Financial security

Roar

Good news - went for a beautiful ride ( in my classic vette) upstate NY today to see my financial adviser - he said I can't die because I don't have enough money( guess I don't have to worry about next pet scan). The bad news is I don't have enough money to retire - talk about being between a rock and a hard place. I am trying to compare financial stability while working as compared to being retired and having to give up certain luxuries . I would like to retire and enjoy life, however I am not old enough. The whole cancer ordeal  has taken a lot out of me. I am tired of the every day commute to the city, waking p at 5 am. A year ago it was no problem.  I can go on and on - but  I will not- just felt like venting a little. 

peggylulu

I retired last year in March. My husband is also retired and we didn't have enough either. I just made sure to pay off our home and car first and so far we are doing ok , but we were not used to having luxuries so I can't help you much on that. Lol  Ins . is the bigest problem so if you are lucky enough to have it for life from your job I'm betting you could manage ! You could always go back to work . I say enjoy while you are young. I wish I could have retired before I was 66 and sick ! best of luck with it .

Peggy

Netracer61

Broke

You do and pay what you have to for the chance to live a little longer. I have enjoyed the simple things in life, a fishing pole, a cool breeze or even a bright red cardinal on a branch outside your window on a snowy day can bring pleasure and a sense of peace we all long for. Live life the best you can, control is over rated and rarely possible.

phrannie51

I read you loud and clear....

My husband has been on me since last September to retire, and all I could picture was going back to our beginning years of chicken neck soup, and boiling the turkey carcass after holiday meals....luxury to me has been buying what I want, when I want....feeling free to call a Vet if one of the animals was sick....little things.....I don't have expensive taste for sure, but I hate wringing out every dime from a $20 bill. 

Tonight is my second to last night of work....retirement starts on Monday morning at 8:00 am.  Unlike my husband and a few of my friends, I won't be leaving dust in my wake when I leave here.  Retirement is making me nervous....it's not just money, either...work is a big part of my identity. 

So how long before you are old enough?  I'm with Peggy that health insurance is the huge one after retirement...and who knows if Medicare is going to be worth a damn....I'm able to keep my insurance from work going till I turn 65 as long as the premiums don't double or triple with Obamacare coming on.

p 

Duggie88

The way I see it, I was retired a long time ago. I went to bed one night really tired, woke up the next morning still tired which made me retired. I may have the money thing figured out also. Kate and I are OK right now, but if times get tough with the old check book I will just move the decimal point to the right and life goes on. Kate always told me I had no cents.

On the serious side, being a trustee on a large health and welfare fund our lawyers are telling us the Affordable Care Act is not going to be a pleasant experience. The same coverage you have now will cost a lot more especially if you have to go into an exchange. Besides, that lobotomy Kate has been after me to get for years will not get any cheaper even after everyone has healthcare. I will be 60 in a few weeks and my job is an elected position with the Teamsters.  With my term ending next year I am seriously thinking of retiring and finish a book  I started writing a few years back about my Teamster experiences. I will have health care through the Teamsters but with all the changes taking place I have concerns it will remain available.

I need more coffee now.

Enjoy the day

      Jeff

longtermsurvivor

Netracer61 said:

Broke

You do and pay what you have to for the chance to live a little longer. I have enjoyed the simple things in life, a fishing pole, a cool breeze or even a bright red cardinal on a branch outside your window on a snowy day can bring pleasure and a sense of peace we all long for. Live life the best you can, control is over rated and rarely possible.

+ 1

Agree completely.

jcortney

Duggie88 said:

The way I see it, I was retired a long time ago. I went to bed one night really tired, woke up the next morning still tired which made me retired. I may have the money thing figured out also. Kate and I are OK right now, but if times get tough with the old check book I will just move the decimal point to the right and life goes on. Kate always told me I had no cents.

On the serious side, being a trustee on a large health and welfare fund our lawyers are telling us the Affordable Care Act is not going to be a pleasant experience. The same coverage you have now will cost a lot more especially if you have to go into an exchange. Besides, that lobotomy Kate has been after me to get for years will not get any cheaper even after everyone has healthcare. I will be 60 in a few weeks and my job is an elected position with the Teamsters.  With my term ending next year I am seriously thinking of retiring and finish a book  I started writing a few years back about my Teamster experiences. I will have health care through the Teamsters but with all the changes taking place I have concerns it will remain available.

