Financial advisors vs quality of life
I was watching Suzy Orman the other day and a 10 year old child called, wanting to know if it were financially advisable to buy a thirty dollar Wii game. She told him no. Later a twenty-three year old wanted to take a trip to Paris. She was also told no. Why? Because they need to be saving for their retirment.
I was twenty and working on my first job when our boss mentioned retirement. I worked with a bunch of kids my age and we all laughed. Afterall, less than a year ago, most of us were still drawing an allowance. Boy, do I wish I had listened. I didn't start saving until I was 35 years old, and then only a little. What did I do with the money? Traveled around the world, bought what I wanted, when I wanted, and charged most of it on credit cards. Do I regret it? Somewhat, but not the traveling. I just wish I'd found a middle-ground. Travel for ten years, then saved for retirement. Or mixed it up and did both, but I do not believe in denying yourself every luxiry just to save for the future you may never have.
My DH was always going on about retirement. I'd tell him that retirement is a modern day invention. It's not in the bible. The bible tells us to save for seven years of famine(which I did, sort of). Until the 1930s in the USA, people worked until they died. People didn't live that much past 65.
Back to Suzy Orman. To me, she's basically telling people to wait to enjoy life. To save for old-age. In fact she told the young woman who wanted to travel to Paris, that being older doesn't mean you feel different. You'll feel the same as you did in your 20s, she said. There's no reason to take the trip now.
But what if, I thought.
At twenty, I had a friend who said she wanted to wait until she'd finished raising her children before she traveled. She got married as a teen and had her first child a year later. And I told her I'm traveling now. I don't know what the future will bring. What if we're in another world war and you can't travel.
I was right. Twenty years later and 9/11 occurred, terroism rapid across the world. Today on the newscast I saw Bangkok is the mist of violence. Let's not forget the natural disasters. In short, most of the places I visited, I wouldn't now because I'd fear for my safety. MY friend never got to travel, but spent her life caring for her children and struggling financially.
I guess my point is, that it doesn't make sense to me to deny one's self everything just to insure this so-called retirement years. One financial advisor even said people should stop buying Lattes at coffee shops. Save the money for retirement, he admonished. Yet, none of us are guranteed a future. We only know what whe have now.
My husband lived to be 59.5. He did not enjoy one penny of his retirement money. I say pass the latte.
I was twenty and working on my first job when our boss mentioned retirement. I worked with a bunch of kids my age and we all laughed. Afterall, less than a year ago, most of us were still drawing an allowance. Boy, do I wish I had listened. I didn't start saving until I was 35 years old, and then only a little. What did I do with the money? Traveled around the world, bought what I wanted, when I wanted, and charged most of it on credit cards. Do I regret it? Somewhat, but not the traveling. I just wish I'd found a middle-ground. Travel for ten years, then saved for retirement. Or mixed it up and did both, but I do not believe in denying yourself every luxiry just to save for the future you may never have.
My DH was always going on about retirement. I'd tell him that retirement is a modern day invention. It's not in the bible. The bible tells us to save for seven years of famine(which I did, sort of). Until the 1930s in the USA, people worked until they died. People didn't live that much past 65.
Back to Suzy Orman. To me, she's basically telling people to wait to enjoy life. To save for old-age. In fact she told the young woman who wanted to travel to Paris, that being older doesn't mean you feel different. You'll feel the same as you did in your 20s, she said. There's no reason to take the trip now.
But what if, I thought.
At twenty, I had a friend who said she wanted to wait until she'd finished raising her children before she traveled. She got married as a teen and had her first child a year later. And I told her I'm traveling now. I don't know what the future will bring. What if we're in another world war and you can't travel.
I was right. Twenty years later and 9/11 occurred, terroism rapid across the world. Today on the newscast I saw Bangkok is the mist of violence. Let's not forget the natural disasters. In short, most of the places I visited, I wouldn't now because I'd fear for my safety. MY friend never got to travel, but spent her life caring for her children and struggling financially.
I guess my point is, that it doesn't make sense to me to deny one's self everything just to insure this so-called retirement years. One financial advisor even said people should stop buying Lattes at coffee shops. Save the money for retirement, he admonished. Yet, none of us are guranteed a future. We only know what whe have now.
My husband lived to be 59.5. He did not enjoy one penny of his retirement money. I say pass the latte.
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