OT: Is everybody just struggling lately?

[MsStateMasochist]

There is just a ton of uncertainty amongst people my age (20s-30s), and if feels like its been a long time since there has been a normal year (that might just be me). There is a Scarface quote that my mind has been replaying lately, “I know the lord is looking at me, yet it’s still hard to feel happy.” Stuff kinda feels like that atm. Being a Mississippi State fan doesn’t provide any escape, and if you are a State fan more than likely you follow other southern sports teams who also suck. Life will get better though

 

[ckDOG]

There is just a ton of uncertainty amongst people my age (20s-30s), and if feels like its been a long time since there has been a normal year (that might just be me). There is a Scarface quote that my mind has been replaying lately, “I know the lord is looking at me, yet it’s still hard to feel happy.” Stuff kinda feels like that atm. Being a Mississippi State fan doesn’t provide any escape, and if you are a State fan more than likely you follow other southern sports teams who also suck. Life will get better though

Pros and cons to everything in life. You are young. So many wonderful things with that. Flip side is a long and uncertain future. It'll all sort itself out. Always does. And then you'll wish you were in your 20-30s again with all the uncertainty that comes along with it. Circle of life n ****. Learn to be present and enjoy what you have in the moment - especially relationships. If you manage that you'll always have what you need. Cheesy as hell but true.

 

[ZombieKissinger]

This is true. Look no further than all these folks funding college football teams with an income rounding error, while average fans are sitting at the house watching it on TV because they can't afford going. I don't know what the separator is, as far as income, but it's there.

The problem is when this gap gets so big that there is a reckoning. Happens internationally too. I always said that if I ever got rich I certainly wouldn't flaunt it, like so many do. Those people also have no idea how the other half lives - almost view them as not even real humans. And it's all fine, I got no problem with someone who makes money, but you'd be surprised at how many people out there did NOT earn their money.

 

[ZombieKissinger]

Wife and I were just talking about some of the expensive residential real estate developments around Madison and wondering.....How in the hell ? It seems the folks struggling are REALLY strugglig and the folks living "high on the hog" are REALLY living "high on the hog" . I have a feeling all the various kinda of debts we've accumilated (housing, ceadit cards, car loans etc) are going to REALLY bite us in the arse before long .

Spoke with a CPA friend of mine who does a lot of taxes in the area, and he said he has doctors w/ $200k+ med school debt making $350k or whatever and buying $1m+ houses in Madison straight out of residency. Which, yeah, you can do and survive, but it really limits wealth accumulation

 

[msualohadog]

Retired. Don’t watch the news. Don’t read the news. Play golf once a week. Shoot skeet once a month at least. Don’t really know what day it is but it’s been awhile since Sunday so it must be getting close to the weekend again. The world may be going to hell in a hand basket but I won’t know about it until after the fact. Nope, no struggles here.

Year and a half away. Haven't watched news in years. Gave up twitter and Instagram after new years and I haven't missed it. My biggest worry will be cutting back on lifestyle while having much more time and less money. Youngsters, invest your money!

 

[mcdawg22]

I can identify. Some weeks just take it out of you. Here's my week in Arrested Development gifs:

Sunday:

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Today:
How it started-

After work-

This is insanely accurate.

 

[mcdawg22]

Spoke with a CPA friend of mine who does a lot of taxes in the area, and he said he has doctors w/ $200k+ med school debt making $350k or whatever and buying $1m+ houses in Madison straight out of residency. Which, yeah, you can do and survive, but it really limits wealth accumulation

I have a friend who’s Dad is a doctor. He was born probably when his dad was 30. We were at his house one day in HS with friends hanging in the pool and the conversation of what we were going to do when we grow up came up. He said he wanted to be a Doctor so his kids could enjoy the life he had. His sister who was 7 years older piped up and said, that’s easy for you to say. You don’t remember the old house or eating peanut butter sandwiches for every meal like I do. I don’t think many people go the frugal route anymore.

 

[ZombieKissinger]

I have a friend who’s Dad is a doctor. He was born probably when his dad was 30. We were at his house one day in HS with friends hanging in the pool and the conversation of what we were going to do when we grow up came up. He said he wanted to be a Doctor so his kids could enjoy the life he had. His sister who was 7 years older piped up and said, that’s easy for you to say. You don’t remember the old house or eating peanut butter sandwiches for every meal like I do. I don’t think many people go the frugal route anymore.

Yeah, my dad is a doctor. Not a specialist. We lived in a $180k house all our lives. We were comfortable, went on vacations, etc., but he didn’t buy stuff we don’t need. Gave generously as well. Maxed out retirement accounts and did standard wealth generation stuff, and he’s at several million now with no financial concerns whatsoever for retirement. I’m a doctor and more or less going the same route. I absolutely hate any semblance of being financially trapped, so I try to live reasonably, keep my family happy, etc, but the flexibility that comes with having money set aside is invaluable to me

 

[Dawgbite]

Year and a half away. Haven't watched news in years. Gave up twitter and Instagram after new years and I haven't missed it. My biggest worry will be cutting back on lifestyle while having much more time and less money. Youngsters, invest your money!

