# Maybe the economy isnt as good as we think..



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Maybe our economy isn't as good as our leaders are preaching!!!

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companie ... li=BBnb7Kz



> With some retailers, including Sports Authority and Sports Chalet, closing all of their stores, and others, like Aeropostale, teetering on the edge of heading into the great strip mall in the sky, this has been a difficult year for brick-and-mortar retailers.
> 
> The damage, however, is not limited to the chains that are closing up shop entirely. A number of others -- including some iconic names -- are getting smaller, closing stores as a way to shrink into, if not profitability, at least lower losses.
> 
> ...


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Now some of this is a product of our technology advancements. Also some of these stores were build in places they really shouldn't have been... BUT!!!

Look at how many jobs will be lost..... Not only in stores but think of the trucks that deliver to these stores.... the sales reps that go and sell product to these stores.... the merchandisers who go and look at the products on the shelves and set up displays.... etc.

But noooo.... our elected officials say our economy is great..... uke:

Like I have said before.... if you want the real news go to the Money page on MSN. Then you get the real story on how things are going.


----------



## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

They won't admit the economy is down till the sport franchised start to fail.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Of course the economy is down. No arguments there..... It's a world economy these days, and the whole world is down. That's the bad news!
The good news is that RELATIVE to every other country's economy, we are still on top, number two and farther behind is China! Yep, they are in worse "trouble" than we are! That is, if being the "least down" in the world economy puts us in trouble, that is. Not that being in a recession is a GOOD thing, but one mistake we all make is that we tend to forget that it is a world economy these days.....think of the USA being as owner state or as one province in the world economy. Makes it easier to take!

Yep, all kinds of jobs are being lost, for sure, but an insane statement like "Make America Great Again" sure doesn't help any more than an innate statement lie "Change" ad nauseum!" I just look at the big picture regarding personal finances - stuff I could afford even 3 - 4 years ago I can't now, but I just deal with it. Things will come back again....If not, by doing without and picking and choosing what is or isn't affordable for OUR household, I'll personally survive and survive well.

I admit I don't understand much about economic theory, financial crap and all that though. Totally out of my former field of expertise.


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

HH.... what is scary is we owe china!! So if they start to call for that money.... what will that do to us!

But agree things are crazy now. Inflation needs to be controlled. But the sad part about inflation.... if we want to try and reel it in.... we cant be having min wages at $15.... and stuff like that. Because all that will do is increase the inflation gap!!


----------



## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

The notion we have the best economy out of all the other countries including China is not indicative of the overall picture. We are over 19 trillion in debt as of May 9th. Over double the nearest country which is Great Britain. China is down the list and if they called in what we owe them tomorrow we would be defunct(Well, officially). Peoples concept of this overhanging burden is worrisome. I read somewhere that if we paid 1 billion per month or week(can't remember) toward our national debt it would take something like 30 years to pay it off. Face it, this country is toast. Our political leaders have destroyed it, ran it into the ground, pi$$ed away all the wealth accumulated while building this once great country. Concerned about which people with what sexual parts use which restroom instead of trying to turn it around. All distractions, smoke and mirrors. We all done been bamboozalled, hornswaggoled. Get used to it. When Clinton gets in(gag) we will excellerate on the road to ruin. There, don't you all feel better. Sorry, I just received my fertilizer and seed bill today and am not in a particularly good mood. I have to honor my debts or they take everything I have worked for my whole life and throw me in prison.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Yeah North1. Having sat on a drill then a sprayer most of last week I sure understand the farmer/ranchers expenses! And being retired, I don't have to pay the bills, just help fix and drive the equipment with my rancher friends. But wow, is that stuff NOT cheap! So go ahead and ventilate!
IMO our national debt underscores the point that we have to stop borrowing billions to support foreign wars, (Iraq cost us a little more than a billion per day for several years and the costs are still mounting) and STOP ALL GOVT WASTE! As much as possible at least. 
Historically it seems that every govt around the world that has supported some kind of austerity program lasts till the next election, then gets booted out. IMO people nowadays are too spoiled, and the second theory have to so without, heads will roll! One example - 
The other day while cutting my lawn listening to music from an Internet website I heard 5 ads for of all places THE BISMARCK AIRPORT!!!! "Giving you blue skies every day". Over and over! Talk about waste! Who are they advertising for and how much is s stupid decision like that costing us? are you going to take a 747 to Europe out of Mandan or Linton??? AAHHH!!! I've been complaining about this waste for years! What's next?? Advertising for I-94 to maybe the national weather service? I'm sure North1 could use a bit odd that money for his supplies rather than some internet company.....I eras always taught to look after the pennies and. Ickes and the dollars will follow>
Anyway, I don't know much about international finance but it is not as easy as simply owing China - apparently a lot off the debt we hear about is to the American People themselves in all sorts of ways. Anyway, the whole system of international mon start stuff is complicated and. Not as simple as just going to the bank (China) and borrowing money. China does the same and their economy is in trouble, too. Valuation of their m only and all that......but our politicians love to keep us taxpayers in the dark about how it works. And distort and spin the real story. Anything to try to get votes! Which Liar do you believe, because I sure don't understand how it works and I doubt I'll learn anything from the Internet or talk shows these days! For sure....
IMO you are correct about Hillary, but I'm anything but convinced that Trump is not even worse! I truly wish there was another choice. A horrible state of affairs, IMHO!


