character ever had a parental figure who was not related to them?

No.

43. Has your character ever had a dependent figure who was not related to them?

Sai and Ravi.

44. How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?

They can’t say it without meaning it, and it’s very difficult. They’ve never said it to anyone except for their parents.

45. What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

They become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass, and thus, we are all connected, in the great circle of life. It’s not something that scares them.

#Rael Meliamne #d&d character #character meme

[maxwellmmeyers]

Six Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Take FIRE Too Far

The following is a guest post from Sam at How to FIRE.

If you’re not already familiar with the FIRE movement, there’s a good chance that you soon will be. It is a concept that is gathering pace, with people all over the world looking to achieve financial freedom. FIRE is an acronym that stands for “Financial Independence Retire Early,” but what exactly is it, and is there a risk of going too far?

What Does It Take To Achieve Financial Independence?

FIRE is a financial movement, which can involve working towards early retirement by saving a substantial amount of your income. Typically, people retire at the age of around 60-70, but many FIRE followers pursue early retirement. They often aim to retire in their 20s, 30s, or 40s instead.

The ultimate goal for FIRE enthusiasts is to be financially independent, but this usually means making significant sacrifices along the way. Every person is different, but generally speaking, someone who embraces the FIRE movement will try and save up to 70% of their annual income and utilize a FIRE calculator to track their progress. In addition to living frugally, FIRE followers also look for ways to invest in their long-term future.

Saving up to 70% of your annual salary is undoubtedly difficult for many people, but there are additional concerns. For some, saving can become an obsession, and it can impact every area of your life. If all you think about is saving and working towards early retirement, there is a risk of taking it too far and suffering in the short-term. There are many positives to being financially independent, but it’s crucial to be aware of the potential dangers of letting FIRE take over. This guide will examine some of the main reasons you should proceed with caution and avoid taking FIRE too far.

Why Shouldn’t You Take FIRE Too Far?

Being financially independent and giving up your job at 36 may seem like the ultimate life goal, but what happens if your plans start to infringe on your quality of life in the present? Sure, some short-term sacrifices are completely tolerable and expected. But, here are six reasons to consider adopting a measured approach to FIRE.

1. You’ll End Up Working a Job You Hate Just for the Paycheck

To be able to save enough to retire at an early age, there’s a chance that you’ll end up doing a job you don’t particularly enjoy just for the wage. There are apparent benefits to earning a high salary, but if you’re working long hours or don’t have any passion or enthusiasm for the job you do every day, you might start to dread getting up in the mornings. You’ll want to quit your job every day, and this routine will leave you wondering whether your efforts are really worthwhile.

The average person spends around 37 hours a week at work, and if you add overtime, that’s an awful lot of time to devote to doing something you don’t like. If every day is a challenge, and you never arrive at or leave work with a smile on your face, even the thought of retiring early may not be enough to keep you motivated.

2. Minimalism Gets Weird Sometimes

Many people choose to live frugally, but there’s a difference between trying to save money and adopting an extreme approach to budgeting. Minimalism is designed to simplify financial management, and it can offer a raft of benefits. If you’re on a mission to save, there’s a lot to be said for identifying priorities and setting boundaries in other areas. The trouble is that there’s always a risk of taking minimalism to a point where life can become a little weird.

Financial experts are all for people making an effort to save. But you’ve probably taken it too far if you’re recycling Ziploc bags time and time again, surviving on tasteless, bland meals because they’re cheap, or rushing to take advantage of yellow sticker sections at the store after a 12-hour day at work. Saving may be the priority, but it shouldn’t impede your health or enjoyment of life.

3. FOMO is Real

FOMO (fear of missing out) is a relatively new concept, but it’s one that can be a genuine consequence of following the FIRE movement. If you’re saving every single cent you can, intending to enjoy financial freedom in the future, it’s highly likely that you’ll miss out on both the big and small stuff now. However, financial independence and early retirement is certainly an admirable goal, and one that I have made for myself.

Sticking to your plan is crucial, but where do you draw the line when deciding whether something is worth spending money? Are you going to miss out on opportunities or experiences that may never come around again because you don’t want to part with any more cash than you absolutely have to?

It’s incredibly beneficial to think about the future, but going too far with FIRE means that you might miss out on the present. While your friends and family are socializing, going to weddings, organizing trips together and celebrating births, marriages, and landmark birthdays, for example, is it worth missing out to retire as early as possible?

4. A Lack of Flexibility Contributes to Disappointment

When you take control of your finances, you have a say as to how you spend your money. If you jump on board the FIRE movement approach, though, flexibility in terms of spending can seem significantly reduced in some aspects. Most people who follow FIRE try and save up to 70% of their income, withdrawing around 4% of their savings and investment gains.

