Post: #1

Had some fun this weekend with a few friends as one approaches his 40th next month. This thread is meant to be a collective community effort. What are items all 40 year guys should own?

5 that come to mind:

Swiss army knife
Gun
Custom suit
Home
Retirement account that their job doesnt sponsor

Post: #2

Depends on where you live - here in the rural blue ridge mountains, I'd say:

A couple of guns
Several thousand rounds for said guns
A good truck (own as in no payments)
Home (as in no mortgage) with at least a couple of acres
His own ass (as in no body else owns it but him)

Post: #3

Depends what he does, but I can think of a dozen or so:

A decent pair of leather shoes to go with that suit. No rubber soles.
One set of cuff links & a french cuff shirt.
Silk tie. Doesn't matter if the suit is cheap, don't skimp on the tie. It shows.
Wrist watch. Metal, not plastic. And I don't care the phone tells time.
Tools. Anyone who's been fixing stuff will have a few that lasted.
The number to a good lawyer.
Leather coat that fits right. Not a baggy bomber like the one his boomer dad has.
Corkscrew. Doesn't need to be fancy.
Pocket knife (ditto)
At small collection of good nonfiction books he's actually read.
Boots.

And...

A clean HIV test.

Post: #4

Tools. The more the better, and learn to use them by actually using them. A non-exhaustive list, in no particular order:
Multitester and wire strippers; socket set; circular saw, jigsaw, reciprocating saw; drill (corded and cordless); angle grinder; hammer; handsaw(s), hacksaw, mitre saw; adjustable wrenches, wrench sets (SAE and metric), hex key sets, pipe wrench, oil filter wrench; fasteners (deck screws, floor screws, finishing nails, straight nails, spiral nails, roofing nails, sheet metal screws, etc, various lengths); solvents and lubes (WD40, silicon lube, penetrating oil, acetone, varsol, etc)... I'm sure I'm leaving out half my garage but it's a start.

I generally don't need contractor-grade for something I'm going to use once or twice a year, so between frugal purchasing and estate sales, I've built up a good inventory over the years. Compared to a friend of mine who has to call his brother-in-law whenever he needs something done because he doesn't even own a drill.

Post: #5

1. Money stash - Offshore bank account, a stack of cash(10k or more), some gold, bitcoin

2. Investment watch - Rolex or something 18k gold that appreciates.

3. Luxury car - Not too flashy but something comfortable and reliable to take on long trips.

4. A second passport - in case you need to bounce. Hopefully in the same country where you have the offshore account

5. Vasectomy

6. Unregistered hidden weapon - hey you never know

7. A black book of girls you can call for sex any night of the week.

Post: #6

I can't see a single list applying to all guys. Just depends on the guy and his style and life patterns. Tools, yes, generally, but maybe not if he lives in Manhattan or Tokyo.

Expensive watch, luxury car, cuff links? I can't see myself ever owning these, or wanting to.

Owning a home outright is good, but probably very rare for 40-year-old guys.

Post: #7

Even if you live in a mega city it's good to have a basic tool set for minor things around the house.

Owning a home outright (at least in the US, not sure about the situation in other countries) is not advisable unless you've lived there for the full term of the mortgage or you just have fuck you money. Paying more than the monthly bare minimum on a long term 4% loan instead of investing the extra money is not how you get wealthy.

Post: #8

tools
a tire gauge and jumper cables
a BBQ grill
cast iron pan
chili recipe

Post: #9

As I approach 40, I am trying to buy things (furniture, other items) that I will give to someone when I die.

For instance, I paid a decent amount for an antique (1960s) English writing desk. Yes I could have bought a cheaper desk, but I would be chucking it in 5 - 10 years. This is a desk that I will give to someone when I die.

While on the topic - Hardcover books (never buy paperback, they look bad on the shelf and are cheesy, take the plastic off the hardcover). I have some of my Dads old hard cover books and they are great. We realize how much even our society has changed. I was thinking of buying a very old Encyclopedia set because google is BS.

