Author Topic: 6 Alternatives to Traditional Retirement - JUST KEEP WORKING!  (Read 2538 times)

NonprofitER

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6 Alternatives to Traditional Retirement - JUST KEEP WORKING!
« on: September 09, 2014, 11:44:50 AM »
This article from yahoo was depressingly laughable.

Apparently, alternatives to retirement include:
1) keep working indefinitely
2) work part time
3) start a business
4) cut back your hours (eerily similar to #2?)
5) never retire (#1 again?)
6) switch careers

So....in other words, if you can't afford to retire the WORK?

Here I was thinking the article was going to suggest moving to a lower cost of living area or perpetual travel...  Not that I expect a lot from yahoo, but seriously?!!


http://finance.yahoo.com/news/6-alternatives-traditional-retirement-201900974.html

Bob W

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Re: 6 Alternatives to Traditional Retirement - JUST KEEP WORKING!
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2014, 12:24:02 PM »
The average US worker will collect something like 15K per year at 65 in the US from social security.   In my Midwestern retirement/resort community you can buy a double wide trailer (nice one) on 5 private acres for 40K.   With a house payment of around 500 including utilities, I see no reason that even the most unprepared person/persons can't make that work nicely.   Especially considering that most people have 40K in equity in their homes by age 65.  Low income housing is available here for $150 per month. 

So here is why it doesn't work -- (most people aren't us --i.e. mustachians)

1.  95% of people have no idea what a no load, low fee index fund is
They don't have any savings anyway.
2.  If they did they would be too scared of it because it isn't FDIC insured
3.  When the market went down they would sell
4.  99 % of people don't know what SWR is
5.  If they did figure it out (unlikely) they would be sure to screw it up
6.  Most people don't desire to move from their entrenched lives
7.  Most people think that their bills are external and out of their control
8.  Most people think that two cars are mandatory for a couple
9.  Most people eat out at least 10 times per week
10.  Most people earn 20K or less per person per year
11.  Most of the low wage earners have no benefits,  not retirement,  not health insurance, not vacation (they are slaves essentially)
12.  Most people buy things they don't need such as cell phones,  internet,  magazines,  haircuts,  junk food,  booze,  cigarettes, fast foods,  gambling, cosmetics, Starbucks etc..
13.  Most people can't perceive the difference between a need and a want
14.  Most people are in debt
15.  Most people don't and never will get the idea of long term investing for retirement

The sad but true case in the US is that there is a large percentage of the population that is and always will be wage slaves.

I guess the blessing is that these same people tend to die very young.

Now for the professional, college educated worker with benefits, it is a sad thing indeed if they can't figure out how to retire.

You know it is a complete failure of the US education system that they don't teach this shit in  high school. 

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!