The Baby Boomer Bomb

a reply to: Nyiah

Sorry to hear

originally posted by: ThirdEyeofHorus

originally posted by: Nyiah

originally posted by: Gazrok
I have no illusions of ever being "retired". Besides, I'm not here to just exist. I'll always be doing something productive.

My mother is the strangest boomer I know. She's "retired" but realized she had to work just a little each month to have some spending money.

She'll work about 30 hours in a month, and gripe about it.

I'm like....cry me a river mom...I spend 13 hours a week just driving to and from work! Let alone time actually working....

At least yours bothers to get off her ass & work for that spending cash. Mine? Nope, thinks she's worked enough in her life, "retired" at 62 to collect what is now up to just $500 a month (hey mom? You didn't work enough in your life if that's your payout for it) And constantly complains she's broke and whiiiiines like no other that my husband and I won't buy her the frivolous stuff she wants. Did I mention she's a serial spender and has never managed to hold a savings account balance in her life? And she somehow managed to get and max out 3 credit cards just shopping online? I don't know how she expects to pay for those, her rent & utilities share is 4/5s of what she gets a month, the rest is a portion of the household groceries.

Our error in judgement was letting her live with us, what a huge mistake feeding the entitlement complex of a very spoiled Boomer. Unfortunately, since she's on the lease, it makes simply kicking her out and making her grow up a little hard to do. We may just wait for it to expire and leave her off it when we renew later this year, rental company can give her the GTFO papers.

Um
Yah the problem with millemials is they have no understanding of the fight we had juggling the work place and our homes in a time when there was little support for a working mom and we were all expected to do everything perfectly and still
Be the ideal volunteer and be the soccer Supermom etc etc etc. we were the pioneers so millenials can stuff it with their criticism. Also you have likely failed to take into account the rising cost of living and in, the divorce rate, single motherhood and other factors.
Was she there feeding you when you could barely hold a spoon up to your mouth? Did she change your didies and do the laundry and dishes after you went sleepy bye, then iron your dads work shirts?

are you trying to win the victim olympics?

originally posted by: Blue Shift

originally posted by: Gazrok
I have no illusions of ever being "retired".

Agreed. I know that "the media" is trying to sell me with commercials and ads this image of happy, healthy white-haired couples dressed in white linen cruising along the beach on their bicycles, enjoying their leisure time. That's what they think we should want out of retirement.

Well, it's all a load of crap. It's just like that image of the Leave It to Beaver nuclear family that we've all been sold since the middle of the last century. Only a small percentage of people ever manage to accomplish that, although there were many times more who tried to contort themselves into that template and failed, making their lives miserable in the process.

The reason we're sold these images is simple. Money. Banks want our money. Insurance companies want our money. Drug companies want our money. Real estate companies want our money. So they sell these images to try to convince us to invest or save or simply spend. Spend it all!

We all have to decide how live our own lives, and not try to force ourselves into some advertising agency's image.

I personally can't see myself all in white riding a stupid bike on a beach. What a waste. Rather than retirement, we should be looking for later-life careers in which we can express ourselves and feel a part of a community and a sense of accomplishment. Maybe even... help people? Rather than make it all about ourselves.

:clap:clap:clap:clap

Mine? Nope, thinks she's worked enough in her life, "retired" at 62 to collect what is now up to just $500 a month (hey mom? You didn't work enough in your life if that's your payout for it) And constantly complains she's broke and whiiiiines like no other that my husband and I won't buy her the frivolous stuff she wants.

Your mom and mine are very similar, except it's my brother and his husband that pay most of her bills. Of course, for that, he gets to totally control her. Since he never liked my wife, he's basically disowned me (I'm not rich enough to associate with him, apparently). (his problem, not mine). Sucks, but the hate is all one-sided, on him. Just sucks she has to be in the middle of it (my wife, and my mom).

My mom was a housewife for most of her life, a military one. The only jobs she ever had before the divorce (my dad was overseas and found someone new), were just little things to keep her busy, nothing serious. I'm just glad it never came to having to have her move in here. (then I'd likely end up in your situation exactly).