What is Your 50+ Life Situation?

[DnvrFox]

What is your current 50+ lifestyle?

This is an anonymous poll.

Answer all that apply.

Please add other arrangements below. Only 10 choices are allowed.

[Road Fan]

married, no kids.

Dual income, but miserly.

[europa]

Single.
Teenage son from first marriage lives with me.
Seven year old daughter from second marriage with me about 40% of the time.
Gave up my profession during second marriage to raise mine and her kids and can't get back into it because I don't have current training and experience (it's a young git's game anyway).
Can't get other work because although discrimination on the grounds of age or parenting responsibilities is against the law here in Australia, I'm too old and too restricted to be considered. ****, I applied for a leaflet delivery job recently and didn't even warrant a reply. I've signed up for a librarian's course (at uni) next year, but was rejected for a librarian traineeship on the same day they received my application despite 'no experience needed'. The family fraud ... er ... court system here ensured that most of my payout from the last marriage was spent ensuring I kept contact with my daughter. That was essentially my life savings gone - the ex came into the marriage with nothing and walzed out of it with the house I'd owned at the time and most of the money. So I'm too old to get a job (at 51), can't afford to buy even a small hovel and stupid enough to keep doing the right thing by my kids.

Yeah, I buy bikes, but it's retail therapy - dearer than booze but probably better for me.

Richard

[Tom Bombadil]

Now if you could have just squeezed in "Some/Moderate amount of money to spend." There is quite a gap between just getting by and having lots to spend.

[DnvrFox]

Now if you could have just squeezed in "Some/Moderate amount of money to spend." There is quite a gap between just getting by and having lots to spend.

No comment, but Tom was first!

[Tom Bombadil]

Tom would be first a lot of the time if'n I didn't bite my fingers. But 'tis a bit unfair for in an earlier life, Tom was a professional pollster. Not that I do it right all of the time ... especially if making one up on the fly on an on-line forum.

[Velodiva]

What is your current 50+ lifestyle?

This is an anonymous poll.

Answer all that apply.

Please add other arrangements below. Only 10 choices are allowed.

Married, no kids, saving and spending wisely (I get to define "wisely" . . . . :D)

[BluesDawg]

Married. Wife and one kid at home. Scraping by but looking forward to a little breathing room after paying off two car notes this year. :D

[linux_author]

DINK:

i shop, i cook, i clean; i work in the garden, i wear pretty things, and i service the woman!

:-)

life is good!

[Big Paulie]

Married for 20 years

Lived together 10 before that.

A couple a year before that.

Knew each other 3 years before that.

No kids.

All our beloved pets have passed on, and we don't have the heart to bring in replacements.

No extra money, ever. So, we spend what we can and really make it count.

One bike...a Rivendell.

[cooker]

I made a couple of contradictory answers. Married with kids at home and married without kids at home (I have kids at home and away). Lots of money to spend and just making it. We're not just making it - we're in good financial shape. I have adequate locked-in tax-sheltered investments and have it set up to contribute to them automatically, and a lot of equity in my house, but with 2 kids in University (including one out of town) expenses are high at the moment so cash flow is being closely monitored.

[Sgt Fury]

Life is good! My wife "let" me buy a '05 Trek Madone 5.9 SL, I have the same bike I rode over 30 years ago (VISCOUNT Aero Pro by Trusty in pristine condition) All the toys I want and everything I need. What else is there?

[HAMMER MAN]

1. Married, typical 2 person home, kids gone

Lots of money to spend

[robtown]

Married, wife just went back to work after 13 years at home. All the extra money is going towards paying bills and saving for the kids college expenses.
Every time we get things paid off lightning hits (literally) or something else. My daughter celebrated her 20th birthday today by having the second car accident within 30 days. She's shaken up but otherwise ok. The last accident hadn't been repaired yet so this one was additive so to speak.

[Terrierman]

Married, wife's youngest son living in guest house, wife's oldest son in Kansas Highway Patrol Academy, his fiance' sharing the guest house for another couple of months pending his graduation and the wedding. My two kids are grown and gone. We have enough income to be debt free and have a nice nest egg of savings and investments. We live a moderate lifestyle with an emphasis on more savings to assure a comfortable retirement. I guess we have more to spend than we do spend, which for me is the only way to live.

[TruF]

Married 24 years. Tried, but no luck having kids. Didn't want them badly enough to adopt. Had a household of pets, but down to one old cat. Both working right now. We like our toys.

[ken cummings]

Married, two person home, never were any kids, not enough $$$ to retire.

[wagathon]

I only learned recently that we (wife and me) apparently are now classified as, baby-booming altruistic dinks. And, as both of us dinks are not-aligned with a political party, we will be deciding who your next president will be. Who knew?

Please note, however, that in our case, our votes will be canceling each other out. Moreover, the next presidential election will be decided prior to any tally of California voters or the country is doomed.

