minimalism+SW-retirement plan. The best pathway?

[RulesParticipant 55]

Most people regert on their dead bed that they worked too much and didnt try to enjoy life. This leads into interesting insights.

Working hard consumes your time, especially if you are working in white collar jobs. PArt of the idea of working hard is to save for retirement. But is that a good plan?

Retirement means that you are working at young age in order that you would have money when you are old. You change time of young age to time at old age. But at old age ypu have many ailments and you cant enjoy life anymore. That is a s~~~ty exchange. And if you dont have children, why would you even work hard? As a single guy you can get along withvery little income By living minimalist lifestyle. And if you dont have to worry about leaving enheritance, why accumulate wealth?

If you live minimalist lifestyle, you can retire now and have your free time now. You wont have money to retire, but you have your retirement plan with you S&W.

Aaron Clarey defines this case greatly here:

Which one is worse:1)Live a miserable llife and not kill yourself OR 2)Live a enjoyable life and kill yourself when you are at retirement age?

[Greg SilveradoParticipant 172]

Dude I gotta tell you I’m glad that you expressed your opinion because I thought the same thing when I was back in my thirties and it has never failed to amaze me how wonderful it is to live life everyday. Sure I don’t have any money put away for retirement because I haven’t Define what the word retirement means. I think that there’s always something to be done and if we can find something that we do with passion it is no longer a job. I think the idea of pursuing your own passions is an extremely good one for any man who has gone his own way. You may discover along the way that you have some kind of hidden talent that you never dreamed of because you are always so caught up in that woman’s drama. Take away the drama and the women and we start thinking differently without all those nasty little brain chemicals. Yeah I think minimalism is a great idea retirement is everyday.

Always expect the unexpected and gird your loins appropriately. It's a no-fault jungle out there.

[hellraiderParticipant 2837]

I plan to go out banging my fembot to pieces but hey, whatever rocks your boat guys…

[FullMetalExoParticipant 2383]

I will be working just enough to enjoy my current level if living.
And having free time to enjoy my life.

Not married, no kids, no credit debts, got a nice apartment that is not expensive. Feels good. A job that covers my desires and that’s it.

Having FREE TIME to do something, or nothing is liberating.

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[AnthonyParticipant 2281]

I plan on getting a high paying job for a few years to quickly pay off all my debts. Afterwards, I’m going to buy a house somewhere in a rural area on a few hundred acres doing what I want when I want.

Living a minimalist lifestyle is definitely the way to go.

Once you have a Fleshlight real vaginas become worthless.

[EyeswideopenParticipant 2930]

I live a very minimalism lifestyle; and I would not have it any other way.

I have a good career, which I am very thankful for, and worked very hard to achieve. It was not only about the money, but the sense of accomplishment and personal satisfaction.

I live on approx 20% of my take home wage. Meager and frugal are my comfort zone. I purchase good quality and only replace when things wear out. I avoid materialism. I stick to a strict budget.

I lived a MGTOW lifestyle before I even knew of the term. I did not have my first LTR until I was in my late 20s. This allowed me to save and invest in property as I was not spending my gold on random slot-c. I was driven at that point in my life. Yet, drive to “establish myself”; not for myself but others. Looking back, the only reason I began my LTR/marriage was because of social programming – I thought I had found an NAWALT. I quickly found out that I was wrong.

With no children, no support obligations, I was able to slay debt, pay down a home and contribute to retirement. I save about 10% of my gross earning for retirement. I view it as a safety net – well balanced portfolio. Yes, the stocks could become worthless, but I could also be deceased before retirement. I like hedging my bets. I also buy physical gold/silver at set increments per year. The remainder fund time off, hobbies, and business ventures.

I purchase experiences – which are surprisingly cheap. I am a hostel type of traveler. I can see a city on fractions and have the same experience.

When it is time to retire, I plan on downsizing massively. The house will be sold, and I think I will live on a boat – sailing the Caribbean. I will live with extended family when I am shore side. I love the water.

