U.S.Workers and retirement?

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

When your sixty five you'll change your tune.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Yeah I agree with "living in the now" and enjoying life now but still trying to be smart for later and I feel like I don't have much extra for either! Now I am not going to say I am starving and living out of my car but at the same time I don't feel I am spending a whole f of a lot like many folks are. I don't eat out, have a new truck, a $300,000+ house, fine clothes or a huge bankroll. I squeak every week on bills, put a little away in my 401K, pay my bills, etc. but at the end of the day I am still left wondering where will I get the $$ to get new windows, new towels to replace my 14 year old rags or pay for the driveway to be repaired! WTF?! TRUST ME I don't live extravagantly but once in a while I have to say WTF? and get lobster....we all have to live, right? Manicures, $100 haircuts and $200 pair of shoes every month are NOT part of my life. How do people afford these things, I cannot figure out. Sure they may make more than me but when I see people spend 10 times what I do I know damn well sure they don't make 10 times what I do. Leaves me wondering what I am doing wrong. Then when I hear many don't even have $1,000 retirement it all becomes clear. They must be kidding themselves, up to their eyeballs in debt and making it all "look good".

Whatever....maybe I am way worse with money than I figured and I am the one kidding myself. I just don't get it.....one minute I feel like I am not doing so bad and the next minute I feel like a total financial failure. I appreciate what I HAVE but not understanding how I cant afford what I NEED when I see folks spend foolishly on so much and yet supposedly almost a third of working folk have nothing for the future. Holy S&^$ I need a nap........

[FishermanTim]

Originally Posted by Jenn

.... Manicures, $100 haircuts and $200 pair of shoes every month are NOT part of my life. How do people afford these things, I cannot figure out. Sure they may make more than me but when I see people spend 10 times what I do I know damn well sure they don't make 10 times what I do. Leaves me wondering what I am doing wrong. Then when I hear many don't even have $1,000 retirement it all becomes clear. They must be kidding themselves, up to their eyeballs in debt and making it all "look good"......

BINGO! You hit the nail on the head. They CAN'T afford it and are living in debt up to their eyeballs!


Whatever....maybe I am way worse with money than I figured and I am the one kidding myself. I just don't get it.....one minute I feel like I am not doing so bad and the next minute I feel like a total financial failure. I appreciate what I HAVE but not understanding how I cant afford what I NEED when I see folks spend foolishly on so much and yet supposedly almost a third of working folk have nothing for the future. Holy S&^$ I need a nap........

If you are able to live withing your means, then you are able to LIVE!
Way too many people are focused on just the "here and now" and spend that way. Many figure that their house will be their retirement nest egg and they will be all set, yet they are mortgaged to the max, use credit cards like monopoly money, and think "budget" is what they try to get their fat arses to do off the couch!

How many parents figure that buying their childrens affection is easier than earning it? I see it way too much for it to be a coincidence. It just adds to the problem and perpetuates that kind of mind set for the kids to follow.

[piemma]

So I always made a decent living as did my wife but we were very judicious about how we spent our discretionary cash. We bought a used Popup camper when we first got married and camped. That was vacation. 2 weeks trout fishing in Maine. Great times and cheap.

I'm not gonna get into a life story but I think you get my drift.

You should live as you can afford to live. You need to always be aware of the fact the SSI will not allow you to retire without eating dog food twice a week.
You NEED to put away for retirement! Don't be mislead that you can live on SSI. We didn't and now we can retire with a sense of confidence and peace.

[Jenn]

Thanks for making me feel a little better guys I KNOW I got a little "ranty, sideways and sort of off topic" in my last post. It's just so hard to understand sometimes and I know I shouldn't be comparing my situation to others and I don't live life stewing over what I don't have that others do but lately (what I call "the gap") seems more and more baffling to me! It all started with my curiosity over the retirement thing. Oh well typical of me to get sidetracked I will be ok!

[nightfighter]

Manicures, haircuts, color, clothes, shoes, vacations, new cars every two year.... yup, that would be my ex-wife's MO. Don't know about what she and new husband have done about retirement, but the message to my kids is not one about what reality....

[Fly Rod]

If people can not save now....just think when Obamacare kicks in and your hours R cut from 40 to 29 hours....most that own property and have a mortgage will need a second job....will not be able to spend more time with family and could only enjoy skiing, boating and vacation until their charge card is exhausted.

The average pack of cigarrets cost 8-10 bucks per pack...take the 8 bucks a day x 7=56 bucks if U R a one pack a dayer x 52 weeks =$2,912...U have to be a rich person to smoke in the first place....and doubled if married and both smoke....stop smoking and start saving

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Fly Rod

I

The average pack of cigarrets cost 8-10 bucks per pack...take the 8 bucks a day x 7=56 bucks if U R a one pack a dayer x 52 weeks =$2,912...U have to be a rich person to smoke in the first place....and doubled if married and both smoke....stop smoking and start saving

We have a close friend who we have known for 25 years. She drives a 20 year old car that is beat to s#@*&, bald tires, etc, etc. Constantly complains about not having any money. Yup, you guessed it, her and her boyfriend both smoke a couple of packs a day. I don't get it.

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by Jenn

Thanks for making me feel a little better guys I KNOW I got a little "ranty, sideways and sort of off topic" in my last post. It's just so hard to understand sometimes and I know I shouldn't be comparing my situation to others and I don't live life stewing over what I don't have that others do but lately (what I call "the gap") seems more and more baffling to me! It all started with my curiosity over the retirement thing. Oh well typical of me to get sidetracked I will be ok!

Jenn the difference beteeen those other people who seemed to have so much more than you is thier house will never be paid for, nor will anything else. They probably lease the cars they drive. Have numerous credit cards, we only ever had one. Never charged to it what we couldn't afford to pay off evrr month. And dont worry, somehow those windows will get replace.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device