Most Americans Can't Retire...

[Sunset]

I know a person that literally will spend every penny you give them. Only thing that kept them afloat up to now is their modest pension. They have absolutely no savings !

Are they simply dumb or brilliant financial people who realize that someone else will pick up the tab for them, probably the good savers as they are the only ones with money

 

[Lakewood90712]

Are we talking about cheaprvliving-dot-com? I visit it from time to time. I really like what these people are doing, as they are resourceful and try to live on what they have. Living in a van down by the river is a lot healthier than getting cramped up in inner-city housing. You are out in the open, breathing clean air, getting to walk and hike about, having more physical activities. All the good stuff.

That's the website. Spartan lifestyle to put it mildly. Interesting just the same.

 

[Fermion]

That's the website. Spartan lifestyle to put it mildly. Interesting just the same.

It is my go-to site when I get depressed thinking we don't have enough to really retire (usually after reading one of the posts on here where someone asks if they can retire with only $6,000,000 and a small $70,000/yr pension with 3% COLA).

I go over to cheaprvliving and read about someone pooping in a bucket and feel like we can make do with what we have saved so far.

 

[Andre1969]

I already have a tiny house as dwelling of last resort. It's comfortable, of 200 sq.ft (8'x25'), and is even self-propelled (at a cost of 9mpg, towing a car).

Here, it is parked facing Bodega Bay, where Hitchcock's thriller The Birds was filmed.

That's pretty awesome...I've always wanted to visit that area, although I know that much of what was in the movie was matte paintings and studio back lots, and in reality the school house is about 5 miles from the town. Plus, it was shot about 52 years ago, so I imagine most of the area doesn't look like how I imagine it would look. Is that view, above, from the "Brenner House" used to be, looking back toward over the bay toward the town?

 

[sherrywilliam]

I know a person that literally will spend every penny you give them. Only thing that kept them afloat up to now is their modest pension. They have absolutely no savings !

Are they simply dumb or brilliant financial people who realize that someone else will pick up the tab for them, probably the good savers as they are the only ones with money

My parents and siblings are all like that, you couldn't let them know you had a dime saved or they would be in borrowing mode. Learned early in life to keep mum about any assets after being burned.

 

[fanmail]

People will be able to retire. In fact as some other recent thread attested, many will be forced into retirement.

Will Americans be able to retire? Yes. Will they be able to retain or improve their standard of living without savings and or a pension to LBYM? No. They will have to downsize their lifestyles. How many magnitudes depends on how dire their individual situation.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

That's the website. Spartan lifestyle to put it mildly. Interesting just the same.

It's a good thing I am retired because at the rate I am have to peruse new and interesting websites, I will NEVER get to the end of the internet!!!

 

[athena53]

I know a person that literally will spend every penny you give them. Only thing that kept them afloat up to now is their modest pension. They have absolutely no savings !

Are they simply dumb or brilliant financial people who realize that someone else will pick up the tab for them, probably the good savers as they are the only ones with money

I know- an earlier post about the lady who gets subsidized housing with a view of a bay for $1K+ less than the market rent bothered me. While a civilized society should provide the basics (a safe place to sleep and 3 squares a day) to the poorest and most vulnerable, at what point does the government safety net get so cushy there's little incentive to save?

I suspect the safety net will become less cushy as more people rely on it and there are fewer taxpayers footing the bill for it.

 

[Lakewood90712]

I know- an earlier post about the lady who gets subsidized housing with a view of a bay for $1K+ less than the market rent bothered me. While a civilized society should provide the basics (a safe place to sleep and 3 squares a day) to the poorest and most vulnerable, at what point does the government safety net get so cushy there's little incentive to save?

I suspect the safety net will become less cushy as more people rely on it and there are fewer taxpayers footing the bill for it.

The trend locally for a decade or so in very desirable areas is to strong arm large developers to set aside 5% of the units at drastically reduced rents for low income renters. No set asides ?, no project approvals. Stinks, but it is reality these days.

 

[NW-Bound]

That's pretty awesome...I've always wanted to visit that area, although I know that much of what was in the movie was matte paintings and studio back lots, and in reality the school house is about 5 miles from the town. Plus, it was shot about 52 years ago, so I imagine most of the area doesn't look like how I imagine it would look. Is that view, above, from the "Brenner House" used to be, looking back toward over the bay toward the town?

My motorhome was parked in Doran Regional Park. I did not go look for the old locations in the movie, because I would not expect to recognize them. Just now, look on the Web and find out that no scene in the movie was shot on that part of the bay. I did drive by a restaurant or an inn, and from the Web, it appears to be the location of the restaurant where people took refuge from bird attacks.

 

[Andre1969]

My motorhome was parked in Doran Regional Park. I did not go look for the old locations in the movie, because I would not expect to recognize them. Just now, look on the Web and find out that no scene in the movie was shot on that part of the bay. I did drive by a restaurant or an inn, and from the Web, it appears to be the location of the restaurant where people took refuge from bird attacks.

Yeah, I believe the Brenner house was over on the other side of the bay, off Westshore road. That area where the real Tides Restaurant was has been totally redone, although I think it's still called Tides Wharf. At the time the movie was shot, there was no gas station on that corner...in some scenes it was a matte painting while in closeups it was on a Universal backlot. Ironically though, in later years, a Union 76 gas station did pop up on that corner.

From what I've looked at on Google Maps, the area around the old school house still looks about the same, even down to a few of the surrounding houses.

Still, thanks for posting that pic...I bet that's a really pretty area

 

[Fishingmn]

Major lifestyle creep.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

Maybe it's just me but I found it very funny that "Major lifestyle creep" was followed by "sent from my iPhone"

 

[NW-Bound]

But, but, but is it iPhone 6?

 

[sherrywilliam]

The trend locally for a decade or so in very desirable areas is to strong arm large developers to set aside 5% of the units at drastically reduced rents for low income renters. No set asides ?, no project approvals. Stinks, but it is reality these days.

Wouldn't a lot of them with reduced rent be low income earners. Which I have no problem with. Some work very hard for very little money. A vast majority of them have horrid housing, so a select few that have it nice isn't so bad JMO