On Wed 30 Jul 2008 06:19:37p, George Shirley told us...

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> On Wed 30 Jul 2008 12:36:42p, blake murphy told us...
>>
>>> On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:57:23 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Fri 25 Jul 2008 02:12:01p, blake murphy told us...
>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:36:26 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>> It's only an occasional place for me to go, mainly due to the
>>>>>> prices. I really can't afford frequent meals at that price, though
>>>>>> wish I could. I really do like their food. As restaurant prices
>>>>>> go, they aren't actually that expensive when compared to others,
>>>>>> but it's still over my budget for more than an occasional stop.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Having said that, I'm still very partial to old-fashioned
>>>>>> traditional Cantonese chinese food, and it's also far more
>>>>>> affordable on my budget.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In another life it was easy for me to afford almost any cost of
>>>>>> meal frequently. Those days are long gone, and I actually don't
>>>>>> mind too much.
>>>>> what? i thought you didn't become poor until you retired.
>>>>>
>>>>> your social security pal, blake
>>>>>
>>>>> ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
>>>>>
>>>> I'm almost at the point of considering myself one of the "working
>>>> poor".
>>> best to get used to it now.
>>>
>>> your pal,
>>> blake
>>>
>>
>> Yes, I know. I will be 66 in 2-1/2 years, which is when I can begin
>> collecting Social Security. I plan to go on working, health
>> permitting, until I'm 70, primarily in order to put some money aside
>> and finish off a few things around the house. By the time I'm 66, both
>> of cars will be paid for, as well as any remaining debt we have except
>> for our house payment. All of this will help a lot. The company I
>> work for doesn't have a retirement plan, so no money coming from there.
>> While they do offer a 403K plan, I can't afford to contribute to itat
>> present, although I will be able to by the time I'm 66.
>>
> You might want to run the numbers on drawing now or waiting until 66
> Wayne. I did that some time back and began drawing my SS at age 62. My
> accountant says it will generally come out to the point where you get
> more money in the long run rather than wait to build it a little more.
> YMMV
>
> I continued to work for 5 more years and drew SS at the same time. the
> big rub with us is DW intends to teach two more years, that will make
> her 70 when she retires. At that point in time the gubmint will take
> away a good chunk of the portion of my SS she is drawing now and she
> will have to make do with her minuscule teacher retirement when I am
> gone. My company pension is just about enough to almost pay the light
> bill. So much for working for a pension. Should have gone to work for
> the feds like three of my relatives did.
>

I thought about that, George, but if I retire earlier than 66 I will be
severely limited as to the amount I'm allowed to earn working at my job.
If I wait until I'm 66, I'll be able to earn as much as I want to in
addition to collecting SS. Maybe I don't have all the facts, but that's
how it appears at this point.

The not-for-profit company I work for doesn't pay the highest wages, but
it's pretty much a given that I'll have a job there for as long as I wish
to work. Although I've considered looking at jobs back in the corporate
world, I'm skeptical of their longevity.

David will have his SS and a very small pension. His company no longer
allows for a lump sum pension payout. He won't be 66 until 2014.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Wednesday, 07(VII)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
This tagline will reformat your hard
drive in 1.5 seconds!
-------------------------------------------

George Shirley wrote:

>
>
> I continued to work for 5 more years and drew SS at the same time. the
> big rub with us is DW intends to teach two more years, that will make
> her 70 when she retires. At that point in time the gubmint will take
> away a good chunk of the portion of my SS she is drawing now and she
> will have to make do with her minuscule teacher retirement when I am
> gone. My company pension is just about enough to almost pay the light
> bill. So much for working for a pension. Should have gone to work for
> the feds like three of my relatives did.

Yes, you should have. I know a few people who are envious of my early retirement
on full pension thanks to the government. They took 8% right off the top of my
pay, 9% for a few years, and they also made a contribution on my behalf. Then we
had a right wing government whose agenda was to get rid of as many civil servants
as they could and contract out their work, usually to companies run by their
active supporters. That wasn't so bad for me when they decided that one way to
cut back staff was to offer early retirement packages. I retired at 53 and have
been having a great time for the last four years. In two years I can apply for
Canada Pension Plan, for another $500 or so per month and then at 65 I get Old
Age Pension, though the my pension will be reduced by the amount that OAP pays.

