OT -Retired and starting to feel the pinch

I retired last month after almost thirty years in higher education. Over the years my education cost a fortune and so did my wife's. Things were tight but it was worth the effort and investment. I am 63 and hoped to go to 66 but the college where I worked closed out a department and a colleague was due to lose her job. Her husband worked in aircraft and had been laid off for some time and they were living on her salary alone. If I didn't give up my position she would be unemployed, the thing that bothered me was another colleague who was 71 and didn't need the money was indifferent to her situation. Talked it over with my spouse who is still working as a nurse prac***ioner and decided to start drawing from social security and state retirement that I have paid into all these years. The college picked up my insurance until I am eligible for medicare. I feel financially secure, but I had cancer a couple years ago and I hope that doesn't catch me again. If it isn't one thing it's another. At any rate, truly love going to the garage every day and working on my projects which are a 53 f-100 and a 31 ford truck respectfully.

 

^^^^ Bravo sir! I'd like to shake your hand.

 

The problem is how to get them back.
I have no ideas...none.
Wages are cheaper elsewhere and Americans like buying things cheaper.
So, "we have met the enemy and it is us"...Pogo

I lost my Channell Lock wire cutters somewhere in the house.
So, I went to get another pair at the local hardware store.
The "True-Value" pliers were $11, made in China and they looked like they were well made.
The Channel Locks were $22 and I bought them. Made in the USA.

When I walked out I felt pretty good about "buying American" but at the same time I felt kind of foolish. I mean, the "True-Value" cutters would work just as well for household use.......
So, it makes you have to think.
So, I paid $11 more for something just to feel good, yet I'm $11 poorer.
And that's $11 that I'll never earn back, 'cause I'm retired.

I guess we all have to blaze our own trail to feeling good.
I know one thing...I will NOT step foot into a Walmart.
I'd rather wet my pants in church.

 

The just of this thread is that you guys can't afford to work on your own cars anymore cause the economy is bad. From what I gather a lot of guys here would be happy to work on something just anyones something to keep them happy healthy and mentally occupied. It is important, a guy gets stiff and creaky from sittin. If you want to do something and have skills reach out to each other and do co op builds, share a build, teach a build to youngsters. This is good cause it gets the mind flowin the buddy network meshin and keeps a guy young. Maybe pool the effort for a B Ville car or something. It's in the end not really all that important where you are right now, if you have your health, optimism and a plan for where you want to be tomorrow that is what really matters. I know for a fact that I will die at work at the end of a sewer rod wrastling a great and mighty turd blockage some day in my 7th decade, my white whale. If I can get up every morning knowing that I will have to wrastle blockages till my dying day and enjoy the thought of it you young fellas should have some optimism too. The day I retire the stone will say, returned to sender. Now quit this and figure out how to make some dough and enjoy your lives buildin hot rods and chasin womens.

 

X2 from here. Growing up poor, I learned to live within my means. Saving is good. Spending too much is bad. Never confuse lifestyle with quality of life. I suspect that this recession will spark a new generation of tightwads.

 

Mazooma, you are a smart man. When I had to fix my bike when I was in Florida and had no tools, I bought the $11 sidecutters. When they wouldn't even dent the spoke I was trying to replace, I had to got back and buy the $22 ones that cut through it like ****er. I have since learned my lesson. Oh, before you guys get the wrong idea about me, it was a bicycle.

 

I hardly drive that speed anymore.. I try to stay off the highways as much as I can.. I average 45 mph and on nice days with the top down... Ya just can't beat it! Guess I've slowed down a bit in my old age.. Besides, some folks around here drive like idiots! Back to the topic!!

 

Retired? What's that? I'm 66 and doing what I've been doing for the last 30 years (building ch***is)and lovin it. My accountant tells me I need to take my social security but you can't make much money if you take SS. It's just about impossible to hide the extra income and my wifes been retired for 5 years so can't transfer it to her. Just as long as I can keep building my deuces I'll be happy! No plans for retirement anytime soon.

 

hope there is always someone to buy your ch***is,so you can keep hiding your money.

 

Well I'm not retired but I am out of work. I've been laid off since July and things are tight but my family is healthy. I'm a firefighter and my wages come from property tax revenue. When the housing value dropped so did revenue. I know paying taxes **** and I agree that our government is terrible at managing the dollars they bring in but please remember that some of those tax dollars you pay do afford YOU the freedoms and security we've some how come to take for granted.

Mazooma's right, the things that are truley important can still be had on a tight budget. My personal thought is things aren't really that tight if we still have the internet at home, cell phones or some sort of cable. At work I visited alot of people who have it much, much worse.

If your healthy be thankful.

 

Been retired for three years and so far it has worked out OK. I worked at least one job and sometimes two for 52 years and paid into FICA on every pay check. Social Security+pension+IRA= enough money to pay the bills and some left over for Hot Rod stuff.

I get a little irked with people that think the Government should take care of their needs and that all rich people are somehow evil. I never got a job from a poor person and the Government can't give you anything that it doesn't take away from somebody else first.

