Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Serious question for the 60 yrs and older crowd.

Pay off all debt and stay out of debt. Buy with cash a two year old auto about every 10 years. Live modestly and save, save, save. Learn about financial responsibility and practice what you learn. Diversify your savings. Do not loan money to anyone, not even your kids, and never consign for anyone. Save for retirement.

You can borrow money --- but you can't borrow time --- use it wisely on things that matter to you

And the secret to a long marriage --- is a short memory.

One thing sticks out - "DO IT NOW" (whether fun, hobby, bucket-list etc).. You may not have tomorrow.. Seriously.. Here's one - Never work for your parents.. If you've not saved ($) by now, begin immediately; TODAY.. But not in the stock market.. Prepare yourself and family for hard times.. 'Cause they're a-comin'...

When you look in the mirror, the guy looking back is the only one to get it done. No one is going to give you anything.
Your wife and kids are the only measure of success...don`t take them for granted. They take work.

Stay out of the hole.

And do what she says.

Or to the wife when you are driving.

I am semi-retired. Lord knows I made mistakes along the way. Some advice:
1. Find a good wife. Pretty don't count, what's inside does. If she sticks with you in rough times she's a keeper. Listen to what she says, not just the words. Look at her when she talks to you, turn away from the puter, put down the book. Look at her. Support her interests.
2. Take the time to do the things you enjoy but only when you can. Trust me, short trips can be a lot of fun.
3. Find a group that offers support. Like the Masons. For me it was the Mankind Project. MAKE CONNECTIONS. When you go job hunting it will pay handsomely.
4. Don't burn bridges. If you leave a job or a relationship keep the break clean with no hard feelings.
5. Learn to apologize if you are in the wrong. If it is the wife, apoloqize anyway.
6. Avoid credit debt. It will eat you alive. Trust me, I know.
7. Live within your means. And never buy stuff just to show off.
8. Wait until a product has been on the market for a while before buying it. Let others deal with the bugs and high prices.
9. Enjoy each day like it was your last.
10. Believe and trust in the Lord. Give a prayer of thanks when you are rewarded, too many forget to do that simple thing.

It's so exasperating seeing a young prospective big buck killer go to the feeder littered with the Tinks bottles and hang his up before climbing to the well used box blind with his plastic rattling antlers and big buck grunter. They take your advice with a grain of salt and start rattling before the truck is out of sight with the philosophy that it may increase their chance even one percent and they are going to do all they can for success.

Here's a more specific question for you guys with some life experience. I'm in my 30's with a wife and 1 kid. I've paid off most debt besides the mortgage on our house and one rental house. We have a pretty good savings, 401k's, a stash of solid assets etc.

I have the chance to buy another house at a very good price just down the street from us. Is it a good idea to take on rental homes? We have one and it cash flows $300/ month and hasn't been too bad to manage. I'd have to put about $30k down on this new one but it would cash flow $350 not counting the down. That $30K is only getting us .8% in savings right now.

I'm still worried that harder times are coming and I feel like just hunkering down but I wouldn't mind having a few paid off rentals when I retire. Prices and rates are good right now. Do I pull the trigger on another house?

Bb

The world is so different today than when I was young, I'm not sure that I have any sage advice to offer. Just love God and your family and be true to yourself.

And vote for the conservative.

Buy good guns not cheap ones. Do not sell them. When you fill the gun safe you can buy another one. A good bird dog is harder to come by than another wife. Any day you spend on the river is not subtracted from those allotted you.

68 here.
You can't learn anything with your mouth open.

You can't buy your way into heavan or spend you way out of hell.

Be brave, generous, and kind and you won't have too many sorries in your life.

Good enough isn't,

Really solid has been given here. Only one area has been left out.If your kids don't love you back as much as you love them, accept it.

Use successful people as your mentors. The rest will tell you they have all the answers but try not to laugh in their face just carry on.

Live your life so the preacher won't have to lie at your funeral. Hasbeen

The winner!!

Live by the Golden Rule. Hard to do sometimes, but try harder.

Always buy quality.

Take care of business and it will take care of you.

Well I'm not 60 but 50 is well in my rear view mirror so I figured I would let you know something I would have done differently.

My wife & I have been together a long time and we both grew up w/o a lot of money which meant we did not have as much stuff as others during our shcool years. We both managed to go through college and got good jobs. Since we did not have a lot when we were young we bought "stuff" (clothes, stereos, tvs etc...) as soon as we could afford it. When we had children we bought them lots of stuff too. Then one day we woke up and realized that our house was full of a lot of "stuff" much of which we never used. Thus, our attitude has changed. Over the past few years we have tried to let go of some of the excess stuff we already have and buy less new stuff. We have been moderately successful. There is an exception to this - we really like our pictures of friends/family more. It's the memories we value most now.

I hope this helps a bit.

Great advice

I came of age in 1966. I wish there had not been any involuntary servitude but there was. I lost about six years of my life but it could have been worse I could have been killed so I was lucky that way. One thing I would have done different is find a way to go to college and gotten at least a Liberal Arts Degree. There are so many master and doctorate degrees based on liberal arts degrees. I might have gone places.

I also regret not breaking away from an over bearing and dominating Mother sooner than I did. Live and learn. I also regret not going to Army National Guard officer training when they opportunity was presented to me.

One positive thing I did was take some flying lessons although I never did get my pilot�s license. The mistake there was paying as I went instead of just getting loan and going for broke.

The most positive thing I�ve ever done was marrying a Celtic Lady (Irish/Scot) with flaming orange hair. The real McCoy. Another thing that I did or I should say in this case we did was not having children. I love kids but not having kids of my own was still the right move. We work with kids today and that fills our kid needs. I think with technology replacing even employment that requires skill and/or college education I don�t know where kids are going to gain employment in the future. Couple technology with the present fascist nation state and I think employment is going be pretty slim in the future. I think the future looks very bleak for our young people.

Last but not least I regret not taking a guided hunting trip with a friend of mine who was a professional licensed guide and outfitter. I could have had guided hunts for free. DUMB! It was always well next year not it�s too late.

I guess my best advice is never pass up an opportunity you never know when it will or ever return.