I need more coffee now.

Enjoy the day

      Jeff

It's funny how things work out

For the last 16 years I owned a small company.  Largest number of employees at one time was about 14.  We operated Business Centers in large Convention Hotels, kind of like a Kinko's (Sorry Fedex Office) in a box.  Anyway, I started shrinking the number of centers down until two years ago I had only my largest one left.  I lost my contract on that one in June of last year.  I was diagnosed in August of last year.  My business REQUIRED me to be there every day, it would have suffered greatly had I been in treatment.  Like I said, funny how things work out.

So, I am forcibly retired.  Eligible for SS but haven't started taking it yet even though my accountant friends tell me I'm stupid not to because all you are doing is betting on how long you live (and some tax implications involved if you are still earning). So, I'm trying out this "retired thing" and see how bored I get.  I'm just starting to hit golf balls again and the vegetable and flower garden hold some allure.... I guess well just wait and see.

 

 

TracyLynn72

May never retire!

I'm 40 but not thinking I'll retire, maybe EVER!  My husband I both work.  Hard.  Neither job offers benefits (I work for the city and he's a contractor) so I owe every single dime of medical bills-out of pocket.  I'm so thankful to be alive, so we're not worried, but we will pay on these bills for the rest of our lives I'm sure. 

fishmanpa

You can't take it with you.

I'm part of the 99% that was so talked about not too long ago. Having lost everything after a bad divorce and subsequent heart attack/triple bypass (with no insurance) in '07, I literally had nothing but my music gear, fishing gear, my clothes and a bedroom set. There was a time I was living off of Raman noodles, frozen veggies and "you guess what's in them" meat frankfurters. It took all that time until recently to get myself back on my feet. I have no retirement or nest egg (lost it all). It's month to month and paycheck to paycheck. On the positive side, I'm paying my bills and have enough at the end of the month to enjoy a nice evening out with Marcia. I haven't investigated but I don't think even SS or SSDI would be enough to live off of. That being said, at 54 I'm a LONG way off anyway. I don't forsee my situation changing that much. I enjoy my job immensely and playing and performing music is a part of who I am and brings in a few extra dollars. Besides, with cardio vascular disease and now cancer looming over me, I'll consider myself very fortunate to reach retirement age. My plan is to work and spend a dollar a week on the lottery ~lol~

When the cancer hit, I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I'm very blessed that I have a great boss. He continued to pay my insurance costs while I was out and even threw some $$ into a paycheck a few times even though I wasn't there. Then there was the "Beat the Beast" benefit and silent auction my friend Con put together in February. Enough $$$ was raised to cover my expenses and then some during treatment and recovery. Without that, Marcia and I would not have a roof over our heads. 

Now, I'm back to work. My hours will increase as I recover. I have gigs booked in August and September and expect I'll be fine. The venues I perform at are anxious to get me booked for the remainder of the year. While I plan on cutting back a bit I'll still be playing several times a month. My voice is good to go. While it's a little weak, I tried singing the other day and I'm good. I'm even beginning to see some saliva production (especially in the mornings). The gigs will bring in some extra $$ as well. 

The point is, having gone through losing everything and facing death several times in the last 6 years, I've come to learn it doesn't matter. Money and the "stuff" we have is just that... "stuff". It won't make a bit of difference once you're gone. You can't take it with you. Yeah, it would be nice to be able to leave something for my kids and Marcia but that's just not going to happen. 

Thus the saying I've posted time and again applies to us all...

"Eat, drink, enjoy the work you do. Be thankful for the blessings God gives you in this life. Live, love and seek the things that bring your heart joy. The rest doesn't matter... it's like chasing the wind".  King Solomon

"T"

donfoo

fishmanpa said:

You can't take it with you.

