Maybe there is hope for the future.

[Koolau]

They’re also paying our Social Security and Medicare. At least for now ..

Heh, heh and some of 'em will change our Depends!

 

[GaryInCO]

I have two kids: a 29-yr-old son and a 27-yr-old daughter. My son is pretty self-sufficient. He never managed to do college, but he found himself a great job at a local engineering firm. I gifted him the down payment for his first house, and he's done an exceptional job of caring for it, upgrading it, etc. He's honestly a better homeowner than me.

My daughter is more challenging. It's frustrating because she's extremely intelligent, but she has no self-management. It doesn't help that she has mild autism, and that she's trans. She's held a couple of jobs (retail &etc) but never more than a couple of months. It's hella hard to find a job when you have no marketable skills and almost no employment history. For now she's living with me, but I hope I can nudge her out of the nest eventually. But if I kicked her out now, she would be living under a bridge. I don't know what else to do.

 

[Koolau]

I have two kids: a 29-yr-old son and a 27-yr-old daughter. My son is pretty self-sufficient. He never managed to do college, but he found himself a great job at a local engineering firm. I gifted him the down payment for his first house, and he's done an exceptional job of caring for it, upgrading it, etc. He's honestly a better homeowner than me.

My daughter is more challenging. It's frustrating because she's extremely intelligent, but she has no self-management. It doesn't help that she has mild autism, and that she's trans. She's held a couple of jobs (retail &etc) but never more than a couple of months. It's hella hard to find a job when you have no marketable skills and almost no employment history. For now she's living with me, but I hope I can nudge her out of the nest eventually. But if I kicked her out now, she would be living under a bridge. I don't know what else to do.

I'm guessing you've already enlisted professional help for your daughter. All the best going forward. I hope you reach a good outcome. Blessings.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have two kids: a 29-yr-old son and a 27-yr-old daughter. My son is pretty self-sufficient. He never managed to do college, but he found himself a great job at a local engineering firm. I gifted him the down payment for his first house, and he's done an exceptional job of caring for it, upgrading it, etc. He's honestly a better homeowner than me.

My daughter is more challenging. It's frustrating because she's extremely intelligent, but she has no self-management. It doesn't help that she has mild autism, and that she's trans. She's held a couple of jobs (retail &etc) but never more than a couple of months. It's hella hard to find a job when you have no marketable skills and almost no employment history. For now she's living with me, but I hope I can nudge her out of the nest eventually. But if I kicked her out now, she would be living under a bridge. I don't know what else to do.

Since your daughter has a disability you should make an appointment at your local department or bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation. It’s a state agency that is funded 83% by the federal government and the rest by the state.

They help people with disabilities obtain and maintain employment. They can also help with job training, college, a job coach until the person learns the job and many other support services. I worked for 20 years in this department.

 

[marko]

While I appreciate the sentiment, I'll take a different (and likely controversial) tack. IMO, there's more to "hope for the future" than kids eating $0.65 breakfasts and saving to the point of near obsession. That's our "hope"?

If you're scrimping because you're under-employed, that's one thing.

But I'd hesitate to applaud someone at age 24 depriving herself of some of the really good things in life: international travel, dining at nice places, concerts, cocktails with friends, whatever in order to then live a similar super frugal lifestyle at age 40 just so that you don't have to go to work. Just sounds sad to me.

Two of my young nieces are very well paid and think nothing of flying off somewhere for a long weekend. Almost every long weekend. Yes, they enjoy their jobs, and yes, they are saving for retirement and yes, they will be the ones paying our SS in the future (and picking out our nursing home). But I do believe they have a much better balance of living life and preparing for the future.

Rather than living like a monk in order to avoid answering to the man at age 40, I'd suggest that at age 24, go find a job that's enjoyable, set a goal of retirement maybe just a tad later and get the most out of living. YOLO.

Sure wish I could go back to age 24!

 

[FlaGator]

While I appreciate the sentiment, I'll take a different (and likely controversial) tack. IMO, there's more to "hope for the future" than kids eating $0.65 breakfasts and saving to the point of near obsession. That's our "hope"?

If you're scrimping because you're under-employed, that's one thing.

But I'd hesitate to applaud someone at age 24 depriving herself of some of the really good things in life: international travel, dining at nice places, concerts, cocktails with friends, whatever in order to then live a similar super frugal lifestyle at age 40 just so that you don't have to go to work. Just sounds sad to me.

Two of my young nieces are very well paid and think nothing of flying off somewhere for a long weekend. Almost every long weekend. Yes, they enjoy their jobs, and yes, they are saving for retirement and yes, they will be the ones paying our SS in the future (and picking out our nursing home). But I do believe they have a much better balance of living life and preparing for the future.

Rather than living like a monk in order to avoid answering to the man at age 40, I'd suggest that at age 24, go find a job that's enjoyable, set a goal of retirement maybe just a tad later and get the most out of living. YOLO.

Sure wish I could go back to age 24!

As I tell my 24/21 YO kids, this is the time to have fun, take risks, and do stupid things (but not criminal). Doing those things is what makes one "experienced" and better to learn those lessons in your 20's than later.

Very fortunate that they're good savers, investing, and haven't need a bailout.

 

[Koolau]

I think the "trick" is to set goals and understand the costs of those goals. It's okay to w*rk diligently toward early Financial Independence and it's okay to have lots of experiences while you're young. You just need to understand the "cost" of each of those (and any other) life style.

Don't eat the $0.65 breakfast and complain that you're deprived and don't take 3 trips a year to far flung places and then complain that you can't pay your rent. Count the cost of your goals and make them happen with eyes wide open. No right or wrong in the setting of goals. Achieving the goals means you make compromises. Be certain the goals are worth the compromise.

Stepping down now from my soap box.