I’m in Phoenix, where my brain is slowly frying. Which helps explains the rando stuff I’m about to post.
First: I flew down here to Satan’s Fry Daddy to help my daughter celebrate her 40th birthday. Yes, I was surprised as well, and mildly curious as to where those four decades flew.
Part of my birthday gift to Abby was to help prepare* for the bash: cleaning, shopping and food prep. It was quite the spread, encompassing fruits, vegetables, hummus, meats, cheeses, tortilla chips and salsa, crackers, pita bread, chocolate chip cookies, miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups and a decent selection of adult beverages, bought by Abby and Tim and also brought by their pals.
If you’re gonna invite people, invite those who bring the weird stuff rather than expect you to anticipate their tastes. Hard iced tea – who knew?
While I was happy to put in some time cleaning and organizing, the heat has been bugging me more than usual this time around. The coolest temperature encountered thus far has been 99 degrees. The hottest? I think 107 was mentioned, or maybe 110. And yes, I know it can get hotter than that in the summer in Arizona. But up in Anchorage I was living in the 50s and 60s.
Probably that’s why I’ve felt a bit queasy and light-headed off and on since arriving. Pretty sure it’s not dehydration, since I’ve gone through a couple of gallons of iced tea and a ton of water since arriving. (Practically living in the john.)
Maybe it’s my own age starting to show. Or maybe I’m just turning into a huge weenie.
Golden years?
Only 18 percent of U.S. workers are “very confident” they’ll be able to retire comfortably, according to new information from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.
More than four in 10 workers (44 percent) are “somewhat confident” they can retire without eating cat food** when the time comes.
Oh, and 51 percent of workers say they’re still recovering from the Great Recession. #goodtimes
This doesn’t surprise me. At least three friends (all in their late 40s and 50s) haven’t saved*** one thin dime for retirement. I worry about their ability to support themselves as they age, because Social Security alone isn’t gonna cut it. Two seem to have their heads in the sand about this issue; one recently confided that she’s hoping to get hired at a different discount retailer, because it pays more than she’s earning now.
Spoiler alert: The new job pays $10.50 an hour. And it’s part-time. And she’s almost 60.
My own employment history isn’t exactly sterling. I spent just 18 years in full-time jobs, with “permanent part-time” or freelance gigs making up the rest of my working life. But for a short time (less than 10 years) I did have access to a 401(k) with an employer match, and I made it a priority to max out my contributions.
I won’t be rich when I retire, but I won’t be impoverished, either, unless something truly ghastly happens. My pals might not be able to say the same.
I love these shirts
Book nerds, unite: The folks at Cents of Style have T-shirts that read, “Book-ish,” “Well-Read” and “I’d rather be reading.” Also “Pave your own path,” which doesn’t have anything to do with books but is a worthy sentiment on its own. Scroll down a bit in the graphic to see three of the four.
Normally these tees are $24.95, but if you use the links above and the coupon code BOOKLOVE they’ll cost $16.95 each and the shipping will be free.
Note that something called “jeggings” (jean leggings?) are also on sale, as are a couple of dresses and a hat. There’s a discount available for this batch, too: Save $30 on orders of $100 or more and get free shipping with the coupon code 30SAVE.
If you were to purchase any of these, I’d get a small referral fee. A solvent blogger is a happy blogger.
Readers: Hot enough for ya? Will you retire comfortably? What’s your favorite T-shirt of all time?
*And to disappear afterward. I hid out in the guest room, reading and occasionally tiptoeing across the hall to the bathroom. There, but not there – sort of like the mad auntie in the attic, except on the ground floor.
**Never understood that stereotype, given that dry beans are so cheap. (And they keep your coat nice and glossy, too.)
***I have a standing offer to help people build cash cushions: a free PDF of the “Challenge Yourself to Save” chapter from my first book. It contains more than 30 examples of what I call “stealth savings” tactics – simple, effective ways to tease a few bucks out of even the tightest of budgets. To get the PDF, e-mail me at SurvivingAndThriving (at) live (dot) com. No strings attached, no up-selling, no being placed on a mailing list. That’s how much I believe in saving.
Things are starting to cool off a bit. We’ve been able to open the windows a bit lately. Hubby has been diligent about saving for the past three decades, so we’re in good shape for retirement, even with two kids. As for the tee shirt, some 25 years ago, I read a tee shirt from a catalogue to my then boyfriend and he couldn’t stop laughing. I got it for him. What did it say? “My Reality Check Bounced.” He wore that shirt until it fell apart!
I used to have one from the old Pen & Pencil Club in Philadelphia:
“Not tonight, dear — I have a deadline.”
