Patriotic Retirement

[frawin]

I would go for this, I am thinking about retiring anyway, I can't see continuing to work so I can pay more taxes and more people can do nothing and draw more money from the "O" giveaway programs. Everywhere I go I see help wanted adds, yesterday I was in the Tulsa area, Walmart, Lowes, several restaurants, several Landscaping companies all had help wanted, or now hiring signs. One person told me that some peiople are not taking jobs because they don't want to miss out on all of the government give away programs.

This was an article from the St. Petersburg Times Newspaper on Sunday. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on "How Would You Fix the Economy?" I thought this was the BEST idea. I think this guy nailed it!

Dear Mr.President,

Patriotic retirement:

There's about 40 million people over 50 in the work force; pay them $1 million apiece severance with stipulations:

1) They leave their jobs. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They buy NEW American cars. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.

3) They either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed.

[larryJ]

Frawin, I don't know how old you are, but I would like to relate my story to you.  About three plus years ago, my wife and I were out to dinner with our son and his soon to be wife.  In the middle of the idle cihit chat, he all of a sudden said somethiing to me that really floored me.  This is from my kid who worked his way through college with a little help from us to become a CPA.  His statement was:  Dad, I figured out that you could make more money being retired than you do working.  What with your pension, social security, and your 401k, you would have more money that if you were working.  I thought about what he said and did the math and he was right.  Which is a good thing considering how money it cost me to put him through school.  A few months later, my company announced buyouts and 43 people were going to go one way or another.  There were also some changes to the way the company was going to operate which I didn't like.  So I called my wife and told her I was retiring.  The last day I was on the job, one of my co-workers with very little seniority came to me and thanked me for saving his job as he would have been first on the involuntary list to go.  I am glad I made the decision and have never regretted it.  So do the math and see if it is worth it.  I don't have the commute, or the headaches, and I can do whatever goes on my "honeydew list"!

[frawin]

Thanks Larry, I appreciate your response. I am 68 years old, and market crude oil and Natural gas in several states. I work out of my house and love my work. I have never touched my Philiips retirement, all of my IRA's, own my home have no debt. My problem is the tax that "O" Queen Nancy Pelosi and Scary Harry are putting on the industry to "redistribute the wealth". I have all 3 of my kids thru college and really have no need to work. It disturbs me that the current Washington powers are designing all of the tax structure to take from the working people and give to those that do not or have not worked. I am going to stop there before I say more than I should, in fact I probably have already. Again, I appreciate your response, I like positive responses that provide good, helpful information to others. Enjoy your retirement you have earned it.

[Lookatmeknow!!]

My biggest grip about the people that are not working and we are paying their way is that they do better than I do.  They get free insurance, free money, and you know they have no headache from their jobs.  It really stinks!!  Especially since my husband and I are self employed.  We pay for our own insurance, our retirement plans, our groceries, and everything from the money that we make WORKING!!!  And at the end of the day, we don't even make enough to pay all the bills!  We even care enough about our kids that they each have a college and retirement fund that we pay for!! 

But on the same note, there are people that don't make as much as we do that need that extra help.  I have some single mothers with their kids in my daycare, and if the state wouldn't help them pay for the daycare, well I think that we would be paying for them to sit at home.  They are trying to make it and just not enough coming in to make it.  I commend these kind of people, they are at least setting a good example to their kids by working.  They don't sit at home all day, getting our money and do nothing.

I hope that I haven't offended anyone by this but this is how I feel.  I am proud to be a working mom! And I am proud to have a husband that works.  We also enstill these values into our children as well.  We telll them all the time when they want a new toy or some sort of candy at the store and we don't have the extra money, that nothing is free in this world and that when they get old enough they can get a job and buy the things that they want.  But until then they get what they get. 

[frawin]

Ang, Frank & I have both worked since we were very young.  He worked in his family's businesses and I started working at 13, worked all through highschool, secretarial school, and worked all the time the kids were growing up.  All 4 of we kids worked on the farm to help Mom & Dad as well.  After Frank & I were married, I helped him with cattle and farm work and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Still help in the yard--it's good exercise and gives a sense of pride as well.  I quit outside the home a few years ago, to enjoy some time and also to take care of my health, as I was beginning to have some problems.  Now, I go help the kids and grandkids when they need help.  I might add, all three of our kids worked while they were in school as well.  I truly believe it is a good lesson for them to work and learn how to take care of their credit and finances.
Myrna 

[Wilma]

I am here to tell you that if you can retire and are worried about how you are going to get along on retirement pay, you can do it.  My husband and I had more after we quit work and we didn't get a big severance  lump sum, only what we had saved.  When you figure up what it costs to work and the money you can save by being able to plan, you are way ahead..  Especially with the costs of going to work every day.  And I am still better off than most widows.  Considering that we started out with nothing, never inherited anything, didn't have the help of rich relatives, etc.  In other words, what I have now is what we made for ourselves.  You can do it, too.

If you want to retire and are old enough, give it a lot of consideration.  Who knows, you might be saving a job for some young person with a family.  You might be saving a job for my grandson or your own grandson.