My wife is a retired teacher, and teacher pension plans here are pretty good.

My pension is 50% of what I made averaged over my last 5 years, and it is
indexed. When your income drops in half your income tax deductions drop
drastically. I know longer pay that 8% off the top for the pension, or union dues
or unemployment insurance premiums. I don't have lunch and coffee break expenses
every day and I am not spending all that money on gas to get back and forth to
work.Okay, we don't go out for dinner as often as we used to, but we are getting
by just fine, even some to put into savings.

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> On Wed 30 Jul 2008 06:19:37p, George Shirley told us...
>
>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>> On Wed 30 Jul 2008 12:36:42p, blake murphy told us...
>>>
>>>> On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:57:23 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Fri 25 Jul 2008 02:12:01p, blake murphy told us...
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:36:26 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>>> It's only an occasional place for me to go, mainly due to the
>>>>>>> prices. I really can't afford frequent meals at that price, though
>>>>>>> wish I could. I really do like their food. As restaurant prices
>>>>>>> go, they aren't actually that expensive when compared to others,
>>>>>>> but it's still over my budget for more than an occasional stop.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Having said that, I'm still very partial to old-fashioned
>>>>>>> traditional Cantonese chinese food, and it's also far more
>>>>>>> affordable on my budget.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In another life it was easy for me to afford almost any cost of
>>>>>>> meal frequently. Those days are long gone, and I actually don't
>>>>>>> mind too much.
>>>>>> what? i thought you didn't become poor until you retired.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> your social security pal, blake
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
>>>>>>
>>>>> I'm almost at the point of considering myself one of the "working
>>>>> poor".
>>>> best to get used to it now.
>>>>
>>>> your pal,
>>>> blake
>>>>
>>> Yes, I know. I will be 66 in 2-1/2 years, which is when I can begin
>>> collecting Social Security. I plan to go on working, health
>>> permitting, until I'm 70, primarily in order to put some money aside
>>> and finish off a few things around the house. By the time I'm 66, both
>>> of cars will be paid for, as well as any remaining debt we have except
>>> for our house payment. All of this will help a lot. The company I
>>> work for doesn't have a retirement plan, so no money coming from there.
>>> While they do offer a 403K plan, I can't afford to contribute to itat
>>> present, although I will be able to by the time I'm 66.
>>>
>> You might want to run the numbers on drawing now or waiting until 66
>> Wayne. I did that some time back and began drawing my SS at age 62. My
>> accountant says it will generally come out to the point where you get
>> more money in the long run rather than wait to build it a little more.
>> YMMV
>>
>> I continued to work for 5 more years and drew SS at the same time. the
>> big rub with us is DW intends to teach two more years, that will make
>> her 70 when she retires. At that point in time the gubmint will take
>> away a good chunk of the portion of my SS she is drawing now and she
>> will have to make do with her minuscule teacher retirement when I am
>> gone. My company pension is just about enough to almost pay the light
>> bill. So much for working for a pension. Should have gone to work for
>> the feds like three of my relatives did.
>>
>
> I thought about that, George, but if I retire earlier than 66 I will be
> severely limited as to the amount I'm allowed to earn working at my job.
> If I wait until I'm 66, I'll be able to earn as much as I want to in
> addition to collecting SS. Maybe I don't have all the facts, but that's
> how it appears at this point.
That's true, once you're past 67 yo they don't dock your SS because of
your work pay.
>
> The not-for-profit company I work for doesn't pay the highest wages, but
> it's pretty much a given that I'll have a job there for as long as I wish
> to work. Although I've considered looking at jobs back in the corporate
> world, I'm skeptical of their longevity.
I got fed up with the corporate world in 1991 when we returned from the
Middle East for the second time. A job that had been very promising
turned into the job from hell and I just told my boss to send us home.