If you take FIRE too far, life can become very rigid and routine. A lack of flexibility could compromise your freedom, contributing to disappointment. There’s also a worry that once you adopt a way of life that complies with FIRE guidelines, there’s no way back. If you want to change your mind either during the saving process or once you’ve retired, would you have the strength and conviction to do that?

5. Someone Else’s FIRE Timeline May Not Be Realistic For You

If you search for content related to FIRE on the Internet, you’ll find all kinds of stories and video clips that talk about retiring in your 20s, but this is not a realistic timeline for the vast majority of people. Everyone is different in terms of their expectations and the amount of money they’re able or willing to save. What works for one person may not be viable for another, and sometimes, timelines can encourage people to set unrealistic targets and to put excessive pressure on themselves. The reality is that you should only ever follow a timeline that is relevant to your situation.

6. Mental Health and Wellbeing Should Be a Top Priority

We live in a day and age where there are too many stressors, which can cause significant anxiety and depression in everyday life. Sometimes the pressure of hitting a specific savings target and spending goal can be too much to bear. Even worse, not accomplishing them regularly can contribute to immense guilt, which isn’t helped by the blunt expectations laid out by web gurus.

Putting this pressure on yourself and having a one-track mind can take a serious toll on your mental health and wellbeing. While you may be motivated and energized by the idea of achieving financial independence and even early retirement, there’s always a risk of becoming too consumed by saving and scrimping. If things don’t go to plan, this can be detrimental to your health and happiness.

Balance FIRE With Living for Today

There are many benefits to saving money and planning for the future. Reaching financial freedom is one of the best things you can do for yourself. But, it is possible to take FIRE too far. In truth, you’re already making much better progress than the majority of the population by taking control of your finances. So, try to relax and enjoy your journey while setting realistic targets. Don’t miss out on the present because you’re too fixated on the future.

Often, the best way to strike a balance between now and the years to come is to practice intentionality. You can be intentional in both your spending and savings. There are some things in your life that won’t be worth spending money on, and others in which you should spend unapologetically. For instance, I value traveling the world, so I use travel hacking to make it a possibility. In essence, only spend money on what you value, so you don’t miss out on what is truly important. This is how you can have the best of both worlds.

from Money 101 https://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2019/11/six-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-take-fire-too-far.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

[cladeymoore]

Six Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Take FIRE Too Far

The following is a guest post from Sam at How to FIRE.

If you’re not already familiar with the FIRE movement, there’s a good chance that you soon will be. It is a concept that is gathering pace, with people all over the world looking to achieve financial freedom. FIRE is an acronym that stands for “Financial Independence Retire Early,” but what exactly is it, and is there a risk of going too far?

What Does It Take To Achieve Financial Independence?

FIRE is a financial movement, which can involve working towards early retirement by saving a substantial amount of your income. Typically, people retire at the age of around 60-70, but many FIRE followers pursue early retirement. They often aim to retire in their 20s, 30s, or 40s instead.

The ultimate goal for FIRE enthusiasts is to be financially independent, but this usually means making significant sacrifices along the way. Every person is different, but generally speaking, someone who embraces the FIRE movement will try and save up to 70% of their annual income and utilize a FIRE calculator to track their progress. In addition to living frugally, FIRE followers also look for ways to invest in their long-term future.

Saving up to 70% of your annual salary is undoubtedly difficult for many people, but there are additional concerns. For some, saving can become an obsession, and it can impact every area of your life. If all you think about is saving and working towards early retirement, there is a risk of taking it too far and suffering in the short-term. There are many positives to being financially independent, but it’s crucial to be aware of the potential dangers of letting FIRE take over. This guide will examine some of the main reasons you should proceed with caution and avoid taking FIRE too far.

Why Shouldn’t You Take FIRE Too Far?

Being financially independent and giving up your job at 36 may seem like the ultimate life goal, but what happens if your plans start to infringe on your quality of life in the present? Sure, some short-term sacrifices are completely tolerable and expected. But, here are six reasons to consider adopting a measured approach to FIRE.

1. You’ll End Up Working a Job You Hate Just for the Paycheck

To be able to save enough to retire at an early age, there’s a chance that you’ll end up doing a job you don’t particularly enjoy just for the wage. There are apparent benefits to earning a high salary, but if you’re working long hours or don’t have any passion or enthusiasm for the job you do every day, you might start to dread getting up in the mornings. You’ll want to quit your job every day, and this routine will leave you wondering whether your efforts are really worthwhile.

