I work as a 3rd party contractor for a major corporation. I see older faces starting to be hired more often. The kids don't have the skill set. They can type on computers but they don't have social skills that the company wants. They also can't handle stress as well as older generations.
I agree with you about the debt issue. I’m 57 and work full time for a generous Jesuit organization. When I bought my house I financed it for 10 years so I only have 8 years left. My car will be paid off and I have no credit card debt - refuse to use them. I will have a bit of a pension and am trying to save a nest egg for home repairs, etc. It’s in God’s hands :)
I don’t have credit cards, car payments, cell bills, cable, dinners out (no, not even McDonald’s or Starbucks), or even air conditioning. I do not travel except for family emergencies and have not had an actual vacation in 19 years. I did go to my son’s graduation at Parris Island, the proudest day of my life. I have no club memberships, gym, or retail purchases; my possessions come from Goodwill. I do my own oil changes and home repairs, burn firewood I found in the forest, eat eggs from a friend’s chickens, vegetables I grew, and meat my son hunted.
Retirement? What’s that? I have a very part time job doing physical labor, plus a home business. Got laid off from my main job due to Obamacare.
They just entered adulthood and barely make enough to survive on. You can imagine how much they pay a new Marine. My daughter is trying to start a conservative home business at night after work—you have never seen such a hard-working young woman!—but so far it has not made any money.