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Small-Scale Question Sunday for January 18, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Have any of you thought about moving spending forwards vs saving for retirement with seemingly numerous multiple crises coming down the pike in the next few decades?

Thinking: AI Global fertility Global debt (insert other left or right-coded flavored crises here as desired).

Just seems like my desire to put away money for 35 years from now versus making memories with family and friends now has started to decline.

I guess option 1 would be just to cut 401k contributions down to the match level instead of maxing? I've had trouble saying no to the immediate tax benefits, but seems like the move.

Would love cash out refi if interest rates were lower, but not looking to add several hundred beeps to my mortgage.

No not at all.

With my 401k + SS (which will be there) I should make do with about 70k a year from 65-85 - fiancé will be somewhere in the 55-60k range with a Roth. Plus a few other index funds here and there, maybe, with hopefully al almost paid off home … and maybe some slight inheritance from somewhere but I have my doubts.

I wish I were this excited ten years ago - if not 20 lol.

Everything has been and always will be bad - and the horizon is always bad and always will be. But that’s just the way it is - people keep living.

But also - we go on 1 larger and 1 smaller vacation a year and 2-3 small weekend things and there’s two teenage boys in the house and I make 65 and she makes 50 and we pay 2800 a month for rent because America is a joke.

I think the future is bright - just gotta stay healthy.