You will be surprised how much less you have to spend in retirement. I buy a tank of gas once a month instead of once or twice a week. Clothes budget is nonexistent. We eat out more, travel more, but spend about half of what we did while both working. When you don’t have time, you try to buy happiness. When you have time, happiness can be free.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I don't mean family/financially/vocationally/health-wise - just, everything. Seems like this week, I've seen more lack of attention, basic screw-ups, etc than I can recall (and believe it or not, even ME!). And I'm talking about generally competent, bonafide grown-ups here.

Feels like folks are just barely hanging on in all facets. Yall good?

View attachment 1146411

The limitations you’ve placed on your “struggling question” can’t necessarily be separated from people’s lives…

I don’t know…

2026 looks an awful lot like 2025…

This year for me looks a lot like last year— workwise I’m doing great. I retired from the state a few years ago in order to work someplace else.

Many of y’all have talked about wives, and ex-wives, children, and six-figure incomes in this message board, and here I am shaking my head.

I’m single and haven’t been married. Being on the spectrum and hearing women’s expectations about guys and knowing that I’m not the type they want because I want feedback which they don’t want to give even though they claim to understand. Which they don’t generally.

As ocd as I am, I don’t want to deal with that shït… Mississippians’ ignorance is 17ing unhealthy for me.

Financially, I’m okay. I don’t have a six-figure income but I’ve not had credit card debt for 2+ years. Many of y’all shït on state employees; however, many of them do great work.

I’m making a little more money than I thought at this point in my life. I put away some of what I make in my current job in another retirement fund. I also get to splurge a little on my passions: live music and travel.

I’m also setting aside money on home improvement projects. I’m too old to be a DIYer. I know folks close to my age who did similar physical jobs and got broken down or died. So I’ll gladly pay for it.

But my older parents are becoming more like oversized toddlers. They think that they’re independent, and they’ve shown some concern recently. And when you’re the only child who lives in the same state, it means being on call almost all the time. I’m stretched.

When I’m stretched, I struggle.

When they pass away, I will likely continue to work until I retire. My house note will be paid off by then.

Maybe I’ll stay in Mississippi. Maybe I’ll travel. It’s not as if I’ve got any more close family here…

Nah man, gonna be very different

Nah man, see above

 

[Mr. Cook]

 

[BulldogBlitz]

I dont do a heavy cheese diet. I dont like the struggle.

 

[OopsICroomedmypants]

I had my company vehicle taken away on Tuesday after putting a deposit on a pool on Monday. I was not looking to have to buy a truck. Dammit.............

Buy a 2014 Silverado, do the DOD delete and you have a super reliable truck for many years

 

[Dawgbite]

I dont do a heavy cheese diet. I dont like the struggle.

Have your gall bladder removed, your struggles will be over.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

I had my company vehicle taken away on Tuesday after putting a deposit on a pool on Monday. I was not looking to have to buy a truck. Dammit.............

How are the monthly jellies?

 

[mcdawg22]

How are the monthly jellies?

 

[GypsyRoad_Dawg]

Middle age. It is harder and harder to not be more and more cynical. About everything. I have accepted that things change, but when will they change for the better? Every change I am seeing downright sucks.

College sports is a good example. It's been shltty decision after shltty decision. Why are we doing it if it sucks?

I have found that as you get older you do become more cynical and skeptic.

 

[BTCMoonBoy]

I don't mean family/financially/vocationally/health-wise - just, everything. Seems like this week, I've seen more lack of attention, basic screw-ups, etc than I can recall (and believe it or not, even ME!). And I'm talking about generally competent, bonafide grown-ups here.

Feels like folks are just barely hanging on in all facets. Yall good?

View attachment 1146411

Nope winning every day

 

[BTCMoonBoy]

Same here. I passed on the bigger house during COVID and refinanced into a 2% mortgage. I amortized for 15 but have been paying it like a 10 year. There is a beautiful house being built that is on the lake visible from Reunion Parkway that I pass every morning. Has to be north of $1.6 million, maybe even $2 million.

And there's dozens of them.

I thought I was doing something wrong until I heard a couple of stories of how over leveraged some folks are.

Never in a million years pay off a 2% tax deductible loan. Put that money to better use…hell put it in spyi, qqq, or something. Stop losing money!!

 

[Mobile Bay]

You will be surprised how much less you have to spend in retirement. I buy a tank of gas once a month instead of once or twice a week. Clothes budget is nonexistent. We eat out more, travel more, but spend about half of what we did while both working. When you don’t have time, you try to buy happiness. When you have time, happiness can be free.