:)

[cgallagh]

Married twenty six wonderful years and lived in sin for two before that. Both kids out of the house. We have two schipperkes and two chinchillas for company. We are okay financially and am able to sock away a good chunk into the old retirement account and still have some fun. Will be better when the real estate market comes back.

[crtreedude]

Married for 26+ years, no kids at home (both married off), more than enough money but we live simply. Living the vida loca in a tropical paradise (tis the time of year folks - as it gets worse up there, I gloat more - sorry)

[Wino Ryder]

The 19th of this month I will be married 31 years to my high school sweetheart. Both our kids are grown and have left, but are back home again due to failed relationships and other problems. I kid them that I run the "Broken Wing Hotel" for birds who cant fly.

Financially, my wife and I manage to get by, but it's not easy sometimes. I can still buy bike shwag, even a new bike for my wife, but we have to budget like a lot of people do. I'm just thankful we're all together and still in reasonably good health. (cross fingers)

[crtreedude]

The 19th of this month I will be married 31 years to my high school sweetheart. Both our kids are grown and have left, but are back home again due to failed relationships and other problems. I kid them that I run the "Broken Wing Hotel" for birds who cant fly.

Financially, my wife and I manage to get by, but it's not easy sometimes. I can still buy bike shwag, even a new bike for my wife, but we have to budget like a lot of people do. I'm just thankful we're all together and still in reasonably good health. (cross fingers)

We fled the country to make this harder, but our son and his wife came down to work for us - who figure on that! (we are glad to have them in truth)

[CrossChain]

Divorced for several years. Two kids in college, daughter is away but IM's frequently and son materializes often at 2:00AM staring into the fridge. I knew I would be tightly budgeted when they hit college...and it turned out so. Not looking forward to retirement-- I like teaching, keeps me, salmon-like, in the stream of life. Cycling was "there" for me through divorce several years ago and a heartbreak a few years ago. Amazing how therapeutic riding your brains out can be.

Recently decided time to look for someone new, but, to be honest, many women I meet my age are into collecting porcelain pigs, or scrap booking. Holy Sh*t! What's with that? But I persevere.

[Red Rider]

Married twenty six wonderful years and lived in sin for two before that. Both kids out of the house. We have two schipperkes and two chinchillas for company. We are okay financially and am able to sock away a good chunk into the old retirement account and still have some fun. Will be better when the real estate market comes back.

+1,000,000 :D

[Terrierman]

A serious question: What sort of company does a chinchilla provide?

[guybierhaus]

Retired and living just fine. Some extra money to spend. Kids appear to be better off then me. Will have more to spend when I apply for SS in 2 years.

[Tom Bombadil]

But they are so cutesy-wootsy

http://www.chinchillas.com/newsletter/images/royalpersianpressrelease/Royal-Persian-Angora-Chinch.jpg

Here you go T-Man ... perhaps you can expand to chinchilla breeding.

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/chinchillas/p/Chinchillas.htm

[TruF]

A serious question: What sort of company does a chinchilla provide?

The warm and fuzzy kind! :p

[solveg]

Single, no kids. I've been engaged more than once, and once for 10 years. I always wanted about 12 kids, and thought about adopting but it would be too tough as a single woman. I would love to have a great relationship again, but I don't know who would put up with me day in and day out. I have 3 dogs, a house full of bikes, I don't know how to cook, I never hang up my clothes after I wear them, I travel a lot, and my friends are very important to me and most are as eccentric as I am.

Edit: Oh, yeah, and I own 4 pair of footsie pajamas and have a dog called "Chilly Pig". Who could love me...:D

[BluesDawg]

It appears this sampling is much better off financially than the population at large. I guess most poor folks are too busy to spend time on the web. At least I'm doing my part to keep it from being too much like a country club. :(

[Red Rider]

A serious question: What sort of company does a chinchilla provide?

You pet them, and their incredible softness transports you to a place of calm. :D

Seriously? We got them because they're long-lived. Until '95 we had rats, which are intelligent and engaging pets. They don't live long, however, and we burned out on euthanizing the little critters so frequently (we had one that lived past 2; all the others contracted an incurable lung disease peculiar to rats, between 18-24 mos.). So many tears, so many little graves. :(

It's said that chinchillas are as trainable as rats, but after 12 years I still disagree. They're entertaining, sure, but don't know their names, or ever return to their cage when allowed out of it. We won't be replacing this pair after they pass.

I still prefer dogs. They don't judge.

[Tom Bombadil]

I have no trouble buying that they are an upgrade from rats.

[solveg]

I still prefer dogs. They don't judge.

Chinchillas judge?

[Artkansas]

Divorced for 1 1/2 years. No kids, no pets. Paid off my debts but still leading a pretty ascetic carfree lifestyle to build up some assets. This Christmas I ended up in 3 of 4 corners of the U.S. and it got to be very expensive, so I was thankful that none of it will require repayment to debtors as I have sufficinet funds to cover it.

