Those of us Old Enough…
Remember the Popeye of our youth… Spinach… Yech! Give us Wimpy!
“I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a Hamburger today!”
Probably the only line I remember from those Saturday morning shows.
It seems he was always looking for something today, and willing to pay for it next Tuesday. I’m not sure why Tuesday, but his concept of satisfying the need today and paying for it down the road is probably how many of us learned to treat credit.
Dave Ramsey, and others, teach to wait until the money is in hand until you buy something – but all the commercials for Christmas shoppers seem to encourage spending on credit and paying for it next year.
The problem is real for many who overspend and then the inexpensive item becomes a great future indebtedness that is not easily paid off.
We have seen this come true in many cases, whether it be overspending for purchases (you must count the interest and penalties into the total picture), or not adjusting our lifestyle to our ability to spend.
In the early days of the Exodus from Egypt, God taught his people to make extra food today for the Sabbath, because they were not allowed to work on the Sabbath. No work… No food….
Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’ ” (Exodus 16:23 NKJV)
This makes me think about holy times, and preparing for those moments with extra labor right now. Pick on it as you may while you are young, but when you get to my years you think more about retirement. Will there be enough to survive on? What changes will I have to make in my life style in order to afford a reduced income? Gasp! Will I have to give up Starbucks?
Solomon writes about preparing now for the slower times!
Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8 NKJV)
Work hard while you are able. Save as much as you think you will need in later life. Invest it wisely. Once you are no longer able to generate income you will have what you need to survive on.
One of my sweet aunt’s told me something a few years ago that I cannot shake off. “Don’t retire too soon. Work as long as you can. Your income will stay the same, but prices will always increase.”
When I bought my 2003 Dodge Diesel Pickup, fuel was about $1.65 per gallon. I’ve since paid around $5.00 per gallon. If I squeeze the pennies and shop the right place, I can now get it for around $2 per gallon. During these past 12.5 years I’ve put nearly 300,000 miles on my truck… I wonder what the total fuel cost was? Most of the time I got around 22mpg. Let’s see. Math brain at work. That’s nearly 14,000 gallons of fuel. Let’s say the average fuel price was $3.50 per gallon…. That’s nearly $50,000 in fuel costs!
Whoa! Let’s recheck that…. 300,000 / 22mpg = 13, 636 (and some change). 13,636 x 3.50 = 47,727 (and some change)…
How will that calculate when I retire? My driving habits will change little as most of these miles were spend doing important things! My importance will not change with retirement, at least for a few years!
I better think this through some more!
On top of all of this you have to think your living costs (house, utilities, food, entertainment), medical costs (that’s a scary place to go), and incidentals like clothing, books, school, grandbaby….
These are stressful thoughts as you age and wonder if you are truly prepared to retire! How about you? If you are young, you better start now… If you are older, it’s never too late to jump on the band wagon and work harder so that you can be somewhat better prepared.
Look at this commercial and think it through… Praying for you!
(Click Here)>>>> Retirement <<<<(click here)