There Used To Be This Millionaire

[ThomWV]

Back when I was a kid there was a guy my parents knew who 'was a millionaire'. They told me all about him; he owned a castle somewhere and flew around to his other grand houses. I don't remember all about it.

It would probably would never have occurred to them back in those days that I, their only son, would by the time of his early retirement pretty easily tip the accountant's scales on the plus side of a cool million himself. What they certainly would not have understood, despite my present-day grand wealth, is was how I don't live one single bit better than they did.

[fazoolius_2006]

1. Did they have cellphones or the internet back in the day?

These are just two of many examples which make my life better than my parent's or grandparent's generation. My mom just got a cellphone a few weeks ago. Still can't send a text message to save her life.

[ThomWV]

2. No, they had peace and quite plus books.

[fazoolius_2006]

4. Not sure about the peace and quiet

We have been in and out of wars for the past century. However, good point on the books. This is something that is fading from our society with each new generation.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

3. A cell phone in NO way makes my life better, it is a tie

that binds me to work for far more hours than I would like.

[papau]

5. take out the house and note that you will likely run out of money on the way to death, then note

the lack of defined benefit pensions - heck any type of pensions - at the level they were looking at

and you may find yourself behind them on the wealth scale.

Then note that unlike in their day when most of the middle class had similar to your parents situation, today you are in the top top rung of the non-rich -

Today's retirement wealth average is around $180,000 when folks retire..

Congrats on doing better than average!