How do you fill the days? Most days I wake up with nothing to do. So I end up just driving around aimlessly. I eat out almost every single day, which gets boring around here.

 

[Mobile Bay]

Never in a million years pay off a 2% tax deductible loan. Put that money to better use…hell put it in spyi, qqq, or something. Stop losing money!!

Dave Ramsey Angry GIF - Dave Ramsey Angry Confused - Discover & Share GIFs

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

 

[BTCMoonBoy]

Dave Ramsey Angry GIF - Dave Ramsey Angry Confused - Discover & Share GIFs

Click to view the GIF

tenor.com

Dave Ramsey advice is not intended for the financial literate

 

[PBRME]

I just ate Freddy’s double, chili cheese fries, and a pbb concrete. My pants are struggling.

 

[615dawg]

Never in a million years pay off a 2% tax deductible loan. Put that money to better use…hell put it in spyi, qqq, or something. Stop losing money!!

I threw $500k into QQQI and it pays me about a $70k “salary” in dividends. I pay the extra out of that.

 

[HailStout]

Life sucks. Just focus on making sure your kids’ lives are as good as possible. Nothing else really matters.

 

[eckie1]

Never in a million years pay off a 2% tax deductible loan. Put that money to better use…hell put it in spyi, qqq, or something. Stop losing money!!

This is accurate. If you have a low interest mortgage, don’t do anything but just pay more principal a month, and only if you can. It used to always be my dream to have my house paid off PDQ, but it’s been eye opening how much better off you are if you just contribute as much to retirement as you can instead.

 

[Mobile Bay]

Dave Ramsey advice is not intended for the financial literate

One of my degrees is in Chemical Engineering. I have my P.E. I think I know more math than you do. However I solved for happiness not slavery. Enjoy your bondage. I prefer my boat and not having to do anything on Monday mornings.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

However I solved for happiness

That’s my Number 1 preference right there.

If you want to make time for something enjoyable and you’re okay with the overall cost, then do it.

At this point in my life, I’m responsible for my own happiness.

I do not want life to make me miserable.

 

[Dawgbite]

How do you fill the days? Most days I wake up with nothing to do. So I end up just driving around aimlessly. I eat out almost every single day, which gets boring around here.

I honestly thought I’d have trouble with this because I basically went from two jobs to no job in a matter of a couple of months but I’ve never gotten bored unless the weather traps me for multiple days. Like I said earlier I play golf or shoot skeet at least once per week. I may go to the driving range one morning in between. I like to cook, it may be breakfast one day or smoking meat the next. I’m the unofficial neighborhood palm tree debris picker upper. I find the occasional small project around home. It’ll take me a week to hand wash and hand wax the motorhome. I like old movies and due to streaming they are readily available for free. I spend entirely too much time on this board checking to see if someone posted something wrong. I guess I’m just easily occupied.

 

[dawgstudent]

I spend entirely too much time on this board checking to see if someone posted something wrong. I guess I’m just easily occupied.

That got a laugh.

 

[Dawgbite]

This is accurate. If you have a low interest mortgage, don’t do anything but just pay more principal a month, and only if you can. It used to always be my dream to have my house paid off PDQ, but it’s been eye opening how much better off you are if you just contribute as much to retirement as you can instead.

Debt is debt. I don’t care if it’s a 0% auto loan, you paid fees upfront for that free loan. You may can produce the math to justify debt but mentally I’m better off debt free.

 

[Drebin]

Excluding the hire of BOC and the prospects of this year's team finally getting out of the cellar, the last two years of MSU athletics alone would have me spiraling if I hadn't repressed my ability to feel.

I've lived through Dick Pace, Tech and Ten, Jackie Sherrill's last two years, The Croom Error, The Rick Ray Error, the Lonnie Templeton Reign of Terror, and much more. These past couple of years was nothin'.

 

[Seinfeld]

Spoke with a CPA friend of mine who does a lot of taxes in the area, and he said he has doctors w/ $200k+ med school debt making $350k or whatever and buying $1m+ houses in Madison straight out of residency. Which, yeah, you can do and survive, but it really limits wealth accumulation

Got one in the family like that right now, although older.

Man’s an excellent heart surgeon in Little Rock, they’re good people, and I’m sure that he’s invested some of his money wisely along the way. However, they also decided when they were both approaching 60 that they wanted to live in a $1.5M house, so they bought one.

Well, fast forward ten years, and they fight all the time because in spite of a household income that dwarfs mine, they live paycheck to paycheck. Everything is constantly broken because they don’t maintain it. Their pool has been drained for over a year because they can’t afford the repairs, they’re dealing with termites because they forgot to renew their policy 3 years ago, and oh yeah…. they’ve got rats in the attic.