----------



## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

I am just so very disheartened by this country, its political leaders and yes, its citizenry. How many millions have voted for a woman whose husband had oral sex with an intern in the white house and she helped cover it up along with all the others he was involved with. Just to stick with him to retain power and money. Every CIA official I have seen speak about the email scandal have stated if it were them they would have been stripped of all their credentials, fired and brought up on charges. Yet, here she is being endorsed the current president whose justice department is supposed to be investigating her. It would make Nixon blush and then be proud.

Then we have a petulant, brooding, babbling child in Trump who has absolutely no filter. Who really knows what he stands for or will do if a miracle happened and he were to be elected. Out of 17 candidates this is what the citizenry chose. Really!!

I seriously and sadly think it doesn't matter at this point. I really wish I had the means to cash out and move somewhere. A cabin in the wilderness away from all the insanity, selfishness, bigotry, and complete lack of common sense. Todays citizens don't deserve what this country once was(I don't mean all of them). We need, GOD forbid a serious depression. The type where you don't know where your next meal is coming from. Maybe that would shock people back to reality and what is really important. Start over and build back the country of 1950ish and before. Otherwise IMHO we are pre-collapse Rome. Very close to pre-collapse. The barbarians are at the border and they ain't Mexicans or ISIS. They are us. We are rotting from within.


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Why buy from any of those stores when you can buy on-line? And a lot of times at a lower price. And it is delivered to your door. The only reason to buy in the store is that it is easier to return. People aren't spending less money. They are choosing where they spend it.

Are these companies losing jobs? Yes they are. But some of that is their own fault. Go on-line to Walmart and if the store doesn't have what you want.....you can order it through one of their "partners." Doing this doesn't require a stocking clerks,warehouse personnel, cashier, etc. Most jobs at those Big Box Stores are lower paying. Those people that are losing their jobs can easily find another at the same wages.

I live just outside of Fargo. Pretty much service jobs are available all over town. Help wanted signs are everywhere. I work part time at the biggest grocery store in Fargo. They can't find enough workers to be fully employed.

All this gloom and doom isn't happening. We are not going back to the 1950's. Are we losing jobs? Yes.....and we should not be allowing companies to take their jobs overseas w/o some kind of penalty. Most of you guys are conservative Republicans. Business leaning. How do you propose stopping this from happening? And keeping these jobs from leaving the country?


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Ken, you are a good person to ask this question. Every time I see one of those self checkout things my blood pressure goes UP! I have a couple of old patients that are old, sick pretty decrepit, one on a wheelchair on oxygen, another barely able to walk without a walker, in congestive heart failure, etc. BOTH are still operating checkouts, still having a job as they had worked there for years one told me. If they hadn't been grandfathered in, they would be unemployed, on welfare, etc. 
so every time I see a self checkout I see red and absolutely refuse to use them. They are great unemployment producers, and by using them, the big stores are IMHO contributing to unemployment. To a certain extent, even ATMs could fall into that category, though they are convenient and do require workers to keep them going.
Was up in Canada this weekend, and almost every gas station employed people who pump your gas, wash Windows, etc. 
not that I'm saying get rid of,every machine that contributes to unemployment, but my point is that a lot of machines do contribute to unemploying people who are more or less unemployable, and force a lot of would be workers onto the bread lines. 
What do you think about these self checkouts? Just curious.

