1921

 

I might’ve mentioned that Brian and I decided to put ourselves on a five year retirement plan.  That sounds like it’s sort of right around the corner—maybe even worryingly so.  But then I decided to put that date into a countdown generator, and discovered that it’s 1921 days away.   Sounds like a long time away when you look at it like that, but maybe that will give us enough time to actually have things under control.

Not that I’ve ever been much on living within a budget, and that’s the real worry, because we don’t just have to get to retirement—which includes paying off the house as the major stumbling block—but we also have to survive in retirement, without salaries.  Frankly, the idea is a little bit terrifying. 

But, we’re committed to the plan.  We have the memory of two sets of parents always in the back of our minds—mine, who both died far too young and never had a chance to retire, and his, who retired (and retired in pretty good financial shape) but then still always worried about money rather than simply enjoying their remaining years.  We don’t want to go down either path.  And while we obviously can’t control the date of our passing, we can try to plan so that we can quit working before we are too old, and we can also try to plan so that we have the wherewithal to live the way we want once we leave the 9-5 life behind.

So, without completely abandoning a style of life currently, we are now in the mode of actively planning for a lifestyle in the future.  But, one of the other things that entails is that some of the larger household expenditures we’ve been putting off need to be contemplated while there still is an income.  It’s counter-intuitive, to think that while we’re trying to maximize the old nest egg we might also have to be spending a few larger chunks of cash, but it’s all a balancing act at this point.

So, maybe there’ll be some minor household changes to talk about on these pages over the coming months, or maybe what I’ll be talking about is the re-evaluation of what sort of improvements actually need to be made, or maybe I’ll just be stressing out loud about trying to plan for a major step in our lives, because the truth is, 1921 days really isn’t that long at all.

Choosing a Path

 

I know I mentioned a week or so ago that I’ve become an independent ambassador for Plexus products, and that I did that so that I could save some money on my monthly product purchase.  I really had no intention of trying to sell the product, for a variety of reasons.  But in the past few days, I find myself wondering if maybe that’s the wrong decision.

Like a good many people, I have an inherent skepticism when it comes to any sort of network marketing plan, even when I personally believe in the product.  But, I’ve seen so many people—people I actually know, not random strangers—who have benefitted both physically and financially from Plexus, and I find myself wondering if I should just take a deep breath and jump in.

On the other hand, MLM concerns aside, I also know that I’ve been dissatisfied at work lately, and have been hoping and praying for an alternative.  Sure, this could be an answer to a prayer, or it could just be me desperately grasping at straws.  I have never been a fan of running away from something rather than running to something; it just seems to me that is simply asking for trouble.   Of course, I wouldn’t be looking to just up and abandon an actual paycheck to chase potential income, but if I could generate a little extra cash every month, I think that might take a lot of stress out of the actual job situation, if I didn’t feel like leaving was absolutely out of the question. 

It’s just a lot to consider, especially when we’re seriously looking at a five year retirement plan, so this is not a spectacular time to be making a lot of changes in our financial situation.  So I know it won’t be a decision to be entered into easily, whether I pursue the opportunity or leave it behind.  I only hope that I won’t regret whichever choice I make.

Grown Up

 

You know, you’d think, that after living half a century, I’d feel more grown up and ready to take on the world.  But today, my husband (who’s older still) and I were discussing the challenges of changing jobs—leaving behind the comfort zone of a place where you know exactly how things work, trying to figure out the interpersonal relationship puzzle in a new office, etc.  It’s the sort of situation that makes a person feel completely out of control.  Not very “grown up” at all.

Another case in point: as we really start to focus on a retirement plan that gets us out of the rat race in another five years, I realize that I’m woefully lacking in a solid understanding of financial matters.  When you work and pay bills for a few decades, it’s easy to think you understand money, but the truth is, I am easily overwhelmed by stocks, bonds, 401K plans, insurance, and all the other tools that go into managing a life-long portfolio.

And, retirement in general is just a little bit terrifying—even with planning, how do you know it’s really the right time to give up steady employment that’s sustained you for your entire life?  Honestly, I don’t know, but here’s hoping that I grow up quickly enough to figure it out.