My dream retirement is living in a nice community with assistance for any needs for my husband and I and no debt.
My mother (75 yrs old) is living in a two floor home that she can't go down the stairs, is underwater on her mortgage and cannot get rid of the house. She needs assistance with things like lifting groceries and laundry and is otherwise independent but her neighborhood has gone downhill in the 40 years that she's lived there and now she is jittery about her safety alone.
I agree that college isn't necessary to succeed, in fact I recently wrote about this very topic on my blog. College can teach you things that may take you a while to learn in the workforce. Likewise, being in the workforce can teach you things you will never learn in college. However, that little piece of paper you get at the end of college is often worth more than it should be. Some employers will look at that piece of paper before they even try to assess the skills of the individual applying for a job.
Thanks for the comment. Sure, a college degree can signal that you're a more skilled person. And as I hinted at in my post, you can often use tuition reimbursement to cover the costs of Bachelor's and Master's degrees.
But the main point is to get your foot in the door of a good company with your high school diploma - which is free.
I would love to travel the world and also be able to do more philanthropic work for animal causes. I am not at all on track with retirement savings, but I'm hoping to get better about it once my credit card debt is paid off.
The experience of your husband's coworkers is pretty much exactly what I was trying to communicate in this post. Getting the degree for them was likely just a formality, and my guess is that they used the tuition reimbursement to cover the cost.
Yes, being skilled and brilliant is key. And you make a great point that by putting off the degree, they entered the workforce sooner and started making money sooner. And if they put that money towards smart investments, they'd reap the benefit of more time for that money to compound and grow.
I feel like you don't necessarily need a college degree to succeed, but it definitely helps. With a growing competition in the job market for higher paying jobs and more advanced careers, the backing of a Bachelors or a Masters degree can make all of the difference.
Selling textbooks at the end of the semester is like Christmas! You make so much money off of them if you find the right buyer, it is always great to spread the knowledge and get a little bit of extra change in your pocket ;)
I agree, if your date isn't on his best behavior and is being rude (like belching, ew!) I would pay for my own tab. You don't want to make someone think they have a shot at taking you out again by letting them pay for you even when you probably won't call them again, so just give them the cold shoulder and pay your own way for the rest of the date.
Running someone's errands is a service I never thought about, but a great way to make some extra money! Whenever I need some extra pocket change fast, I sell some of my artwork freelance and I have also refurbished and sold furniture. If you go to a thrift store, you can buy cute pieces and go all TLC on them sanding them, repainting them, replacing the knobs and then selling them for at least triple what you paid for the item and the supplies on Etsy or Craigslist for a quick buck!
At the risk of sounding like a broken record with all of the other comments, travel is high on my list for retirement. I would like to travel twice domestically and at least once internationally each year. I would like to be mentally and physically healthy enough to do at least a small amount of work at my discretion. Otherwise, I would like to read volumes, try out a few hobbies I just can't seem to find time for now, take a number of college courses and otherwise take it easy.
Got the Oster as a wedding present. My husband dropped the body of the Oster and it shattered sending a gazillion little shards everywhere. Very, very unsafe.
Trying to get access to Oster on line to make arrangements to have the body replaced was a painful process. Finally when we did manage to reach Oster the replacement body was going to cost more than purchasing another Oster.
We waited until it went on sale and got another. I recently found out that I can use mason jars and they fit perfectly onto the base. I wish I would have known that before searching out a replacement body. It would have saved me a lot of time and money.
At least for a little while, my dream retirement would be to buy an apartment on that luxury cruise ship that just goes around the world. But that would be boring to do indefinitely, so I'd eventually need to go back to at least working part time or volunteering, to remain a productive member of society.
I was set up with a guy through a mutual friend and he called and asked if I wanted to meet at Panera. I was ok with the casual date because I really didn't know if we'd be interested in each other or not. We placed our orders at the counter and got down to the register to pay and I was in front so I pulled out my card (intending to pay for my half, or at least offer to do so) and he said "Oh, okay, you got this? Thanks!" It was less than $20, so obviously it wasn't a big deal, but I was put off that he so easily let the girl pay - and I didn't even offer. He was in college, so maybe money was tight, but considering it was such a cheap meal anyway, I was surprised. We didn't go out again, but it wasn't necessarily because of that - that just didn't help the situation.
