I think Dave can speak for himself thank you very much.

Dave - thanks for the details. A lot of what you said was ringing a lot of bells for me. I too have been very fortunate. I cashed in some stock options just when the stock market was crashing. I used the money to make myself debt free. I have worked my way into a six figure job. Even though I make good money I live "below" my means.

I made enough money from my business to pay cash for my X and cash for another SUV for my wife (cash is usually the best way to buy a car!). I refinanced my mortgage a few years back to a 15 year and now have less than 10 years left on it. The housing market in the Phoenix area was crazy about a year back, as a result my house is worth 110% more than what I paid. I could sell, move to the midwest and get rid of the mortgage all together.:thumbup:

Unless I have some financial disaster (unemployed for a long time for instance) I think I have a good chance to get out of the rat race early. But you know how life is, just when you think you have it figured out, it changes.:rofl:

what is a 401K.???

Save and Retire.

Can I just say that it's great to be able to work & save towards your retirement. To have enough behind you that you do not need to worry.

but it only works if you live long enough to enjoy your retirement and to benefit from all those years of saving and putting a bit by etc etc.

I do pensions.

I do the shares stuff

At 43 I have no mortgages on my 2 houses.

I have also invested/bought items that I enjoy now which will be sold for a profit in say the 40 years since I've owned them giving me a maxium return on my investments.:thumbup: You just need to know the right things to invest in.:thumbup:

Pension plan - a percentage of your pre-tax earnings come out of your paycheck, normally matched to some degree by your employer. You chose inventments; Could be stocks, bonds, mutual funds...

why would u deep fry a mars bar

Because it is there, and because you are from Glasgow. Local delicacy.

u mean to tell me that haggis eating , bitter (type of beer) guzzling scotts have adopted a deep fry mars bars as a local delicacy . Do they sell em at celtic park?

JCL is correct and don't forget they dip the mars bars in batter first before they deep fry it. Me I've never tried it.

Scots don't drink bitter Has to be lager and tennants although think Allan likes the 70 shilling stuff.;)

Sounds like a lot of people here hate what they do. I don't plan to ever retire...but I am in residential/multi-family development and enjoy what I do.