[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

It's pretty crazy (and a bit amusing) to read the huge numbers people are throwing around in this thread. $5M+? Really? On average, Americans have around $140K saved for retirement and ~10% of retirees right now have $1M or more in assets/savings. That means the vast majority of 40-60 y/o's in this country aren't even close to $1M in savings/investments/assets. You best be saving a mountain of money right now if you intend on retiring in the next 10-20 years with $5M+

And *that* is why I started saving money in my mid-20's and continue to invest and max out my 401K's.

Which puts me on track and well within striking distance of your "huge numbers" (i.e. $5M+) when I retire in eight years.

Of course, not going massively in debt, living on a budget, not buying things I can't afford, staying in the same house for ~25 years and not having sprogs helps as well.

But a "massive number" retirement is COMPLETELY doable if you're a little bit frugal, disciplined and START SAVING EARLY.

I'm pretty much a financial idiot. If I can do it, pretty much ANYONE can!

(Although for the record? If I'd stayed single, I'd easily have double the savings that I do now-- wives are EXPENSIVE-- even if you keep the same one!)

R.