Tag: retirement

Retirement Arithmetic

I’m opposed to raising to 70 the age at which Americans can begin collecting our social security retirement benefits. If we weren’t funding war and destruction against our alleged enemies then this money could go to propping up the social security retirement trust fund.

The fact is too many Americans are forced to work in their sixties because they can’t afford to retire. This is no joke. Going to diners with my mother she remarked that the senior citizen waitresses surely must need to work. That they weren’t waiting tables because they wanted to.

Who knows. There are people who want to keep working in their sixties. So be this.

The issue to parse is how exactly you and I can retire at 65 or 67. Like said funding a 401(k) or 403(b) can enable us to do this. Relying solely on a pension as stated before is not the way to go.

Take heart. Our finances don’t have to be complicated or laborious.

My take is that staying out of debt counts more than adhering to a strict budget. I’m no fan of budgeting. I think what makes more sense is spending less than you earn. Funding with your paycheck the things you value. Prioritizing spending on those items. Cut down or cut out spending on everything else.

Yes, I’m all for fast fashion if you can’t afford clothes that cost more. Simply take care of your clothing items and keep them in good condition. To delay having to buy new clothes frequently.

I’m just as guilty of having gotten items online from SHEIN at a ridiculously low cost. I don’t really recommend this as the fact is the clothing is likely churned out in a sweatshop.

Only I can understand what it’s like to be crunched for cash. I’m not going to judge. My life motto is: No Judgement.

A person doesn’t need to buy things to be happy. Enjoying free or low-cost experiences is the better route to pure joy.

Finding joy in each day can be possible when you live on a low income. It’s called not comparing ourselves to people who seem to have it better in life.

After I run through this blog entry carnival on finances I’m going to return to talking about DEI topics.

Finding Joy in Each Day

You do not know until you try something what you’re capable of. Like working at a job. Or simply discovering a new hobby.

My friend Robin told me years ago that he took an art class to see if he’d like making art. He wasn’t any good at it and it turned out this hobby didn’t rock his world. So he tried something else.

Simply picking one activity first to try is key. It can be the one that most interests you. If this doesn’t give you joy, try the next item to see if that choice gives you joy.

Like a magnet I bought tells us to do: Find something you like and do it forever. This is how I feel about my writing business and projects. I’ve known since I was seven years old that I wanted to be an author.

Some kids express a talent at an early age. Like Tina Turner who told an interviewer: “A 10-year old girl can be singing at church suppers.” Then that girl is 30 years old and performing on stage in a concert.

And even if you have this kind of gift that doesn’t mean you necessarily should or need to become famous on the stage. Perhaps you like to bake yet won’t become a chef. You’ll bake pies to bring to work to share with your coworkers.

There’s myriad ways to have fun on and off our jobs. The point is to have fun each day doing something we love.

I’m writing and publishing to City Voices online a new column titled: Ellemental: Recovery Topics with a Twist of Humor. So far three articles have been posted. In a coming blog entry here I’ll give the links to the first four articles.

I’m first going to continue to talk about finances and retirement. Coming up my take on how to retire on time instead of having to work until you’re in your 70s.