[Retric]

if I'm doing new counter tops I should probably

This is the mindset that makes high income people feel poor. You can get a vary nice gas stove installed wihtout looking out of place for ~10k or you can spend ~100k and get the same thing but shiny.

[modoc]

10k is a lot of spending money. I'm trying to build up some savings/retirement money, so finding a "spare" 10k+ isn't easy.

[Retric]

I don't know much about your income, expenses, etc. However, I am suggesting that dealing with the I hate my _ list does not need to be that expensive. Relative to "I own a big house, drive nice cars* etc.

Home Equity Line of Credit + reasonable expectations means you could get a gas stove that does not look ugly for around 120$ a month. And in the increased value of your home and the real cost could be less than 80$ a month. (AKA 40$ a month becomes another form of savings.)

Now for you personally it's hard to (edit: quickly) cut 120$ a month from your nice cars and big house. But, I am willing to bet you would get more enjoyment from that 120$ than getting the "nicer" versions of other things in your life.

PS: It was vary freeing when I realized I was not spending my money to optimize my happiness. Rather I was buying things based on the amount of spare money I had when I was buying it. (Edit: Not that you have this problem, but it seems common.)