You are a slave unless you are wealthy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is called indentured servitude. Most Americans are less free than they were 100 years ago. In fact it keeps getting worse. Back in the 80s you could retire easily at 50. Now you are lucky to get out by 65, if you live that long. Life is getting worse not better and corporate America covers it up with plastic crap we think we want, but dont

+1

There is opportunity and mobility for a small percentage of the population to give the illusion of choice.

Why should you retire by 50? The idea is ludicrous!! What would you do for the next 30 years? 65 is a great age to retire.

Agree, the people I know who retired early just seemed to wander and be bored. My husband had the opportunity to retire at 52 but he didn’t want to have to hang out with old people so he started another company and ultimately retired at 61 though he still works part time because going cold turkey would drive him nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say a serf, the slave is a bit different beast altogether.

+1

Good point.

[Anonymous]

OP, I figure you just want to vent a little bit. But if you want some real advice, here is my data point.

I'm the inly child of a single mom who has been in and out of institutions my who childhood. She died when I was 27 and left me $6k. That was my inheritance. I've never met my father. When I was single and childless and had a lot of student loan debt, I got a roommate. We split a one bedroom apartment in NYC; I lived in the living room. Rent was my biggest expense. The money I saved from sharing my apartment I put towards debt. I also spent one year as a No Buy Year - meaning that the only things i spent on were rent, utilities, and basic groceries. This helped me accelerate debt pay off and get an emergency fund together. I had the roommate until I was debt free at 31. I also shifted careers and eventually got a Masters by going to school at night, cash flowing that degree. That graduate degree allowed me to get a better paying job with great benefits. I am not setting the world in fire, but my work has allowed to have the life j want (which in my case includes marriage and two children, and a modest house and one car, regular vacations, saving for retirement). I've done the No Buy Year a couple more times, once with kids (I modified what I would buy due to the kid expenses), which allowed me to do a year of maternity leave and buy a car for cash. Because we still live frugally, after years of practice, we will have a decent retirement and somewhat escape full serfdom.

In other words, OP, one way to get out of your funk is to come up with a game plan and Implement it, bit by bit. The solution might not be easy and it might involve a lot of personal inconvenience and even pain, but over time your situation will get better. You just have to make some well thought out moves.

[Anonymous]

I agree with OP minus the sadness. Why I started my own business and own enough rental properties to not do a damn thing I don't want to. Working for someone else is hell and I won't ever do it again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP minus the sadness. Why I started my own business and own enough rental properties to not do a damn thing I don't want to. Working for someone else is hell and I won't ever do it again.

How did you achieve this? Parlay it out for OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yet many wealthy people are slaves to wanting more money and lifestyle. SHit out of luck people like me, went into massive debt, couldn't get a job, aren't marketable, and I'm stuck in an expensive area because it's the only place I can get work, despite how crappy it is. If I want to try something else, I'll likely have to go back to school, go further into debt, and risk not being able to get a job in that field too. Work from home would be great, but I'll never be allowed to do it with my job. I could live in a less expensive area, and be less of a slave.

Contract Review Guy it's you isn't it. Same old woes.

Yeah it’s definitely him. But he’s right. Law school isn’t for everyone.

Yeah, I'd recognize that sad sack, woe-is-me whining anywhere.

And, if it is Contract Review Guy, good news! - the review companies have lots of centers outside DC in low cost of living areas. (Because it's expensive for them here, too.) I know that you'd rather whine than actually make a change, but you can absolutely move to a lower COL area and still review those docs dawn to dusk - Minnesota, Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, Texas... the possibilities are endless.

And, seriously, seek medical attention for your depression. It will help a lot.