Hello all!
Cool news. I was approached to start doing a weekly radio show on Saturday mornings.
If you would like to listen in, you have two options:
1. Tune in to 930 WLSS at 10:00 on Saturday morning.
2. Or you can listen to previously recorded shows at this link:
(I already have a couple shows posted there)
The name of the show is “Living Scared and Dying Rich with David Kennon.”
You may be asking yourself, “Why is it named that?”
Because that is exactly what I see people doing on a daily basis in my office.
I sit down with hardworking, responsible Baby Boomers and hear…
“I can’t spend any money, I might run out.”
“I’m not going to spend any of my savings until I absolutely have to.”
“I might have to go to a nursing home in 20 years and I might need the money then.”
Now, remember, most of the people who seek out my services are the responsible ones. Meaning: They’ve worked hard, saved some money, kept down their debt, and have a reasonable monthly budget.
There are two major cognitive distortions going on here (that’s a fancy way of saying that your thinking is out of whack.)
1. Many people discount the fact that their money will continue to grow, even when they start using some of it. I expound on this concept nearly every week. But just as a reminder, if you had $100,000 invested in the 500 biggest U.S. companies in 1995 and started spending $5000 a year from that amount, at the end of twenty years you would still have $420,000 left over. That means you received your full initial investment ($100,000) and you STILL have $420,000.
2. Many people confuse probabilities with possibilities. Yes, it is possible you may have a stroke, and need full-time skilled care for 5+ years in a nursing home. But is it probable? According to Morningstar.com there is only a 10% chance of you experiencing this reality (most people die shortly after going to a nursing home).
So you are going to not spend any money, live small, and “just get by” your entire retired life because of a 10% possibility?? Of course, nothing in life is certain, but isn’t it logical to make plans based on the 90% chance of something happening? I am currently 40 years old. There is a 10% chance I will die between now and age 60. Should I say to myself, “No point in saving any money for retirement, I might be dead.”?
I don’t mean to “beat you up” with this information. You have been conditioned to view the world from a Depression Era mentality. Your parents experienced true economic crisis. But many of you are still viewing the world like it is 1935.
Do you think millennials have your problem? Heck no! They have no problem spending money. It’s not your fault; you are just a product of your childhood.
I hope you get a chance to listen to my show, and I hope I am able to give you the realistic perspective you need to enjoy your life, living in the probabilities, hopeful and happy.
Have a Blessed Week,
Dave