Author Topic: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers  (Read 6855 times)

jdoolin

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Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« on: April 13, 2013, 09:57:52 AM »
Jason of Dividend Mantra was featured on today.com

http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2013/04/10/17685840-retiring-at-40-one-peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich-at-a-time?lite

As usual, the comments are the best part, full of complainypantses and all the same, typical, predictable responses, just like MMM did when he was featured on MSN.

"He has no life!"

"He should enjoy his money now because HE MIGHT DIE SOON"

"But what about health care?"

"He won't have enough money!"

"HEALTH CARE!"

"Who is going to take care of his expenses when he's old?"

"BUT WHAT ABOUT HEALTHCARE?"

"This MIGHT work, but only because he doesn't plan to have any kids."

"He'll be bored being retired so long!"

Thankfully a few Mustachian types chimed in toward the end. :-)

arebelspy

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2013, 10:30:03 AM »
Thanks for sharing the link.

Anyone wanting to read EREers thoughts on it, there is a discussion of it here on the ERE forums, including DividendGuy himself posting thoughts: http://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/topic.php?id=3473
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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MooreBonds

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2013, 10:32:37 AM »
Jason of Dividend Mantra was featured on today.com

http://lifeinc.today.com/_news/2013/04/10/17685840-retiring-at-40-one-peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich-at-a-time?lite

As usual, the comments are the best part, full of complainypantses and all the same, typical, predictable responses, just like MMM did when he was featured on MSN.


I agree that many people just can't grasp their minds around retiring at an age like 40 because of the sacrifices required.

However, not only with current health insurance rates for older people - but future individual health insurance rates - he might have a rude awakening when he finds out that his individual policy rates are jacked up 5 years from now with the forthcoming individual healthcare insurance exchanges. 2 years from now, his retirement budget at age 40/45 might look a lot different when the dust settles.

I don't call analysis like that "complainypants", but rather something like "seeing-the-emperor's-lack-of-pants"

Jamesqf

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2013, 12:07:36 PM »
I have to say that some of the complainypantsers do have valid points.  I mean, living on peanut butter & jelly?  When it's perfectly possible to learn to cook healthy and tasty meals and spend less money?

Donovan

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2013, 12:20:04 PM »
I have to say that some of the complainypantsers do have valid points.  I mean, living on peanut butter & jelly?  When it's perfectly possible to learn to cook healthy and tasty meals and spend less money?

I have to agree :p I eat on a little over $100/month for just myself and eat all kids of fun things by mixing low cost and high cost (rice/beans/potatoes paired with avacados/chicken/hamburger). I have no idea what I'd do if I was spending $250/month on food :p

the fixer

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2013, 02:34:39 PM »
It looks to me like changes to individual insurance rates won't be a major hit to someone in their 40s after Obamacare. Yes, more people with pre-existing conditions will get covered, and that will raise average premiums. But there are restrictions on how much more the insurance companies can charge older people compared to younger people, which means the young will bear a disproportionate share of the costs. An early retiree should also have a low income and thus be eligible for a federal subsidy on healthcare. Most low-income subsidies (EITC or retirement savings credit) I would be uncomfortable taking as an early retiree even if I'm eligible, but in this case if the government has made private insurance more expensive and wants to pay me to offset that, I'd be fine with it.

The thing I worry about most is what's going to happen to HSA-eligible high deductible health plans...

Ms. Doodles

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2013, 10:21:02 PM »
A bit off tangent.  I dislike how commenters berate him for not wanting to have children.  As if this choice is a malady.  Worse, a few implied that having children is the way to go for senior care.  I dislike the idea of obliging your children during old age.  Of course, it is nice to receive assistance, they should never be obliged. 

plantingourpennies

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2013, 10:29:47 PM »
I love the ERE community, but there seems to be a recurring theme where one of the bloggers give some type of interview to a media outlet, lots of sheeple don't "get it" and the community gets in a twist about it.

Why does anybody doing ERE care what anybody else thinks?

Best,
Mr. PoP

matchewed

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2013, 08:11:35 AM »
I love the ERE community, but there seems to be a recurring theme where one of the bloggers give some type of interview to a media outlet, lots of sheeple don't "get it" and the community gets in a twist about it.

Why does anybody doing ERE care what anybody else thinks?

Best,
Mr. PoP

Well some people in ERE have a view that the underpinnings of this lifestyle (low consumption, DIY mentality, being financially educated, goal driven...etc.) would be good for everyone. That we should be shouting it from the rooftops. Given that, when individuals start responding negatively to a widely publicized story about an ERE individual, there may be a bit of frustration from those that expect other to get it.

Relevant sheeple reference - http://xkcd.com/1013/

sheepstache

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2013, 12:44:09 PM »

Well some people in ERE have a view that the underpinnings of this lifestyle (low consumption, DIY mentality, being financially educated, goal driven...etc.) would be good for everyone. That we should be shouting it from the rooftops. Given that, when individuals start responding negatively to a widely publicized story about an ERE individual, there may be a bit of frustration from those that expect other to get it.

