Is everyone here lucky or something??

[dtbach]

Another doom and gloom retirement article

America's middle class knows it faces a grim retirement - LA Times

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

They echo the findings of last year's installment in the Wells Fargo series, when more than a third of respondents said they expected to work at least until 80 to have enough to retire on.

 

[eta2020]

You don't need to retire at 80. Statistically you are dead.

 

[brewer12345]

I'd like to be lucky enough to limit out on squirrels for the day within the next few weeks.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Yes, I think everyone here is Lucky.....and not everyone that cannot retire is unlucky.

It takes Luck and Discipline to be in a position of F.I.

I believe these articles. I see it in my own family. I have in-laws that are retired now, but they don't travel, eat-out, buy new cars...mostly stay at home. They used to do these things, but now they largely live off meager savings and Social Security which they took early as they could not afford to delay to age 70.

 

[NW-Bound]

You don't need to retire at 80. Statistically you are dead.

You stole the words right out of my mouth.

But many posters here plan on living until 100. So, some of these 80-year old retirees still have 20 years of kicking in them. No?

I'd like to be lucky enough to limit out on squirrels for the day within the next few weeks.

I have not had squirrel, but am willing to bet eating it everyday is a lot easier than eating lobster everyday. We all knew that lobsters used to be fed to prisoners till they cried "Uncle", and it was declared inhumane and that won them a reprieve. Recently, I had a 2-lb lobster twice in 2 weeks, and man oh man, I knew what they were talking about.

 

[NW-Bound]

...I have in-laws that are retired now, but they don't travel, eat-out, buy new cars...mostly stay at home. They used to do these things, but now they largely live off meager savings and Social Security which they took early as they could not afford to delay to age 70.

I do not think a retiree staying home watching TV and taking a walk out in the neighborhood is all that bad. It could be a lot worse, as in other countries.

 

[seraphim]

Watching TV is my definition of Hell....


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[NW-Bound]

Eh, my TV has not been turned on for so long I forgot. But I am not sure surfin' the Web on my laptop is much better.

In any case, Hell is more populated, and more fun. See crowds in sports bar?

 

[athena53]

A wise former boss used to say, "Luck is the distillation of effort".

That's an oversimplification, of course; a prolonged period of unemployment or disability or serious medical issues can derail even the best plans- but, other than that, I'd say the people on this Board made their own luck.

 

[brewer12345]

I have not had squirrel, but am willing to bet eating it everyday is a lot easier than eating lobster everyday. We all knew that lobsters used to be fed to prisoners till they cried "Uncle", and it was declared inhumane and that won them a reprieve. Recently, I had a 2-lb lobster twice in 2 weeks, and man oh man, I knew what they were talking about.

If DW would not skin me, I could set traps in the backyard and eat squirrel every day if I wished. I think variety is the spice of life, but I do love me some organic, free range limb chicken.

I made squirrel pot pie on Monday and we had to tell DD2 that she could not take some of the leftovers to school for lunch. I believe she would eat squirrel every day if allowed.

I have had lobster pot pie and would not mind repeating the experience. Unfortunately, there are precious few romping around in the woods...

 

[StickInTheMud]

I am curious as to the validity of the following statement:

"Those who claim that increasing benefits is unnecessary because America's retirees are secretly rich--a notion recently bandied about by independent benefits consultant..."

We all know this sort of thing happens. The bank of accounts of parents of college-aged children magically dry-up about a year or so before they have to fill out the FAFSA and demonstrate their need. The cash piles up in the safety deposit box and Uncle Sam is none-the-wiser.

Is some form of this happening with retirees trying to squeeze a little bit of public assistance from government? Probably.

 

[ls99]

Watching TV is my definition of Hell....


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Watching TV is my definition of Dead....

 

[robnplunder]

I have not had squirrel, but am willing to bet eating it everyday is a lot easier than eating lobster everyday. We all knew that lobsters used to be fed to prisoners till they cried "Uncle", and it was declared inhumane and that won them a reprieve. Recently, I had a 2-lb lobster twice in 2 weeks, and man oh man, I knew what they were talking about.