I'm part of the 99% that was so talked about not too long ago. Having lost everything after a bad divorce and subsequent heart attack/triple bypass (with no insurance) in '07, I literally had nothing but my music gear, fishing gear, my clothes and a bedroom set. There was a time I was living off of Raman noodles, frozen veggies and "you guess what's in them" meat frankfurters. It took all that time until recently to get myself back on my feet. I have no retirement or nest egg (lost it all). It's month to month and paycheck to paycheck. On the positive side, I'm paying my bills and have enough at the end of the month to enjoy a nice evening out with Marcia. I haven't investigated but I don't think even SS or SSDI would be enough to live off of. That being said, at 54 I'm a LONG way off anyway. I don't forsee my situation changing that much. I enjoy my job immensely and playing and performing music is a part of who I am and brings in a few extra dollars. Besides, with cardio vascular disease and now cancer looming over me, I'll consider myself very fortunate to reach retirement age. My plan is to work and spend a dollar a week on the lottery ~lol~

When the cancer hit, I wasn't sure what was going to happen. I'm very blessed that I have a great boss. He continued to pay my insurance costs while I was out and even threw some $$ into a paycheck a few times even though I wasn't there. Then there was the "Beat the Beast" benefit and silent auction my friend Con put together in February. Enough $$$ was raised to cover my expenses and then some during treatment and recovery. Without that, Marcia and I would not have a roof over our heads. 

Now, I'm back to work. My hours will increase as I recover. I have gigs booked in August and September and expect I'll be fine. The venues I perform at are anxious to get me booked for the remainder of the year. While I plan on cutting back a bit I'll still be playing several times a month. My voice is good to go. While it's a little weak, I tried singing the other day and I'm good. I'm even beginning to see some saliva production (especially in the mornings). The gigs will bring in some extra $$ as well. 

The point is, having gone through losing everything and facing death several times in the last 6 years, I've come to learn it doesn't matter. Money and the "stuff" we have is just that... "stuff". It won't make a bit of difference once you're gone. You can't take it with you. Yeah, it would be nice to be able to leave something for my kids and Marcia but that's just not going to happen. 

Thus the saying I've posted time and again applies to us all...

"Eat, drink, enjoy the work you do. Be thankful for the blessings God gives you in this life. Live, love and seek the things that bring your heart joy. The rest doesn't matter... it's like chasing the wind".  King Solomon

"T"

The point is, having gone

The point is, having gone through losing everything and facing death several times in the last 6 years, I've come to learn it doesn't matter. Money and the "stuff" we have is just that... "stuff". It won't make a bit of difference once you're gone. You can't take it with you.

This is one of the takeaways you were gifted as a result of receiving a chronic medical diagnosis. If you learn this one, it goes a long way toward offsetting other negatives of being a cancer patient. You are aware and free to enjoy each and every day to its fullest, separated from all the superficial BS so often thrown over nearly all american consumers.

hwt

donfoo said:

The point is, having gone

The point is, having gone through losing everything and facing death several times in the last 6 years, I've come to learn it doesn't matter. Money and the "stuff" we have is just that... "stuff". It won't make a bit of difference once you're gone. You can't take it with you.

This is one of the takeaways you were gifted as a result of receiving a chronic medical diagnosis. If you learn this one, it goes a long way toward offsetting other negatives of being a cancer patient. You are aware and free to enjoy each and every day to its fullest, separated from all the superficial BS so often thrown over nearly all american consumers.

Still working

I was eleigble for SS$ January of this year but I actually enjoy my job where I work Mon.-Thurs. so I haven't applied yet. Working gives me a sense of normalcy right now.

