Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm happy for you but feel pretty bad about my lackluster/crappy finances at 34. Not a lot of debt but no where near any of you w/r to retirement funds, home equity, savings, cash on hand. Most days I'm content with our simple/frugal lifestyle, but then I read threads like this where I realize DH and I are so far off in terms of meeting solid financial goals.

You probably didn't spend the last half of your 20s working like a slave in a law firm, though.

That's a great point. I have a good 401(k) but spent ages 25-32 working around the clock at a big law firm. I really wish I'd taken greater advantage of my youth!

Anonymous wrote:I'm happy for you but feel pretty bad about my lackluster/crappy finances at 34. Not a lot of debt but no where near any of you w/r to retirement funds, home equity, savings, cash on hand. Most days I'm content with our simple/frugal lifestyle, but then I read threads like this where I realize DH and I are so far off in terms of meeting solid financial goals.

You probably didn't spend the last half of your 20s working like a slave in a law firm, though.

I donate a lot of time to charities, shelters, youth groups and non-profits. I am not well~to~do financially. As a matter of fact, I was making six figures until I got laid off in 2010. I now only make about 65% of what I used to and I support a family of 5 (my wife, my children & myself) on just my salary.

Have you ever cut bread so thin that you could see through it? Have you ever had $0.76 to last you until payday the following week?

I guess you can say that I'm rich, just not with money.

Anonymous wrote:I'm getting $25,000 of cosmetic dental work in two weeks. Being in the chair for so long over the course of several appointments will be hell, but I'm really excited because I need/want this. I've been so self-conscious about my teeth for a very long time.

THAT'S AWESOME!