So every man at 40 should have:
- A good antique or things that will retain value and be passed down at death
- Tools (Will echo above)
- Land / Real Estate
- A will and testament
- Children

Post: #10

(11-18-2019 09:07 PM)Parlay44 Wrote:  1. Money stash - Offshore bank account, a stack of cash(10k or more), some gold, bitcoin

2. Investment watch - Rolex or something 18k gold that appreciates.

3. Luxury car - Not too flashy but something comfortable and reliable to take on long trips.

4. A second passport - in case you need to bounce. Hopefully in the same country where you have the offshore account

5. Vasectomy

6. Unregistered hidden weapon - hey you never know

7. A black book of girls you can call for sex any night of the week.

It seems we are concentrating too much into "physical" assets, materialism. I personally tend to live a minimalist life, as practical as possible of course. The more "things" we have, the more we feel anchored to a place, or a situation, or a relationship...
I agree with this poster first item

1-Savings/Money
2-Useful degree(s)
3-Useful skill(s)
4-Great friends
and so on......

Post: #11

Really diverse list so far, we might get to 40 by Friday

Post: #12

- a bottle of pinot noir from a 1er or grand cru in Burgundy that he is holding for a special occasion

- a copy of Moby Dick, the great American novel

- a fitted Irish linen suit for the summer

- a wool sweater for the winter

- a sharp and sturdy kitchen knife

- a Lodge cast iron pan

- a parcel of fertile land that he owns outright

- an instrument on which he can play, impromptu, at least 15min of crowd-pleasing music

- a photograph or painting that both invokes memories of great satisfaction or achievement, and that inspires him to more in the future

- a hard copy (CD or record) of a great piece by Bach or Beethoven or John Coltrane

- a pocket-sized Moleskin notebook and a Pilot "Birdy" pen for recording deep thoughts on the go

- one pair of custom leather shoes with leather soles (or at least Allen Edmonds)

Post: #13

No man should define himself by his possessions

Post: #14

was just thinking the same, bunch of materialists!

Immaterial things a man should have before he is 40

- A vocation or a hobby that he is passionate about
- A family that he is proud of
- A residency where he feels at home
- A sound mind in a sound body
- A circle of (non family) people he can rely on

Post: #15

I have composed for you The Ultimate List.

- Five Rolex watches (at least one must be gold)
- Two yachts
- Three mistresses
- 2 smoking jackets (one extra for the mistress of the night to borrow at her leisure)
- 5 bespoke Saville Row suits
- 2 performance European sportscars
- 1 30" x 40" portrait, oil on canvas
- 1 hand-crafted humidor loaded with authentic Cuban cigars
- An original Gibson Les Paul Standard produced between 1956 and 1960
- One pair of dead-stock 1947 Levis 501 jeans purchased from an authentic vintage dealer in Tokyo
- Two Harley-Davidsons
- One private jet
- A lake house
- Two Great Danes
- Eight bottles of assorted, expensive alcoholic beverages
- 2 high-powered firearms
- 1 straight razor and badger-hair brush

Post: #16

(11-21-2019 05:42 PM)HermeticAlly Wrote:  I have composed for you The Ultimate List.

- Five Rolex watches (at least one must be gold)
- Two yachts
- Three mistresses
- 2 smoking jackets (one extra for the mistress of the night to borrow at her leisure)
- 5 bespoke Saville Row suits
- 2 performance European sportscars
- 1 30" x 40" portrait, oil on canvas
- 1 hand-crafted humidor loaded with authentic Cuban cigars
- An original Gibson Les Paul Standard produced between 1956 and 1960
- One pair of dead-stock 1947 Levis 501 jeans purchased from an authentic vintage dealer in Tokyo
- Two Harley-Davidsons
- One private jet
- A lake house
- Two Great Danes
- Eight bottles of assorted, expensive alcoholic beverages
- 2 high-powered firearms
- 1 straight razor and badger-hair brush

Incomplete list. You pleb.

Post: #17

• A career that pays 75k or more / Following a path towards a career that pays 75k or more
• A good skin care routine
• A utilized gym membership
• A city you're happy living in (friends + dating options + pleasant coworkers)
• A reliable form of transportation (that is well maintained and clean)