rachel12yrsuv

Roar,
after inital dx and tx

Roar,

after inital dx and tx i rushed back to work as at the time Assist. Branch Manager of a wholesale flooring store to the trade.  I had been in field since i was 22 and loved what i did and loved my contractors i saw everyday, they helped me real quick get back to normal mind.  Of course the new view on life was also quite present at that point.  The years went on and Thanks to God i remained healthy and successful.  Then 2008 i started losing my teeth, 2010 lost my hearing and later that year got rid of unsupportive mean husband of 10 years. Daughter and i moved in with my parents. Then 2012 my hearing worse, my soft palate froze and gave me speech impediment and in May of 2012 i was let go of my life long career.  What an ego shattering event.  For the next  6 months or so while collecting unemployment i despertely searched for a job with benefits so i could start a fresh new life with Faith, my daughter, and then came Aspiration Pnuemonia.,PEG TUBE, therapy, exercises(a most know i have made vast improvement thanks go all your prayers and the Lord who never fails me) lost unemployment while in hospital for unavailability to work.  So no money, no job thst would take me on due to all my "handicaps" and the cost to insure me, i decided with help of family to appy for SS disability and again, most know i was denied( and many of you gave advice that has set me on path to fix it and will always be grateful) so now i wait 12 to 16 months from March 31, 2013 to get a hearing to see if they will approve and allow me the money i worked my a.. Off for since 18.  I only tell this for one of two reasons: one in hopes that someone oversees these post and realizes the trouble with the  Disability program and how people cheat it everyday and people who need it and deserve are denied, and two that even in the faceof  adversity i have never lost sight of my gratefulness, side effect and all, that I AM ALIVE, every morning i wake up and say to Jesus THANK YOU and give me stength to celebrate the positive and not focus on the set backs!  I love you guys!  Thank you for beibg in my life all of you!

 

Rachel 

jim and i

life to short

I was working towards retirement at 66 when Jim was diagnosed. We had to move and start treatment within one week. So I gave notice, we packed and moved in 3 days. From living on 60k and all the benefits to No income other than small savings and Jim's Social Security of 1200 per month. This was June 1, 2011. I qualified for early retirement in January 2012. By cutting our expenses and letting the car with payments go back we could survive just barely. But God is good. When Jim needed his teeth pulled for treatment the dental oncologist did it for free when he found out what we lived on. A couple of times when short for the month I would find money in an envelope that I had forgotten to take to the bank in just the right amount. When I found out  SS would not arrive until end of march and I had planned on the first check early in February I realized we would be short $940 in February. I gave it to the Lord and in late January I found a bamk envelope mixed in a box of office supplies with $940 inside. I say all this to let you know that during all that time I never missed the new car, the nice things I sold on ebay and in garage sales or my job. I was so greatful that I was able to be with Jim every moment he needed me. Now that treatment is over and retirement money is coming in we still live on a much smaller budget. Sometimes I am not sure we will have enough to get by for the month. But going back to work, even part time is not even considered because I found that life is much better without all the trappings this world has to offer. We pretty much have what we need and what we want, those things are just simpler. Jim is terminal now with mets to his lungs. I am so happy I did not trade my time with him for new cars and prestige.

May God guide you to the right decision.

Debbie

rachel12yrsuv

jim and i said:

life to short

I was working towards retirement at 66 when Jim was diagnosed. We had to move and start treatment within one week. So I gave notice, we packed and moved in 3 days. From living on 60k and all the benefits to No income other than small savings and Jim's Social Security of 1200 per month. This was June 1, 2011. I qualified for early retirement in January 2012. By cutting our expenses and letting the car with payments go back we could survive just barely. But God is good. When Jim needed his teeth pulled for treatment the dental oncologist did it for free when he found out what we lived on. A couple of times when short for the month I would find money in an envelope that I had forgotten to take to the bank in just the right amount. When I found out  SS would not arrive until end of march and I had planned on the first check early in February I realized we would be short $940 in February. I gave it to the Lord and in late January I found a bamk envelope mixed in a box of office supplies with $940 inside. I say all this to let you know that during all that time I never missed the new car, the nice things I sold on ebay and in garage sales or my job. I was so greatful that I was able to be with Jim every moment he needed me. Now that treatment is over and retirement money is coming in we still live on a much smaller budget. Sometimes I am not sure we will have enough to get by for the month. But going back to work, even part time is not even considered because I found that life is much better without all the trappings this world has to offer. We pretty much have what we need and what we want, those things are just simpler. Jim is terminal now with mets to his lungs. I am so happy I did not trade my time with him for new cars and prestige.

May God guide you to the right decision.

Debbie

Deb,
i know this will sound

Deb,

i know this will sound weird, but i dont believe in "terminal" i think medically it just means they gave run out of options.  The only person that can say your time here is done is the Lord and he or Jesus will come get you.  Until that day i believe He wants us to do exactly what you are doing, enjoy the gifts He has given you, time!