Relevant sheeple reference - http://xkcd.com/1013/

Ah, I was expecting this one which is a bit darker: http://xkcd.com/610/

Spork

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2013, 01:23:24 PM »
I love the ERE community, but there seems to be a recurring theme where one of the bloggers give some type of interview to a media outlet, lots of sheeple don't "get it" and the community gets in a twist about it.

Why does anybody doing ERE care what anybody else thinks?

Best,
Mr. PoP

The short answer: I don't really care.
The long answer: I sure hear a lot of folks with similar (or higher) earnings than myself that biatch and whine about not being able to get by.  *THIS* is what gets me into a twist -- not that they chose a different path or that they don't understand mine -- but they have the smarts and the resources to be just fine and they spend a good bit of time bitching about it.

matchewed

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2013, 01:31:05 PM »

Well some people in ERE have a view that the underpinnings of this lifestyle (low consumption, DIY mentality, being financially educated, goal driven...etc.) would be good for everyone. That we should be shouting it from the rooftops. Given that, when individuals start responding negatively to a widely publicized story about an ERE individual, there may be a bit of frustration from those that expect other to get it.

Relevant sheeple reference - http://xkcd.com/1013/

Ah, I was expecting this one which is a bit darker: http://xkcd.com/610/

Sheep people from the ground rising like some Beetlejuice vs. mass cognitive dissonance. Oh the choices.

Rural

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2013, 02:01:11 PM »
I love the ERE community, but there seems to be a recurring theme where one of the bloggers give some type of interview to a media outlet, lots of sheeple don't "get it" and the community gets in a twist about it.

Why does anybody doing ERE care what anybody else thinks?

Best,
Mr. PoP

The short answer: I don't really care.
The long answer: I sure hear a lot of folks with similar (or higher) earnings than myself that biatch and whine about not being able to get by.  *THIS* is what gets me into a twist -- not that they chose a different path or that they don't understand mine -- but they have the smarts and the resources to be just fine and they spend a good bit of time bitching about it.

I don't even care if they biatch. What bothers me is when they pin me down and biatch to me, leaving me no civil way to avoid listening. And dodge/ignore all efforts to change the subject.

But that really just one guy. So maybe what really bothers me is this one guy. :)

Jeremy

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2013, 10:57:54 PM »
I enjoy the naysayers, and try to be empathetic about it

If somebody were to tell me something that was a threat to my worldview, I would be skeptical.  If it completely challenged my way of life and all of my childhood assumptions, skepticism could turn into frustration.  If I had a bad day, or week, (or life), I might even feel a bit flustered about it.  With the anonymity that the internet provides, perhaps I might even make some dickheaded comments on a blog or news article about it.  Of course I would do this just to make myself feel better.  Learning would be too risky to my psyche at this fragile moment in time

But years later, when I found myself in a difficult situation, and was ready to think about not working anymore, perhaps I would recall I read somewhere about a guy that had retired early.  With an open mind and a bit of web searching, perhaps I would find MMM or Dividend Mantra and begin to make life changes

Only a small percentage of people will do this, of course, but even if only 1 person finds a better life as a result, I think the effort expended in creating these widespread news articles would have been worth it


grantmeaname

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #14 on: April 15, 2013, 06:25:12 AM »
Only a small percentage of people will do this, of course, but even if only 1 person finds a better life as a result, I think the effort expended in creating these widespread news articles would have been worth it
True that. And in the meantime, the news sites get to tell themselves they're relevant for starting arguments between strangers on the internet.

mpbaker22

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #15 on: April 15, 2013, 07:15:16 AM »
Quote
"This MIGHT work, but only because he doesn't plan to have any kids." [\quote]

Isn't there some truth to this?  Don't you think it would at least take a few more years per kid to retire for someone who has children?  I understand that many people act as if each child costs $50,000/year, but there is some legitimate cost to raising children.

arebelspy

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Re: Dividend Matra receives the ire of the Naysayers
« Reply #16 on: April 15, 2013, 07:23:47 AM »
Isn't there some truth to this?  Don't you think it would at least take a few more years per kid to retire for someone who has children?  I understand that many people act as if each child costs $50,000/year, but there is some legitimate cost to raising children.

It's all relative to you and your plans.  I expect to retire well before 40, have two kids, and travel the world.  (That's based on the super high paying teacher's salaries my wife and I both pull in.)

Sure, if I wasn't planning the kids I could probably be done by 30, instead of low-mid 30s, so you are correct that it would take a few more years for kids, but the part you quoted ("This MIGHT work, but only because he doesn't plan to have any kids.") is to correct.  It DOES work, even if you have kids/plan to have kids.

YMMV.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.