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After spending decades building wealth, paying off debt and investing for the future, some people discover an unexpected problem–they struggle to spend the money they’ve worked so hard to accumulate.

That was the dilemma facing a 46-year-old husband and father of three who shared his situation on Reddit recently. Despite having a net worth of roughly $2 million outside of his home, no debt, a paid-off house and paid-off cars, he admitted that spending money on major experiences still makes him uneasy.

“Part of me keeps asking: ‘What if I need it later?’” he wrote. “But another part of me keeps asking: ‘If not now, then when?’”

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The poster explained that he has always been extremely frugal. He paid his own college tuition while working 60 to 80 hours a week and believes that mindset has stayed with him throughout adulthood.

While his family takes several vacations each year, most are domestic trips or visits to less expensive destinations. The idea of spending $5,000 on plane tickets alone for a family trip to Europe or Japan often causes him to postpone those plans.

Many commenters argued that his issue wasn’t really about money. Instead, they suggested it was about changing a lifelong identity centered around saving and financial security.

“There’s a difference between being financially secure and needing to feel financially secure,” a person wrote. “One is a condition. The other is an identity. And if it’s the latter, no number will ever be enough.”

Others pointed out that he has already accomplished many of the financial goals that people spend decades pursuing. With millions invested and no debt obligations, several readers questioned whether affordability was actually the concern.

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People added that family vacations become much harder to coordinate once children leave for college, begin careers and start families of their own. Several suggested giving each child a graduation trip and allowing them to choose the destination.

Many also shared stories of parents, spouses and friends who delayed travel until retirement, only to face illness or die unexpectedly before they could enjoy those plans.

“My dad died not even a year into retirement,” one commenter wrote. “He never enjoyed 60+ years of saving.”

“I can’t tell you how many patients waited until retirement to ‘start living’ and then get hit with a cancer diagnosis,” an oncology nurse echoed a similar sentiment.

Others encouraged the poster to work with a financial planner who could calculate exactly how much he could spend on travel and experiences without jeopardizing retirement goals, college plans or future financial security.

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This article ‘What If I Need It Later?’ — A 46-Year-Old Has A Hard Time Spending After A Lifetime Of Saving originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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