Just because you have reached the point in your life when you can afford to splurge doesn't mean that you should look for deals! Besides, it's fun.

What I'd do is check out EF to see what the advance purchase requirement for the lower fares are, and keep an eye on inventory. That way you can try to predict when the price will go up. You can still get screwed if they zero out the cheap fare buckets, but the gamble is part of the fun. And if it works you will feel like you were gambling with an edge and beating the system 🤣