The average person spends around 37 hours a week at work, and if you add overtime, that’s an awful lot of time to devote to doing something you don’t like. If every day is a challenge, and you never arrive at or leave work with a smile on your face, even the thought of retiring early may not be enough to keep you motivated.

2. Minimalism Gets Weird Sometimes

Many people choose to live frugally, but there’s a difference between trying to save money and adopting an extreme approach to budgeting. Minimalism is designed to simplify financial management, and it can offer a raft of benefits. If you’re on a mission to save, there’s a lot to be said for identifying priorities and setting boundaries in other areas. The trouble is that there’s always a risk of taking minimalism to a point where life can become a little weird.

Financial experts are all for people making an effort to save. But you’ve probably taken it too far if you’re recycling Ziploc bags time and time again, surviving on tasteless, bland meals because they’re cheap, or rushing to take advantage of yellow sticker sections at the store after a 12-hour day at work. Saving may be the priority, but it shouldn’t impede your health or enjoyment of life.

3. FOMO is Real

FOMO (fear of missing out) is a relatively new concept, but it’s one that can be a genuine consequence of following the FIRE movement. If you’re saving every single cent you can, intending to enjoy financial freedom in the future, it’s highly likely that you’ll miss out on both the big and small stuff now. However, financial independence and early retirement is certainly an admirable goal, and one that I have made for myself.

Sticking to your plan is crucial, but where do you draw the line when deciding whether something is worth spending money? Are you going to miss out on opportunities or experiences that may never come around again because you don’t want to part with any more cash than you absolutely have to?

It’s incredibly beneficial to think about the future, but going too far with FIRE means that you might miss out on the present. While your friends and family are socializing, going to weddings, organizing trips together and celebrating births, marriages, and landmark birthdays, for example, is it worth missing out to retire as early as possible?

4. A Lack of Flexibility Contributes to Disappointment

When you take control of your finances, you have a say as to how you spend your money. If you jump on board the FIRE movement approach, though, flexibility in terms of spending can seem significantly reduced in some aspects. Most people who follow FIRE try and save up to 70% of their income, withdrawing around 4% of their savings and investment gains.

If you take FIRE too far, life can become very rigid and routine. A lack of flexibility could compromise your freedom, contributing to disappointment. There’s also a worry that once you adopt a way of life that complies with FIRE guidelines, there’s no way back. If you want to change your mind either during the saving process or once you’ve retired, would you have the strength and conviction to do that?

5. Someone Else’s FIRE Timeline May Not Be Realistic For You

If you search for content related to FIRE on the Internet, you’ll find all kinds of stories and video clips that talk about retiring in your 20s, but this is not a realistic timeline for the vast majority of people. Everyone is different in terms of their expectations and the amount of money they’re able or willing to save. What works for one person may not be viable for another, and sometimes, timelines can encourage people to set unrealistic targets and to put excessive pressure on themselves. The reality is that you should only ever follow a timeline that is relevant to your situation.

6. Mental Health and Wellbeing Should Be a Top Priority

We live in a day and age where there are too many stressors, which can cause significant anxiety and depression in everyday life. Sometimes the pressure of hitting a specific savings target and spending goal can be too much to bear. Even worse, not accomplishing them regularly can contribute to immense guilt, which isn’t helped by the blunt expectations laid out by web gurus.

Putting this pressure on yourself and having a one-track mind can take a serious toll on your mental health and wellbeing. While you may be motivated and energized by the idea of achieving financial independence and even early retirement, there’s always a risk of becoming too consumed by saving and scrimping. If things don’t go to plan, this can be detrimental to your health and happiness.

Balance FIRE With Living for Today

There are many benefits to saving money and planning for the future. Reaching financial freedom is one of the best things you can do for yourself. But, it is possible to take FIRE too far. In truth, you’re already making much better progress than the majority of the population by taking control of your finances. So, try to relax and enjoy your journey while setting realistic targets. Don’t miss out on the present because you’re too fixated on the future.

Often, the best way to strike a balance between now and the years to come is to practice intentionality. You can be intentional in both your spending and savings. There are some things in your life that won’t be worth spending money on, and others in which you should spend unapologetically. For instance, I value traveling the world, so I use travel hacking to make it a possibility. In essence, only spend money on what you value, so you don’t miss out on what is truly important. This is how you can have the best of both worlds.

from Money 101 https://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2019/11/six-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-take-fire-too-far.html via http://www.rssmix.com/

[fanopoa-blog]

Step Ya Game Up… Why Felons Should Buy Rather Than Rent

Housing is a significant area of concern for returning citizens or citizens branded as a felon. I read a few months ago that bad credit is worse than having a felony in today's society. Maybe that statement was a bit exaggerated, but I get the point; credit is one of the most critical factors responsible for upward mobility. However, bad credit is not more detrimental than having a felony.