On any first date, I always offered to pay at least half. Even if they declined, I'd offer to leave the tip. Most guys didn't let me pay anything, but I wanted to make sure they didn't think I was looking for a free meal.
The key is what you said in the very beginning, you have talents or stuff that people are willing to pay for. It may take a little while to correctly identify where your opportunities lie. It will also likely take a little while to brush up, or improve on them to the point where they become really valuable. But once you do they are always there to be used. The best investment you'll ever make is in yourself.
Under no circumstances should the one inviting financially obligate the one accepting. This goes for even casual invitations. Footing the bill is a part and parcel of having the privilege of selecting the offered event.
Dutch is when both agree to attend together without the necessity of an invitation.
If it's an incompatible date, politely terminate it early regardless of the paying arrangements. Decline the gift of the event or what's left of it, not the money to pay for it, please.
Rearranging who pays midway in some vague hope it sends a *cough cough* signal is playing games. All it signals is a clear shortage of courage in the face of failed expectations.
My husband is a computer scientist, and his smartest coworkers have had no more than a high school diploma.
Most of them eventually went on to get degrees so that they could "check the box" to get paid more, promoted, etc. BUT at this point, they went to college on their company's nickel! They didn't pay one red cent for it.
They had jobs because they were brilliant. If they weren't, then, yes, the lack of a degree would have prevented them from being hired. But since they were so skilled, putting off the degree meant they made more money faster and eventually got a free degree when they did decide to go.
I'd like to live in a little house near some water when I retire--by a lake, a river, the ocean, whatever--I just want to live near the water again.
My dream retirement is living in a nice community with assistance for any needs for my husband and I and no debt.
My mother (75 yrs old) is living in a two floor home that she can't go down the stairs, is underwater on her mortgage and cannot get rid of the house. She needs assistance with things like lifting groceries and laundry and is otherwise independent but her neighborhood has gone downhill in the 40 years that she's lived there and now she is jittery about her safety alone.
I agree that college isn't necessary to succeed, in fact I recently wrote about this very topic on my blog. College can teach you things that may take you a while to learn in the workforce. Likewise, being in the workforce can teach you things you will never learn in college. However, that little piece of paper you get at the end of college is often worth more than it should be. Some employers will look at that piece of paper before they even try to assess the skills of the individual applying for a job.
You are welcome!
Morgan,
Thanks for the comment. Sure, a college degree can signal that you're a more skilled person. And as I hinted at in my post, you can often use tuition reimbursement to cover the costs of Bachelor's and Master's degrees.
But the main point is to get your foot in the door of a good company with your high school diploma - which is free.
I would love to travel the world and also be able to do more philanthropic work for animal causes. I am not at all on track with retirement savings, but I'm hoping to get better about it once my credit card debt is paid off.
Sorry, I meant thank you Jenny, NOT Nancy!
Nancy, thanks for sharing your story.
The experience of your husband's coworkers is pretty much exactly what I was trying to communicate in this post. Getting the degree for them was likely just a formality, and my guess is that they used the tuition reimbursement to cover the cost.
Yes, being skilled and brilliant is key. And you make a great point that by putting off the degree, they entered the workforce sooner and started making money sooner. And if they put that money towards smart investments, they'd reap the benefit of more time for that money to compound and grow.
I feel like you don't necessarily need a college degree to succeed, but it definitely helps. With a growing competition in the job market for higher paying jobs and more advanced careers, the backing of a Bachelors or a Masters degree can make all of the difference.
Selling textbooks at the end of the semester is like Christmas! You make so much money off of them if you find the right buyer, it is always great to spread the knowledge and get a little bit of extra change in your pocket ;)
I agree, if your date isn't on his best behavior and is being rude (like belching, ew!) I would pay for my own tab. You don't want to make someone think they have a shot at taking you out again by letting them pay for you even when you probably won't call them again, so just give them the cold shoulder and pay your own way for the rest of the date.
