The Emotional Roller Coaster of Money in Retirement
I have always had money issues
Money.
Our family narrative: poor immigrants come to America. The first generation works very hard. The second generation pinches every penny. The third generation (that’s me) believes that pulling yourself up by your bootstraps is noble but can’t figure money out.
It’s a tool. Like a wrench. But mostly I am wrenched.
The stock market is down. Or it’s up, but trending down. I kept my low-interest, fixed annuity against advice. It makes me happy now.
You may have had rich parents or poor parents but we all have money attitudes. I, like a good hippie, disdained “materialism” and vowed never to make more than $10,000/year and avoid the capitalist trap.
I worked for nonprofits and followed my values. Any human institution has human failings. Value-based work is not immune from greed, competition, and the need to pay its employees a decent wage.
Service was the siren call for my graduating generation.
Now, if one believes in social media, everyone wants to work for themselves or be entrepreneurs. It’s not only about getting rich but about independence.
