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OP you have my retirement plan. Except I'm not going to inherit anything sadly. Good for you. Normally when you meet a lot of people who act like this, it is an indication that a lot of ppl in your social circle are in a different social class than you are.
Don't be afraid and reach out to some more well off people. Then you don't have to be as careful about what you say. LOL good for you...you so and so. Must be nice ;D
OP you have my retirement plan. Except I'm not going to inherit anything sadly. Good for you. Normally when you meet a lot of people who act like this, it is an indication that a lot of ppl in your social circle are in a different social class than you are.
Don't be afraid and reach out to some more well off people. Then you don't have to be as careful about what you say. LOL good for you...you so and so. Must be nice ;D
I am noticing that as a theme in the marketing of some retirement living communities.
Your attitude sounds more like celebrating an accomplishment vs the "IN YOUR FACE!!" style comments the more braggy types tend to make.
Honestly though, what's pride to one person is braggy to another. It's like the definition of "one minute" depends on which side of the bathroom door you're on. That's why I said it's a fine line.
In the media, at least here, pensions are very bad words. They never seem to trot out the teacher that's living on a 20K a year pension, or the librarian living on that, too -- you know, the normal person who receives a pension, who very probably also had to save and invest to make sure they had some funds to draw on also, because their pensions wouldn't be very much -- they vilify the long time chief of police who ended up earning 250K in pension payments, to make their point that pensions are EVIL, and will bankrupt us taxpayers so those pension getters live high on the hog, drinking champagne and eating caviar, while the rest of us eat cat food.
And the population is buying it. Sad.
However -- a lot of people don't have pensions. We knew we would never have them. And we figured the only way we would have any sort of retirement was to save in IRAs, and plain old saving and investing on top of that. No one ever heard of a 401K at the time we started saving. So saving was our priority. And then when we got 401ks we stuffed the max allowed into them and stuck them into the most aggressive investments they offered (which was still too conservative for my taste).
We're proof saving and investing works, early retirement can be done, AND we are proof that living frugally doesn't mean having nothing but piles of money and thousands of washed and rewashed ziplock bags. We have two relatively new (well -- they are 12 and 13 years old) cars, a house full of DVDs and books, two computers, smart phone and cell phone, huge flat screen TV, small flat screen tv, fully furnished home (and not from flea markets or second hand stores -- one vintage dresser from Salvation Army but holy cow it's a Drexel Heritage Mid Century Modern beauty!) and I have some nice, expensive custom made jewelry pieces, and insurance to go with them.
One thing really saved us was buying our house and not using it like an ATM. The second thing that saved us was using mainly adjustable rate mortgages. We've ridden downward rates TWICE in this house.
The third thing was opening our own business. That allowed us to really chunk money away.
It's sad -- we've tried to help a few people along the way, and it hasn't been appreciated and we've been told we were wrong. One actually said investing in mutual funds was a "get rich quick scheme"...
These types of reactions are why we keep our mouths shut about having money. My sisters and I talk though, and one of the other things we've realized is that this comes easier to some of us than others. My sisters and I are very similar money wise.... and we think it comes from our mom. When my Dad died at 57, my mom had to make do on very little for nearly 8 years before she could file for widows social security, which was smaller because my Dad hadn't put into system since he died.... and when she died she managed to wrangle her meager earnings into just over 100K. Nothing in her closet didn't match, all of her clothes could be dressed up or down, she had house clothes and out clothes and when she came home, she changed and hung her up clothes unless they need washed. A little care of those clothes kept them looking great. A little mending here and there, and when they got too worn they were the new house clothes.
She also was a great cook, and cooked mainly from scratch, and used EVERYTHING up. Her ways became our ways and now we reap those benefits. And unless people want to make a radical change in living styles, and they don't really, you can't help them.
I don't think he's "feeling guilty." I think he's bragging. Which is probably what people around him don't like. (Did you notice that part of his "passive income" was an inheritance?)
Shame on him for accepting an inheritance! And he said that he received an inheritance, so it's not like he was trying to hide that fact.
