Thinking about retirement? Dream on!
Thinking about retirement? You might want to think again. If you didn’t see the following article on NPR this week, you should probably read it. http://www.npr.org/2011/09/27/140680583/retirement-reality-not-as-rosy-as-expectations
Then if that wasn’t enough bad news for you, try reading this one about being realistic about health issues that many retired folks will face.
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/28/140853479/boomers-delusion-about-health-in-retirement?ps=rsung
Many of the nice folks who visit my blog are younger than I am, mom bloggers who are busy raising families. While those years are behind me I haven’t forgotten what it’s like. I had a bread box that instead of bread I put my bills in…when the pull down door refused to shut due to overcrowding, I started putting the bills in a shoe box. Soon that was overflowing too.
I remember laughing when someone asked me if I had a college fund started for our five children. Between medical bills, (one had asthma and required frequent hospitalizations) braces (to help with overbites) and the cost of living we never had enough money.
College fund? You gotta be kidding.
Retirement? Too busy and too many bills to even think about it!
Time goes on…
Fortunately our financial picture got better. We both have jobs now that take money out of our checks for retirement. Will it be enough? Who knows? Every time I listen to the news I am convinced we are headed toward another Great Depression. Just this morning the governor of our state was on the radio explaining why he had to “borrow” so many million dollars from one fund to cover the interest payment on a loan. According to him when the state lawmakers reconvene in January they will all work together to decide how to repay this.
Yeah, right.
And so I leave you with this thought….
No matter how young you are, no matter how many bills you have, you better start thinking about retirement now because life goes by in the blink of an eye and “I’ll think about it tomorrow” only works if you are Scarlett O’Hara.
For those readers who are younger and still raising their kids: we hear a lot about the cost of college and saving now, but the truth is, if you can only save for college or retirement, save for retirement. There are scholarships and loans for college – not for retirement! I know too many people who are having to work far longer than they had intended, or even worse, go back to work after retiring just to make ends meet! I honestly hope that’s not my husband and myself when it comes time for us to retire!
Good article, Teresa, and so very true! What looked reeeaaaly big 10 years ago looks pretty puny today!
I did the early retirement thing.It is killing me financially. It wouldn’t if I went to work part time. I will be 65 in May and finances should get a little better. I have no problem living. I just can’t save for vacations and etc.
Tish is taking reduced social security at 62 because the amount she recieves in the the first 3 years will take 13 years to make up at the higher rate if she waits until 65. Not exactly an incentive to wait especially as she can still work reduced hours for the next 3 years and then do what she pleases after that.
Not to say that SS is a great retirement fund. Most people will need to supliment their SS to be comfortable. Good thing I’m still a spring chicken :0)