Yup, lobsters are overrated. So are caviar, Kobe beef, Dom Perignon, ... I am lucky to have tried them all. That's something, ain't it?

 

[unclemick]

Watching tv is scary. I never used to watch baseball - but lately a 29 yr anomaly demands attention.

Sort of like saving/investing 1966-1996 thru good good times and bad but plugging away in good markets and bad markets sometimes more sometimes less but 'staying the course' even though internally panicking(not acting) now and then.

A 30 year overnight success.

heh heh heh - a really really cheap SOB and proud of it.

 

[NW-Bound]

Yup, lobsters are overrated. So are caviar, Kobe beef, Dom Perignon, ... I am lucky to have tried them all. That's something, ain't it?

Lobsters are good, until I had the 2-pounders. Caviar I do not like, and Kobe I have not tried. Dom Perignon is indeed overrated. But it could simply be "pearl before swine".

Squirrel next!

PS. I thought I could eat a lot of Dungeness crab, as I usually did not have enough. That was until we bought too many, and I swore off the crab for a year.

 

[MRG]

Watching tv is scary. I never used to watch baseball - but lately a 29 yr anomaly demands attention.

Exciting time, I worked in KMCO in '85. It was wild. I hope they show the fountain that I claim my 29 years of earnings tax paid for.


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[NW-Bound]

About us early retirees possibly being lucky, shouldn't we push it a bit more and have a lottery pool? Imagine that we win a multi-state jackpot. Wouldn't that be something?

I know we are already so rich that a $500M jackpot divided out among members would not be much, but how else do we test the theory?

 

[braumeister]

A common quote, attributed to various people with several variations, is "The harder I work, the luckier I get."

 

[Cut-Throat]

A common quote, attributed to various people with several variations, is "The harder I work, the luckier I get."

The hardest working people I know are dirt poor with jobs that rarely pay more than $10 an hour, with little chance of ending up on this forum.

 

[2B]

I'd like to be lucky enough to limit out on squirrels for the day within the next few weeks.

I've eaten squirrel but I have trouble eating something that looks like a skinned rat. The amount of meat is also pretty meager. Rabbit is the way to go IMHO. You get more meat and I think tastier meat than squirrel.

We've started seeing black squirrels in our back yard. I've not seen those before.

 

[steelyman]

I'd eat a squirrel if brewer12345 prepared it.

He'd shoot me otherwise, and I don't want that.

 

[jerome len]

Yup, most people on this blog are lucky. I recently went to a HS re-union, 10% didn't come because the invitations went out on the internet......this 10% wasn't even hooked up. And, SS if you've made a good living and waited until you receive full benefits work out to over $22.00 hr, when compared to full time employment, for DW and I. .....not all bad! Today, some jobs start out around $10.00 hr so many of us on SS have it pretty good. But.....I'm most thankful for health and family......mine are great! Finally, most make their own luck......I wasn't the smartest bulb at school or in my family......I did, however, work as hard or harder than others and to some degree made my own luck......just got off the treamill watching CNBC......excercise, I hope, will help keep me lucky!

 

[dtbach]

Yup, most people on this blog are lucky. I recently went to a HS re-union, 10% didn't come because the invitations went out on the internet......this 10% wasn't even hooked up. And, SS if you've made a good living and waited until you receive full benefits work out to over $22.00 hr, when compared to full time employment, for DW and I. .....not all bad! Today, some jobs start out around $10.00 hr so many of us on SS have it pretty good. But.....I'm most thankful for health and family......mine are great! Finally, most make their own luck......I wasn't the smartest bulb at school or in my family......I did, however, work as hard or harder than others and to some degree made my own luck......just got off the treamill watching CNBC......excercise, I hope, will help keep me lucky!

+1

 

[eta2020]

I've eaten squirrel but I have trouble eating something that looks like a skinned rat. The amount of meat is also pretty meager. Rabbit is the way to go IMHO. You get more meat and I think tastier meat than squirrel.

We've started seeing black squirrels in our back yard. I've not seen those before.

Or step it up to pheasant .... delicacy IMO