Rags to Rich stories ...

[travelover]

Where I grew up, all the toys are made up ones out of whatever were lying around. Girls and boys had equal opportunity to grab and make whatever they want to make. It made the kids to be creative .

Us, too. That led to manufacturing our own gunpowder, making hydrogen balloons with lye, tin foil and a pop bottle, and inner tube powered catapults.

 

[MRG]

Us, too. That led to manufacturing our own gunpowder, making hydrogen balloons with lye, tin foil and a pop bottle, and inner tube powered catapults.

Oh thanks for that, DB got us some magnesium shavings. Added it to the homemade gunpowder to build homemade roman candles.

The early years played with rocks, mud and 'road apples'. Road apple fights were great fun.

MRG

 

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

Oh thanks for that, DB got us some magnesium shavings. Added it to the homemade gunpowder to build homemade roman candles.

The early years played with rocks, mud and 'road apples'. Road apple fights were great fun.

MRG

My hubby used to have a dead possum on a rope as a toy.

 

[robnplunder]

I suspect most of the stories on here would be-

-Learned a useful skill/trade/profession/etc.
-W#rked hard
-LBYM
-Disciplined savings
-Invested well

Or some would started a small business and make it big. Any lotto winners?

 

[Walt34]

My hubby used to have a dead possum on a rope as a toy.

He wasn't the only one. A girl across the street dragged around a dead snake on a string for a while.

 

[robnplunder]

He wasn't the only one. A girl across the street dragged around a dead snake on a string for a while.

I've seen my neighbor kids/young men play soccer with dead rats. After monsoon rain, dead rats will surface from their holes.

 

[travelover]

........ Any lotto winners?

I won the ovarian lottery. Born white, tall and male in the USA with a college educated parent, went to college when college could be paid for with a part time job, invested during one of the best stock market run ups, snagged a pension with employee healthcare just before it was dropped.

So, my lad, it is all about timing.

 

[aja8888]

I won the ovarian lottery. Born white, tall and male in the USA with a college educated parent, went to college when college could be paid for with a part time job, invested during one of the best stock market run ups, snagged a pension with employee healthcare just before it was dropped.

So, my lad, it is all about timing.

Mostly it's about having the right parents for a start.

 

[Walt34]

Mostly it's about having the right parents for a start.

That certainly helps, even if they're not college educated. A stable home and good ethics are almost necessities though. Even the Horacio Alger success stories almost always had a mentor of some sort.

 

[travelover]

Mostly it's about having the right parents for a start.

That's where most people screw up. You gotta pick your parents carefully.

 

[robnplunder]

I won the ovarian lottery. Born white, tall and male in the USA with a college educated parent, went to college when college could be paid for with a part time job, invested during one of the best stock market run ups, snagged a pension with employee healthcare just before it was dropped.

So, my lad, it is all about timing.

Damn! Some people have all the luck. If I had a little bit of timing on my side, I'd be already retired.

 

[MichaelB]

It's not luck, it's making the right choices.

That's where most people screw up. You gotta pick your parents carefully.

I won the ovarian lottery. Born white, tall and male in the USA with a college educated parent, went to college when college could be paid for with a part time job, invested during one of the best stock market run ups, snagged a pension with employee healthcare just before it was dropped.

In fact, looking back, I made lots of choices that weren't so good but I still made out all right. In addition to the right choices it helps to have some second chances.

I'm disappointed no one got my first post reference.

 

[travelover]

......
I'm disappointed no one got my first post reference.

You seem like a good fella.

 

[iibgdi]

I'm far from retirement but I am pretty sure I will feel this way too.

Not exactly sure why either. Maybe fear of running out?

 

[Major Tom]

the spending down of assets made during a life of building up, feels like failure for a reward.

I'm far from retirement but I am pretty sure I will feel this way too.

Not exactly sure why either. Maybe fear of running out?

Ask yourself whether you are saving and investing a) simply so you can have more money, or b) in order to fund your life without needing to work in the future.

If the answer is b), then spending down assets shouldn't feel like failure when it is actually your reward.