Lauren, yep I’m with you. Buy less, because money does not go as far… smartphone, just a emergency dumbphone… TV? What is that? Movie night out…?Cognitive field theory of learning NOT in 12 years… investments? Meal out , every 6 weeks if we have get caught out and one of us MUST eat.Usually take ice chest drinks( ice water, lemon water, unsweet tea…, sandwich/ emergency stash if we are going to be gone more than an hour….Cognitive field theory of learning never had any vests..Either….Only a t shirt. IRA?, have to have an amount above necessities to have ..Any of these things.Stocks, investments or IRA..Cognitive field theory of learning

Worked hard for 20 years one profession, burned out. Gave until nothing left to give. Began hand unloading 53 ft and 48 ft containers in a whse.Cognitive field theory of learning only woman doing that job when I began. And were NO women…truck drivers coming thru.To make a living , had to work faster,, longer and harder than every other loader /unloader. 6 years, away from family..Came home and found a part time job in grocery store, local…still wasone hour drive time to work 3 hours… I made enough to finish home schooling and raising my DD despite her disability.Cognitive field theory of learning easy? , no . Someone asked me, ” how do you unload trucks?” one time…. I told them prayer and protein powder! Yep spend $$ in hand ,what you have- for what you must have first..Cognitive field theory of learning then buy anything above necessary. Taught DD budgeting. Life skills.Planning. Working through and around obstacles.

We are on a fixed income, social security and IRA .I see the prices of everything going higher and higher.Cognitive field theory of learning grocery items are probably the easiest for most folks to notice on a regular basis. Our health care premiums have risen, our auto insurance premium has risen and property taxes continue to creep upwards.Cognitive field theory of learning we cut back on what we can but at some point in time there is no more wiggle room. We grow and preserve as much food as we can. This also helps us from eating as much processed/chemical foods, we rarely dine out to avoid expensive and usually crappy processed foods.We are debt free, except for property taxes so we have learned to live with our income stream, so far.Cognitive field theory of learning

The financial state of the country looks very shaky to me . Credit card delinquincy is rising, home prices are showing signs of dropping in several areas.The student loan debt is staggering .Cognitive field theory of learning rail.Air,barge and truck shipping is dropping off in volume. Gasoline prices are rising. We have had 6000 retail stores close this year already.The president is rattling the sabres of war about venezuela .Cognitive field theory of learning we are in the longest war in our country’s history in afghanistan . The CIA is meddling in countries all over the world. One has to wonder where this is going to end?Cognitive field theory of learning

Chuck, you seem to think that everyone who has “retired” and does not have enough money, is just lazy because they will not work another job.Cognitive field theory of learning NOT so! Just because everyone is not to your stage of “expertise..In many things” do not count them out just because they have more demands on time than they can do…and a desire to do more than they are able each day.Cognitive field theory of learning

Retirement DOES mean..In addition to care giving,… time to set goals and take care of small animals. Planting and producing as many vegetables and herbals as one needs for their family… setting up infrastructure..For building, and doing own house repairs…, waiting until DFM is able and assisting with what most every hard thing…… installing a gas hot water heater.(instead of electric) , extra insulation to attic and exterior walls,, cutting steel and putting in windows, doors, building raised garden beds.,rabbit coops, hen houses, storage building.Cognitive field theory of learning greenhouse.. All on the agenda… in time some of these things MAY make a business… everyone is just not to your level yet…don’t give up on those who say their income does not match their needs.Cognitive field theory of learning reply

First off I knew my post would set some people off as they are not willing to change their outlook on how things have gone in their life.Cognitive field theory of learning this has never been my problem. If something is not or no longer working I stop and fix it or move in a new direction to get where I want to be.Cognitive field theory of learning I see this willingness to work on the fly as a very good survival trait. I adapt quickly and will go into a new direction to get where I want to be.Cognitive field theory of learning I don’t get emotionally attached to an idea or course of action if it’s no longer good for me.

As far as my skill set, yes I can do a lot. But then my stage of expertise didn’t just happen, I went out and actively learned almost all the important things I know how to do by looking, reading and a lot of trial-&-error.Cognitive field theory of learning yes I can do a lot, but so can you or anyone else reading this. You don’t need a diploma in any given study to be an expert. You need the diploma in order for a company to hire you.Cognitive field theory of learning I advocate self employment as you are the company hiring you and you know if you have the needed skills.

