Ever calculate how much you earned during your career?

[JDgreen227]

I ask many people who are retired if they ever calculated their lifetime earnings, and it seems very few people do. My Social Security statement says I began paying into the fund back in 1967 and my wages (gas station attendant) were $456 that year. Got a step up the ladder in 1968 and earned $980 stocking groceries, and in '71 I really began making the big bucks...$1610 for that year....:laughing:

If I include all my earnings from being employed, part-time sideline work, (carpentry, handyman jobs, photography) rental income, deposit cans and bottles picked up, tips, found parking meter change, the income from selling scrap metal, etc. it looks like I am nearing a cool million bucks.

BUT WHERE DID IT ALL DISAPPEAR TO???

 

[riptides]

BUT WHERE DID IT ALL DISAPPEAR TO???

In my case, I have found things like taxes and insurance have taken 30 percent of my income. Add the out-of-pocket expenses for health and dental care, especially these past few years and that is easily another 10 percent. And educational expenses and a bit more goes out the door.

Turning to food and clothing, well we all know eating in style is expensive.

Shelter? Depends on the area, and how wedded one is to family and career.

Transportation? In my case, horses don't cut it and well the Porsche just never materialized. The horses don't pull their weight either, on a dairy farm, so all they do is lounge around and eat more money.

Charity? Feels good, and I try hard, but wow, hard to get a fair prices for vehicles as of late. Cash to causes I guess is best.

Family support? OUCH, raises kids and helping family is another silent drain on ones wallet.

A million dollars just does not go as far as some people think, it sounds good, but life is super expensive.

 

[haroldy]

The alternative is not so good either

 

[wmonroe]

Calculating how much I earned would be neat, but figuring how much went to taxes...depressing. My figure would be pretty low as best case scenario I'm still 23 years from retirement.

 

[Fi-Q]

I must admit that I most likely have close to 1 million in income in the past 10 years, but being from Quebec at least 45% of it when in income taxes. Don't get me wrong, I am doing fine, but with a stay at home wife, 3 kids and a house..... And a lot of school debt to pay in the first few years.... There is not much left for the tractor budget yet..... But looking backward, it is depressing to see all that money blowing away on high gas price ( untill 6 months ago) and the grocery bill is growing like crazy.... And I can't wait to have kids in college or university....

 

[kevin37b]

We need to quit fighting wars that are not ours , and fire or impeach every politician currently in office . NO FREE airplane or helicopter rides , no limo , no security , live like the rest of us :? Russia is coming back and we have a laser ? It is amazing how the new TECH is focused on war . We should be able to go to the park with the kids .

 

[ovrszd]

There are those on TBN that dig up information with charts and graphs. I'm sure some will be posted on this thread. Interesting topic. And most of us are clueless as to where our tax money actually goes. Large farmer friend of mine says he spends 40% of every dollar earned on taxes. When someone digs up the facts, you'll be surprised how small a percentage of our tax money goes toward fightings wars and supporting our military. A MUCH larger percent goes to supporting those with their hands out, "child factories", "Oh I hurt my back", "it's cheaper to draw welfare than get a job", etc., etc. So if we're gonna fix the tax spending issue everyone will pay a price. Are we individually ready to pay that price?? Tough questions. Tough answers.

As to my earnings. I obviously earned more than I needed. If not I would currently be penniless.

 

[ovrszd]

There are those on TBN that dig up information with charts and graphs. I'm sure some will be posted on this thread. Interesting topic. And most of us are clueless as to where our tax money actually goes. Large farmer friend of mine says he spends 40% of every dollar earned on taxes. When someone digs up the facts, you'll be surprised how small a percentage of our tax money goes toward fightings wars and supporting our military. A MUCH larger percent goes to supporting those with their hands out, "child factories", "Oh I hurt my back", "it's cheaper to draw welfare than get a job", etc., etc. So if we're gonna fix the tax spending issue everyone will pay a price. Are we individually ready to pay that price?? Tough questions. Tough answers.

As to my earnings. I obviously earned more than I needed. If not I would currently be penniless.

 

[newbury]

We need to quit fighting wars that are not ours , and fire or impeach every politician currently in office . NO FREE airplane or helicopter rides , no limo , no security , live like the rest of us :? Russia is coming back and we have a laser ? It is amazing how the new TECH is focused on war . We should be able to go to the park with the kids .

And what does that have to do with the thread?
Let's get it moved to politics!!!

On the thread subject -
You can go to Social Security online and find all your earnings that were REPORTED and dump them into a spreadsheet. And yes I earned over a million. And about half that in the last 10 years.

 

[EddieWalker]

I look back on the year and wonder where I spent it, but never over my entire life. Just going through my monthly bank statement overwhelms me!!!!!

Eddie