 

I retired 3 years ago and life is GOOD.. Used to I would check the calendar and see how many shows I could get to go to with out running out of vacation time. Now I just look to see where I want to go! I am spending the kids inheritance before they do.

 

the trick is to die with one buck in your pocket and not one debt.....too bad you can't calculate it

 

Yeah, But I am going to give it a try!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Those who have a company or government pension, be happy about it - you're probably the last who will get one.

The rest of us will simply have to do for ourselves....

 

I have to tell a POSITIVE story about retirement. I posted on the HAMB two years ago that I was retiring and got a reply by Ridgerunner inviting me out to breakfast one day as he lives about 15 miles from me and had been retired for a couple of years.
Turns out when we met for breakfast ( him armed with two photo albums of land speed cars and old local hotrods ) that he had a friend I used to know who was building a lakester to go land speed speed racing. I jumped right in to help and haven't looked back.

Yeah, I drive 25 miles one way once a week to work on the car, but ,hey, guess what???
I'M GOING LAND SPEED RACING as a crew member as soon as we get the car done.!!!

I never would have gotten an opportunity like this if I hadn't retired AND if I hadn't met Bearing Burner and Ridge Runner here on the HAMB.

I, also ,got Bearing Burner to drag out his old Ch***is Research dragster;clean it up and display it at the Orange Dragway Reunion last Sept.
Yeah, life is good. You just have to MAKE the most of the time you got !!!!!

 

Not close to retirement at 43, and a divorce wiped out all my savings and lost half of my retirement, plus I've been up to my eyeballs in alimony and child support for the last 5 years- even though my son is with me half the time. So it has basically been treading water until alimony ends and I can start to rebuild in earnest. But I don't think I'll be able to retire much before 70, if at all.

So the dragster sits half done with no progress on it. But I'm still glad to have a roof over my head and food on the table, and I did manage to hang onto my Triumph motorcycle- even though I can't afford to register and insure it right now. I'm hoping that once the ex isn't ****ing up half my paycheck, I can make progress on the dragster and more importantly, make progress on building up savings and retirement again.

 

I wouldn't be so sure. Bought a combo needle-nose and wire clippers set from home depot. Needed the needle nose, thought the whole pack of stuff was more affordable the OVERPRICED single needle nose. Since, the needle nose and the clippers ends chipped off with light use. I mean I didn't abuse them at all.

Hang in there everyone it's getting better everyday!

 

I too am not really retired but did have to sell a couple of my hotrods to make ends meet. I am saving up for some tooth paste and a new disposible razor.
Mark

 

retired, started a charter business, guess what? now NO charters, sold my guns, boat motor cut gr***, mix concrete, roofing, whatever, still got my model a hotrod and im gonna race it some how this year, go to my shop with a cold beer....... the world is right.... love the hamb..

 

There are times in life, when careful planning/research is necessary..retirement planning is one of those times. I retired three years ago at age 52. Was it easy?..Hell no, but it was a priority of mine, that I didn't faulter from. The phrase "where there is a will, there is a way" does have some merit. A lot of people (including our government) live beyond their means..a recipe for disaster. I always thought it should have been a requirement in high school to have a true home economics cl***, it would have benefitted us far more than the majority of those required cl***es we all had to take. No news flash here, but our economy is in the toilet..now more than ever, do your homework before retiring. Invest wisely.

 

Hmmmm..

Ok, I'll admit, the financial times that are upon everyone is making material life pretty dim. But...I still believe one's wealth can be counted by the true friends one has.

Think about it... We are one big family here. The Jalopy Journal..the H.A.M.B.

I'm no young pup anymore either. But one of life's lessons I learned, when I made a dollar, I spent a dollar. When I made ten dollars, I spent ten dollars. Now that I'm back to making a dollar, I'm back to spending a dollar. Some how I've always lived up to my income.

Further, as I mentioned I'm no longer a young pup, so if it takes me longer to save up for a hot rod part, it seems to work out, because it takes me longer to get this old body a moving, to put the part where it belongs.

Some who have posted above have mentioned that it might slow them down, but it won't stop them. Hell guys, we lived thru the 55 mph speed limit, and we managed to keep on driving didn't we? We waited in line for 5 gallons of gas, but that didn't stop us. Go back even further, didn't some of the real hot rodding begin during the depression era?

I've also been brought back to reality, do I need that part in chrome, or will a painted part do just as well? Do I really need a name brand, if it's going to be under the hood, or under the car out of sight?

To be sure, I'll spend more sometimes for quality stuff, like American made tools or parts when I can. But the quick shop gas, runs just as well as Shell gas does.

I'm sure there are others here on the H.A.M.B can remember when we made $375.oo a month. But we never went hungry, had a roof over our heads, started and raised families. We made it back then, and I'm quite sure we'll all make out now..


While I'm writing this, I'm thinking back to Povertyflat's posting of his Thanksgiving get together with his family and some of his hot rod buddies. And again he posted about how his New Years Eve went.