- Marriage is described as an institution. You would have to be crazy to be commited to it. -"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal. Not people or things" Albert Einstein

[experiencedParticipant]

Eyeswideopen wrote:

This allowed me to save and invest in property as I was not spending my gold on random slot-c.

“Do not spend your strength on women” Pvbs31:3

"It seems like there's times a body gets struck down so low, there ain't a power on earth that can ever bring him up again. Seems like something inside dies so he don't even want to get up again. But he does."

[clint englandParticipant 341]

Funny this subject comes up now, just as i am having the same thoughts about life. As a single guy, you don’t need that much to live on. I salute your views on life here guys.

I myself have been guilty of putting money above all else and possibly even using it as a distraction. Working long hours and still feeling insecure of not having enough.

I guess if i were a business man, i would have been worth millions by now. I think there has to be balance in everything. I know 2 brothers who became millionaire builders, working their guts out. Only for one of them to die in his mid 50’s of bone cancer. The other just carries on, unable to stop but hey maybe he loves what he does?

I know another guy who works as a drywall fixer, super fast, earns a fortune and could easily retire now. Also in his 50’s but every time you speak to him, his goals have moved further away. Moved by himself, no one else.

I know another guy who works just enough to do what he wants, an original MGTOW before the term was ever dreamt up. He travels often and lives super cheap, staying in hostels etc.

For me i like a few creature comforts and treats, so i’d like to be between these 2 philosophies. I still like to work hard but for me it’s save a little, spend a little and have periods where i don’t work. Being in construction the work can be a little seasonal, so you have to be a little careful but for guys in more stable jobs i think i’d be having 3-4 months a year of chilling.

I think every man, especially the likes of us mgtow should take the time to chill and do what we want. Read books or whatever else you want to do. You never know where it may take you!

As ever, there is no right or wrong way. It’s what fits you and no one else. You just got to allow yourself the time and breathing room every now and then to find your own groove with life i guess.

[BrujahParticipant 579]

I’ve been thinking alot about this lately.

I bust ass at work everyday but I’m always left thinking. I don’t plan on living that old and with no obligations or debts, why am I busting ass again? I have an extremely minimalist lifestyle with simple needs. I like the idea of financial security but my mental state is beating my head in.

I was watching a video linked here about how married men work harder and earn more… Coincidentally enough, I was talking to my coworker earlier that I don’t mind taking a step back in responsibilities and a pay cut for a little peace of mind.

Thank you for the input. It’s something for me to ponder on.

[Deadly RaverParticipant]

minimalism seems to be the way to go IMO. I’m pretty happy right where I am, although I would like a bigger house and go back to travel. I can save up from disability so that I have enough for rainy days, but I rarely have those, if ever now that I’ve stopped drinking myself into an early grave. I may not be able to work, but I can still learn. One thing they said about retirement I completely agree with. Saving up your cash to stick in a bank is no longer the way to go. I’m trying to learn Dividend investing for now because that one appeals the most to me. Investing period is what I would recommend, because even the rich guys have to put their cash somewhere. With luck, I’ll be smashing it by the time I hit 50. I know that no matter what, I’ll be a lot further ahead than I am now simply by doing something about it.

Learn from the past, Control the present, and you will know the Future.

[EyeswideopenParticipant 2930]

Deadly Raver wrote:

Dividend investing for now because that one appeals the most to me

Firstly, I am NOT dispensing financial or legal advice. The following is just an opinion; you need to consult with a professional. There is the risk you could loose all your money.

I believe you are correct with the notion that stashing cash away is pointless. This is not the same financial conditions as 20,30,40+ years ago.
Interest rates are at an all time low; inflation will erode any gains you obtain.

While cash is still king, for short term needs, long term a more balanced approach is needed. Money is just a representation of future goods and services in physical form. Today we have fiat currency; it has a set value only because the government deems it so. I could go on and on about fractional banking etc…not the point.

Real property (houses, condo’s etc) have utility. You can live in them, rent them out etc. I like real property as a corner stone of investment as long as your not house poor. You need to have free cash flow for life. Yes, real estate can and has crashed. Yet, long term, you can still live in it. Shelter will always be a basic need and have some value.