I’m a big believer in people living life how they want to live it, but it always amazes me to see how willing people of all income levels are to sign their lives away for a few years of living the high life

 

[ZombieKissinger]

Got one in the family like that right now, although older.

Man’s an excellent heart surgeon in Little Rock, they’re good people, and I’m sure that he’s invested some of his money wisely along the way. However, they also decided when they were both approaching 60 that they wanted to live in a $1.5M house, so they bought one.

Well, fast forward ten years, and they fight all the time because in spite of a household income that dwarfs mine, they live paycheck to paycheck. Everything is constantly broken because they don’t maintain it. Their pool has been drained for over a year because they can’t afford the repairs, they’re dealing with termites because they forgot to renew their policy 3 years ago, and oh yeah…. they’ve got rats in the attic.

I’m a big believer in people living life how they want to live it, but it always amazes me to see how willing people of all income levels are to sign their lives away for a few years of living the high life

Heart surgeon at age 60 who can’t afford a $1.5m house sounds like he made some major mistakes along the way

 

[dorndawg]

Got one in the family like that right now, although older.

Man’s an excellent heart surgeon in Little Rock, they’re good people, and I’m sure that he’s invested some of his money wisely along the way. However, they also decided when they were both approaching 60 that they wanted to live in a $1.5M house, so they bought one.

Well, fast forward ten years, and they fight all the time because in spite of a household income that dwarfs mine, they live paycheck to paycheck. Everything is constantly broken because they don’t maintain it. Their pool has been drained for over a year because they can’t afford the repairs, they’re dealing with termites because they forgot to renew their policy 3 years ago, and oh yeah…. they’ve got rats in the attic.

I’m a big believer in people living life how they want to live it, but it always amazes me to see how willing people of all income levels are to sign their lives away for a few years of living the high life

More and more I realize - money can remove most of the barriers between you & happiness, but it's never going to lead DIRECTLY to happiness.

 

[Seinfeld]

You will be surprised how much less you have to spend in retirement. I buy a tank of gas once a month instead of once or twice a week. Clothes budget is nonexistent. We eat out more, travel more, but spend about half of what we did while both working. When you don’t have time, you try to buy happiness. When you have time, happiness can be free.

This is great to read because all the investment tools sure like to tell you that if you’re spending $100k/yr now, you better be prepared for $1B/yr in 2045.

 

[dog12]

I honestly thought I’d have trouble with this because I basically went from two jobs to no job in a matter of a couple of months but I’ve never gotten bored unless the weather traps me for multiple days. Like I said earlier I play golf or shoot skeet at least once per week. I may go to the driving range one morning in between. I like to cook, it may be breakfast one day or smoking meat the next. I’m the unofficial neighborhood palm tree debris picker upper. I find the occasional small project around home. It’ll take me a week to hand wash and hand wax the motorhome. I like old movies and due to streaming they are readily available for free. I spend entirely too much time on this board checking to see if someone posted something wrong. I guess I’m just easily occupied.

Sounds like you have a great retirement. I wish you all the best.

I'll be retiring in February 2027 (at 60 years old). Been thinking about what I will do with the extra time. Certainly, I will continue to lift 5 days/week, like I've been doing. I plan to walk every day for 1 hour, to get fresh air and sunshine, and to keep everything moving. I am considering taking a "fun" part-time job during retirement. Maybe working at a golf course (cutting grass, maintaining the grounds, etc). Or, maybe working at a bakery, making biscuits and other bakery items. Or, if the wife is willing, maybe seasonal work at national parks around the country. I defintely won't be sitting around doing nothing during retirement. Gotta keep moving, learning, and living life.

 

[patdog]

Heart surgeon at age 60 who can’t afford a $1.5m house sounds like he made some major mistakes along the way

One being buying a $1.5M house. I don't care if you can afford it or not.

 

[mstateglfr]

Speaking of struggling, my oldest goes back to college today.

It's been an incredible month of her being home because she was missed. Spent so much time together watching movies, playing games, playing volleyball, seeing family, and more.
I will struggle with missing her.

It's been a long month of her being in person to process...everything. I had almost forgotten how much that kid plans, counter plans, games out scenarios, and thus experiences analysis paralysis- for like every decision over text or in person.
I will struggle to hold in my large sigh of relief until after she drives away.

 

[Drebin]

This is accurate. If you have a low interest mortgage, don’t do anything but just pay more principal a month, and only if you can. It used to always be my dream to have my house paid off PDQ, but it’s been eye opening how much better off you are if you just contribute as much to retirement as you can instead.

It's at least debatable. I'm about to pay off my home this spring. It's worth about 750k. Tremendous peace of mind for the beneficiaries, and an asset you can always tap into if liquid capital is needed.