There's a good article on one of the News websites this morning about traditional measures of the economy being fair to middling, some even approaching record levels, but there is a disproportionate increase in money going to the top 3 -4 percent, yet the average hard working salary earner has seen his pay going down! Interesting article. I'm not trying to sound like Bernie here (I'd be called a leftist liberal) but it is food for thought! You have to wonder about things when the economy actually goes UP with unemployment, etc. going down to record levels, the DOW, NASDAQ, etc. near record levels, yet the average workers pay goes DOWN, but the top few percent goes UP! Seems the rich get richer, the poor and the middle class get poorer! 
Not that I think any politician can change much of that, even if they cared to, which they don't! IMO


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Habitat Hugger said:


> There's a good article on one of the News websites this morning about traditional measures of the economy being fair to middling, some even approaching record levels, but there is a disproportionate increase in money going to the top 3 -4 percent, yet the average hard working salary earner has seen his pay going down! Interesting article. I'm not trying to sound like Bernie here (I'd be called a leftist liberal) but it is food for thought! You have to wonder about things when the economy actually goes UP with unemployment, etc. going down to record levels, the DOW, NASDAQ, etc. near record levels, yet the average workers pay goes DOWN, but the top few percent goes UP! Seems the rich get richer, the poor and the middle class get poorer!
> Not that I think any politician can change much of that, even if they cared to, which they don't! IMO


This is the Donald Trump formula for economic success......."Make America Great Again." But he leaves out the most important part....."And You Pay For it." The poor get poorer and the rich get richer. Why is it that he won't release his income tax returns? Could it be he doesn't want the rest of us to see where he hides his billions so he doesn't have to pay taxes?

This isn't strictly a Republican problem. After all we have had a Democrat as president for the past 8 years. And the Clintons are almost as bad. The only one out of what, almost 20 candidates when the whole campaign started who talked about economic inequality was Bernie Sanders. Now some of his ideas would go to far left.....but maybe some will be incorporated into the Clinton Campaign.

Probably won't see much about what these 2 will do......looks like a fight in the mud ahead of us. By election day we will be sick of it, and will just be glad it's over.

Hugger......pathetic story about those cashiers. But that isn't what I was talking about. I'm talking about going to Walmart's or other big stores websites looking for something to get IN THE STORE. But is only available through a partner.....some other company. Doing that eliminates those jobs at Walmart they are talking about in the first article posted by Chuck.


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> This isn't strictly a Republican problem


It sure isn't. The republicans are simply liberal light. I have gone from democrat in my younger college years, to very quickly republican and republican for a long time. Now I know I am not prejudice because I dislike them equally.



> Could it be he doesn't want the rest of us to see where he hides his billions so he doesn't have to pay taxes?


 I think your right, but I think that should be singular billion, not billions. I may be wrong.



> Every time I see one of those self checkout things my blood pressure goes UP!


 I never use them myself. Absolutely refuse.



> Otherwise IMHO we are pre-collapse Rome. Very close to pre-collapse. The barbarians are at the border and they ain't Mexicans or ISIS. They are us. We are rotting from within.


 I fear you are 90% right. Include the Mexicans and ISIS and your 100% right.



> Yeah North1. Having sat on a drill then a sprayer most of last week I sure understand the farmer/ranchers expenses!


 Isn't that the truth. I can't believe what one of my relatives paid for one of those portable augers that augers from the bin. That and a simple hitch for a drill.



> IMO our national debt underscores the point that we have to stop borrowing billions to support foreign wars


 Some think Roosevelt ignored warnings from England about the Japanese fleet on their way to Hawaii so he could get in the war to boost the economy. Our farm friends back home thought the economy was as good as farmers ever had it during the Korean war. In the past it appears war boosted our economy, but not so much today. I would say that illegal aliens on welfare cost us more than the Iraq war, and they are still here sucking at the economies jugular. We could at least require community service from the able bodied on welfare. Our home grown welfare types are costing us a mint too. Think what good care we could give the truly disabled if the lazy were put to work.