For one, credit can always be repaired; unless your felony is nullified by a Governor's Pardon (check expungement laws in your state), it’s indefinite. Your credit report is pretty much private and cannot be viewed unless you grant authorization; while on the other hand, felonies are a matter of public record that can be accessed within a few clicks of a mouse and a participant name.

For felons looking for housing, many apartment third-party screening systems will not accept a resident with a felony; and this is coming from a leasing agent with five years of experience of running applicant's information. The apartment communities look at two qualifiers for renting an apartment. One, your credit of course. How good is it, do you have a substantial amount of charge-offs, late payments, delinquent account, and do you owe money to any other apartment complex. Second, is your criminal history. What have you been convicted of and how long? A vast majority of them lock in on felony convictions; if you have one forget about leasing.

For example, I am a leasing agent, and I have a felony. Last year I was looking for an apartment, so I decided to apply for a few apartments. I thought since my employer did not think thatmuch of my drug conviction (it is ten years old), that maybe these apartment communities would not either. Afterall, I work in the industry myself, have over a 750 credit score, stable income, and no delinquencies.

I applied to four communities. The first three denied me based on my felony. They were also my first-priority, less expensive, and provided a more comfortable commute. By the time I applied for the last apartment I was desperate. My lease was expiring in less than a week. I chose a less than desirable apartment. At that point, my standards were so low because I needed a place to stay, I honestly would have rented anywhere that accepted me. It was not at all what I wanted, but the felony handicapped me.

I have been at my current apartment for over a year, and now it is time to make that decision again! Where do I want to live? I start thinking. I have good credit, years of stable income, thousands saved up, why not try to buy! Lenders and banks are looking to see if your first qualify, and second show enough responsibly to pay your mortgage. In other words, the ball is back in my court.! I’m back in control of where I want to live and the “ felony handicap” is not applicable when buying a home (except with some sex crimes).

So I have decided buy! In my case, my convection as forced me. More felons need to look into these options. Concentrate on increasing your credit score, live frugally, and when your next lease is up; rather than be subjected to multiple rejections letters from apartment communities, it may be time to put your fate in your own hands. It may be a blessing in disguise; a chance to build wealth and equity much earlier that your non-felony counterparts because they have more options to sit back, relax, and keep renting.

#felonsandhousing #housingopportunties

[florenciolampkin]

Diamond Certified Experts: Auto Body Care

In order to maintain your car’s appearance, you’ll need to know how to properly care for its paint and clear coat. Photo: Coelho’s Body Repair & Auto Sales, Inc. (2018)

For many people, a car represents more than a mere means of conveyance. It might be a status symbol, a passion project or simply the result of long-term hard work and frugality. If any of these applies to you, you’re likely as concerned about your car’s outward appearance as you are about its internal components, in which case you’ll want to know how to effectively maintain it. To that end, we’ve asked six Diamond Certified Expert Contributors to provide their auto body care tips.

  Washing your car

Despite being the simplest aspect of auto body care, many people get car washing wrong. Often, this stems from a misconception that washing a car is just like washing the dishes. “Many people use dish detergent and cotton towels to wash and dry their cars, but both are detrimental to clear coats,” explains Tristin Wurzbach of B2 Perfection Auto Body. “The chemicals in dish soap can remove a car’s wax coat, strip the exterior finish and dull the paint job, while hard cotton towels can leave fine scratches on a car’s exterior that cause a ‘spider webbing’ effect.” To avoid these effects, Mr. Wurzbach recommends washing your car with a product specifically designed for automotive use. For drying, he suggests using either a chamois leather cloth or a microfiber towel.

Even when using the right cleaning tools, it’s still possible to accidently harm your car’s exterior while washing it. A common example of this is using a dirty sponge or cloth, which can leave scratches on your car’s clear coat. That’s why Mr. Wurzbach recommends thoroughly rinsing off your cleaning tool before washing to ensure all dirt and debris has been removed.

Of course, not everyone likes to do their own car washing—many find it faster and easier to go to the drive-through carwash at their local gas station. However, while convenient, these types of carwashes can have detrimental effects of their own. “Commercial carwashes are very hard on vehicles, from the heavy chemicals in the detergent to the abrasive slapping of the roto-brushes,” explains Mike Ludeman of Western Auto Body, Inc. “Going to a carwash once in a while is fine, but it’s not good to subject your car to such harsh treatment on a regular basis. It’s much better to wash it yourself.”

