Seeking perspective from older heads

[thebraketester]

Dixy said:

Enjoy every moment of it as you will have moved on to the next phase before you know, don't wish your life away.

Couldn’t agree more.

[e30m3Mark]

As you get older you start to realise that all those cliches about life passing you by are true.

[Whistle]

Love threads like this,

Currently saving like mad to retire at 55 but also enjoying quality time with my kids and wife, we have been on holiday in America for over a month now. Back home next week

[mike74]

Despite being mortgage free and less of a ''consumer of stuff'' than I've ever been before I seem to be needing to earn just as much now at 44, just to get by, as I needed to earn 10-20 years ago when I had a mortgage and more of a materialistic lifestyle.

I suppose it illustrates the lie that is official inflation rates combined with the truth of stagnant wages for at least the last 10 years.

[mike74]

lrdisco said:

46 here. Planning to retire in 4 years.
Own building business and still on site 4 days a week.
Children 15 and 13. Best thing in the world. Very very supportive wife.
I missed most of my children growing up due to chasing money.
I’m knackered. Physically and mentally. Knees, shoulder, hand and ankle all getting worse.
Stress of having employees, clients and juggling money keeps me awake on a night.
My advice- Enjoy your children. Give your wife/ partner lots of attention. Spend time as a couple as much as possible but spend time doing the little things with the children. Ask yourself do you need the big house and the flash cars? The winter sun in Dubai?
Most importantly look after your knees.

None of my business really but I can't see how someone with 2 kids and currently having ''the stress of juggling money keeping you awake at night'' can also be planning to retire in 4 years at 50?

[johnwilliams77]

mike74 said:

None of my business really but I can't see how someone with 2 kids and currently having ''the stress of juggling money keeping you awake at night'' can also be planning to retire in 4 years at 50?

Probably because having a lot of cash / a high value business does not stop him thinking about all the moving parts of who needs paid / when / delays / getting paid / paying the bank, etc.

[Whoozit]

bloomen said:

Blimey. You may well have another 35 or more years of perfect health ahead. My neighbour is 79 and has not visited a doctor in her entire adulthood. She's out every day chopping and painting things.

Maybe. And then again, one could be Sergio Marchionne with the world at your feet, considering "slowing down" by reducing your commitments just to the Ferrari chairmanship, and a routine op goes suddenly and badly wrong. Don't assume you'll have threescore and ten.

[anonymous-user]

[Whoozit]

El stovey said:

As the Sphinx's riddle put it, "what walks on four legs at dawn, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?"

You won't know what the dice of genetics, environment and dumb luck will bring you. Don't say "Ahh, I'll do that when I'm retired". Unless you have a serious vocation or personal focus.