You're taking a surprising beating on this thread tonight.
Not to judge anyone else, but we've made a conscious effort to live simply. We tried for the most part to live off one income and save the other. We plowed as much savings as possible into 401K's and IRA's. Although the kids' college education pretty well drained the second income in recent years, our savings were sufficient that I was able to retire at 54. We have all the "stuff" we want, and a comfortable, paid for home. Life is good, and our future is secure. It was a well-planned choice we made while in our 20's.
Some good ideas. That's the way it is here. My check is for savings and other stuff. We live off my husbands. We have had lot's of bumps and a few free falls but if neither of us could work we would do ok. We would have to go on a strict spending diet but I just don't worry that much. The getting old is a bummer but I look at retirement as finishing school. "Free at last!" :')
No more secure than the government we serve.
Again, congratulations and as I am sure you know for a working couple you are in the vast minority who has done so. So many hard working Americans are little more than 3 pay checks from the "poor house".
Are we lucky? Perhaps some luck involved but acceptance of personal responsibility and pluck, IMHO.