  To prevent permanent markings on your car’s body, regularly inspect it for contaminants like tree sap and bird droppings. Photo: Simply Superior Auto Body (2018)

Contaminant removal

While regular washing will help keep your car clean, elements like tree sap, bird droppings, and insect remains require more than soap and water to remove. Due to their corrosive nature, Mr. Wurzbach says it’s best to remove these contaminants before they dry and harden. “Tree sap and bird feces are both extremely acidic and can easily damage your car’s paint job. If not cleaned off promptly, they can leave permanent marks, especially during summer, when high temperatures can cause them to bake onto your car’s exterior.”

If you need to remove contaminants that have already hardened, Mr. Wurzbach recommends using bug and tar remover, which provides increased cleaning power without harming your car’s finish. Once the contaminants have been removed, he suggests applying some Turtle Wax® to protect against recontamination.

Bird droppings and tree sap aren’t the only contaminants that can harm your car’s paint job—there are also less obvious elements like brake dust and industrial pollutants. “The airborne dust that falls on your car contains iron particles, which become catalyzed and stick to the paint when condensation occurs,” explains Rich Lezcano of Simply Superior Auto Body. “This creates a layer of grit that soap and water can’t remove.”

Fortunately, Mr. Lezcano says there’s a tool that can remove these contaminants: a clay bar, which looks similar to an ordinary bar of soap. After spraying a small area of your car with clay lubricant, gently rub the clay bar back and forth. At first, the bar will cling to your car, which indicates it’s pulling contaminants out of the paint. When you’re able to slide the bar easily across the area, you’ll know it’s clean. Annual clay bar applications will ensure your car’s body stays as clean and contaminant-free as possible.

  Besides maintaining your car’s glossy appearance, waxing gives its clear coat an added layer of protection against the elements. Photo: Diablo Motors (2018)

Body protection

Manually removing dirt and contaminants is a crucial part of auto body care, but you should also take measures to fortify your car’s exterior against these elements. The simplest way is by waxing, which not only maintains car paint’s glossy appearance but also adds protection to the clear coat, helping it stand up to contamination, UV light and other sources of deterioration.

Most professionals agree that waxing your car two to three times a year is sufficient, although some choose to wax more often. If you’re having difficulty keeping track of proper waxing intervals, Mr. Lezcano says there’s an easy way to tell if it’s time. “On a properly waxed surface, water ‘beads’ when condensation occurs, which means it collects into round, beadlike shapes. If water doesn’t do this on your car, it means the wax has dissipated and it’s time to apply a new coat.”

As an alternative to waxing, Ilya Rosenthal of Luxurati – California Auto Body & Repair & Smog suggests applying a paint sealant to your vehicle. Unlike wax, which is a natural product, paint sealant is as synthetic as it gets, engineered with polymers that bond together to produce a rigid casing about your car’s exterior. The biggest selling point of paint sealant is its durability—since it doesn’t wash away as quickly as wax, it’s able to provide better long-term protection. Additionally, today’s sealants offer enhanced aesthetic properties that rival the lustrous sheen of wax.

  To determine whether a minor body scratch can be polished out, run your fingernail across it and see if it falls into a groove. Photo: Anchor Auto Body (2018)

Scratch and chip repair

Preventive measures can go a long way toward protecting your car’s body, but when damage does occur, you’ll need to know how to address it. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may be able to repair paint scratches and chips yourself. According to Tom Trago of Anchor Auto Body, some minor scratches don’t even require additional paint—they can simply be polished out.

Mr. Trago says there’s a simple test to determine whether this is the case. “Run your fingernail across the scratch. If it drops into a groove, this indicates a deeper scratch that will likely require additional paint. If, however, your fingernail brushes seamlessly over it, it means the scratch hasn’t penetrated the paint coat and there’s a good chance it will polish out.” To polish out a scratch, Mr. Trago says to simply apply some rubbing compound to a rag and rub it vigorously over the affected area. Within seconds, the scratch should be gone.

For repairing deeper surface scratches, you’ll need to employ a more involved procedure. Phil Chadd of Phil’s Auto Body gives his 3-step technique:

Use a combination of ultra-fine grit sandpaper and soapy water to remove the scratch.

Find your car’s paint code on the door jamb and buy some touch-up paint of the same color.

After applying the paint and allowing it to dry, apply a polishing compound to blend the paint into the finish.