Call me traditional but I believe the male should always pay for the date regardless of who initiates it.
Running someone's errands is a service I never thought about, but a great way to make some extra money! Whenever I need some extra pocket change fast, I sell some of my artwork freelance and I have also refurbished and sold furniture. If you go to a thrift store, you can buy cute pieces and go all TLC on them sanding them, repainting them, replacing the knobs and then selling them for at least triple what you paid for the item and the supplies on Etsy or Craigslist for a quick buck!
I would like to own a nice B&B on a nice tropical beach that can make money without me having to work much.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record with all of the other comments, travel is high on my list for retirement. I would like to travel twice domestically and at least once internationally each year. I would like to be mentally and physically healthy enough to do at least a small amount of work at my discretion. Otherwise, I would like to read volumes, try out a few hobbies I just can't seem to find time for now, take a number of college courses and otherwise take it easy.
volunteer, write, travel.
Got the Oster as a wedding present. My husband dropped the body of the Oster and it shattered sending a gazillion little shards everywhere. Very, very unsafe.
Trying to get access to Oster on line to make arrangements to have the body replaced was a painful process. Finally when we did manage to reach Oster the replacement body was going to cost more than purchasing another Oster.
We waited until it went on sale and got another. I recently found out that I can use mason jars and they fit perfectly onto the base. I wish I would have known that before searching out a replacement body. It would have saved me a lot of time and money.
the freedom to travel to anywhere, any time with the health to keep up with it.
At least for a little while, my dream retirement would be to buy an apartment on that luxury cruise ship that just goes around the world. But that would be boring to do indefinitely, so I'd eventually need to go back to at least working part time or volunteering, to remain a productive member of society.
I was set up with a guy through a mutual friend and he called and asked if I wanted to meet at Panera. I was ok with the casual date because I really didn't know if we'd be interested in each other or not. We placed our orders at the counter and got down to the register to pay and I was in front so I pulled out my card (intending to pay for my half, or at least offer to do so) and he said "Oh, okay, you got this? Thanks!" It was less than $20, so obviously it wasn't a big deal, but I was put off that he so easily let the girl pay - and I didn't even offer. He was in college, so maybe money was tight, but considering it was such a cheap meal anyway, I was surprised. We didn't go out again, but it wasn't necessarily because of that - that just didn't help the situation.
On any first date, I always offered to pay at least half. Even if they declined, I'd offer to leave the tip. Most guys didn't let me pay anything, but I wanted to make sure they didn't think I was looking for a free meal.
The key is what you said in the very beginning, you have talents or stuff that people are willing to pay for. It may take a little while to correctly identify where your opportunities lie. It will also likely take a little while to brush up, or improve on them to the point where they become really valuable. But once you do they are always there to be used. The best investment you'll ever make is in yourself.
Under no circumstances should the one inviting financially obligate the one accepting. This goes for even casual invitations. Footing the bill is a part and parcel of having the privilege of selecting the offered event.
Dutch is when both agree to attend together without the necessity of an invitation.
If it's an incompatible date, politely terminate it early regardless of the paying arrangements. Decline the gift of the event or what's left of it, not the money to pay for it, please.
Rearranging who pays midway in some vague hope it sends a *cough cough* signal is playing games. All it signals is a clear shortage of courage in the face of failed expectations.
What I'm doing now, writing about wine, only without actually having to make it pay!
My husband is a computer scientist, and his smartest coworkers have had no more than a high school diploma.
Most of them eventually went on to get degrees so that they could "check the box" to get paid more, promoted, etc. BUT at this point, they went to college on their company's nickel! They didn't pay one red cent for it.
They had jobs because they were brilliant. If they weren't, then, yes, the lack of a degree would have prevented them from being hired. But since they were so skilled, putting off the degree meant they made more money faster and eventually got a free degree when they did decide to go.
What a clever article, I enjoyed this so much. I can relate too.