It’s a frustrating space and pretty much the reason I started looking at shares (or “buying into businesses” haha). Setting up compounding investments that I can contribute a little to now and hand over to the kids so they have some semblance of work-life balance.

I’m currently deep in the childcare trenches, where it’s actually cheaper for us to drop an entire income than to send two kids to daycare. After tax and childcare, the marginal gain from a second income is laughable. It makes no sense. To me, we, the communal, societal “we”, are stacking the odds against families at exactly the point when they need support most. That’s when careers are supposed to be taking off, when the compounding effect of pay rises, promotions, and progression matter most, and instead you’re forced to step back and risk being left behind.

Between the cost of raising kids and the cost of housing, it feels like the system is designed to keep you running on the hedonic treadmill of corporate carrots and government stick just to ultimately stand still. It feels a lot like Sisyphus pushing the rock up the hill for all eternity.

And outside of a major black swan event or governments actually brave enough to challenge the status quo, it seems the only option is to give in and play along.

Times like these make me think of George Carlin’s rant about wanting to live life backwards:

“I want to live my next life backwards.

You start out dead and get that out of the way.

Then you wake up in a nursing home feeling better every day.

Then you get kicked out for being too healthy.

You enjoy your retirement and collect your pension.

Then, when you start work, you get a gold watch on your first day.

You work forty years until you’re too young to work.

You get ready for high school — drink alcohol, party, and be generally promiscuous.

Then you go to grade school, become a kid, play, have no responsibilities.

Then you become a baby.

Then you spend your last nine months floating in luxurious spa-like conditions: central heating, room service, etc.

And finally … you finish off as an orgasm.

I rest my case.”

Hilarious @Jarrahman! I always thought aging sucks! Living life backyards is the way to go! :D

https://youtu.be/JWDeKXLZY9g?si=M-K7gd5jl40vOMyO

I blame this guy "equity maaaate!". A lot of boomers could have paid the morgage off three times over, but the hundred thousand dollar credit card (offset account) is just too tempting.

Good news is most people currently in their 20's and 30's cant afford a house. You can't retire with a morgage if you cant afford a home loan. The chart will self correct one way or another.

Needless to say, this thread is right up my alley :)

Tempted to launch into a long rant, but my bottom line take is that excessive and irresponsible credit creation really do have a lot to answer for.

Ripped off @Strawman , we are here for the rants ;)

Whilst I am an avid pod listener, especially for the rants, and I do have utmost respect for the wisenessness exhibited every day in this forum, isn't there a positive in having a mortgage as a " good debt" channel? It's one way to gain access to funds at a much lower rate, whilst investing funds in higher returning channels eg shares. Providing you manage it well you could practically live at next to no cost. Whilst having no or little means to reduce the mortgage once retired is obviously a bad outcome, there are also positive outcomes possible too.

100% @Scot1963, I'm just jealous and bitter.