I could retire in 4 years as I will be 65 and have enough to live comfortably but on this Labor Day I have decided to continue working for another 8 or 9 years to maximize the amount of my retirement. Several factors have come about to cause this decision.
I am a middle income wage earner and have had the experience of living through extremely high inflation and the present US economic scenario is taking that time period and lifting it to new heights. Therefore, following most high inflation rates, wages will increase somewhat proportionally. Some of my retirement income is directly proportional to how much I make over the last 5 years of my employment.
Insurance is another reason I will be working until I am 70 years old. Insurance is expensive. With these two reasons lurking in the shadows down the road of life, I can use the increased retirement and insurance dollars saved to maintain my standard of living.
Lynnette will be working another 8 or 9 years, if she can find a job. Her position was cut due to the economics of the times. She is looking avidly for a position as a Network Administrator. Her expertise, dedication and energy would be an asset to any company looking for someone to manage a network, train employees or upgrade to Windows 2000/2003. I’m selfish and I don’t want to stay home alone.
I really despise outsourcing. The auto companies have backed themselves into a corner. They have negotiated retirement with the employee’s union who in practice wanted a similar retirement package offered to management, the same with the aircraft manufacturer, steel companies and the like. Outsourcing has not only reduced the cost of production but eliminated the future retirement accounts that these companies have mismanaged. US workers know what management is earning both in wages and retirement. US workers want to have a comfortable living standard and retirement but outsourcing eliminates this. One outcome will be a host of Wal-Mart’s; GM-Mart, Boeing-Mart and etc. There will be an incredibly wealthy company ownership with nobody to buy their cars, ride in their planes or houses. Wal-Mart is just the beginning of employees who cannot afford to shop at their own store. Eventually the erosion of the middle class will bring about the downfall of these misdirected entities or serfdom will become the norm. I do not shop at Wal-Mart, or consciously buy products made in third world countries or use outsourced products. Sure, it costs a bit more but my income and retirement depend on good, dependable wages.
11:06:02 AM 
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