My favorite is “talking about art is like french kissing over the telephone” I have had that shirt since 1996 and I baby it so it will last forever.
I thought that it was like dancing about architecture…?
What a wonderful celebration! Congratulations to both Mother & Daughter (my oldest is in her mid-20’s, and I just don’t know where the years go, either). LOVE the “Book-ish” and “Well Read” shirts. 🙂
We’re in excellent shape for retirement. Our parents, not so much even though they’re all already retired. Fingers crossed none of them have to live with us!
We were late to the game (in our early 40s), but my DH will have a pension as well as SS, I have an IRA and we’ve got a reasonably healthy (interest bearing) savings account… but we live in CA. It’s expensive here and we’ll need to relocate to a lower cost of living state. Preferably one w/o state income tax as my IRA is traditional instead of Roth. It also means we’ll have to move away from our sons. WHERE you retire has a huge impact on how comfortable you’ll be financially even with a solid plan.
This.
Just this month I’ve taken the “early retirement” option from my employer (massive layoffs 8/4/18), moved half way across the country to an extremely low COL area and put my small business in high gear. Keeping my nose to the grindstone for the next few years should allow me to fill the coffers enough to enjoy a comfortable retirement at 60. The right WHERE is making this possible.
Working on it…shouldn’t have to eat cat food but won’t be traveling the world either. Slow and steady usually wins the race so I am hoping in another 10 years…I can prove the saying is correct.
I need that “bookish shirt”. That’s how they refer to me. I max out my 401 k. I passed the company match years ago. Been paying for 18 yrs, so I don’t fret about retirement if I should live a long life. Social security in my country is beginning to look iffy. Thanks to you Donna for your advice over the years. Compared to Texas and Arizona, Barbados is a cool spot, so I don’t complain.
Thank you, Kim, for being such a consistent reader.
I’m bookish, too. Always have been.
My favorite non-“cause” tee shirt remains GRAVITY ALWAYS WINS and it is, of course , printed a little low on the front of my shirt.
About retirement; we love dried beans and we’ll have to work and play the lottery…
I think I’ll be okay for retirement, but I live simply now so it won’t be a huge adjustment. I won’t be globetrotting and adding additions to the house like my parents, but I can afford cans of cat food for the kitties and people food for us. We have been planting fruit trees on our property, so hopefully we’ll have abundant citrus, apples and peaches to supplement the beans if money is tight. BTW, Phoenix has been a fry daddy. It’s more humid than normal, so it seems hot to everyone. Looking forward to losing the triple digits.
It did feel more humid, but I thought I was hallucinating. Are you in Phoenix proper or one of the sprawling suburbs?
We’d love to grow fruit, although it can be challenging in Anchorage. Right now we have two Norland apple trees, a ton of raspberries and a decent strawberry patch. DF will expand that last one next year, given that we both love strawbs and given that he now has two grandkids anxious to eat them. A few weeks back I handed two nice berries to him while the children were visiting. He removed the top from one and handed it to the two-year-old. As soon as she had it in her mouth, she began trying to claw the second one from his hands. Something about a soft, sweet, luscious berry can make you forget your manners.
Happy Birthday to your daughter!
I was briefly in Phoenix while on the way to San Diego for work. PHX was announced to be 114 degrees. Yikes. San Diego was hot and humid, not what I expected. I loved San Diego anyway.
I should be able to retire comfortably because I have been a squirrel stashing cash into my 401K for many years. Also I don’t plan/hope to rush into retirement at the first moment I qualify. But chances are I will be crossing the Delaware to Pa. for tax savings.
My favorite T shirt is a squirrel on a wanted poster for the crime of stealing nuts street value $1.67.
I always knew I was on the ‘Daddy’ retirement plan. If my father left me something I would be ok to retire. The good news is he did, the bad news is my father is no longer around to talk to. I have tried in the last 12 years to participate in my employer matched retirement plan and to never touch the capital my dad left me. So far, so good. Recently I found a new financial advisor who has made me realize if I’m willing to live a fairly frugal live I “should” be ok.
We’re enjoying your Alaska weather in our tiny spot of the Bay here, so the Phoenix weather sounds scary 😀
Given the health variable, I just don’t know how we’re set for retirement yet but I suppose my inherent financial conservatism is going to always make that seem a bit iffy.
I adore book shirts!
Just this week I saw my insurance guy. I have a pension plan with them. It’s less than I thought, but he says he can only do estimates for the current year, not future projections. Not very helpful. I’m going to refresh my memory about the pension that goes with my job when I go back out next week. I want to have a clearer idea of where I might be in 5-7 years when I retire. Might have to be a lot more firm with my insurance agent, I’m giving them a good chunk, I should be able to get a vague projection.