I set up as a consultant doing the same work I had done for large
corporations and we made a living from it until 2007 when I said no more
and retired. I didn't make the money I had made as a Senior VP but was a
lot happier, worked from a home office, finally got a chance to do some
writing and actually sold over 300 magazine articles in my chosen field
plus got to work with clients who actually needed me and were willing to
pay well. Not to mention becoming the house husband and doing the
cooking and shopping and cleaning while DW went off to the salt mines
each day. You have to do what it takes to make you and yours happy.
>
> David will have his SS and a very small pension. His company no longer
> allows for a lump sum pension payout. He won't be 66 until 2014.
>

A number of companies have done the same. I think they're hoping you
will die before you get it all that way. My problem is I never stayed
with one company long enough to get vested in a pension plan. Way too
much fun traveling the world and meeting new people and seeing new
places. Wouldn't trade that 25 years for all the money in the world.

On Wed 30 Jul 2008 08:20:48p, George Shirley told us...

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>> On Wed 30 Jul 2008 06:19:37p, George Shirley told us...
>>
>>> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>>>> On Wed 30 Jul 2008 12:36:42p, blake murphy told us...
>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:57:23 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Fri 25 Jul 2008 02:12:01p, blake murphy told us...
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:36:26 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>>>> It's only an occasional place for me to go, mainly due to the
>>>>>>>> prices. I really can't afford frequent meals at that price, though
>>>>>>>> wish I could. I really do like their food. As restaurant prices
>>>>>>>> go, they aren't actually that expensive when compared to others,
but
>>>>>>>> it's still over my budget for more than an occasional stop.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Having said that, I'm still very partial to old-fashioned
>>>>>>>> traditional Cantonese chinese food, and it's also far more
>>>>>>>> affordable on my budget.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> In another life it was easy for me to afford almost any cost of
>>>>>>>> meal frequently. Those days are long gone, and I actually don't
>>>>>>>> mind too much.
>>>>>>> what? i thought you didn't become poor until you retired.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> your social security pal, blake
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm almost at the point of considering myself one of the "working
>>>>>> poor".
>>>>> best to get used to it now.
>>>>>
>>>>> your pal,
>>>>> blake
>>>>>
>>>> Yes, I know. I will be 66 in 2-1/2 years, which is when I can begin
>>>> collecting Social Security. I plan to go on working, health
>>>> permitting, until I'm 70, primarily in order to put some money aside
>>>> and finish off a few things around the house. By the time I'm 66,
both
>>>> of cars will be paid for, as well as any remaining debt we have except
>>>> for our house payment. All of this will help a lot. The company I
>>>> work for doesn't have a retirement plan, so no money coming from
there.
>>>> While they do offer a 403K plan, I can't afford to contribute to itat
>>>> present, although I will be able to by the time I'm 66.
>>>>
>>> You might want to run the numbers on drawing now or waiting until 66
>>> Wayne. I did that some time back and began drawing my SS at age 62. My
>>> accountant says it will generally come out to the point where you get
>>> more money in the long run rather than wait to build it a little more.
>>> YMMV
>>>
>>> I continued to work for 5 more years and drew SS at the same time. the
>>> big rub with us is DW intends to teach two more years, that will make
>>> her 70 when she retires. At that point in time the gubmint will take
>>> away a good chunk of the portion of my SS she is drawing now and she
>>> will have to make do with her minuscule teacher retirement when I am
>>> gone. My company pension is just about enough to almost pay the light
>>> bill. So much for working for a pension. Should have gone to work for
>>> the feds like three of my relatives did.
>>>
>>
>> I thought about that, George, but if I retire earlier than 66 I will be
>> severely limited as to the amount I'm allowed to earn working at my job.
>> If I wait until I'm 66, I'll be able to earn as much as I want to in
>> addition to collecting SS. Maybe I don't have all the facts, but that's
>> how it appears at this point.
> That's true, once you're past 67 yo they don't dock your SS because of
> your work pay.

