| I'm 40. I'm a single parent and divorced. I'm a Veteran. I spent my 20s going to college, working for a porn company (not as a performer), and then joining the Navy. I paid off student debts, alimony, and child support. I have one successful and one failed startup under my belt. I've always, always, always, lived paycheck to paycheck until recently. At 40. I was finally able to save up enough for a house in a HCOL city. I have roughly 6 months of savings and not a whole lot for retirement. At 50 - I'd love to still be in tech, but I don't see it happening. I already see the writing on the wall that I need to start going the management route or I really need to find my niche as an individual contributor to be retained. I'm the old dude on my team. In retrospect, I had a blast in my 20s and would not change it for the corporate grind that I'm currently in. All of us have different stories and paths. There is no "right" or "wrong" path, it's all a journey. Sure, if I had done things a more responsible way I may be in a completely different situation in life. Who knows? I don't. |
Note that one can save a 'decent' amount even if you have 'only' ten years before your planned/desired day. This book has a Canadian focus, but the principles are probably pretty general:
* https://www.cpacanada.ca/en/public-interest/financial-litera...
Interview with author:
* https://www.moneysense.ca/save/retirement/procrastinating-on...
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_MIMfd5emg
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh74xUdBITU
You may not need as much of a nest egg as you think:
* https://www.moneysense.ca/save/calculating-how-much-money-yo...
* https://www.macleans.ca/economy/money-economy/heres-the-real...
* https://findependencehub.com/qa-with-author-david-aston-abou...