Another type of body damage that you may be able to fix yourself is rock chips. “After cleaning the area with soap and water, rub a dab of polishing compound over the chip,” directs Mr. Chadd. “Next, clean the area with isopropyl alcohol and carefully apply the correct type of paint to individual chips. After giving the paint a couple of days to cure, repolish the area to smooth out the edges of the repair.”

It’s important to note that deep scratches and rock chips in a car’s paint aren’t just unsightly—they can also leave the paint job susceptible to rust. So, to prevent a much bigger problem, it’s best to repair these as soon as they’re detected.

To learn more about auto body care and other topics, visit our Diamond Certified Expert Reports at http://ift.tt/2CXoVQ8.

The post Diamond Certified Experts: Auto Body Care appeared first on Diamond Certified.

Diamond Certified Experts: Auto Body Care published first on http://ift.tt/2zFJkE0

[homeimprovementsone]

Six Home Improvements That Just Aren’t Worth It

As someone raised and born and central Indiana, I have been spoiled with real estate all my life. The first house we ever purchased (and we still possess as a rental property) set us back a whopping $102,500 and came with three bedrooms and 2 baths. Our house payment, and oh has been less than $700 per month!

Ever since that time, we bought a 2nd three-bedroom, two-bath leasing property for under $100,000, also our second house for $155,000 (that we sold later for $160,000).   Even our present residence, which we intend to reside in forever, just set us back $187,000. Before the housing market roared back into life — back in 2013, it’s around feet, also has been one of the very expensive homes in our community when we purchased it.

Home Upgrades and Repairs I Simply Won’t Make

Since we bought our house, we have put in a great deal of hard work to bring it up. We knocked out a wall to start up the downstairs floor plan, laid wood flooring (performing the bulk of the grunt work ourselves), and painted this place from the top to bottom.

We replaced several non-matching kitchen countertops that purchased new carpet for our upstairs made no sense, also re-stained our kitchen cabinets, that are 30 years old. In total, we have spent $20,000 upgrading our house over the four years we have lived here.

There’s plenty more to do, however, at a certain stage, you need to understand when to stop. While some updates are worthwhile since they truly increase the value and utility of your house, you need to understand where to draw the line — or risk over-improving and losing money in the long run.

While I am all about dolling up my primary residence, here are some repairs and upgrades I am not willing to make:

#1: Replacing Ugly Peel-and-Stick Floors

Had an interesting sense of style. When the master bathroom was remodeled by them, they chose flooring that looks great from a distance but insanely cheap. The strangest part about it, nevertheless, is the simple fact the floor pieces actually move sometimes since they are literally “glued” into the floor planks with adhesive.

But, do I take action? Not actually. The matter about our master bathroom — and the reason I won’t replace this flooring — is that it is not seen by anybody else. I can not think of a single person who has been aside from our children in our bedroom over the last few years.

We might need to replace the flooring if we wanted to sell our house, but it’s perfectly good to our eyes. Rather than paying1,500 to $3,000 in an nobody will ever see, we have chosen to pocket that money instead.

#2: Replacing Kitchen Cabinets

Our kitchen cabinets are first to this house, so they are 32 years of age. They had been in great shape when we purchased our house, albeit somewhat dated with country theme and a light oak stain.

I thought hard and long about everything to do with our cabinets before we decided to sand and then re-stain them ourselves. In the end, I couldn’t actually justify replacing our entire kitchen when the cabinets seemed okay, functioned fine, and had the capability to be even better.

At this point, I doubt we replace our kitchen cabinets. Not purchasing new cabinets is easily a savings of around $ 20,000, because the previous counters were mismatched while we spent about $ 200 on our cabinets and materials to sand and an additional $.

#3: New Windows

Our windows are first to this residence, which is part of the rationale they’d be expensive to replace. Being 30+ years old, how they’re made from timber frames that match our inner wood moldings and trim.

We’ve got 18 dividers, and 16 of them are still ideal. Two of them have noticeable openings to the exterior (which I’ve fixed temporarily with insulating material), and one of these two features a compromised seal. Fortunately, the window with the endangered seal (that is always slightly cloudy) faces the backyard and not the front.

We’ve thought hard and long about replacing our windows a few times, even going so far as obtaining a quotation from two different businesses. $ 18,000 was wanted by the other company, while one wanted around $ 15,000! I really could get more economical windows, however I know I would not be happy together. So, why bother?

Either way, we can not really justify the cost. Our windows work good and also our utility bills have been low. Because I doubt replacing our windows would result in any savings on gas or electricity, this can be.

