Politically Correct Retirement

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'm still trying to figure out what eating more vegetables has to do with a good retirement

 

[Cut-Throat]

I'm still trying to figure out what eating more vegetables has to do with a good retirement  

Lots of vegetables means a 'regular' life. A regular life means the plumbing keeps working OK. I know - Too Much Information! But lets just say that if you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, you are concerned with your health. And a saying among folks over 65 is that "If you've got your health - You've got everything".

But I have some older friends that spend too much time of their retirement time at the doctor!

 

[gayl]

I'm still trying to figure out what eating more vegetables has to do with a good retirement  

Cheaper? Leaving more in the 'travel' bucket? Honestly cannot figure this thing out. But I am doing just fine at 47

But I have some older friends that spend too much time of their retirement time at the doctor!

Sad that they have to get their strokes from a doctor!

Not knocking MD's but get a life!

 

[MJ]

I scored a 39. I guess my limited social contact lowered my score but I eat plenty of veggies and fruits.

MJ

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Well see, thats my point. If I answered the questions as asked with the options given, it seems like I have a limited social life.

Pretty dang far from the truth...had six people out on the back patio all day eating for 6 hours this afternoon...

 

[sgeeeee]

I only scored a 37 the first time I took the test. But I scored a lot higher the second time after I figured out what they wanted to hear. Tests are always easier when you've already seen the answers.

 

[unclemick]

Once 36 and once 46. The 46 was after morning coffee.

The 46 was when I counted all the fellow grumpy old pharts I know.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I didn't take the test, but just imagine what I would score............can you say "Keep working loser!" ?

JG

 

[charlie]

Well, I scored 27 and have been happily retired 15
years. Go figure! :

Cheers,

Charlie

 

[Martha]

Clearly CT has the most near and dear friends.

24 for me

 

[fletzie]

First how did you get the 'full time employment, posting here' notation?

Although I don't have the big bucks some of you have saved I worry about the people whose jobs got sent elsewhere and now they can't get a job, just to live.

I see the point of the original PCR info... don't think working forever is glamorous...these are my golden years and I want to begin to enjoy them as I thought I would all along.

Since seeing Supersize Me I don't eat at McD's at all...
and I never shop at Walmart (sorry about someone's friend collecting carts) because most of their stuff is
made in China and put a lot of people out of work here.

If you want to think of some really senseless people I will tell you about my daughter's in-laws. They sold a 400K house that was paid for and bought a 560K house when neither of them is working or has any reliable income! (They get some stock dividends but not enough to live), And they are both over 62...

It is when these folks get ill and that guy at WalMart who probably does not have any health insurance since more than 60% of most Wal-Mart employees depend on Medicaid for health care, that worries me.

According to reports Medicare/Medicaid is in much worse shape than Social Security!

 

[fletzie]

Meant to add that 'glamorizing' working forever is a way to have us all contributing taxes until age 70...

 

[JonnyM]

With just over a year to go to ER, I appear to be doomed!

Your final score: 15 of 60

Results:
Yikes. You may never get to retire at all and, after all your hard work, wouldn't that be a shame?

 

[BigMoneyJim]

Looks like I win as I scored 10. "Yikes. You may never get to retire at all -- and, after all your hard work, wouldn't that be a shame?"

Stupid thing never asked me how old I am! Or how much money I earn, or spend. And what makes them say I've been working hard?

I couldn't figure out the relevance of the question about a vested pension. It asked how many years I've been vested -or- how many years until I can start taking benefits. Huh?

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Well, I didn't look at this "test" but can tell from the posts than one question must be about
"near and dear" friends. I wouldn't know how to answer that one. I "know" bazillions of people, but really close friends? Guess it depends on how you define that. I have as much of a social life as I need
or want. Although kind of a natural loner, I am not a bit shy (bet you're surprised at that) . I am even borderline misanthropic, but very outgoing and
gregarious. Kind of a Ted Kaczinski type, except with a
hail-fellow-well-met twist. Pretty scary huh?

JG

 

[ascenzm]

BigMoneyJim said

I couldn't figure out the relevance of the question about a vested pension. It asked how many years I've been vested -or- how many years until I can start taking benefits. Huh?

I couldn't figure out that question either. How was a person supposed to choose between the number of years until they start collecting pension benefits or the number of years that they've been vested in their pension plan? I decided to go with the number of years that I've been vested.

I scored a 43 on the test so it looks I have some work ahead of me in order to improve my retirement.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Okay, I took it! Happy now?

It was not as dopey as I expected, but they left
out some real important questions (like health issues).
Anyway, as expected they think I am in big trouble.
Score 26................ pretty much tied with Charlie.

JG

 

[Jarhead*]

Clearly CT has the most near and dear  friends.  

24 for me

Hey Martha:

I scored the same as you. However, you have one main advantage over me, you can continue working for another 10 or l5 years.
Going into my l9th. year of retirement, imagine what a shock it was to me, to find out I had to go back to work.
Given the fact that the most productive activity I have done since retiring is working on golf handicap, and fly-fishing, (and staying out of wife's space enough to keep her out of "funny farm"), a Walmart Greeter would be a stretch for me.
My wife has been a homemaker all of our married life, and right after I took the test, I broke the news to her that I was no longer employable, and she would have to go out and get a job. By the way, what does "place that idea where the moon don't shine" mean?
Damn!

 

[Martha]

It is nice to see I am in good company Jarhead. I figure that you have to be one of the most (along with Mikey), if not the most, successful early retirees on this board as you have been retired for 19 years and it has worked for you.

So heck with the test.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Hey Martha, what about me? Chopped liver?
Or are you one of those who thinks I deserve only
censure for having an employed spouse? IMHO, that
advantage should be offset by my almost complete lack of foresight and planning

JG

 

[azanon]

JG,

My wife could "retire" today, after only 2 years of working, and I guess she could come to these forms talking about how she "recklessly" ER'd so soon at 31.  But the only reason that could happen is cause I make enough for her to do so.

I see nothing particularily special at all about a family where one adult is still working.  Either my wife or I could do that now at 33 and 31.

 

[Martha]

Hey John, I think Jarhead has seniority over you. And there is the working spouse---though I give you credit for jumping into ER before you had the working spouse and I give you lots of credit for going from being a spender to frugality. All you have to do is work on the Ayn Rand thing.

:-/

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yeah JG, I never had a problem with someone with a working spouse...especially since I've grown one in the past year

But isnt it a bit disingenuous to say "I quit with meager resources and no plan and using sheer brainpower and willpower ER'ed successfully!" ?

Anyone could run out the door with a couple of hundred thousand, live a little below their means for a change, and latch onto a working spouse a couple of years later.

Is that a 'successful ER'? I wouldnt think so and I dont think a lot of other people would either.

Not to mention, a lot of guys do it without bringing their own money cushion. They're called "leeches".

But I do like you and a lot of what you have to say. I just wouldnt follow your advice to leap without proper financial support and then look after the leap is well underway...

 

[Nords]

IMHO, that
advantage should be offset by my almost complete lack of foresight and planning      JG

Speaking as a quant-driven INTJ nuclear engineer whose spouse is also employed PT, I think John's story appeals to everyone's inner "rebel without a clue"...

 

[Mr._johngalt]

Hello th! You post some excellent stuff. I am impressed
and that is not easy to do.

No, I don't think I am being "disingenuous" at all.
When I quit in 1993, I had one child at home, an acquisitive wife,
lots of debt and other problems. I did it anyway.
Finding a new working spouse was not in the plan
(actually there was no plan). Anyway, I would be ahead
financially if I was still single. Thus, no one can
diminish what I did based on my marital status.

JG