Coupled with real property is investments. Dividend stocks, such as dividend aristocrats have a history of increasing the dividend over time. Buying a share/unit/widget etc is like a little machine that generates some cash. By reinvesting the cash you buy more machines that generate more money….Essentially you are capitalizing on a form of what Einstein characterized as the strongest force in the universe – compound interest – in this sense compound dividend investment. I have always looked at the rate of return on the stock. Long term, I don’t really care what the stock is worth, I only want the dividend to increase over time. These dividends will be part of your future income when retired or not working.

I think the general idea of saving is getting used to living with less. Your net income after savings will be your target income when you are not working as much/at all, when retired. The baby boomers to the millennials have lost sight of this. Most live paycheck to paycheck and are leveraged to the hilt. Living frugally, is a hedge against this behavior.

Maybe I am weird, but I take pride in saving $XXX/month or doing something for less but with equal enjoyment over an alternative. For example, I enjoy brewing beer. This can be done for a fraction of the cost, with minimal effort. I am not a big drinker, but I do enjoy the satifaction.

- Marriage is described as an institution. You would have to be crazy to be commited to it. -"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal. Not people or things" Albert Einstein

[RusskyParticipant 13503]

Poor strippers…hard times at the pole club.

They needed to lose some weight anyways. Let them starve a little bit

proud carrier of the 'why?' chromosome

[Prefer Peace to PieceParticipant 10809]

Thanks for posting this.
I have been a workaholic most of my life.
As I get older, I ask myself why, what’s the point?
A lot of men are minimalists. The only time I spent money was when I was married. Ever since I became MGTOW, I live a frugal life.
I hope to sell my home which is way too big for my needs and get a little condo somewhere.

[RedDawnParticipant 1391]

Another alternative is to delay complete retirement and work 2 or 3 days a week. It keeps you socialising, moving around (depending on the nature of the job) and gives you some cash so you’re not completely dependent on retirement savings if you have no passive income.

Courage is the key to life itself - Morgan Freeman

[BeerParticipant 11832]

My take on applying minimalism to retirement…

The average person makes 50k a year and if they save 10% of their gross per year…they can have a comfortable retirement after 40 years. What if I’m making 100k a year and saving 50% of my gross per year…so I’m making twice the average income and saving 5x as much as the common recommended number to retire after a full length career…so in essence I’ll pack away in 4 years the same amount of money the average person will pack away in 40!

Now I’ll admit that is an unfair assessment as I’m missing out on a lot of years of compounding compared to saving less over a longer period of time…but what if I do that for 6-10 years? Bust ass and live cheap for 6-10 years and I could be done working and have enough to live an enjoyable life off dividend income alone.

Again…apply minimalism to it…if my yearly expenses total 15k…400k stashed away earning an average dividend around 4% would pay me 16k per year. 400k really isn’t an astronomical amount of money. What if I work til I have 600k and pull 24k a year in dividends and still spend only 15k per year. I’d be banking 9k per year of extra dividend money. Now go back to the average guy…he’s saving 10% of 50k which is only 5k per year. I’d be reinvesting more per year than the average working guy is even saving. The numbers really aren’t that impossible when you are more minimalist than consumerist. You average blue piller is going to have a 2000+ dollar mortgage, a 500 dollar car payment, and another 1000 dollars a month worth of other s~~~ on top of that. For him to think about living off dividends he’s going to need 4x+ what I’d need while saving at a much lower rate.

Just by being a cheap bastard…not only do I get to enjoy a high savings rate…but the amount I need to save is drastically reduced! Here is the ultimate slap in the face for the average blue piller…if he’s making 50k a year tucking away 10% for retirement that is 5k a year. Well…what if I save 600k instead of 400k and pull in 24k in dividends on it and continue to live off 15k a year. I’d be tucking away 9k worth of dividends for retirement. Thanks to minimalism I could retire much earlier than the average person and have a bigger nest egg at retirement age…minimalism is the gift that keeps giving!

[RedDawnParticipant 1391]

Also you could save up your money and retire in a third world country such as Thailand and live very well.

Courage is the key to life itself - Morgan Freeman

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