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

The thing about those self check out things is.....how are they different than buying gas? Are there any full service stations around? The only place I see them is in Canada. The only difference is that in the store you have a choice.....gas you don't. Every time I watch Back To the Future......I have to laugh when Marty first goes back and they show a Texaco station when 6 guys come out to fill the tank, check the oil, wash the windows, check the tire pressure. The driver didn't even have to get out of his car to pay.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

Yep, back to the future. I got a real kick out of that!
I think Oregon is the only state where you can't pump your own gas, but I heard that was because of some big gas spill/disaster and its political fallout. I'm surprised every time we go to Canada and someone comes out to pump your gas, as there are self serve stations up there, too.

In any case both the R's and D's are guilty when you try analyze what might be wrong in the Economy, or any other issue for all that matters. IMO when people post that they are "Liberal" or Conservative" I cringe. People I respect the most are people who might be conservative as heck on SOME issues, yet Liberal as heck on others! To my old brain, I interpret this as someone who looks at ISSUES, not party BS! Being L or C should be on an issue by issue basis, NOT a party line, or else these L or C self describes are simply sheep, just following along whatever party dialogue their parents were. Not using their noggin to think, just hit the polling booths tomorrow and go down the line and vote D or R, not understanding or even aware of the pros and cons of any issues. Assuming many vote, that is. 
Same thing with religion - we are "Christian" because our parents were, Muslim because their parents were, Hindu because their parents were, and so on......
Does anyone ever pick their own political party? Or religion? I'd bet only a very few do...Easier to blame someone else.


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

HH I have a slight disagreement with you, but if you think about this perhaps we will agree. After all Mr too greedy calls me a liberal when I don't agree with him.
I don't consider liberal and conservative parties so voting Democrat or Republican would be voting party lines that irritates you would be voting party lines. Those who vote party lines on both sides get angry with me when I say we have a two party system, perverts and money worshipers. I think conservatives can respect the environment, but I guess I part ways with the money worshipers when I do that. Then they get even more angry when I deny that I am an environmentalist. They try to associate me with the radicals and become angry when I say God's original creation attests to creation, and I want my grandchildren to see it and be inspired by God's handy work. They near blow a gasket when I say we do not know when Jesus will return so we better take care of the planet because we may be here for a few thousand more years. I don't think the money worshipers give a rip about anything after their death.

I agree with some liberal things, but they make it impossible for me to vote for them because of their anti Christian goals. My conscience will not let me vote for them. I can not think of a time voting where I have come away feeling good. I hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two evils.


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Ken W...

I agree it is some of these stores own fault for the collapse.... ie: getting too big too fast and not foreseeing the online shopping.

But what I was getting at is the loss of jobs!! Yes some markets there are places where companies are screaming for help. Are these full time jobs or part time ones? Yet others you couldn't beg for a part time job. Which skews all of these numbers. Plus the government skewing the unemployement numbers and summer brings seasonal work, etc.

Now onto our debt.... I know HH like to point to the "war". Which did cost but yet...lets be 100% honest our biggest debt is to ourselves. It is the 40 years olds who have been paying into SS and the money isn't there to pay them what they are owed come time for their retirement. Or the 55 year olds, 65 year olds, etc. Plus the fact that we are all living longer, on medicare longer, etc. And it will only get worse!!

The baby boomers are coming to that point where they are not paying any taxes or very little taxes and the people replacing them are not paying taxes or very little in taxes. So that will make our debt go even bigger. I mean think about it. You have a 55-65 year old who were making $80,000 a year getting taxed. Now they are on SS and living off retirement income. Maybe they are getting taxed on $40,000 or less a year! Then you have people coming into the work force making $30,000 or less. That is a $10,000 difference in taxable income for the US government.... IF THESE PEOPLE ON BOTH ENDS ARE EVEN PAYING TAXES!!! Because some retirement packages people could have put the money in a ROTH IRA or some other tax sheltered type program and not have to pay any or very little taxes on that retirement income. Because they payed the taxes on that income on the front side! So now when they draw on that retirement package they will either pay no taxes or very little taxes.

