Greetings from the Great White North

[Music Lover]

Leaving at 38 is an amazing accomplishment Chelhxi, congratulations.

I'm going at 54, and although some consider retiring at 54 "early", it's really only 1 year earlier than I would have gone anyway due to my defined plan. It's the financial equivalent of delaying the purchase of a new vehicle.

The health care benefits can't be understated. I read a lot on this site about health care costs and sometimes forget how lucky we are to have never have to face a staggering bill or high monthly premiums. I've been lucky so far not to have had a serious illness, but have had sports related injuries...knee reconstruction (torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus), and a torn Achilles tendon that cost me next to nothing...I only paid for pain killers, crutches, and a walking boot.

One of my close friends was hit by a semi while cycling...he almost died, 27 broken bones and 6 weeks in the hospital. Of all the worries his family and friends had, money was not one of them.

[Nodak]

Welcome, I used to live about 80 miles south of you and have decided to return to that area. I'm a retired Federal employee.

[Golden sunsets]

How is it that you live so far below your income but you have saved so little?

[Music Lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golden sunsets How is it that you live so far below your income but you have saved so little?

I only recently began living well below my income.

1. I earned less than $30k until 2000, and less than $40k until 2008.
2. Short failed marriage with a spender in too big of a house.
3. Bought a fixer after the divorce and basically gutted it, re-doing electrical, plumbing, foundation repair, new kitchen, built a garage, sunroom, decks, etc. Total $40k in renos, but could have been much higher as I did all of the work myself, other than the foundation repair.
4. Bought back almost 4 years of pensionable service ($21k).

[nuke_diver]

Quote:

The health care benefits can't be understated. I read a lot on this site about health care costs and sometimes forget how lucky we are to have never have to face a staggering bill or high monthly premiums. I've been lucky so far not to have had a serious illness, but have had sports related injuries...knee reconstruction (torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus), and a torn Achilles tendon that cost me next to nothing...I only paid for pain killers, crutches, and a walking boot.

Knee problems and a music lover we could be brothers from another mother I just finished having knee surgery #5

The health stuff is big. I had my last knee surgery done because I was retiring. On the company policy the surgery cost me $35. In 6 months the same operation will like be in the thousands of $$. A major illness like cancer can be crippling though I think less so now that a few years ago.