According to the last SS statement I received, that will happen for me at
age 66, not 67, but I haven't actually talked to anyone about it yet, as
it's probably premature.

>> The not-for-profit company I work for doesn't pay the highest wages, but
>> it's pretty much a given that I'll have a job there for as long as I
wish
>> to work. Although I've considered looking at jobs back in the corporate
>> world, I'm skeptical of their longevity.
> I got fed up with the corporate world in 1991 when we returned from the
> Middle East for the second time. A job that had been very promising
> turned into the job from hell and I just told my boss to send us home.
>
> I set up as a consultant doing the same work I had done for large
> corporations and we made a living from it until 2007 when I said no more
> and retired. I didn't make the money I had made as a Senior VP but was a
> lot happier, worked from a home office, finally got a chance to do some
> writing and actually sold over 300 magazine articles in my chosen field
> plus got to work with clients who actually needed me and were willing to
> pay well. Not to mention becoming the house husband and doing the
> cooking and shopping and cleaning while DW went off to the salt mines
> each day. You have to do what it takes to make you and yours happy.

Well, I feel very fortunate that I really love my job and I have great co-
workers and a great boss. If the money was a little better it would be
ideal. :-)

>> David will have his SS and a very small pension. His company no longer
>> allows for a lump sum pension payout. He won't be 66 until 2014.
>>
>
> A number of companies have done the same. I think they're hoping you
> will die before you get it all that way. My problem is I never stayed

Probably so.

> with one company long enough to get vested in a pension plan. Way too
> much fun traveling the world and meeting new people and seeing new
> places. Wouldn't trade that 25 years for all the money in the world.

I worked for the Bell System for 17 years and took an early buyout when I
was 48, as they were shifting all of our jobs from the Cleveland area to
Chicago. Many who had already gone to Chicago had subsequently been laid
off, so it seemed a wise choice. I was vested in their pension plan, and
my buyout was significant, along with the money I had in a 401K plan. All
went into investments, but those investments went down the tubes after 9/11
and the dot com fiasco. That's life, I guess. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Wednesday, 07(VII)/30(XXX)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
People who think they know everything
are the easiest to fool.
-------------------------------------------

On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:07:21 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote:

>On Wed 30 Jul 2008 12:36:42p, blake murphy told us...
>
>> On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:57:23 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri 25 Jul 2008 02:12:01p, blake murphy told us...
>>>
>>>> On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:36:26 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>It's only an occasional place for me to go, mainly due to the prices.
>>>>>I really can't afford frequent meals at that price, though wish I
>>>>>could. I really do like their food. As restaurant prices go, they
>>>>>aren't actually that expensive when compared to others, but it's still
>>>>>over my budget for more than an occasional stop.
>>>>>
>>>>>Having said that, I'm still very partial to old-fashioned traditional
>>>>>Cantonese chinese food, and it's also far more affordable on my
>>>>>budget.
>>>>>
>>>>>In another life it was easy for me to afford almost any cost of meal
>>>>>frequently. Those days are long gone, and I actually don't mind too
>>>>>much.
>>>>
>>>> what? i thought you didn't become poor until you retired.
>>>>
>>>> your social security pal, blake
>>>>
>>>> ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
>>>>
>>>
>>>I'm almost at the point of considering myself one of the "working poor".
>>
>> best to get used to it now.
>>
>> your pal,
>> blake
>>
>
>Yes, I know. I will be 66 in 2-1/2 years, which is when I can begin
>collecting Social Security. I plan to go on working, health permitting,
>until I'm 70, primarily in order to put some money aside and finish off a
>few things around the house. By the time I'm 66, both of cars will be paid
>for, as well as any remaining debt we have except for our house payment.
>All of this will help a lot. The company I work for doesn't have a
>retirement plan, so no money coming from there. While they do offer a 403K
>plan, I can't afford to contribute to itat present, although I will be able
>to by the time I'm 66.

