It was really a nice surprise for me to realize that I enjoy retirement. I was out of work for about 6 months in 1981 and it was horrible - I lost my sense of who I was. But now I enjoy having time to myself and I think I'm growing as a person. There is one big problem, though. The income is horrible.
The NuSTAR job was great and now I have a new car, so I don't have to worry about that for a long time. (But I'm thinking about gas prices for the first time in 10 years.) I sell things on eBay now and then, both fun and a bit of cash. Other than that, it's Social Security, which isn't exactly a bonanza, as our Republican friends suggest (okay, no more politics, for the moment). And I have some savings, thanks to Twila, who got on my case about it 20 years ago.
Twila, being a financial genius, did a cash flow projection for me, and that's where the conundrum lies. These are made-up numbers, but you'll get the idea. I now have $100,000 in assets, savings and stocks. Twila said that if I'm frugal and maybe a little bit lucky and if the damn Repub... no, let's just say if Social Security doesn't get ripped away (and Medicare, which I'm close to having), I could still have $80,000 in assets when I'm 90.
YAY!
But YAY? I suppose I'd be happy to get to 90, but I doubt I'll be tripping the light fantastic if I do. And I could go down like a sack of beans anytime, and my $80,000 wouldn't be much use to me then. Now, though, I'm still sprightly and energetic and having fun, so shouldn't I spend my money now, even though it means those precious assets disappear? Adios, frugal? It's scary, because what if I'm 75 and still sprightly and energetic and able to have fun, but broke?
My inclination is to go for it now. I've long imagined that at the end I'll be wasting away and drunk on cheap wine and lying in a gutter somewhere, so at least it wouldn't come as a huge surprise. And who really wants to outlive everyone they know? But when times arise when money is a factor, like, "Hey, want to go on vacation?", I freeze.
It's a conundrum.
Whether or not you reach 80 isn't the only variable now is it? Enjoy life while you can. Someone can take your money, but they can't take away the memories and joy of living life to the fullest, which you and Twila have the best time doing! The world is changing, life is changing. Do it now.
ReplyDelete"Eat, drink and be merry.... And if that fails, there's always Walmart!
Go for it... Then come and find me in the gutter. I'll share my wine with you. I 'll be the guy in the big cardboard box with the blue tarp over it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2008/03/26/
This will be us.
Ed
Excellent! I'll start looking for my box.
ReplyDelete