My dad retired at 62 and mom followed a year later. Living all their lives on a lower-middle-class income, they retired with a ranch home and a condo on a lake, both mortgage free. They also owned a car, truck, and pontoon boat. And, for the first eight years of retirement, they regularly took week-long bus tours, stopping at age 70 when mom's dementia took over their lives.
Point being that, for the most part, mom and dad's 60s were carefree and fun and completely funded by just their social security checks and mom's modest pension. So where did we go wrong?
We had hoped that selling the family business would give both hubby and I much more free time. I imagined daily workouts together; greater sharing of house and yard chores; and more spontaneous and planned traveling. But, sadly, it appears that dream won't come true for several more years.
Today's reality is that, until we're Medicare eligible, one of us needs to work for group healthcare. And since hubby was able to snag a managerial job at age 62, he's the one still working 50-60 hour weeks. Which means I'm still managing the home front on my own, there's no spontaneous travel, and vacation time is limited by hubby's employer.
But, worse yet, we've realized, despite savings and the fair amount we got for the family business, we need hubby's paycheck. And now we're discussing hubby pushing retirement to age 68 instead of 66.
Here are the obvious differences I see between my parents and us. Although we made three times more than my folks, we also self-paid two children through university. My folks did not support education beyond high school. We also regularly took two children to the dentist, including braces for one of them. My folks only took their children to the dentist if they were screaming in pain. After seeing what happened to my mom, we have long-term health insurance. My folks never bought long-term health insurance. But I think the biggest differences are that everything costs more now, and money doesn't grow like it used to when my folks were in their 60s.
Over the weekend I realized I need to give up the hope of living carefree in my 60s. Today's reality is pushing that dream to my 70s. And I need to stop stressing over whether or not hubby and I will still be mentally and physically fit in six years. It is what it is.
On a positive note, we have been taking better care of ourselves for much longer than my folks did. Primarily because they didn't know better. So I'm going to focus on that difference, while continuing to pray that 70s are the new 60s.
1 comment:
Good plan! Eating healthier and getting some exercise--well, you'll feel better, anyways--LOL! Times have changed a lot since my folks retired. My folks did help my brother out quite a bit with college, but only the boy and he had to work, too. My sister and I were on our own. Expected to marry well, I guess--LOL!
This is why they say the middle class is slowly disappearing. Used to be the middle class could have a good life--with just the man working. The young couples today usually both have to work just to make ends meet...and will have to work into their 70s or beyond if the government can eliminate or drastically reduce SS like they've been trying to do for years. We are no longer the land of opportunity like we used to be. Work hard and get ahead. On the average we work longer hours to live hand to mouth...and in fear of having health issues. Times have changed, that's for sure.
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