StreamsOfWhiskey

Yup, no doubt things have changed, but my wife hasn't changed and surely she's not the entire population of good women. My daughter just married a fellow who is still in school studying for his mechanical engineering degree. She married him even though he's broke. There are good women out there is all I'm getting at.

Some of you guys know or married some real winners. My wife married me when I had nothing. I was a piss poor student. She stuck it through with me for 27 years and together we built up substantial assets. There are good women out there, but you're not going to find them where some of you guys like to look.

Thank you for the kind words. It is a very liberating feeling. Once we passed certain financial thresholds, I went from worrying about losing my job to hoping I lose my job. We always adjusted our lifestyle to accommodate our savings rate. We did not adjust our savings rate according to residual income. This is what I meant by "save till it hurts." We fully maxed out the 401k (this year it's $80,000 with employer match), fully maxed out Roths for me and my wife. We also fully maxed out our HSA and we still had residual left over to fund a money market where I keep emergency cash (approximately $210,000 right now). I often look at what we've accomplished and I find it hard to believe it myself. I watch a lot of retirement videos these days and it seems as if we have far more saved than even the most prolific savers. It's an accomplishment for which I'm very proud. I post these details to hopefully inspire others that working for others vs. working for yourself in a business you started does not preclude one from amassing a fairly healthy nest egg. It just takes discipline. What we accomplished we accomplished while also paying tithing to our church plus paying for fairly substantial medical expenses as I'm a Type 1 Diabetic and have been most of my life.

While I'm proud of our financial achievements, it pales in comparison to the pride I feel in my kids. They're self-reliant, level-headed, smart, down-to-earth and not spoiled. We had the means to spoil our kids, but our Christmas's and vacations were always modest. They now have modest expectations in this life but the smarts to achieve extravagance. For them to go to college and take on no debt while also not having me pay for books and tuition is something I'm very proud of and has paid prolific dividends thus far. Good on you for your retirement. I hope to join you once my youngest is off to college.

I’m a big fan of 70s and 80s punk. Streams of Whiskey is a Pogues song sung by the late, great Irish drunk, Shane McGowan.

I’m 53 and we saved over $3MM. Wife stayed at home with my girls. I was never in management although am well compensated. If I add my pension, we’re at $5MM. It’s possible but it takes discipline and saving until it hurts.

Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead

Let It Be - The Replacements
Movement - New Order
Unknown Pleasures - Joy Division

Diversity is our strength - Barack Obama

Good to see I'm not the only Feelies fan out here.

Joy Division