"Retiring Well on a Budget: Strategies for Financial Security Without a Million"

Okay, let us all first agree that majority of the people from 55 years and above may be calling quits from work place without the many zeros in the bank or stocks to be sold, and that is soon, and I say soon, I really mean SOON! I mean that majority of us in or near the 4^th quarter of our lives may not finish the race with millions of Dollars in the bank. When I say 4^th quarter, that is judging from the book of antiquities that informed us of three scores and ten lengths of the journey. We may not have a lot seating and waiting as nest eggs to service the length of the process, however long the expectancy may be.

You know, as our acquired materials begins to feel the pain of prolonged use, like our cars, when they begin to indicate further needing of attention ala – check engine lights, in the same context we may begin that concerns or prolonged use as retirement calls gets louder and nearer. All the financial should’ve, could’ve, that were missed in first 40 years of living begins to crystalize. How do you think through, maintain body, mind and spirit to start building in small chunks and blocks, a process that can keep you occupied for as long as you are able to?

Yes, the check engine lights for so many might just be for low windshield wiper fluid which may not be require a major repair but on the other hand, some may be looking at major sign of transmission or engine needing remake or entire change, which may cost plenty. Now you are retired, now, not much is coming in and now you need it to keep the engine going.

Yes, it is a together-walk through. We are all in this journey together and we are going to co-learn and co-create how, why and purpose for this process together. You and everyone of us will have an opportunity to contribute and showcase your exciting knowledge and maps, sometimes your navigations that includes the stop, the continue, the yellow and reds light, and even the police warnings, tickets – paid and unpaid and even court appearances to defend traffic miss in this process called life.

For you, The Real McCoys of the automotive industry, we are going to be needing you for technicalities as we correlate this process with your well-beloved automobiles upon which you are well pleased.

You see, what is very common and to some extent very obvious that I find humorous is that getting advice when you have it, the ‘it’ I mean is money. Having people that are willing and able to tell you what to do and how you can do what you want to do with your dollar is everywhere but, how about telling you at this time what you can do this time at your age is scarce. That is what we will be talking about here, that is the bracket where the majority of the population lies, those are the people that will be needing these contributions in this blog

Now that they are grown, now that they know better, now that they have gotten their mistakes out of the way, and now these people to whom I refer to as the 4^th quarter group, what learnable scripts can you bring to stage for all steps. Bring your spanners and all tools to this workshop

Folks,

Is it a go? Me say, Let’s go! Let me hear from you.
Joe

Reading

"The only thing worse than not reading a book in the last ninety days is not reading a book in the last ninety days and thinking that it doesn’t matter” ― Jim Rohn

Reading makes me better

     Yes, writing has always been my thing, I have always enjoyed telling stories in details that sometimes my audience can retell a story from me verbatim. Lately also, I have started participating in social media and I have joined a couple of groups that includes some writing and publishing groups as well. In fact I have become an active question asking member of a couple of these groups; indeed,  I have been able to unanimously asked questions of my hidden fears and have had responses that marveled me. 
Responses
     Responses that I could have paid money to get if I had the money or even inquired about, that is, if I had the courage to ask a shrink/expert; here I am getting it for free from all angles, from a group of people with diverse background that barely know me and I vis-à-vis. I have told them briefly about my love for writing and telling stories, my fears of rejections and my fears of not being taken serious. Well, I for one do not take yours truly that serious, why in the land of Wallendas and Soleil should someone else? I ask myself sometimes. You can see that I have always wanting to use those two words together “Wallendas and Soleil” gotcha right?
 Questions They Ask

     I have been asked for samples of my writings, I have been asked for references and I have been given writing challenges to come up with readable materials for a taste. Surprisingly, even to myself, I have not disappointed the challengers. At least that is the response I get, that is the feedback I was able to pick up and those are the assumptions that I have been able to make in the meantime. “If you write this good then” one of the group members who happened to have wished me well from the onset after reading my brief bio maintained, “I believe you should start a blog” Huh! A blog? I loudly retorted to myself, the computer screen and the empty room. A rhetorical question, it was supposed to be but subconsciously, I verbally responded loudly as well. Yes, a blog. 

The Intent   
    I can do this and I know I can do this, if not for any other reasons but for the fact that I am engaged in something that I actually enjoy doing and for the fact that somewhere, somehow, out of the estimated seven billion people in the globe; someone may actually read what I have written. The person may read it for any reasons that best satisfies him/her but at least it is being read.

I have picked up free news papers here and there, just to occupy my time while riding the public transportation systems near and in DC; I must tell you that I did find the reading very invaluable as I journey down to and from work through the tube. In some cases as it became; contents therein could be enriching you know. 
Interesting Reads, Actually
     Yes, I have found some of them to be that good, guiding and purposefully important each day. Now, I must tell you that the reading serves other purposes and not just for the content, or for the beautiful pictures or for the corny or dry humor that it contains. I have observed that this intermittent state of seemingly busy state of mind sometimes shields me from attempting to read people’s intent as they go by their daily routing. Don’t ask and don’t judge; you have done it somewhere and somehow too.

Imagination is Huge
     Your thought sometimes wonders into what people are thinking at a given time as the day unfolds. I am sure that I am not alone in this business and you have done it too. Maybe one time or two or three; yes you have because I know you have. If you say you haven’t, then I need my vitamins then. Okay! I am going to ask you this question then, haven’t you been in a public transportation, public event or even in your individual space throttling your thoughts along and you take notice of people that for some reasons cannot contain themselves for one reason or the other? Those who may dress so loudly or somewhat inappropriately that you notice them miles away. How about those may think that their singing is so good that they have convinced themselves that Simon Cowell of the famous “America got talent” will be inviting them to a personalized acappella recital? Still want some more? I can go on and on about different scenarios to the extent that you will begin to ask yourself about societal sanity. How about the ones who leave their homes or places of work and for a reason best known to them end up letting the world know how uncomfortable their partners sleep-less at night. 
In The Midst of It All
     The public transportation becomes a snoring competition, and aha! How about the cell phone-megaphone group? I have had the fortune of being in the same coach with a number of these closet celebrities so many times; any form of escape from reality tends to be just fine for me. That folks is what burying my head, my interest and/or getting immersed in free material reading outside the confines of my privacy is all about.

Take a Little & Leave a Little

     I am hoping therefore that, if not for any other reason; if you stumble into my blog and decide to go to town with some of the materials therein, let it serve a purpose for you, make personal meanings out of the contents. Let it touch you, let it enlighten you and leave a better you than before your visit.