 

may God bless you and Jim as much time as He feels nessarisary and should the time come that Jesus wants to take him Home may he do so painlessly and peacefullyvand extend his arm to you to draw support from.  Amen

 

my thoughts and prayers are here for you always. LIVE!

Rachel

Roar

rachel12yrsuv said:

Roar,
after inital dx and tx

Roar,

after inital dx and tx i rushed back to work as at the time Assist. Branch Manager of a wholesale flooring store to the trade.  I had been in field since i was 22 and loved what i did and loved my contractors i saw everyday, they helped me real quick get back to normal mind.  Of course the new view on life was also quite present at that point.  The years went on and Thanks to God i remained healthy and successful.  Then 2008 i started losing my teeth, 2010 lost my hearing and later that year got rid of unsupportive mean husband of 10 years. Daughter and i moved in with my parents. Then 2012 my hearing worse, my soft palate froze and gave me speech impediment and in May of 2012 i was let go of my life long career.  What an ego shattering event.  For the next  6 months or so while collecting unemployment i despertely searched for a job with benefits so i could start a fresh new life with Faith, my daughter, and then came Aspiration Pnuemonia.,PEG TUBE, therapy, exercises(a most know i have made vast improvement thanks go all your prayers and the Lord who never fails me) lost unemployment while in hospital for unavailability to work.  So no money, no job thst would take me on due to all my "handicaps" and the cost to insure me, i decided with help of family to appy for SS disability and again, most know i was denied( and many of you gave advice that has set me on path to fix it and will always be grateful) so now i wait 12 to 16 months from March 31, 2013 to get a hearing to see if they will approve and allow me the money i worked my a.. Off for since 18.  I only tell this for one of two reasons: one in hopes that someone oversees these post and realizes the trouble with the  Disability program and how people cheat it everyday and people who need it and deserve are denied, and two that even in the faceof  adversity i have never lost sight of my gratefulness, side effect and all, that I AM ALIVE, every morning i wake up and say to Jesus THANK YOU and give me stength to celebrate the positive and not focus on the set backs!  I love you guys!  Thank you for beibg in my life all of you!

 

Rachel 

Don't understand

Rachel, 

there is a lot I don't understand. When I wrote the post I did so as a light hearted gesture. I get good vibes when I read your posts.i know your a good person. Sorry to hear about your worse half. Hope you and your daughter are doing well. I am a New York Boy - born and raised in the heart of the city. I have worked hard my whole career to be where I am today. I have a lot of material things. Well at least the bank does. I have a daughter getting married in a few months, a son who still lives with me at 27 and a wife who is a nurse. I am just tired. I am only 55. But there is a button that clicked off during recovery and all the material things just don't mean that much to me anymore. However they do mean a great deal to my family. I am at the point right now where I would be happy selling balloons on the beach- not ice cream because ice dream is too heavy. I have pondered disability but opted not to pursue. Since I came back to work it is obvious I am not what I once was. My side effects - I have decided to stop complaining because complaining dont help anything. My teeth feel like something is going on - I floss and brush at least 2 times a day. I am a big Joel Osteen fan. He gives me inspiration although I am not a religious person I believe in a higher power.i believe everything happens foR a reason. Shibumi is the pursuit of personal excellence as studied in some of the martial arts. I truly believe that most of us in here is a student of shibumi wether by choice or by circumstance  . My whole being is dedicated to shibumi - to achieving personal excellence and when the day comes to say good bye to the word I will be at peace with myself. However I am not ready to say good bye. Anyway I thought I would share with you as you shared with me. Make every day count towards your personel shibumi and continue to stride to be all that yu can be by helping yourself and others. Have a great week my fellow warrior. 

