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I just want to let everyone contributing that I genuinely appreciate all of your thoughts, and have really reminded me what I already know... that youth is wasted on the young. I'm 29, max out my 401k for the past 4 years plus my company contributes profit-sharing to my tax-advantaged account, and will be a home-owner within 18 months. I am front loading my work now and taking blow-out style trips to not have to worry about working later on in life. (Translation, two tiered apporach for today and tomorrow, but I do have the time). This had made me think of two important (in my eyes anyway) contributions to this thread. Of course, I could never truly understand the perspective aside from being rather close to my 60 year old unhappily married father (I love my mother endlessly), so disclaimer warning.
1) Although it is absolutely more important to realize that you may get hit by a bus tomorrow, and that you may not find the enjoyment tomorrow as you do today, you have an awful lot of time left, and prime time as well. With that type of time horizon (for many of you), it's really important not to concede the potential growth of investments and how powerful compounding could be with a few more years of solid deposits. Now, I'm not suggesting that at 50 or so your should be 91% in emerging market equities like I am of course, but there are vehicles to still participate in the much of the upside of financial markets but essentially guaratnee your principal plus some interet. I"M not talking about using that entirely, but let's say you're 50, you can completely take care of 65 and beyond with a certain sum that's right for you, and then it allows you to focus more on the interim and know where you stand. What's amazing is the math what a few more years of deposits can do for you, and let's say you are extremely healthy for 30 more years, don't you want to be as happy as you want to be? What you have to weigh for yourself is the incremental value of your time and mental peace in your current situation. Of course there is no way to put math to such a personal situation, but don't forget that if you are planning for 30 years, you still need to manage financial risk but you need to maintain the upside potential with a good portion of your money.
I recently wrote that I have two fears, my biggest fear being that I don't want to look back and wish I did more. If given the choice, I would leave nothing on the table. I would rather look back and say look what I did, I got nothing left, rather than think I should have or could have... but... I don't want to look back and say I should have given myself a longer time horizon in my retirment planning.... complicated balancing act... which leads me to another way to help out here...
2) Much more important, the reason most retirees are in danger of outspending their means isn't because of the means, but it's beacuse of the spending. To be more specific, it's because people (I am the worst offender), become accustomed to a lifestyle which is outlandishly beyond necesarry. I argue that even if you have escalated your lifestyle every year for the last 20, you can still rejig your "expectations". I used to have to go out every fri and sat., and end the night at a strip club almost every night. I couldn't sit home and save, because I was so concerned about the opportunity cost. Was it hard at first? Hell yeah. Did I make a sacrifice (in my mind anyways) for physcial, mental, and financial health? Absolutely. Was it really hard? Yes. Now? I went to the beach (707 am train after a good nights sleep after a late frin night gym session) all day on saturday, took the train back to NYC, watched a movie, and went to bed. Saved 500 bucks easy over the weekend, went to the gym and for a run today, and overall things are so much better for me. Moral is I got over the hump by reteaching myself that what I thought I needed, I didn't really need. Today, I do have an overpriced laptop and TV, but I don't have a car. It would be nice, but I just don't need it. If I moved to the suburbs, I love SUVs, but I wouldn't get one.
My point is if you can truly make "non-american" consumption decisions your norm, and truly develop better consumption habits, to the point where it's in your natural behaviour, it makes a huge difference. This goes for everything outside of mongering in my mind, and even can bleed into it.
Did you ever notice the cars in Colombia? The taxis? haha, those are plastic little boxes with wheels. A to B, is that not the point? I'm not saying buy a Prius tomorrow, but it's the mentality. Ever see the napkins and TP in LatinAmerica? It's not top shelf stuff. Does it really need to be? Why do American restaurants serve poritions often much larger than other parts of the world that do not try to attract tourists??? Why do fast food and regular restaurants try to offer smaller portions for cheaper costs, and fail miserably? It's the American mentality, people want what they pay for. They want to see that quantity, that perceived quality and value. (There is tons of research on this). The true value for most consumption decisions really is what is the purpose, and does it accomplish it without any excess, for the best price? If you can gradually detach emotion from most of your decisions where you part with your money, it makes a big difference especially when you move to a fixed income. Of course, you should have things you are emotional about, and you should enjoy those !!!! But what about those things that aren't more than necessity or convenience...
I even find pleasure in "Economizing" for neceseties, and find pleasure that it subsidizes my outlandish TV, and that some of it goes to my retirement plan.
Most of all, it's never too late to make a conscience effort to contribute for your future WITHOUT compromising today. I would never suggest compromising today and tomorrow for a few years from now. No way dude. By the end of this year, I plan on having sex in Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Thailand, the Phillipines, and the USA, I'm not just sitting around. The only thing that should be looked at is to make sure that today is as good as it can be. I do however think about how I can offer those decisions to myself at a later date. This should apply to all you guys 55-60ish and under, and if you are happy and healthy, then to whichever age you wish.
I can't imagine how I will feel on the mongering drive considering my resume today, but hell I may be married in two years and know what's behind me and not married 30 years from now and I could telling JMACs K*ds about this infamous cat called the QuickBlueFox, and how I'm giving him a run for his money... Either way... I think exercise and diet plays a huge factor in energy and happiness, regardless of age. My only advice to anyone getting into it is not to bite off too much at once, simply set long term goals and feel good about reaching small milestones.
Thanks again for all the contributions in this thread, it helps me reflect on things. It also lets me know that there are some great guys out living the life. I'm happy to know you all through this medium and wish you all the best. I think I'm going to have to make it to the 5th anniv. party. (Besides, it's going to be the GetRhythm 1 year anniv. party since his last trip to CR once he goes to Rio, MDE, Pattaya...)
Cheers all,
RM
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. Hell I know I am that way to some but my senses are able to convince me other wise for the most part. I hope my Libido runs out before this day so my desires don't make me suffer through this one.
! If it was sooooo bad why not just take 10 mil of his & get out quick 
? No she will "suffer" thru getting more 
! I see shooting it on their face but never signing papers 
!
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