#4: Replacing an Old Fence

Our house came with privacy fence that encloses our yard. This is a real advantage in our own eyes because we have two children, and the fence has continued to serve us well ever since we adopted a shelter dog in December.

The fence looks great from a distance. When we took down part of the fence to bring in our new drop before this summer, we found that our fence is not nearly as sturdy as it looks. My husband needed to do some repair work merely to set the thing!

After that, we got an estimate for fencing: $8,000. We knew that it would not be economical, but we’re surprised it’d cost that much for a fundamental shadowbox style. Obviously, till it falls down we’re likely to continue accepting our fence as-is.

#5: Repaving Our Driveway

It is not happening any time soon, while we have to repave our drive in the future. Our neighbors recently repaved their driveway and I’ve discovered that can not cost more than the job.

Our driveway isn’t broken it worn down and lacking the perfect black surface of driveways on our street. We’ll have to live with it the way it’s, and for now, and will they. I can not justify spending $8,000 to get a update when we have other important, aims to save for.

#6: Guest Bathroom Revamp

There are really so many things wrong with our hallway guest bathroom to count. Among those dual sinks is overlooking its own “plug” or stopper completely. After a piece of art was knocked off the walls, some of the tile near the toilet was broken.

The shower enclosure is original not exactly the latest style. The bathroom cabinet is over 30 years old, and the countertop is made of Formica, and each of of the hooks and hardware are all mismatched.

This is but it’s not happening any time soon. Considering that the bathroom needs a re-do, the project could easily cost $10,000 to $15,000. We could do some of the work ourselves, but I bother if it’s not likely to be exactly what I want. Like our master bathroom, people see this bathroom anyway.

The Most Important Thing

While I love this home and attempt to make it as amazing as you can, I also know that some house repairs and upgrades won’t ever pay off. If I did all the upgrades and repairs with this list, we would easily pay $50,000 or even more without including over a couple thousand dollars in value to our house.

Sooner or later, you need to understand where to draw the line — or danger over-improving into the detriment of your financing. For the time being, we’re going to continue to keep our additional cash and to be happy with what we have.

Holly Johnson is an award-winning personal finance author and the writer of . Johnson shares her obsession with all frugality, budgeting, and traveling at .

Are there any home improvements or updates you refuse to make? What are they?

See Also:

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Eliminate high interest debt with a 0 percent balance transfer credit card

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Earn credit card things to travel

Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees with All These Best Picks

Save money and expand your travel funding

6 Credit Cards That Can Not Be Performed in 2016

A comprehensive guide to maximizing rewards and getting paid

from Home Improvements http://home-improvements-one.com/six-home-improvements-that-just-arent-worth-it/

[homeimprovementsonecom]

Six Home Improvements That Just Aren’t Worth It

As someone raised and born and central Indiana, I have been spoiled with real estate all my life. The first house we ever purchased (and we still possess as a rental property) set us back a whopping $102,500 and came with three bedrooms and 2 baths. Our house payment, and oh has been less than $700 per month!

Ever since that time, we bought a 2nd three-bedroom, two-bath leasing property for under $100,000, also our second house for $155,000 (that we sold later for $160,000).   Even our present residence, which we intend to reside in forever, just set us back $187,000. Before the housing market roared back into life — back in 2013, it’s around feet, also has been one of the very expensive homes in our community when we purchased it.

Home Upgrades and Repairs I Simply Won’t Make

Since we bought our house, we have put in a great deal of hard work to bring it up. We knocked out a wall to start up the downstairs floor plan, laid wood flooring (performing the bulk of the grunt work ourselves), and painted this place from the top to bottom.

We replaced several non-matching kitchen countertops that purchased new carpet for our upstairs made no sense, also re-stained our kitchen cabinets, that are 30 years old. In total, we have spent $20,000 upgrading our house over the four years we have lived here.

There’s plenty more to do, however, at a certain stage, you need to understand when to stop. While some updates are worthwhile since they truly increase the value and utility of your house, you need to understand where to draw the line — or risk over-improving and losing money in the long run.

While I am all about dolling up my primary residence, here are some repairs and upgrades I am not willing to make:

#1: Replacing Ugly Peel-and-Stick Floors

Had an interesting sense of style. When the master bathroom was remodeled by them, they chose flooring that looks great from a distance but insanely cheap. The strangest part about it, nevertheless, is the simple fact the floor pieces actually move sometimes since they are literally “glued” into the floor planks with adhesive.

But, do I take action? Not actually. The matter about our master bathroom — and the reason I won’t replace this flooring — is that it is not seen by anybody else. I can not think of a single person who has been aside from our children in our bedroom over the last few years.

