How much!!

Just last week I read yet another one of those articles telling us that to retire on a modest $100,000 a year, we're all going to need $1.5 million in superannuation.

Say what! Has it escaped the notice of these financial worthies that the average income in many families is well below that and likely to stay that way. Hell, in some households with two people working full-time they wouldn't be making $100k a year. And while we all like to moan about how flipping hard it is to get by, and how we're all doing it tough, and life isn't fair and life would just be OK if we could afford blah, blah, blah (even I have been known to have a teeny tiny grizzle about such matters) I reckon much of it is a load of tosh designed to keep us miserably plodding on the treadmill and spending money on stuff we don't want or need to make us feel better about being flipping miserable. Even Gorgeous George who has always loved his job and has always said being in paid employment is the way he wants to spend his retirement is starting to find the wonderful world of work a little tarnished lately.

I understand that the baby boomers - and I'm supposed to be one even though I dispute it at the top of my lungs every chance I get - are a fabulous lot and expect to be wearing designer clothes, taking expensive holidays and eating out at restaurants a LOT in retirement, but to the tune of $100,000 a year, every year? Perlease. I can hardly get up the enthusiasm to order takeaway Chinese more than every couple of months.

And haven't they heard about getting old. I know it's a dirty word, but with the best will in the world, the outcome of a well-lived life is supposedly a long one, And even if I start running 10km a day instead of occasionally managing 5km, I can't see me dashing overseas three times a year and drinking a bottle of champagne every day when I'm in my 90s. Not unless someone gets very clever with the gene splicing and all-body botox.

Gorgeous George and I have been simplifying and reducing for as long as I can remember, even before I was shoved out of paid employment like the weekly garbage. And maybe because we had already started the process, we had enough savings and the skills to survive on one wage that doesn't even make it to that supposedly miniscule 100 grand they like to talk about.

And we live very well and happily thank you. We can even go on the occasional holiday and socialise sometimes. OK, I have to cook most meals from scratch and the weekly cleaning and ironing is also done by little old moi. But strangely enough, I don't mind it too much - well mostly - because it's good, honest work and it makes my life and my home feel pretty darn pleasant. Just as pleasant as it would be spending countless hours hanging around in airports and trying to call home to check that the pets were all happy and well and that the kids were OK.

Anyways, I just think it's a bit fanciful to believe that we're all living that life or even striving to attain it. And I sure as shooting don't see what the point is of working till you're 80 in a job you no longer love or even like - if you ever did - just to ensure that you can live a terrific retirement that might not last very long at all.

Nor am I suggesting people don't work, or strive to achieve or be ambitious. But having been one of those busy, busy people I know it doesn't always last, you often don't get thanked, and if the only way you can enjoy yourself or feel you are living a meaningful life is to spend, spend, spend, then chances are you're gonna end up in the poop.

So maybe take some time to smell the flowers instead of buying those shoes you'll only wear once.