Unconvential 'Retirement' Planning

This is a tricky subject to talk about, because I am different than most people in the lifestyle I live by choice not necessity, and no one else depends on me. I also have made very few financial mistakes in the past 8 years (savings and investment rate of over 40%). My financial goals are also much smaller than most people's. Part of the problem is that I don't have a wife or kid to support, and I will be hard pressed to find one while at this job. So, while I don't need to factor in those expenses right now, they are unknowns at this point. How do I plan for that?

I'm also aware of the economic situation out there in some industries. And since the median salary is $26,364 I don't want to come off as a rich like Mitt Romney. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/...s-optimism-reaches-10-year-low_n_1022118.html I don't consider myself rich but I have a lot of the stuff I need. And I only buy what I can justify using. Like I can't justify buying a new car when I barely use the one I have.

But, here is the deal. I now have enough invested that swings in the stock market can wipe out a years worth of savings, or gain an entire year's worth of after-tax salary savings in just a few days. And I have a higher net worth than 50% of the people over 65. http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/07/news/economy/wealth_gap_age/index.htm?iid=F_Jump Yet, retirement planners would say that I need to keep working until I'm 67 or 70 to pay for a few months of $250k/month assisted living rent when I am 105... They don't say that a self-sufficient cabin in Northern Arizona can be built for $30k. Or a nice sailboat or cruising boat can be had for $40k and the utilities, taxes, and expenses will be very low.

I would also like to go into business for myself at some point. But, I want to avoid risking too much of my own savings, and work on the ideas that I have that don't have too much government regulations, labor laws, and paperwork (I deal with that now). But, I would hope it would be something I would enjoy doing. And it would have a much greater potential for earning a lot of money than anything I could do at my current job. And I could have the 30 week a year work schedule that would let me enjoy life and take long vacations without a time constraint of needing to be back at my cubicle on Monday morning. And even if that doesn't work out, I could probably come up with a few different employment options if I had to look for work again now that I have some experience and know about other jobs that are important, but not too glamorous. But that brings up the problem if you have been out of the 9-5 workforce for 10 years, what can you expect?

 

I can't figure out if you're trying to ask a question, or just venting out loud?

 

You seem to feel you are financial comfortable now, with a long time left in your working life, although it's not clear if you were to include a wife/family that you'd still be as comfortable. In any case, if you are happy with your current level of income and the lifestyle it allows you to live, I'd put in place a plan to have investments that would provide that level of income by themself. At that point, I would suggest you have achieved your financial goals and decide what other goals in life you could achieve... family, fame, humanitarianism... whatever would make you feel productive.

 

Part of it is venting, part of it is feeling stuck, part of it is fear of the unknown future, and part of it is frustration at my current job having 50% of the work are things I'm not good at. But, I have it too good to complain about it compared to a lot of people out there. I went through that in 2003 and it wasn't fun, but it taught me some real world lessons that I needed to know.

And then you look at society and you get frustrated at all the problems that people aren't working together on fixing. However, society has these expectations that unless you work until you are 50 you are a slacker, unless you make millions and then you get a pass. I'm not going to make millions at my current job, not that I would live differently. And I don't get the good feelings that come from actually volunteering for a relief mission and changing people's lives for the better.

 

Maybe you need to reconsider your investment portfolio as you seem to be getting more risk averse. Are you nearing a stage where you will need to withdraw funds soon? Plan for the retirement you want not what pele think you should have.

 

Now they say that $4 million is the number you have to reach... Maybe if you live like my Aunt & Uncle.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/retirement-savings-4-million-enough-195700684.html

Here is an article on the retirement of people who have less than $50,000 saved:
http://news.yahoo.com/slab-city-calif-last-free-city-america-213033939.html

 

I think Yahoo publishes a different article each week with a different target for retirement.
Might as well throw darts, it would be as accurate as their prognostications.