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tangomonster · 03-20-2006, 03:21 PM

Thanks Coach! It's just too bad that our society leads to our self-esteem hinging on what we earn. I've tried to tell myself that my low earnings stemmed from choices I made and is not a reflection of my innate ability. After all, this isn't like Soviet Russia was, screening young people to see who had the best potential to be trained to be gymnasts and ballet dancers based on their physique! I think I took the sixties a little too to heart and then didn't develop the savvy or interest in the business world/economic well-being I probably should have as an adult (but thank goodness I did understand right away that I was responsible for my own financial security and liked the idea of saving and investing). And hopefully in the second half of life, stuff like status and earnings become last important to (almost) everyone....

Now if I could just meet some people like you all in real life....

Aaron · 03-20-2006, 04:11 PM

Tango

Congratulations!* It sounds like you’re both the perfect example of LBYM.

Just curious, but what was your motivation or goals to save such a large next egg (anything you've been putting off doing)?* It seems like you’re at the 99.999999% confidence level so it’s just surprising that you’re still questioning if it’s doable.*

Aaron

tangomonster · 03-20-2006, 04:30 PM

Aaron, I think all we were after was security. And I guess we always kinda knew that we weren't going to do that well earning money and had to look out for ourselves. Maybe deep down we knew that we weren't totally cut out for the work world (not the popular kids in school---and it's no different in the work place!) and taht we could be too sensitive to tolerate it for 30+ years.

Still don't think we made any sacrifices per se. For a while when we were traveling, we made our trip selections based on what was on sale, such as a great package to Hong Kong or England, rather than just going to our dream destination (not sure what that would be, even). We thought there was value and enjoyment to be had in wherever we went.

We did put off having kids until we felt we could afford them. By the time we felt like maybe we had enough of a cushion, we were firmly entrenched in our life and then didn't especially want any changes. Don't regret having kids---we're intense introverts who possibly couldn't ahve dealt with all that is entailed with child raising.

Always knew that a bigger home wouldn't do anything for us other than give us more to clean.

Love to read but live in too small a place to accumulate books, so the library suits us just fine.

And truly we're not saints or financial wizards. A lot of what we've been able to do is just due to our personalities---being introverted, you don't have to keep up with the Joneses---all you want to do is say hello and keep going, but not spend time one-upping or even keeping up! We do have a big screen TV since we watch movies at home; haven't been out to a movie theatre in ten years! Not just due to the money---it's also that we couldn't tolerate people talking, kicking our chairs, and so on. And we like some independent/foreign films that aren't shown in theatres but can just be rented through Netflix.

No regrets. I know I've missed out on experiences and "things" that other people have had, but I wouldn't have enjoyed them as much as most people do (or think they do). Even travel didn't quite turn out to be what I had hoped---can't really get to know a place in depth in one week as a tourist, miss the creature comforts of home.

But who knows? Maybe with early retirement and less tress and more time and energy to enjoy life, I'll turn into a spending machine to take up the slack!

cube_rat · 03-20-2006, 05:49 PM

WOW! Congrats on your nice nest egg on a modest salary. I have nothing to offer (I'm still in the learning process) but to get out and enjoy yourselves. If I were you, I'd retire now rather than waiting for 5 years.

wildcat · 03-20-2006, 10:18 PM

Tango -

Welcome. I am just reading your posts and nodding my head in agreement with a lot of your thoughts. So much of what you have said sounds like me, except the 4 mil part of course

. I hope you decide to stay a while and be sure to enjoy what you have worked so hard to accumulate. Best wishes.

Ed_The_Gypsy · 03-20-2006, 10:39 PM

tangomonster,

If your monicker means something, why not drop down to Argentina and Uruguay for a little tango? That is still big stuff there. Robert Duvall is down there tangoing (verb?) today.

Health care is said to be first-world and cheap. You also won't have to explain anything to the relatives. They will think you have gone crazy. Tell them it is cheap and they won't wonder.

Run, do not walk!

(Take me with you!)

Cheers,

Ed The Gypsy