• BombOmOm@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    or keep working into old age, again until death

    If you invest 5% of every paycheck, you will have enough to retire on. This is quite achievable for the vast majority of individuals who want to achieve it. Compounding gains are a huge boon and is why investing in something like an index fund should be started as early as possible.

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      5% seems achievable, looking from the outside, but we’ve gone through several decades of proving that it does not actually happen enough., when people are trying to afford their immediate lives

    • return2ozma@lemmy.worldOP
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      10 months ago

      Nearly 70% of Americans are currently living paycheck to paycheck. How are they supposed to save up or invest? One medical emergency could wipe out all that imaginary savings too.

      • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
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        10 months ago

        I know that on-average, those things tend to appreciate, but also yes, if it’s all tied up in stonks you’re still just one 2008 from “Oops, lost it all!”

        Why is gambling the only way to secure a decent future? I even made a decent chunk of money during the last crypto peak when it was fun new tech and just before it seemed so supremely evil, but I cashed out and ran never to look back. The stress is insane, the concept is insane. I wouldn’t do it again. I got lucky and that’s it.

        Meanwhile my family made all kinds of good retirement investments and practically lost it all when we had to let the house go back to the bank when 2008 hit.

        • BombOmOm@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          if it’s all tied up in stonks you’re still just one 2008 from “Oops, lost it all!”

          There is a reason I mentioned index funds, they don’t just ‘oops’ away as they are highly diversified. For example, the most commonly cited index is the S&P 500, which is up over 250% since 2007. The 2008 crisis didn’t just oops everything. Investing for retirement is all about the long term trends, and those trends are very in your favor if you are holding index funds over the long haul.