OT --66 years old today!

Well I am 66 years old today and God has blessed me with a loving wife, three children, and eight grandchildren. This is just a small list of many blessings.
With todays economy, I am saddened to see so many people that are struggling to survive and if you look closely, many problems are self inflicted.
It is unbelievable how much debt is owed on items, and credit cards for [b:0cf7ee5f27]wanted[/b:0cf7ee5f27] items.
I was advised early in my life to [b:0cf7ee5f27]"Satisfy My Needs Before My Desires"[/b:0cf7ee5f27] and I have done without many things.
While my kids were small, I drove a Clean used car while most of my friends had new cars and bought new home furnishings and virtually gave away their perfectly good "old items"
Today many of my "high spending friends" are still working and are still in debt--at least three haved filed bankrupsy--and see no hope of retirment.
Of course some have had bad luck and illness that caused many of their problems and that is just Life!
I think most of the problems in this country today were created by corrupt politics and [b:0cf7ee5f27]GREED![/b:0cf7ee5f27]Why does this country try to police the world with vast military action and extravagent spending of money, while there are [b:0cf7ee5f27]MANY[/b:0cf7ee5f27] veterans that are among the poorest number of people in the USA???
I am not a Veterin but I have great respect for each of them!
Sorry for the rant but I am retired, debt free and draw a decent retirment and I have time to reflect on good and bad decisions I have made during my lifetime.
All my children and grandchildren will be here today and it will be another [b:0cf7ee5f27]Good Day[/b:0cf7ee5f27]!

Congratulations on getting to a happy retirement!

I agree with most of what you say, except the part about questioning why we protect our interests overseas. During the 90's the message became clear that there was no consequence to attacking the USA. Bomb our embassies and kill a couple of hundred people? No problem. What happened on 9/11 was a direct consequence of that sign of weakness; and it wouldn't have stopped there if we hadn't stopped it.

great to hear such good news. Wish you a happy birthday and continued good luck and health!

(quoted from post at 15:49:02 09/24/11) Congratulations on getting to a happy retirement!

I agree with most of what you say, except the part about questioning why we protect our interests overseas. During the 90's the message became clear that there was no consequence to attacking the USA. Bomb our embassies and kill a couple of hundred people? No problem. What happened on 9/11 was a direct consequence of that sign of weakness; and it wouldn't have stopped there if we hadn't stopped it.

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I have to agree with you but my statement--Why does this country try to police the world with vast military action and extravagent spending of money---I am not referring to [b:0997776280]DEFENSE[/b:0997776280]! That goes without stating, I am referring to this country [b:0997776280]borrowing money [/b:0997776280]to send to foreign countries that would love to see us fail.
All the money in the world would not stop religious fanatics from doing their evil deeds!
You can do a Google search for "American Aid" as I have, and I was shocked!

Happy Birthday !! I agree about the greed and buying needlessly new things when the items you already have are perfectly fine. People are too materialistic these days. Better to make do with what you got and save your $$$.

CONGRATULATIONS Nice posting

I'm in a similar situation, only a couple years behind you. At this stage in life its NOT about money anymore, its about God, Family and our HEALTH. I grew up frugal and conservative and tried to teach my kids the same. Farm n home paid for and debt free with a couple pensions, SS and some money in the bank LIFE IS GOOD. Ive NEVER owned a new car or a new boat or RV etc., but what I do own I take care of and maintain. Unlike so many, I HAVE NO NEED TO IMPRESS ANYONE, Im happy with what I have and care less what others think of me or my clothes, car, home or other worldly possessions

Youre right, needs and wants need to be kept seperate. I need food n shelter n transportation n health care while the wants (new car and boat and rv and big TV etc etc etc) dont really matter all that much.