when you begin collecting s.s., it would pay to look at your income
and the offsetting reductions in your benefit. i'm sure you know
that, but it would be painful to be just at some threshold when you
could cut back your hours a little.

your pal,
blake

On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:20:48 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:
>
>I set up as a consultant doing the same work I had done for large
>corporations and we made a living from it until 2007 when I said no more
>and retired. I didn't make the money I had made as a Senior VP but was a
>lot happier, worked from a home office, finally got a chance to do some
>writing and actually sold over 300 magazine articles in my chosen field
>plus got to work with clients who actually needed me and were willing to
>pay well. Not to mention becoming the house husband and doing the
>cooking and shopping and cleaning while DW went off to the salt mines
>each day. You have to do what it takes to make you and yours happy.
>>

you're a man of many facets, george.

your pal,
blake

On Thu 31 Jul 2008 11:12:27a, blake murphy told us...

> On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:07:21 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
> > wrote:
>
>>On Wed 30 Jul 2008 12:36:42p, blake murphy told us...
>>
>>> On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:57:23 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Fri 25 Jul 2008 02:12:01p, blake murphy told us...
>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:36:26 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>It's only an occasional place for me to go, mainly due to the
>>>>>>prices. I really can't afford frequent meals at that price, though
>>>>>>wish I could. I really do like their food. As restaurant prices
>>>>>>go, they aren't actually that expensive when compared to others, but
>>>>>>it's still over my budget for more than an occasional stop.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Having said that, I'm still very partial to old-fashioned
>>>>>>traditional Cantonese chinese food, and it's also far more
>>>>>>affordable on my budget.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>In another life it was easy for me to afford almost any cost of meal
>>>>>>frequently. Those days are long gone, and I actually don't mind too
>>>>>>much.
>>>>>
>>>>> what? i thought you didn't become poor until you retired.
>>>>>
>>>>> your social security pal, blake
>>>>>
>>>>> ** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I'm almost at the point of considering myself one of the "working
>>>>poor".
>>>
>>> best to get used to it now.
>>>
>>> your pal,
>>> blake
>>>
>>
>>Yes, I know. I will be 66 in 2-1/2 years, which is when I can begin
>>collecting Social Security. I plan to go on working, health permitting,
>>until I'm 70, primarily in order to put some money aside and finish off
>>a few things around the house. By the time I'm 66, both of cars will be
>>paid for, as well as any remaining debt we have except for our house
>>payment. All of this will help a lot. The company I work for doesn't
>>have a retirement plan, so no money coming from there. While they do
>>offer a 403K plan, I can't afford to contribute to itat present,
>>although I will be able to by the time I'm 66.
>
> when you begin collecting s.s., it would pay to look at your income
> and the offsetting reductions in your benefit. i'm sure you know
> that, but it would be painful to be just at some threshold when you
> could cut back your hours a little.
>
> your pal,
> blake
>
>
>

I've done some preliiminary checking, Blake. It appears that when I reach
66 my benefits will not be reduced regardless of how much salary I make.
The age at which this occurs is dependent on your birth year.

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Thursday, 07(VII)/31(XXXI)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
My ship came in but unfortunately it
was the flying dutchmen.
-------------------------------------------

blake murphy wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:02:12 -0400, Goomba >
> wrote:
>
>> I LIKE PF Changs. I don't care if it is a chain, LOL!
>>
>> We wanted a fast supper last night before doing some errands (buying
>> the new dishwasher for the kitchen re-do, etc.) so we headed off to
>> PFChangs and had a wonderful early meal (5 PM). Does that make us old
>> folks now, I wonder? LOL.
>
> i've got nothing against p.f. chang's, but unless you really live in
> the hinterlands, you can usually do better for the money.
>
For a easy meal of better quality food, it was perfect.
For being "Chinese" food, well.. obviously its not even a hint
authentic. We can get a lot of mediocre Chinese food around town. This
was more pleasing.
The price was okay for the meal, service and comfortable surroundings.
We've certainly done worse, and sometimes better.