Retirement????

It's the first week of the semester and I'm already thinking about retirement?

Not really! El Esposo signed us up for a retirement workshop held by the teachers retirement system. HE is already thinking about my retirement. I don't know why. I turn 49 next Friday and I figure I have AT LEAST 25 years of teaching to go. I joke that I will be tottering off to teach my classes at the age of 92. But it isn't really a joke! If I am able, I will probably still be teaching part time at that age!

Most of what the workshop was information I already knew about the system. But one general statement the presenter made really stuck in my mind. He was talking about how the retirement provides people with, on average, about 60-65% of their salary. He mentioned the other retirement savings tools that can supplement this. Then he said that with all the saving he was doing prior to his retirement, he never actually had 100% of his salary anyway. He was used to living on only about 60% of his salary. Then when he retired, between his teacher retirement and his other investments, he ended up feeling like he got a raise because he was getting more than he was used to!

I like that as a philosophy of life! If you manage your expectations and never let yourself get accustomed to something and take it for granted, you can make getting less feel like getting more! I think that could be the secret to happiness, and maybe even a long life!