Retirement thoughts Past Present Future

[Gale Hawkins]

Vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of dynapenia in older people by 78%

Muscle and cognitive skill losses can really negatively impact retirement health quality.

 

[ovrszd]

Vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of dynapenia in older people by 78%

Muscle and cognitive skill losses can really negatively impact retirement health quality.

I'm 71. 5'10". 190lbs. Fairly active. No health issues.

I've noticed in the last year my drive to stay active is waning. I need to be in the timber this morning cleaning up some down trees. But here I am sitting in the shop on the computer. Next thing ya know the day is over and I didn't make it to the timber.

This trend is a bit concerning. The less active I am, the less active I want to be. So I start losing muscle mass. I also notice I'm a bit less stable on my feet on a ladder for example. At a pace so slow I barely notice it I'm becoming an old man. If I don't start pushing back that decline will accelerate.....

 

[MossRoad]

I'm 71. 5'10". 190lbs. Fairly active. No health issues.

I've noticed in the last year my drive to stay active is waning. I need to be in the timber this morning cleaning up some down trees. But here I am sitting in the shop on the computer. Next thing ya know the day is over and I didn't make it to the timber.

This trend is a bit concerning. The less active I am, the less active I want to be. So I start losing muscle mass. I also notice I'm a bit less stable on my feet on a ladder for example. At a pace so slow I barely notice it I'm becoming an old man. If I don't start pushing back that decline will accelerate.....

Exactly!

Use it or lose it.

A few years of that and wow, it's hard to tie your shoes.

Motivation is the hard part. My wife rides an elliptical trainer every morning on a very hard setting. I try and hit my rowing machine. Sometimes there's no motivation, but you just do it anyway, and push a little harder than yesterday if you feel guilty.

You have to want it.

 

[ovrszd]

Exactly!

Use it or lose it.

A few years of that and wow, it's hard to tie your shoes.

Motivation is the hard part. My wife rides an elliptical trainer every morning on a very hard setting. I try and hit my rowing machine. Sometimes there's no motivation, but you just do it anyway, and push a little harder than yesterday if you feel guilty.

You have to want it.

I may have mentioned this already so bear with me.

A year ago I was having my annual physical. My 40 something Dr stopped what he was doing and stared into my eyes and got very serious. He asked if I remember the decline between 40-50, 50-60 and 60-70? Yep. He said you haven't saw anything yet!!!! The decline between 70-80 is much sharper!!! A lecture intended to mentally prepare me and motivate me to fight it. Don't let the old man in!!!!

 

[NoTrespassing]

I moved my 401k from 100% Vanguard retirement fund VTHRX to 100% money market a few days ago. MM is earning about 4% and I'm concerned what 2023/2024 will bring. Only time will tell if this is a good decision or not. I know we're not supposed to try to time the market but 4% sounds pretty good right now.

Kevin

 

[MossRoad]

Despite the performance of our investments in the past 2 years, our total net worth is up about 11% over the past 2 years.

Amazing how you can do that after your last child moves out on their own.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Despite the performance of our investments in the past 2 years, our total net worth is up about 11% over the past 2 years.

Amazing how you can do that after your last child moves out on their own.

Yea, or when your spouse goes to work after not working for 10 years . She actually made more than me last year thanks to bonuses and overtime in a nursing home. Can you believe $30/hr bonuses for entire 12 hour shifts? They've dropped that to $10 now and claimed it was breaking them. go figure...

My 401K lost about 18% on the other hand. I don't want to experience that again in 2023 and 2024.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The past two years have been a great time to invest. Everything has been on sale… eventually that will pay off, as it did on 2007-2008… and some of the following years. There is plenty of uncertainty in my industry with it being impossible to staff aircraft… but, if it all ends, our retirement is already secure, and we are in our early 40s. The time to plan for retirement is early, because the risks only grow over rime, and wealth is not earned, it is compounded, over many years. I could never earn enough to retire on. I can however let compounding do the work for me.

Money is made when you buy. Wealth is built in economic downturns, not investing at all time stock highs.

 

[riptides]

The past two years have been a great time to invest. Everything has been on sale… eventually that will pay off, as it did on 2007-2008… and some of the following years. There is plenty of uncertainty in my industry with it being impossible to staff aircraft… but, if it all ends, our retirement is already secure, and we are in our early 40s. The time to plan for retirement is early, because the risks only grow over rime, and wealth is not earned, it is compounded, over many years. I could never earn enough to retire on. I can however let compounding do the work for me.

Money is made when you buy. Wealth is built in economic downturns, not investing at all time stock highs.

Just don't think 30 percent returns on investments are normal. Like some. LOL.

 

[MossRoad]

Just don't think 30 percent returns on investments are normal. Like some. LOL.

No they aren't. However, it's a long term game. Some years you lose 30%. Some years you make 30%. Most years you make around 7-8%, and it all averages out over time.

The main folks that get hurt are the ones that are forced to withdraw during a downturn, and lock in the lower numbers.

I look at it this way. If I have to pull out now our investments are down from a couple years ago, but I'm up several hundred percent from when I got married 38 years ago. I'd have lost about 2 years of gains, but still get to keep 36 years of gains.

It could be a lot worse.