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my projections are my opinions. I don't argue with everyone because I don't agree with an opinion in the future. I may see things differently but over and over I state it is only my opinion.
you on the other hand attack those who disagree. it appears you like to argue just to argue.
I don't think you have one post here where you are not telling someone they are wrong and your view is right , attacking them or insulting their opinion.
from some of the replies you got I am not the only one who sees it.
just sayin!
Last edited by mathjak107; 01-17-2014 at 06:36 AM..
It sounds like you'll be fine, which of course you already know. *I* certainly wouldn't worry. You'll have time to work, if something seems particularly appealing, and earn extra money if you're in need or want of it.
People are so wedded to the idea that if you're not making a lot of money and remaining obedient to societal norms, you'll eventually be unhappy. Those people need to read Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, if they can squeeze in the time to read a 99-cent book from Goodwill.
Personally, we're not saving money for retirement. We're setting up a life for ourselves that makes having money less and less pertinent to maintaining the lifestyle we want. People scrimp and save and take risks on the market in order to spend money on things to keep them alive when they're old... when they could just invest in things that will eliminate and/or severely decrease any future need to spend it at all.
Sure you can do every single thing that needs to be done to your house yourself.
But then your retirement time is actually spent working.
You switched careers to maintaince man is what changed.
Between maintaince,longer term projects,gardening,snow removal ,painting and preventive maintaince i could have been busy every day on my homes.
Most folks just end up letting things go until they can't anymore but the fact is doing things yourself is still working.
But those are GOOD things to some people. I would be so agitated about paying someone else to do work I CAN do that it would completely ruin the satisfaction of it being done. The people you pay to do something didn't, at one time, know how to do it either. With free time to research and a small amount of money and materials (FAR below what a professional would charge) to invest in your own education of how to fix/build something (heck with the time to ask a professional if you can work for free for a while, just so you can observe and learn), it's very easy to not spend that money. That's precisely what your time is FOR, in that lifestyle. And then, not only do you never have to pay someone else to do it again, but neither do those you know... because they know a guy/gal who knows how. And can pay them to do it if they don't have the time.
This type of lifestyle is about investing in oneself.
Exactly. I'm sure all of us could have blown $200 on drinks many times in our lives, but did we? Most likely no. It's not about not being able to afford it. I could win the lotto tomorrow and never spend $200 on drinks.
As far as food, I have no problem eating on an average of $11/day. Should I be eating steak and lobster every day?
We spend about $400/month on 2 adults and 3 children (9, 8, and 7 years old.) You're fine. Single? I could eat very healthfully for maybe $150/month, most of that being produce from our local farmer's market which is, admittedly, fantastically cheap. Then there's gardening, which is much less labor intensive than people always think... again, working themselves up over an idea, rather than a reality.
Live off $20,000 a year and buy a house? Who are you kidding? In what tiny town do you live in? How is someone going to buy a house when they make just over $10 an hour? Seriously?
For people making that kind of money, they aren't going to have a home to call their own. So, that "cushy" 9k you just talked about goes right in to their rent. If they are lucky, they will have about $1000 left over each year. Of course, that is barring any UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCES like car accident, health issues, ("free" healthcare does NOT cover time missed from work), car dying, fires, floods, ice storms, etc.
And what age do you have to be to get car insurance for $60 a month? What sticks must you live in to get prices like that?
Sorry, that is not reality for most people. It may work for a few, but not most.
We have two cars with full comp.&coll. for $82/month. When we had only one with full coverage, it was $54. When we had one car, a 12 year-old wagon so we only put collision on it, it was $33/month. This is in Syracuse, NY.
I don't understand what all the fuss about working/not working is about... you can bust your a$$ every day and not be issued a paycheck for it. It is STILL working. The fact that it's the kind of work (for self, for barter, for self-education) that cannot be taxed is exactly, imo, as it should be.
But I have not and will not sign up for Obamacare. We're healthy now and when something happens, being good friends with physicians (drawn to your lifestyle because they don't have the time to do it themselves) is a winning solution. Barter. I do work they don't have time for... they take care of me when I have strep throat and need amoxycillin. Look in mouth>see spots>write prescription... which can be filled for $4 or free, depending on which pharmacy you use. Tax-free, bureacracy-free, voluntary-ful barter. It's a beautiful thing. Opt OUT of the norm. It's cheaper and more fulfilling... if that's your thing. Private exchange, free of gov. regulation, is astoundingly cheap... and know one knows it more than medical professionals, no matter how much they protest. They have their salaries and gov.-subsidied budgets to protect.
Supporting a family on $20k is possible, but that requires my wife not working. My GF is perfectly fine with me not working. She gets to work and not worry about the bulk of living expenses (rent, utilities). It's a win win. Her savings is as big as ever since meeting me. Do you believe she should feel jealousy toward me being retired?
If your girlfriend turns into your wife and continues to work then you are not actually living on 20k/yr anymore are you? That really changes the premise of the entire OP. Living on 20k/yr would constitute your girlfriend quiting her job if/when she moves in with you and until then not contributing a dime to your relationship.
Me and you have different definitions of work, it is quite clear. By your definition I get paid to invest in my well being. I do literally exactly what I went to school for in the exact area I want to be in. So if school is not considered work to you, then how can you consider my job work?
Quote:
Originally Posted by eddiehaskell
And considering a kid is in school until ~3pm starting at 4 yrs old (or sometimes 3), I would definitely say someone staying at home "with the kid" is retired. Regardless, spending your time with your child shouldn't be looked at as job - more like an investment in their well being.
And again, I would like to hear a stay at home mom's response to the bolded. Do you consider yourself retired when your kids start school? I know many SAHMs that would laugh in your face.
Last edited by mizzourah2006; 01-17-2014 at 07:57 AM..
Totally agreed with that bolded comment. I'd say that the hardest JOB ever is to be a stay at home parent because you're "on the clock" for 24 hours with no pay. Heh.
Quote:
Originally Posted by proulxfamily
I don't understand what all the fuss about working/not working is about... you can bust your a$$ every day and not be issued a paycheck for it. It is STILL working. The fact that it's the kind of work (for self, for barter, for self-education) that cannot be taxed is exactly, imo, as it should be.
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Private exchange, free of gov. regulation, is astoundingly cheap... and know one knows it more than medical professionals, no matter how much they protest. They have their salaries and gov.-subsidied budgets to protect.
