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In America 50 years ago kids went off to war, got a full time job or college at 18 never to return home. Folks were done having kids by 30. Parents were not expected to pay for college or buy a kid a car and no trade up homes. By 50 they were empty nesters, mortgage paid off, two good used cars in driveway of their little cape and had a union pension and soon started thinking about retirement plans.
Yes, was one of these only it was about 40 years ago. Left home at 18 never to live there again. Went in the military, went to college, lived on my own. Economy was bad but I still made ends meet with the bare minimum. Bare minimum back then meant no cable TV or internet and basic landline phone. Food was minimal and meals were not big affairs still I was determined to live on my own. Married, had a child (now 29 and on his own since he was 21)whom we put through college. Now we are empty nesters. Still we both want to work. Why should we sit at home and do nothing? Can't collect retirement or social security until I am 62. We have no debt, still why not keep working if you can?
Oh, a lot of people here probably believe anyone over 60 should just be euthanized. If anyone wants evidence of the entitlement mentality of the younger generation, they can find it right here on this thread. With posts like "you should retire so I can have your job!!!" and "pass the torch to a younger person!!!" and attempting to shame older people for simply having a job.
The senate, the house and the President were always "old rich white people" and most were former generals or practiced law (if only law school) and only recently business owners. I mean Washington was 57, Adams was 61, Jefferson was 57, Madison was 57 and Monroe was 58. The average of the first five presidents when they were inaugurated is about 58. Also most presidents were in their 50s or older when inaugurated. Only Franklin Pierce, Ulysses Grant, James Garfield, Grover Cleveland (first term), Theodore Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were in their 40s when inaugurated. That's 8 out of 43 separate presidents (Cleveland was president twice) or about 19% of presidents were 40-50 years old at the time they were inaugurated. However I still stand by that all presidents no matter the party were rich people with most being fully white (Obama is only half white) and most are rather old (despite the fact you can run for president from age 35 on.)
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I guarantee you that none of us working in our 60s or even later are likely to retire just because some whining younger people are having trouble finding a job. Many of us have spend years gaining the experience and expertise to move up to responsible managerial jobs that we enjoy, with pay high enough to help get back some of the expenses from raising kids through college and in many cases, after that when they either stayed under our roofs or came back. Since most pensions are based on the highest earning years, even at the ceiling any annual raises between now and retirement are helping boost the pension. As long as I enjoy my work I'm planning to stay until 68 at the earliest, more likely 70.
I am puzzled why so many teenagers no longer work summer jobs. When I was a teen in the 80s, EVERYONE worked in the summer time, or at least mowed lawns or did babysitting. Not anymore. Their parents just give them money.
That's because of two things
1) Those jobs are going to those that are older with more experience and education
2) The cost of being a teen has dropped. Mandated health care, lower costs of communication (cell phones), lower cost of entertainment (internet).
Baby sitting is professionalized now due to background checks and reviews. ANYTHING with children requires quite a bit of regulations now. You cannot legally enter a public schools without a background check. Mowing lawns again there's companies that do that now and even apps (mowz)
I found part time work back when I was in the 8th grade but consider myself pretty fortunate at the time.
My first regular job that was not mowing lawns, weeding or painting fences was stocking store shelves at a independant auto parts house... had no connection and did not know anyone there other than from me being a customer from restoring my own Model A Ford that I had bought with money I had earned.
It was a great job... inside, clean, well lighted and enjoyed the interaction with the customers... as time went on I would be left with the cash register during lunch breaks and later, when I got my license I would sometimes open and even close the shop...
I had cashier experience from cashiering the high school lunch line starting my Freshman year.
Every job I have ever had has come from people asking to work for them and never never had a job from applying...
In some ways it does cost less being a teen... don't know any 16 years that own a car and very few even have driver's licenses... quite a reversal from the days when everyone was celebrating their 16th birthday at the DMV office.
In America 50 years ago kids went off to war, got a full time job or college at 18 never to return home. Folks were done having kids by 30.
All of this was new and unusual then. Before then - throughout most of American history - multigenerational households were common even among the well-to-do, and nature decided when people were "done having kids." There were no "retirement plans" - your kids were your retirement plan. Most of the good old days weren't so good.
Oh, a lot of people here probably believe anyone over 60 should just be euthanized. If anyone wants evidence of the entitlement mentality of the younger generation, they can find it right here on this thread. With posts like "you should retire so I can have your job!!!" and "pass the torch to a younger person!!!" and attempting to shame older people for simply having a job.
I agree.
We haven't retired yet because we want to be sure we have financial stability well into our 90s and NOT be a burden on our children or society.
I could retire right now according to my 401k. But new cars, vacations to Beaches, home improvements, three colleges to pay for, braces, weddings etc. are something at my age no male head of household has ever had to deal with in past generations.
This is the most ridiculous statement ever. Do you really think that past generations didn't have any expenses related to raising their famiiies?
This is the most ridiculous statement ever. Do you really think that past generations didn't have any expenses related to raising their famiiies?
Not the frivolous strawmen that were mentioned that most older people want today. I live in an area concentrated with a lot of older men and women and see them buy new cars yearly for the most part and not because of catastrophic breakdowns, it's issues like "gas millage." Like you didn't realize the car had that gas millage when you bought it.
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