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One number to predict retirement happiness?
Old 08-28-2014, 03:46 PM   #1
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One number to predict retirement happiness?

"According to one financial expert, how happy you'll be after you stop working isn't just about how much money you have. It's based on how much money you have in relation to how much you need."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/number...190700356.html

What do you think?

Caution: This is a light article from Yahoo news I found interesting. Many here don't like it or don't like the snippet I posted with it, so you might waste 30 seconds of your life clicking the article and reading the few paragraphs. That is 30 seconds of your life you will never get back mind you, so think very, very carefully before you click the link because it may not be all that fascinating to you.
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Old 08-28-2014, 03:59 PM   #2
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Great, now all we need is a magic ball to find out just how much exactly we will need. Oh, and another to predict investments so we know how much we will have. Other than those two items, it's genius.
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Old 08-28-2014, 04:04 PM   #3
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Me thinks Mr. Dickens already said much the same thing:

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen [pounds] nineteen [shillings] and six [pence], result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."
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Old 08-28-2014, 04:04 PM   #4
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Yes, I agree.
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Old 08-28-2014, 04:36 PM   #5
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I thought the number to predict retirement happiness was the number of times one had sex every week.
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Old 08-28-2014, 04:45 PM   #6
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There is actually an even simpler calculation that works as well.
All you need to know is your date of death.
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Old 08-28-2014, 04:50 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by braumeister View Post
There is actually an even simpler calculation that works as well.
All you need to know is your date of death.
Got it:
The Death Clock: Calculate your life expectancy today
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Old 08-28-2014, 05:00 PM   #8
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Damn! I am not going to make it past 75 per the clock . Tick, tick, tick.
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Old 08-28-2014, 05:18 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort View Post
According to one financial expert, how happy you'll be after you stop working isn't just about how much money you have. It's based on how much money you have in relation to how much you need.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/number...190700356.html

What do you think?
Well, I think there's a limit to that. If you only need X dollars to live happily in the lifestyle to which you are accustomed, and you have 3X dollars, would you be happier with 5X dollars? I just don't see it. And who would retire with less than X dollars if that is what you need? I doubt any of us would, at any rate. In other words, I think this measure of happiness needs to be further refined and tweaked.

As for the life expectancy calculator, it gives me until age 90. However, no complaints will be heard from my direction if I happen to live a little longer than that.
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Old 08-28-2014, 05:24 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ejman View Post
Me thinks Mr. Dickens already said much the same thing:

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen [pounds] nineteen [shillings] and six [pence], result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."
+1 Why do people post naked links without summarizing the article. This one would have taken a simple sentence. The guy says to evaluate your expenses and then evaluate your income stream(s). If the ratio of funds/expenses is greater than 1 all is good. As noted above, essentially the Dickens ratio.
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Old 08-28-2014, 05:27 PM   #11
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Damn! I am not going to make it past 75 per the clock . Tick, tick, tick.
Gotta work that BMI down.
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Old 08-28-2014, 05:47 PM   #12
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+1 Why do people post naked links without summarizing the article. This one would have taken a simple sentence. The guy says to evaluate your expenses and then evaluate your income stream(s). If the ratio of funds/expenses is greater than 1 all is good. As noted above, essentially the Dickens ratio.
I put the first paragraph of the article above the link. Sorry it didn't meet your standards.
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Old 08-28-2014, 05:52 PM   #13
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I put the first paragraph of the article above the link. Sorry it didn't meet your standards.
I was fine with the link as posted. I don't think anything wrong there.
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Old 08-28-2014, 06:42 PM   #14
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I put the first paragraph of the article above the link. Sorry it didn't meet your standards.
Quotes would have made it clear it was from the article and not just your comments.
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Old 08-28-2014, 07:19 PM   #15
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Maybe I am missing something here - I don't feel this is article worthy. It's only stating the obvious, at least to me.

I mean, of course, you feel you have enough money to live on, that will make you happy, but the question is do you really know how much you will have or how much you will need.
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Old 08-28-2014, 07:23 PM   #16
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The calculator is a joke. I have a glass of red wine every day (which is supposed to be good for health), yet by saying I drink daily, the calculator chops about 9 years off of my life expectancy. Huh? Give me a break.........I'll take my chances, and keep drinking the wine.
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Old 08-28-2014, 07:24 PM   #17
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I thought the number to predict retirement happiness was the number of times one had sex every week.
Why am I so happy?
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Old 08-28-2014, 07:25 PM   #18
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The calculator is a joke. I have a glass of red wine every day (which is supposed to be good for health), yet by saying I drink daily, the calculator chops about 9 years off of my life expectancy. Huh? Give me a break.........I'll take my chances, and keep drinking the wine.
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Old 08-28-2014, 07:33 PM   #19
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Quotes would have made it clear it was from the article and not just your comments.
Sorry it did not meet your standards either. I have made the noted correction.

Tough crowd tonight!
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Old 08-28-2014, 07:57 PM   #20
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Has anyone read the book this is based on? It has good reviews on Amazon.
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