Now I am not complaining at all about the retiree's or anything like that. This is more of a ***** at our government because the raped and pillaged the SS funds for other programs and never thought of a means to put that money back in! :bop: :bop:


----------



## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

Most every job referenced here is in the service industry. This country will continue to fail miserably unless we start producing something of tangible value. Then service jobs related to those products will follow. Can't do this allowing companies to continue moving overseas and with the current massive trade imbalance with the likes of China. Our representives have been selling us down the river for quite some time. If WOTUS and the "clean power plan" go through I 100% guarantee you it will be the final nail in the coffin. We have laws on the books currently to insure clean power and to limit wetland draining if they are properly enforced. Germany has 7 new lignite coal power plants in the works and China has 10. They have realized the human global warming craze is a farce and will leave this country in the dust. 70% of North Dakota's power comes from coal fired plants. If shut down our power supply price will triple and become less reliable. A lot at stake in very short period of time.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

You are correct about manufacturing, etc. North1! We went on a bus trip to Copper Canyon in Mexico last winter and lots of small Mexican town had smaller manufacturing companies producing a car part here, an engine there's wheels somewhere else, them finals assembly in some of the bigger areas. Food, GM, Toyota, pretty well every manufacturer. Oshkosh bgosh, etc. Labor cost is much lower down there, though I question if mthe labor saving costs are passed along to the consumers. Anyway, that's something we don't have here - cheap labor. It's good labor, too! Even some small aircraft manufacturers, I have no solutions for this.

I wish we baby boomers were paying less income tax, Chuck, (LOL) but I get your point. There was a study published the other day that showed that some terrible percentage of people over 50 had NO savings. (See the last issue of AARP newsletter) For retirement, and the over 60 group not much better. Also, if some in expected bill for ?500 bucks? Came along, a pretty low percentage could actually pay it. Yet, most of these people had good paying jobs most of their life. Blew it all on unnecessary toys, but then will yell and scream at that magic age of 65 that everyone assume ears they will retire! I used to recommend that book "the millionaire next door" but nowadays the people who should be reading it are too busy with their new trucks, boats, huge houses, wide screen TV's, hundreds of bucks per months for cell phones, etc. rather than saving. IMO THAT'sgoing to be the major problem in the future.
I can look after myself, but the number of peiople depending largely on SS and Medicare is astronomical and will only get worse! And BECAUSE I've done without a lot of stuff, worked hard for all my life, tried to stay healthy, and am enjoying retirement I pay LOTS of income tax!! But in America we will only point fingers at the Dratted Liberals or Greedy Conservatives......LOL. IMHO the problem is OURSELVES! We are far too spoiled.....


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> I pay LOTS of income tax!! But in America we will only point fingers at the Dratted Liberals or Greedy Conservatives......LOL. IMHO the problem is OURSELVES! We are far too spoiled.....


 :thumb: 
I know a lot of conservatives sucking up a lot more money than those on welfare, but somehow they justify that. I think that's the problem in Greece. Speaking of welfare how come were in danger of running out of money for social security, but not welfare?


----------



## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Because the government robbed SS and put IOU"S in it and they are still there. Probably never to be repaid.

HH.....about voting party lines today.....you must vote party lines in a primary. Which I did.

Everyone still thinks we should not be sending jobs out of the country. So what should be done about it? That's one of Trump's main points.....yet he has no policy to stop it. Other than letting the Mexican's pay for a wall. One of his biggest complaints is NAFTA. What will he do about it?I just can't see a Republican trying to put penalties on business's doing this. So we are stuck with China taking our jobs and using the money to buy our country.


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

Ken W....

Totally agree with you.... Trump doesn't have an answer.

Also having Min wage at $15 wont help keep jobs in the USA either. The EPA and new "green" policies wont help to keep jobs in the country. The "clean" energy bills wont help to keep jobs in our country either.

Now I am not saying to rape and pillage the earth. But some of the "green" restrictions are adding on top of already expensive bills and hurting industry and growth. Then throw in labor laws (some are very good and needed)... or wage hikes....taxes or new taxation.... employers paying for health insurance....etc. all of this is crippling our nation and job creations. That is why people are looking at the government for hand outs. Both the people and industry. If industry doesn't get it... they ship jobs over seas!!

Like the title of this whole thread.... the economy isn't as good as people say it is!!!


----------



## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

> Because the government robbed SS and put IOU"S in it and they are still there. Probably never to be repaid.