[Red Rider]

Edit: Oh, yeah, and I own 4 pair of footsie pajamas and have a dog called "Chilly Pig". Who could love me...:D

You're kidding...footsie pjs, a dog with a cute name, a house full of bikes and a bizarre avatar? Why, the fifty-plussers love you! We gravitate to the the outre'.

I'll see those footsies and raise you two chinchillals...:D

[CrossChain]

It appears this sampling is much better off financially than the population at large. I guess most poor folks are too busy to spend time on the web. At least I'm doing my part to keep it from being too much like a country club. :(

Perhaps we're token "real people" allowed in to give a semblance of the egalitarian ideal to an otherwise very upscale crowd. Notice how D.G. is able to constantly buy new gear, or others afford exotic creatures like chinchillas.

[Red Rider]

Chinchillas judge?

No, but they don't want to hang out with you just because you're you, like dogs do.

[Red Rider]

I have no trouble buying that they are an upgrade from rats.

They were supposed to be an upgrade.

I detect a rodent prejudice...

[TruF]

Anybody listen to Weekend Edition about the tadpole a mom bought for her kids 18 years ago and that it has been alive in its froggie state since then? http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17547979 Turns out that it's just entering its prime and can live 30 years!! A frog!!

[solveg]

No, but they don't want to hang out with you just because you're you, like dogs do.

That's a relief! I was getting a mental image of Puritan Chinchillas with pursed mouths glaring from their cage.

[Red Rider]

Anybody listen to Weekend Edition about the tadpole a mom bought for her kids 18 years ago and that it has been alive in its froggie state since then? http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17547979 Turns out that it's just entering its prime and can live 30 years!! A frog!!

Can you believe it? Who knew a frog could live so long!

[Tom Bombadil]

It appears this sampling is much better off financially than the population at large.

But the question offers only two choice, just getting by or well off. It is missing any option for being in the middle, where most people are. So you've probably got people in the middle guessing at which one to check.

One would normally expect a group like this to have a higher average than the general population. Almost all on-line polls show the same tendency, and it is going to be even more true in a hobbyist forum.

[Red Rider]

That's a relief! I was getting a mental image of Puritan Chinchillas with pursed mouths glaring from their cage.

:roflmao:

Believe me, they can glare. And when they run out of food in the middle of the night (they're nocturnal) they can create quite a racket, caroming around their cage and grunting and squeaking.

We tried for a while to find them a new home; cgallag was concerned that they'd be neglected, and we both feel a responsibility to them. We bought them as babies and feel that it's up to us to do the best we can by them.

At least the kids grew up and moved out.

[Tom Bombadil]

Can you believe it? Who knew a frog could live so long!

I believe. Boy do I believe.

While in high school, Daughter #3 participated in a science class experiment with frogs. They put various pollutants into the water and observed the effect on the frogs over the course of a semester. About 2/3rds of them died. At the end of the semester, three were still alive and the teacher was going to dispose of them.

Well, my daughter couldn't bear to see this, as they had lived through such difficult conditions. So she brought the three survivors home. That was 9 years ago. Two of the three are still alive, with the other dying just 3 months ago. Man are they ugly frogs too. We have a cat that loves to sneak up on them and pounce against the glass, scaring the frogs to the other side of the aquarium.

I sure hope those things die soon.

[rae]

Long single, only child now out on her own, & since I am no longer paying tuition etc I feel downright rich! Except I still have trouble allowing myself to spend a little -- old habits die hard. House is paid for which makes everything else easier.

I may someday figure out how to do an avatar. Maybe even get a digital camera!

[Red Rider]

Long single, only child now out on her own, & since I am no longer paying tuition etc I feel downright rich! Except I still have trouble allowing myself to spend a little -- old habits die hard. House is paid for which makes everything else easier.

I may someday figure out how to do an avatar. Maybe even get a digital camera!

I have a pair of chinchillas who'd love your weather. We'll throw in their 3-story condo, too. You need pets, right? :D

[farandaway]

Okay. I'm 25 years single, both sons grown with families of their own. One lives 2 blocks away, the other 2 hours away, so I have plenty of grandma time. I like the simple life, so I live pretty "bare bones" by choice more than necessity. I like my little job at the library too, so I probably will be doing that for many years to come. It's a happy, peaceful life, after so many hectic years as a single mom and teacher. I'm very blessed. I never thought I'd enjoy getting older, but I definitely do.

[Tom Bombadil]

Want a frog?

[BluesDawg]

But the question offers only two choice, just getting by or well off. It is missing any option for being in the middle, where most people are. So you've probably got people in the middle guessing at which one to check.

One would normally expect a group like this to have a higher average than the general population. Almost all on-line polls show the same tendency, and it is going to be even more true in a hobbyist forum.

Maybe so, but I had no problem deciding which end of that spectrum is closer to where I sit. Normally I expect to get paid when I'm around this many rich people. :rolleyes:

[rae]

Oh, yes, my two cats are always happy to try new snacks!