The USA (and both parties, especially Liberals) is like most others, greedy and want it all n want it now even if they borrow and mortgage our kids future. They need to do what I had to LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS. We dont have an income problem, we have a spending problem. Its sad to see the country slipping into socialism and ruin but they just wont do what I wish lol

Best wishes n God Bless n Happy Birthday

John T Christian, Conservative, Patriot

(quoted from post at 16:38:33 09/24/11) CONGRATULATIONS Nice posting

I'm in a similar situation, only a couple years behind you. At this stage in life its NOT about money anymore, its about God, Family and our HEALTH. I grew up frugal and conservative and tried to teach my kids the same. Farm n home paid for and debt free with a couple pensions, SS and some money in the bank LIFE IS GOOD. Ive NEVER owned a new car or a new boat or RV etc., but what I do own I take care of and maintain. Unlike so many, I HAVE NO NEED TO IMPRESS ANYONE, Im happy with what I have and care less what others think of me or my clothes, car, home or other worldly possessions

Youre right, needs and wants need to be kept seperate. I need food n shelter n transportation n health care while the wants (new car and boat and rv and big TV etc etc etc) dont really matter all that much.

The USA (and both parties, especially Liberals) is like most others, greedy and want it all n want it now even if they borrow and mortgage our kids future. They need to do what I had to LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS. We dont have an income problem, we have a spending problem. Its sad to see the country slipping into socialism and ruin but they just wont do what I wish lol

Best wishes n God Bless n Happy Birthday

John T Christian, Conservative, Patriot

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THANKS--Good to be assured I am not alone! I think most of the older generation have similar thoughts but the newer generation????
It is just hard for me to comprehend that the average debt owed on credit cards is nearly 16K but there is conflicting reports that state it is 8-10K.
When I was young, I had no choice but to borrow money for necessities but I never put it on a CC. To my knowledge, I have never paid direct interest on a CC--use their money and pay when due. Even with this, I am sure some prices contain CC interest that the average person doesn't realize!

(quoted from post at 09:24:00 09/24/11)

(quoted from post at 16:38:33 09/24/11) CONGRATULATIONS Nice posting

I'm in a similar situation, only a couple years behind you. At this stage in life its NOT about money anymore, its about God, Family and our HEALTH. I grew up frugal and conservative and tried to teach my kids the same. Farm n home paid for and debt free with a couple pensions, SS and some money in the bank LIFE IS GOOD. Ive NEVER owned a new car or a new boat or RV etc., but what I do own I take care of and maintain. Unlike so many, I HAVE NO NEED TO IMPRESS ANYONE, Im happy with what I have and care less what others think of me or my clothes, car, home or other worldly possessions

Youre right, needs and wants need to be kept seperate. I need food n shelter n transportation n health care while the wants (new car and boat and rv and big TV etc etc etc) dont really matter all that much.

The USA (and both parties, especially Liberals) is like most others, greedy and want it all n want it now even if they borrow and mortgage our kids future. They need to do what I had to LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS. We dont have an income problem, we have a spending problem. Its sad to see the country slipping into socialism and ruin but they just wont do what I wish lol

Best wishes n God Bless n Happy Birthday

John T Christian, Conservative, Patriot

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THANKS--Good to be assured I am not alone! I think most of the older generation have similar thoughts but the newer generation????
It is just hard for me to comprehend that the average debt owed on credit cards is nearly 16K but there is conflicting reports that state it is 8-10K.
When I was young, I had no choice but to borrow money for necessities but I never put it on a CC. To my knowledge, I have never paid direct interest on a CC--use their money and pay when due. Even with this, I am sure some prices contain CC interest that the average person doesn't realize!

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Well ain't you and old F***!

I pretty much agree but have to add on the things they want and don't need like jet skis and 4 wheelers! I'm trying to figure out why someone had to go so deep in debt to buy a toy. I have a snowmobile for play and a golf cart for work here on the farm that I got used and paid cash for. WE ain't rich by any means but we pay as we go. Don't have many more years until we are debt free on the farm, owe about 35k and thats our only debt. Don't use plastic to buy anything.

Tried teaching that to our kids and for the most part have been successful.