Turn of the smart phone, the TV, stop reading romance books and learn a skill people will pay you to do.Cognitive field theory of learning you can learn it in your spare time. And don’t even try to tell me you have no spare time as your post above took 30-min to type up. Multiply that by several times a week and you come up with hours you can use to learn marketable skills.Cognitive field theory of learning

(retirement DOES mean..In addition to care giving,… time to set goals and take care of small animals. Planting and producing as many vegetables and herbals as one needs for their family… setting up infrastructure..For building, and doing own house repairs…, waiting until DFM is able and assisting with what most every hard thing…… installing a gas hot water heater.(instead of electric) , extra insulation to attic and exterior walls,, cutting steel and putting in windows, doors, building raised garden beds.,rabbit coops, hen houses, storage building.Cognitive field theory of learning greenhouse.. All on the agenda.)

I have cut my home expenses by an extreme by doing a few little things, I totally heat my home with firewood, I have replaced 80% of my light bulbs with LEDS, I take a quicker shower (still getting clean hehehe) I stopped using the dishwasher, I now hang dry my clothes (stopped using the dryer).Cognitive field theory of learning all in all I’m looking at a 40-50% savings on home expenses in just fuel, water, electricity.

I now do a lot more purchases “online”, now everyone is going to scream and yell at me for not supporting local, but here I go anyways, I happen to buy a LOT from amazon and others (yes when I remember I link through MSB), why do I buy through amazon, simple TAXES!!!!Cognitive field theory of learning the local sales tax here is 8.25%, that’s $8.25 per ever $100 I spend; the average I pay through amazon is 3.25% or less. If the local tax-man wakes up YES I will again buy local…… also my time is worth something, why fight that wally world scum to buy a bar of soap?Cognitive field theory of learning BTW, do you know that if you order that bar-o-soap from wally world and have it shipped free, you still only pay the lower tax? Meaning anywhere from 3-5% tax savings.Cognitive field theory of learning one would think the local merchants would wake up and start screaming at the .Gov…..

I have a fairly good income, SS and working, so the availability of $$$ is not a problem, I’m just a cheap SOB I guess, and I do love having those 30cal ammo cans full of dead presidents and pms JIC.Cognitive field theory of learning ohhhh BTW, do NOT go whining if the banks go on a “holliday” and your 401’s are literally taken. Or you can’t get to your safety deposit box locked behind the .Gov doors.Cognitive field theory of learning

I came late to the party so the about the same button was there and I used it. Our personal situation is good and we are very blessed. I realize part of that is because we live a more frugal and back to the earth lifestyle than most of our contemporaries (not including anyone on MSB cause y’all are about the same as us on lifestyle).Cognitive field theory of learning prices of EVERYTHING continue to climb and I notice it constantly. Taxes continue to rise because he gov does not want to control their spending and they don’t believe they should be required to do so.Cognitive field theory of learning

That being said, we are fortunate to have the funding to pay for what is needed through self employment, retirement, and savings. We also believe it is our responsibility to help family and friends when they are in true need.Cognitive field theory of learning this week it was delivering meals I prepared to a friend, offering a friend a part time job (that will eat into our savings), and increasing our charitable giving.Cognitive field theory of learning sometimes it is simply praying for a good outcome for that person or family. The sad truth is, while we may be doing better, most of those around us are not.Cognitive field theory of learning jobs are not there unless they are willing and capable of doing handyman type work (huge demand for that). And it is a falsify that healthcare is there if you need it and doesn’t cost much.Cognitive field theory of learning so I am grateful that a trump removed the “fee” people had to pay if they didn’t have healthcare.

Our local food pantry is in high demand. Second hand stores are thriving.Cognitive field theory of learning and walmart is overrun because those who have EBT cards are spending on what they want – not necessarily what is needed. Not all cases because I have still seen a couple people using theirs responsibly, but it is a small minority.Cognitive field theory of learning the workers at our store are being laid off or not replaced when they don’t show up for work and robots will be doing more stocking. The salespeople at the counters are being let go and more shopping is being called in – people now have someone else pick out their items and then just show up to have it placed in their car!Cognitive field theory of learning good luck with that! Might as well order online but you cannot get fresh goods online and you can at walmart and they gather it for you.