Question about money and lifestyle

[Droopy]

If my job holds up and no very large expenses come up I can be debt free in about 5 years including my home. I will be 40 then. Granted, I live in a little one bedroom condo, but it's good enough for me. I'm single and I don't have any children and I have no desire to change that.

What would you do next?

Would you just stay the course and save up as much money as you can in the hope that you can retire early?

Would you take up investing?

Would you sell the condo and buy a nicer home?

As a trucker, my job is pretty stressful this time of year given the weather that we get around here. Would you get a lower paying but less stressful job and just take it easy?

Would you buy a Hummer? :D

What else?

I'm leaning toward the lower paying but less stressful job option. There is no higher paying but less stressful option for me because the only marketable job skill that I have is driving a truck. If that weren't the case I'd already be there.

[electron_blue]

1. definitely start looking into investing now. I wouldn't wait til you're debt free.

I don't mean you should be a day trader, but start learning about retirement funds, cd's, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, etc. Your job sounds stressful, does taking a less stressful job automatically mean lower pay? Would that change if got a little more education?

[Droopy]

3. I invest in my employer's 401k

As far as education goes I have tried college 3 times and all I'ver gotten from it is a lot of student loan debt. Some people just aren't meant for college and I am one of them. Like I said in the o.p., if there were a way I could make more money or even the same amount of money that I am now in a less stressful job then I'd already be there.

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. Buy gold.

With the way our economy is going, I'd say investments aren't going to be worth a whole heckuva lot very soon.

See about getting some Euros too.

[flvegan]

4. Stay the course and save that money.

As for investing, ask again in 5 years. Things may be very, very different, especially as we close on the end of the first term of our new dem president.

[IndianaJones]

5. get a hummer now...can't be more than 75 bucks regardless of where you live. nt.

[Droopy]

7. I could probably use one of those

but I'm a respectable professional driver, not some trashy trucker. :)

[MissMillie]

6. Most financial planners recommend that you have substantial savings

6 months of living expenses put aside that you NEVER touch.

That would be where I would start.

After that.... investments, but get help. If you don't personally know trustworthy people to help you with that, ask trusted friends who they use.

[SoCalDem]

8. I would save up.. and do some traveling for pleasure while you are young and healthy

and finding a job doing something you LIKE would be a nice thing too.:)

DO NOT MOVE, unless you hate where you are..

With no housing expense, you can live wuite comfortably:)

Kick back and enjoy your life..

[FloridaJudy]

9. It depends

Does the lower stress job come with benefits - like health insurance and a pension? If so, I'd go for it.

It's worth working extra hard to get out of debt, but not just that so you can afford a more lavish lifestyle. I had a very dear friend who worked her butt off - taking extra shifts and more burdensome responsibilities for the money - because she planned to retire at age 55. She died just short of her fiftieth birthday of a rare, aggressive form of cancer. The extra money she saved went to the co-pay on her medical bills (thanks, Health Insurance Company :grr:). I'm sure that had she known she would have passed on all those nights and weekends she spent working when she would rather have relaxed and enjoyed herself.

I once had it all: large house, fancy car, and high-pressure job. A medical catastrophe has forced me to make do with less, but I'm no less happy. In fact, I no longer need my blood pressure medication.

No Hummer is worth killing yourself with stress, or not having the time to stretch out on the sofa with a good book and cup of hot chocolate (or bask at the beach) every now and then.