On the 401 K thing I think it's pretty risky. THe bad part is that a young person can go high risk on that and recover but older people can't. Something happens and they don't have time before retirement to recover.

Rick

Jiles,

I am in exactly the same situation as your are. 67 years old, 1 loving wife of 49 years, 2 grown children, eight really nice grandchildren, and no debt of any kind.

The one thing that my grandchildren are messing up on is college loans. College is outrageously more expensive today than it was when I attended, but back then, I paid my own way. I went nights and weekends. It took 10 years to earn a bachelors degree and four to earn a Masters, but I did it without any borrowing.

I can't convince my grandchildren to do that. They are resident students on big college campuses and they pay through the nose for tuition, books, dorm fees, parking fees, athletic tickets, etc. They have some scholarship money, but they're also borrowing.

College is way too expensive today.

Congratulations on your birthday and your life.

Tom in TN

"College is way too expensive today" reminded me of the debate wherein it was brought up that Texas Governor Rick Perry gives illegals a $22,000 subsidy that children of our own citizens don't get if they come from any of the other 49 states. Perry didn't deny it, but said if you don't like it "you don't have a heart". Heard one pundit say "I have a heart-- and a BRAIN"!

68 years old and love retirement. I watch these people with three wheelers that they buy for 4-5-6 thousand dollars and wonder what they are thinking. If I spend that much I want live power take off and live hydraulics. People today want that stuff and after a while get tired of it. That's when I come along and buy it for a little of nothing when they get hard up. I fix what needs to be fixed and I have something that I got for next to nothing. So far I have 19 tractors that I got for less than they paid for one shinny paint job. I never have to change attachments.

jiles happy birthday to you. its my birthday also you got me by 4 years. al

(quoted from post at 01:40:12 09/25/11) jiles happy birthday to you. its my birthday also you got me by 4 years. al

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HAPPY B-DAY to you also---THANKS---

Well Jiles, lemme get my two cents in. All you young people having birthdays are really making me feel old! Last January when I turned 72 one of my daughters said, Happy birthday Daddy. I said, Sweetheart, at my age EVERY birthday is a happy birthday! Wishing you many, many more!
Speaking of credit cards, if our illustrious leaders want to help the economy, they could lower the interest rates on the darned things.
You can buy a house for 5%, you can buy a car for6-7% or less, but you buy a pair of shoes on a card and make only the minimum payments and you will pay for them three times over!

(quoted from post at 20:22:16 09/24/11) Well Jiles, lemme get my two cents in. All you young people having birthdays are really making me feel old! Last January when I turned 72 one of my daughters said, Happy birthday Daddy. I said, Sweetheart, at my age EVERY birthday is a happy birthday! Wishing you many, many more!
Speaking of credit cards, if our illustrious leaders want to help the economy, they could lower the interest rates on the darned things.
You can buy a house for 5%, you can buy a car for6-7% or less, but you buy a pair of shoes on a card and make only the minimum payments and you will pay for them three times over!

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I kinda think that it isn't the governments business what they charge for a credit card....in fact thats part of our problems today.....it ain't anyones fault for the shape thier finances are in! At least according to them. By now people know what they charge. And they still use em. Ain't no one standing there holding a gun on em telling to use the credit card or to sign those loan papers. They do that on thier own and should be held responsible for thier own actions! Run up a tab on a 29% card then you have to pay for it! Gee next someone will want uncle Sam to help wipe thier butts!

Rick

Yesterday, I witnessed a small but troubling example of simple prorities.
I was in the checkout line at a convenience store and there was a young man with two small children in front of me. The kids were dirty and barefooted and they asked for a candybar for them to share. It was at the checkout counter where they could pick it up.
The young man slapped the candy out of the child's hand, picked it up and scolded the children with a loud voice, that they didn't need that.
However, I could see that the two six packs of beer and the three packs of cigarettes were a priority for him!
All things are not what they appear to be, but I felt sorry for the little ones.

Happy Birthday Jiles, and many more. You know nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American People. Have a goodun.