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I think they forget that those who came before them, paid for many of the things that made their lives what they were. If they went to public school, for instance, today's seniors paid for their schooling, as well as the roads they drove on, and the police who protected them, and the healthy water they drank out of the tap, on and on. And don't forget, all of us are still paying taxes - sales tax and gas tax, on and on.
So, for the nice American life you had growing up, with all of the above, you're welcome.
Well, maybe only the ones who aren't ungrateful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Petunia 100
Absolutely, well said.
Not to mention having won the lottery by being born in a country where you have opportunity to be financially successful. Not everyone is so fortunate.
I think they forget that those who came before them, paid for many of the things that made their lives what they were. If they went to public school, for instance, today's seniors paid for their schooling, as well as the roads they drove on, and the police who protected them, and the healthy water they drank out of the tap, on and on. And don't forget, all of us are still paying taxes - sales tax and gas tax, on and on.
So, for the nice American life you had growing up, with all of the above, you're welcome.
I had this class in high school and I think a lot of schools teach it, but most kids don't listen.
I've worked full time since 16, put myself through college, and most of my life I've worked two jobs, never had the option of having a pension. I've always put money away and once the money was put into one of my accounts, that was it -- it no longer existed. I've never touched a penny of it no matter what emergency happened. I've watched my friends dip into their 401k accounts, drain savings for things as trivial as concert tickets and vacations, and run up credit card debt bigger than any retirement account they will ever own.
Even though I am not retired or near it (yet), I read this forum looking for the people who are single, have no family to fall back on, are not millionaires or holding 2 and 3 pensions, to hear their stories. I want to thank them. You've given me hope that I can get there, maybe even sooner than I originally thought, and I will be fine and I will finally have a life I can enjoy.
I think the last paragraph in one of Curmudgeon's posts ( #236) was meant for folks like you. He was talking about folks wanting to retire, and their resourcefulness in making it happen, and maintaining themselves, meeting their needs in retirement. I think, especially if you've been frugal as you've needed to, living within your means and saving money during your working years, this has become habit to you and you'll do what you need to when it comes time for you to retire.
And I bet anything you'll enjoy it more than you can imagine, too!
Are you sure we're not married and just forgot it?
My wife always said that until we got together late in life her 'man-picker' was broken. Two marriages to losers convinced of that and despite having two children during the second one, or maybe because of it since the girls' father never did really work, and never paid child support after she left and divorced him, it was time to go. So she had to embark on the adventure of being a single, working mom (she'd always worked since age 15 anyway) and also concluded that men weren't worth the trouble and she was better off without one.
Thankfully, we met at work and in time became work friends because she admired my work ethic, knowledge and skills and respected me as I did her. It was five years and following a divorce over two years before that I finally asked her out and after some trust issues and hesitation despite our friendship - I was a man after all - she finally agreed to a date. The rest is history.
LOL...doubtful I would forget something like that!
I never got child support either and always had to work. Life 'gone wrong'...lol
You guys are proof that we should probably never say never. Although I do and have certainly earned the right to. I can't believe I've been divorced 18 years. Never felt better.
I agree. It is a two way street. It looked like marcopolo was just making a joke anyhow, in reference to nomoresnowforme's comment that "people are always saying that" to him on forums.
There is some truth to marcopolo's contention that some folks worked hard and paid funds into government and do not mind that others benefit from that. Even so, I know a lot of people who will end up on public assistance directly because of poor choices they have made earlier in life.
I know a couple with children who gave up 2 good jobs to relocate to a better climate where there were no jobs. A bit of a pipe dream. Ten years later they were back in the midwest, broke, divorced and both are currently on public assistance. And will be for the rest of their lives.
I know other couples who splurged on many things, pulled money from home equity at every opportunity, and eventually went bankrupt. Their kids are acquiring college debt as a result. they will be relying heavily on taxpayer assistance.
Then there are those who trudged off to work for 40 years, nose to grind stone, all the while paying their taxes that went to help others. Maybe they do deserve a "Thank You"? They certainly do not deserve condescension for not being a burden on society.
43 years and counting for me- considering my part-time contract work in retirement. IMO they also don't deserve disdain from those who assume that because they're financially comfortable (as a result of living within within their means, and managing their money well), they *must* have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths, were handed one opportunity after another in their lives, had cushy six figure jobs they fell into with no efforts on their part, and got where they were out of pure luck. And that they necessarily look down on others who weren't as "lucky" as they were.
Are you sure we're not married and just forgot it?
My wife always said that until we got together late in life her 'man-picker' was broken. Two marriages to losers convinced of that and despite having two children during the second one, or maybe because of it since the girls' father never did really work, and never paid child support after she left and divorced him, it was time to go. So she had to embark on the adventure of being a single, working mom (she'd always worked since age 15 anyway) and also concluded that men weren't worth the trouble and she was better off without one.
Thankfully, we met at work and in time became work friends because she admired my work ethic, knowledge and skills and respected me as I did her. It was five years and following a divorce over two years before that I finally asked her out and after some trust issues and hesitation despite our friendship - I was a man after all - she finally agreed to a date. The rest is history.
I also see a lot of the same posters that acknowledge that they are able to have a comfortable retirement due to their Social Security and pensions support the politicians that would take those same things away from younger people. A lot of "I got mine, s c r e w y o u" in the retirement forum.
And just where have you seen that in the forum? Seems to me it's more projection on your part.
While it is true that one has to avoid a financial disaster like being disabled and needing in-home or other nursing care to be able to retire with a decent lifestyle, the more important point and something you can control is that you need to save and invest properly and not retire too early. Having a pension helps, some people intentionally chose employers that, while not necessarily paying as much immediate salary as others, offered a defined-benefit pension. That said, defined benefit pensions are rare for people entering the job market now.
So, yes, you have to avoid the "fickle finger of fate", but more importantly you have to prepare ahead of time, most important to save in 401K or similar from an early age. Failing that, put in as much as you can, when you can. If you don't save, you won't have any savings, duh.
Very perceptive remarks, Shaker. Particularly in the Economics and Personal Finance Forums, the viciousness of the generational wars is amazing.
Your second paragraph is a nice summary of a number of posts in this thread in which people have given their own stories about how retirement was possible after all. Yes, so many of the magazine and newspaper articles operate on the tacit assumption that retired people are entitled to (fill in the blank with stuff like granite countertops, an upscale car, country club membership, international travel, designer clothes, $50 bottles of wine, frequent dining out at upscale restaurants, and so forth).
Except for some international travel done on a shoestring, I never had any of the above when I was working and I had no expectation of it in retirement. Therefore, I was fortunate to be able to continue the same relatively modest life style I always had. But if necessary I could go much father toward frugality. In college and in graduate school most of us in my age cohort lived very frugally indeed and I haven't forgotten how.
I think that part of what drives these financial magazine articles to suggest that one needs a large %-age of last working income to retire is that these articles are written by financial types, not engineers or crafts people (duh). These financial people majored in, and worked in, business and finance, and typically can't do much with their hands but type. So, for them, what they write is their own reality. And of course these people spend more when they make more. After all, their life is about money. What else would you expect?
But. People who can think and work with their hands can substantially reduce their need for brute income. My friend Submariner is an excellent example of how one might do this.
I expect when I retire that my expenses will go down quite a bit. And they are already quite modest.
Possibly the most important point to be made in personal finance, is to not spend all you make.
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