We might need to replace the flooring if we wanted to sell our house, but it’s perfectly good to our eyes. Rather than paying1,500 to $3,000 in an nobody will ever see, we have chosen to pocket that money instead.

#2: Replacing Kitchen Cabinets

Our kitchen cabinets are first to this house, so they are 32 years of age. They had been in great shape when we purchased our house, albeit somewhat dated with country theme and a light oak stain.

I thought hard and long about everything to do with our cabinets before we decided to sand and then re-stain them ourselves. In the end, I couldn’t actually justify replacing our entire kitchen when the cabinets seemed okay, functioned fine, and had the capability to be even better.

At this point, I doubt we replace our kitchen cabinets. Not purchasing new cabinets is easily a savings of around $ 20,000, because the previous counters were mismatched while we spent about $ 200 on our cabinets and materials to sand and an additional $.

#3: New Windows

Our windows are first to this residence, which is part of the rationale they’d be expensive to replace. Being 30+ years old, how they’re made from timber frames that match our inner wood moldings and trim.

We’ve got 18 dividers, and 16 of them are still ideal. Two of them have noticeable openings to the exterior (which I’ve fixed temporarily with insulating material), and one of these two features a compromised seal. Fortunately, the window with the endangered seal (that is always slightly cloudy) faces the backyard and not the front.

We’ve thought hard and long about replacing our windows a few times, even going so far as obtaining a quotation from two different businesses. $ 18,000 was wanted by the other company, while one wanted around $ 15,000! I really could get more economical windows, however I know I would not be happy together. So, why bother?

Either way, we can not really justify the cost. Our windows work good and also our utility bills have been low. Because I doubt replacing our windows would result in any savings on gas or electricity, this can be.

#4: Replacing an Old Fence

Our house came with privacy fence that encloses our yard. This is a real advantage in our own eyes because we have two children, and the fence has continued to serve us well ever since we adopted a shelter dog in December.

The fence looks great from a distance. When we took down part of the fence to bring in our new drop before this summer, we found that our fence is not nearly as sturdy as it looks. My husband needed to do some repair work merely to set the thing!

After that, we got an estimate for fencing: $8,000. We knew that it would not be economical, but we’re surprised it’d cost that much for a fundamental shadowbox style. Obviously, till it falls down we’re likely to continue accepting our fence as-is.

#5: Repaving Our Driveway

It is not happening any time soon, while we have to repave our drive in the future. Our neighbors recently repaved their driveway and I’ve discovered that can not cost more than the job.

Our driveway isn’t broken it worn down and lacking the perfect black surface of driveways on our street. We’ll have to live with it the way it’s, and for now, and will they. I can not justify spending $8,000 to get a update when we have other important, aims to save for.

#6: Guest Bathroom Revamp

There are really so many things wrong with our hallway guest bathroom to count. Among those dual sinks is overlooking its own “plug” or stopper completely. After a piece of art was knocked off the walls, some of the tile near the toilet was broken.

The shower enclosure is original not exactly the latest style. The bathroom cabinet is over 30 years old, and the countertop is made of Formica, and each of of the hooks and hardware are all mismatched.

This is but it’s not happening any time soon. Considering that the bathroom needs a re-do, the project could easily cost $10,000 to $15,000. We could do some of the work ourselves, but I bother if it’s not likely to be exactly what I want. Like our master bathroom, people see this bathroom anyway.

The Most Important Thing

While I love this home and attempt to make it as amazing as you can, I also know that some house repairs and upgrades won’t ever pay off. If I did all the upgrades and repairs with this list, we would easily pay $50,000 or even more without including over a couple thousand dollars in value to our house.

Sooner or later, you need to understand where to draw the line — or danger over-improving into the detriment of your financing. For the time being, we’re going to continue to keep our additional cash and to be happy with what we have.

Holly Johnson is an award-winning personal finance author and the writer of . Johnson shares her obsession with all frugality, budgeting, and traveling at .

Are there any home improvements or updates you refuse to make? What are they?

See Also:

Recommended For You

A Fantastic Way to Pay Off Debt With A No Interest Credit Card

Eliminate high interest debt with a 0 percent balance transfer credit card

Buy a Complimentary Trip This Summer by using the Proper Card

Earn credit card things to travel

Avoid Foreign Transaction Fees with All These Best Picks

Save money and expand your travel funding

6 Credit Cards That Can Not Be Performed in 2016

A comprehensive guide to maximizing rewards and getting paid

from Home Improvements http://home-improvements-one.com/six-home-improvements-that-just-arent-worth-it/