Passing on wealth to future generations and family members is very common.
Just tell them "It is nice!" And remind them, you EARNED IT; you did not steal it! (well - most of it; inheritance is just luck) You're living in a world that has (just since the collapse and TARP) become "spend it as fast as you get it!" In fact, 20 and 30 - somethings have been doing that for decades. I didn't. I socked away as much money as I could from about age 28, and retired at 55. Work became unbearable due to the screwed up clowns I had to share a department with. I had planned to retire at about 60, but those extra five years - I wouldn't trade it for the world, and I didn't need 5 more years of income.
I was never interested in "impressing" anybody with big toys. My title, and what I had accomplished to get there was my status symbol. I knew 35 years ago that catching up on my sleep, and doing what I felt like doing was way more important than a new 'vette or a 3000 sq ft house. And yes, today, I get this attitude from those who are older than me, still working, crunched for money, upside down in their big house and other stuff that they had no business purchasing. My thought is simply, "Don't look at me...I didn't tell you to do that."
Your response should be the same. They're jealous, and its none of your concern. The guilt trip will get you nowhere. BTW, shut off the TV. I suspect that's where you're getting the "guilts" from. Socialism is being shoved down our throats. Socialism did not get you where you are, and has nothing to do with you.
Impressing people with a job title and accomplishment is not much different than using toys to impress, IMO. It's basically just a variation on that whole 'Look at me' mentality. Instead of showing off a gadget or an item, it's achievement that is the shiny item being paraded.
I'm not reading 17 pages of threads but some of the issues come from those that have public employee pensions. This does not relate to the OP's situation I don't think but....
Some of them...SOME...are just crazy. Teachers, firemen, police, garbage collectors that retire at 40 and get six figure retirements and other benifits.
Really? Can you give examples?
I have a darned good pension formula (before it was changed for new employees in 2012) and I don't see how one could retire at 40 with a six figure pension.
Certainly there have been some outliers (look up Robert Rizzo and the city of Vernon) but the vast majority are hard working individuals who earned their keep.
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
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I think a little redistributin of wealth is in order here. Why should the op enjoy a life of lesiure when others have to work? I think he should have to give at least half to the less fortunate, starting with me. And people with pensions and inheritances should have to share those too. Someone shouldn't have to work to enjoy the finer things in life.
As for the lottery, there was a study and winning the lottery is actually the retirement plan for a number of people.
Another option would be to rob a bank. If you get away with it you can retire, if not you go to jail and get three hots and a cot and free medical care. There's a win-win if I ever saw one.
Or just dont tell anyone your business! Thats what I do, or dont do depending on how you interpret it. My wife and I are the only ones that know our finances and personal business. We dont flaunt our finances or explain why we do or do not do things. We own a high milage SUV that we just put a brand new engine in, not rebuild, not crate, BRAND new as in new old stock. No one needs to know that....we dont crave attention and validation from others about ourselves. Just be humble and keep your business your business and you'll find that allot of unwanted opinions and reactions from people will go away...talk about something else....just try it.
I'm not reading 17 pages of threads but some of the issues come from those that have public employee pensions. This does not relate to the OP's situation I don't think but....
Some of them...SOME...are just crazy. Teachers, firemen, police, garbage collectors that retire at 40 and get six figure retirements and other benifits. When you mention that, you might be talking to a taxpayer that knows his crazy increase in property tax is being used to pay for your retirement, while at the same time municipalities are filing for bankruptcy. You also know that these retirement packages came from an almost criminal conflict of interest of political and public union agreements made years ago.
Before people complain: 1.) This is mostly a thing of the past and only in certain regions of the country. The majority of public employees do not see this. Most public pensions are self-funded now. And if they are not and you are not retired yet, doesn't matter what agreement you think you have, it will be. 2.) This does not impact me or my tax liability in the state I live in. I just shake my head, laugh, and think that I am glad I am not a taxpayer living in New York or Taxachusetts.
Give specific examples of teachers, firemen, police officers, and garbage collectors who have retired at 40 with six figure incomes, sir. Links please.
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