Hmmmm...Povertyflats, that's an oxy*****.... He's one very rich man.


I'll shut up now, fix myself some warm milk and get ready for bed.

You all smile and tell yourselves, it could be worse, and you are better off than a lot of people are right now. Now matter how bleak it may seem to you at the moment.


HellRaiser

 

Good thing I was born so handsome ehh Dallas ? I can always go back to modeling! Anyone have the address to " mule monthly" magazine ?





QUOTE=HellRaiser;6069470]Hmmmm..

Ok, I'll admit, the financial times that are upon everyone is making material life pretty dim. But...I still believe one's wealth can be counted by the true friends one has.

Think about it... We are one big family here. The Jalopy Journal..the H.A.M.B.

I'm no young pup anymore either. But one of life's lessons I learned, when I made a dollar, I spent a dollar. When I made ten dollars, I spent ten dollars. Now that I'm back to making a dollar, I'm back to spending a dollar. Some how I've always lived up to my income.

Further, as I mentioned I'm no longer a young pup, so if it takes me longer to save up for a hot rod part, it seems to work out, because it takes me longer to get this old body a moving, to put the part where it belongs.

Some who have posted above have mentioned that it might slow them down, but it won't stop them. Hell guys, we lived thru the 55 mph speed limit, and we managed to keep on driving didn't we? We waited in line for 5 gallons of gas, but that didn't stop us. Go back even further, didn't some of the real hot rodding begin during the depression era?

I've also been brought back to reality, do I need that part in chrome, or will a painted part do just as well? Do I really need a name brand, if it's going to be under the hood, or under the car out of sight?

To be sure, I'll spend more sometimes for quality stuff, like American made tools or parts when I can. But the quick shop gas, runs just as well as Shell gas does.

I'm sure there are others here on the H.A.M.B can remember when we made $375.oo a month. But we never went hungry, had a roof over our heads, started and raised families. We made it back then, and I'm quite sure we'll all make out now..


While I'm writing this, I'm thinking back to Povertyflat's posting of his Thanksgiving get together with his family and some of his hot rod buddies. And again he posted about how his New Years Eve went.

Hmmmm...Povertyflats, that's an oxy*****.... He's one very rich man.


I'll shut up now, fix myself some warm milk and get ready for bed.

You all smile and tell yourselves, it could be worse, and you are better off than a lot of people are right now. Now matter how bleak it may seem to you at the moment.


HellRaiser[/QUOTE]

 

And that's why yellow makes me sad, I think.

 

I worked for a company for 28yrs. They closed the doors after being open for 53 years in my town. The excuse was the global market had shrunk. We made paper forming fabrics for the paper mills and they have been closing for the past ten or more years. They moved the looms from our plant to Brazil and Mexico. We had plants all over the world. They built a new one in China and closed plants in the U.S. and Europe. Ive been out 3yrs and you know how the ecomomy is.I took my retirement and do odd jobs.My health care insurance doubled this year so I've got to find a job. Its not going to be easy at 61. So yes, I'm in a bind but like Hank Jr. said " A country boy can survive!".

 

Please close this pointless,off topic,political,depressing thread so we can get back to hot rods.We hear enough of this **** everywhere else.

 

[QUOTE=Hellraiser:


"While I'm writing this, I'm thinking back to Povertyflat's posting of his Thanksgiving get together with his family and some of his hot rod buddies. And again he posted about how his New Years Eve went.

Hmmmm...Povertyflats, that's an oxy*****.... He's one very rich man. ""


-- I think we all need some homemade ice cream right now! ha ha---thanks for the kind words Dallas.

 

Talk about pissed. I just spent ten minutes typing about how my life's going. Hit the submit reply ****on and pops up and says NO CONNECTION TO THE INTERNET. Lost everything I had just typed. That pretty much says it all. Nuff said.

 

Why, there is honest dialog happening on this thread.....don't like it? Just scroll on past and thanks for your contribution.

 

I'm no business expert, but I've worked as a head hunter (executive search) for the past 21 years across a few industries.

Manufacturing jobs are not coming back. Ever. Ever. Anyone bemoaning that needs to drink a few cold ones, and then tomorrow stop thinking about it. All the major companies have manufacturing in emerging markets (= cheap labor). And we can ***** about the quality but you know, much of the time the quality is actually pretty good. None of us have bought a TV or Radio that's been built in the US for at least 10 solid years.

That said, I like making money and I enjoy thinking about how to do it. I suggest folks look at forming their own businesses, whether it's towing, fab, painting, auto-related sculptures, selling stuff online... It's all possible. I started an LLC last year to sell wheels just see how it works. I'll be honest I've half ***ed it, but I can see where someone diligent could gross 4-5K a month working the message boards.

You have to change your thinking. I sold a bunch of books and cd's when we moved and I cleared $900 with stuff that I never looked at. We're de-cluttering right now and are getting rid of books, cd's, and other bric a bac that we don't ever look at or need.

Be positive, be creative, and try things.

JR