Yes I know. My comments were intended to make people think "hey since the money for social security is gone both social security and welfare have to come from the general fund". People worked for social security while welfare recipients did nothing to earn the money they receive. So I ask again why are they worried about running out of money to pay out social security, but not running out of money for welfare? My idea is they are willing to shaft the American who worked for social security to buy votes from those who do not work, or work very little. Those politicians are bad people.


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

As far as SS is concerned, we are not I n danger of running out of money during the next ?20 ? Years (read it a couple days ago but forgot the actyual date). 
And that is assuming there are no changes in eligibility, age etc. believe it or not the bipartisan effort to raise the age from 65 actually passed, so the min mum age will ratchet up. Probably not fast enough, but there are making efforts to do so. If SS were designed now, the. Minimum age would be in the high 70's! WOW, how many people could keep working or support themselves with their own savings till that age, looking at the absolute dismal saving record of us Americans? Relatively few IMO! 
Check the AARP website and there is a good article there about a num era of proposed changes to keep SS and Medicare going. There will shortly be hundreds of millions of people who will desperately need it in the next 20 - 30 years down. I suspect a whole of of the posters on outdoor websites.


----------



## Chuck Smith (Feb 22, 2005)

HH....

Raising the age of SS is a good thing to keep the little funds left there.

BUT.... what will that do to the job market. Right now college graduates are having a hard time finding jobs. Now lets extend the working age even longer!! Then look at the costs of the health insurance business's will have to pay. Healthcare is more expensive the older you get!!!

I have used this phrase over and over.... it is putting a band aid on a gun shot wound!!! They need to find a means to pay back what people have put in. Like cutting funding to certain projects that are not needed. Cut funding for studies which should get their funding from private investor or corporations. Lots of other ways too.....but our government is spend spend spend....and worry about it later. uke:


----------



## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

Very interesting, informative and intelligent debate. I agree with most all that has been stated. Very sad, though. How much more can a hard working "middle class" citizen take though? I have paid into social security since I was 16 years old. I am 48 now. Very shortly after college I became convinced it may not be available for me to rely upon for retirement(it's sole purpose). So I began putting any available funds in a SEP. My wife has done the same but in an IRA account through her job. Tough though trying to live, put two children through college and put much away. The last few years I have not been able to put in much cause their is not much left after expenses.

Due to a colon cancer diagnosis in 2009 I shifted all my account to CD's so it would be immediately available to my wife in case things went south. 1% return is pitiful but at least she won't be at the whim of the stock market if I kick the bucket. She has hers in a conservative stock market portfolio to help garner the possibility of a better return for at least part of our retirement. All this because the hard earned funds we have had stripped from us for SS can't be relied upon. All this because "a government by the people and for the people" is a figment of our imagination. All this due a government raping the working class to pay for the votes of those who are out for the free ride. Like Margaret Thatcher stated "Socialism works, until you run out of other peoples money".


----------



## Habitat Hugger (Jan 19, 2005)

There's an excellent article on social security entitled "10 myths about social security" on THE MOTELEY FOOL. Should be able to find it is Google or some search engine 1% is real bad! I put most of my retirement funds in various well managed well balanced mutual fund! Same eith my wife! 
Your situation may be different with your colon cancer! Hope they got it all! Good luck and we'll be thinking of you!
I put our kids through college sith mainly early investments when they were born. Lots of tax free stuff too let your money compound over the years. Sounds like you are doing everything well! I sure hope you and your wife have a long and happy retirement. You've sure earned it!! And you


----------



## north1 (Nov 9, 2010)

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and words. Yes it appears they got it all, but one never truly knows, but going on six years so that's positive. Jump through the healthcare system loops every year now, wait for the test results and do it all over again. Praise the Lord everyday. I truly am blessed.

My wife and I also started a college mutual fund account for each of our children when they were born. Told grandparents if they wanted to give gifts make it savings bonds(their old school). Between the two that has paid for a large part of their college education. WOW!! Is it expensive though. To top it off, about 5 hours ago I found out my daughter passed her test and is officially a Registered Nurse. Was great because I just came in from loading a grain truck and we were both jumping up and down and screaming. Wanted to take her out to supper to celebrate but she is working the night shift at a nursing home so it will have to wait. Now just my son left and maybe we can devote more funds to our retirement.


----------