Live long and happy,

Ralph 

rachel12yrsuv

Roar said:

Don't understand

Rachel, 

there is a lot I don't understand. When I wrote the post I did so as a light hearted gesture. I get good vibes when I read your posts.i know your a good person. Sorry to hear about your worse half. Hope you and your daughter are doing well. I am a New York Boy - born and raised in the heart of the city. I have worked hard my whole career to be where I am today. I have a lot of material things. Well at least the bank does. I have a daughter getting married in a few months, a son who still lives with me at 27 and a wife who is a nurse. I am just tired. I am only 55. But there is a button that clicked off during recovery and all the material things just don't mean that much to me anymore. However they do mean a great deal to my family. I am at the point right now where I would be happy selling balloons on the beach- not ice cream because ice dream is too heavy. I have pondered disability but opted not to pursue. Since I came back to work it is obvious I am not what I once was. My side effects - I have decided to stop complaining because complaining dont help anything. My teeth feel like something is going on - I floss and brush at least 2 times a day. I am a big Joel Osteen fan. He gives me inspiration although I am not a religious person I believe in a higher power.i believe everything happens foR a reason. Shibumi is the pursuit of personal excellence as studied in some of the martial arts. I truly believe that most of us in here is a student of shibumi wether by choice or by circumstance  . My whole being is dedicated to shibumi - to achieving personal excellence and when the day comes to say good bye to the word I will be at peace with myself. However I am not ready to say good bye. Anyway I thought I would share with you as you shared with me. Make every day count towards your personel shibumi and continue to stride to be all that yu can be by helping yourself and others. Have a great week my fellow warrior. 

Live long and happy,

Ralph 

Roar,
i didnt mean to bring

Roar,

i didnt mean to bring you down, i was trying to say that even though life keeps tossing curve balls at me i never give up hope!  I wear many of my side effects like a solider wears their medals. These are my battle wounds i fought long and hard to get them and i am not ashamed of anything God gave me strentgh to fight to live and that is what i am doing!  I may have bad stuff happen and sometimes the load is heavy, but basically i am a happy person, i got a second chance and that is nothing to blink at!

thank you for sharing with me, i dont listen to him as faithfully as before but i myself am very fond of Joel Osteen he can make anyone feel good in that hour!  So we have sometimg other than cancer in common Ralph.

if i didnt leave you with a good vibe the first time i am sorry, i am a good person and sometimes my baggage is heavy and the right forum triggers it, if it makes you feel better, once i said it all i felt like aww now i feel better!  Thanks for the portal!

 

take care my fellow warrior,

 

Rachel

mikeev

Since being diagnosed with

Since being diagnosed with just a 50/50 chance of being cured and now being NED, I am living life as it comes and still working at a job that I love doing, I do not see myself retiring for a good few years yet (i'm 66years old), I do not like sitting around doing nothing and must be kept busy, the 3 months that I had off work for treatment (Rad & chemo for 7 weeks) and the subsequent part time working 10-20 hours per week were the most boring of my life, i have taken some of my pensions but left another to mature until i'm 70 when I may take it up, i am now working full time 40-50 hours/week and enjoying it, also have plenty of time at weekends to do other things, most people I know who have retired are just sitting at home waiting for god and do not do a lot, I envy people who can retire and still have a full life, hoping to have paid of most of my debts within the next few years(mounted up during treatment) then will reassess when to retire but earliest at moment is 70 when house will be paid off, my wife would like me to retire as soon as possible as she is afraid that I will overdo it workwise.

Roar

rachel12yrsuv said:

Roar,
i didnt mean to bring

Roar,

i didnt mean to bring you down, i was trying to say that even though life keeps tossing curve balls at me i never give up hope!  I wear many of my side effects like a solider wears their medals. These are my battle wounds i fought long and hard to get them and i am not ashamed of anything God gave me strentgh to fight to live and that is what i am doing!  I may have bad stuff happen and sometimes the load is heavy, but basically i am a happy person, i got a second chance and that is nothing to blink at!

thank you for sharing with me, i dont listen to him as faithfully as before but i myself am very fond of Joel Osteen he can make anyone feel good in that hour!  So we have sometimg other than cancer in common Ralph.

if i didnt leave you with a good vibe the first time i am sorry, i am a good person and sometimes my baggage is heavy and the right forum triggers it, if it makes you feel better, once i said it all i felt like aww now i feel better!  Thanks for the portal!

 

take care my fellow warrior,

 

Rachel

Just the opposite

You didn't bring me down - it is the opposite . I meant to say that you are a positive person and I draw on that. You have never given me a bad vibe. Sorry for the confusion and I wish you a continued success in all that you do