Just mailed the most important documents in my life,,,

[MacFromOK]

My oldest Brother started drawing SS early as possible (62 I think?), because if he had waited until full benefits kicked in, he would have been 76 or so before he broke even (when both approaches would total the same amount drawn).

He died at 71.

 

[Mos Eisley]

My oldest Brother started drawing SS early as possible (62 I think?), because if he had waited until full benefits kicked in, he would have been 76 or so before he broke even (when both approaches would total the same amount drawn).

He died at 71.

U.S. mortality rate increases fivefold between ages 64 and 75. So there is that...

 

[dennishoddy]

We lived below our means for 30 + years to sock away the 401K, cash and investments. Didn’t need any advisor to tell us how to do that. We were debt free in a nice home on 3 acres in the country 15 years before my retirement with the wife’s early retirement 3 years later.
We make more monthly income now than when working with the returns on the investments.
My oldest son spends the buck as soon as it hits his hands. Constant struggles because they won’t save and get a structured job that pays for insurance and a retirement fund. They make decent money in the self employed jobs they choose but it’s feast and famine. (Takes after my ex)
Younger son is an incomplete quadriplegic in a wheelchair due to an accident 13-14 years ago. On social Security disability alone, he saved enough to purchase his own home in a decent neighborhood and make payments on it.
The example is that you can make a life if you want to control your spending and look to the future instead of instant self gratification with unnecessary toys and spending.
I know people that get a dollar raise, calculate how much money it will bring in over a period of time and go buy a boat based on that calculation vs banking that money for a couple of years and paying cash for it.
While making payments on that boat that keeps them at the top of their financial income with no slack, they have a car totaled by someone with no insurance and no job so they have to sell the boat at a loss and buy a vehicle with their poor credit because they missed payments paying on the boat. (Real story btw)
Happens every day and I’ve picked up some really nice bargains at very cheap prices from those exact same scenarios.
Save your money. Bank half your raises while working, using the other half to improve your life and help cover inflation and bank 100% of your overtime pay. (I worked a ton of OT and call outs in the middle of the night that paid double time.)
Only live on your base pay, never calculate OT pay into living expenses. OT is investment money.
That was our plan 30 some years ago and it worked as designed.
Retirement is good now.

 

[gerhard1]

Congratulations!! I pulled the plug in 2005 after 28 years at Boeing and never looked back. No regrets whatever. I like retirement.

 

[Fredkrueger100]

It's not about being rich. It's about foregoing instant gratification (debt) and living not just within your means but below it. I was a single mom with 3 kids and no child support making less than $24k/yr and managed to qualify to buy a house before Grumpy and I ever met. I drove a 77 Volare for almost 20 years. I have a 98 GMC pick-up truck now. I will still be driving that truck when I die. Debt will keep you a slave until you die and then will suck your kids' inheritance right out from under them.

Dave Ramsey is your friend.

I won’t disagree with anything you said. We definitely got ourselves into way too much debt. But thankfully we just paid most of it off. I won’t make that mistake again. My work actually has this program or Dave Ramsey’s that we can use. I forgot the name of it though. Other than my home and my student loans, I don’t have any debt. Both cars are paid for and I will drive them till they won’t go anymore. I’m way past having the nicest car and all that. I just want a reliable vehicle to get me where I want to go.