“I do better than that and it is called living within your means so you can live well when you retire.”
same here.
1. always lived below my means: drove basic (but reliable) cars until the wheels fell off, lived in smaller houses than i could afford.
2. took max advantage of 403(b) savings along with max corporate contributions, plus other private savings and investment.
3. stayed as debt free as possible, paying off credit cards every month, taking out only a home mortgage (eventually converting to 15 years, and then paying even that off early) and the occasional auto loan. been debt free for a couple of decades now, and last (slightly used) car I bought for cash.
4. almost never ate out at restaurants, home cooking from scratch with basic, healthy ingredients, didn’t smoke or do drugs. quit drinking over 30 years ago. never gambled.
5. did my own house and appliance repairs and lawn maintenance (still do), accumulating tools instead of paying others.
Most of this was instilled in me as basic values as a child.
“Most of this was instilled in me as basic values as a child.”
Bingo, my parents and grand parents survived the depression
living in one home with a garden.