Crete/Shaffer‼️

Well, although I agree with most of what you say, my life at 63 and nearing retirement in 2 years, along with my 40+ year of OTR as a company driver, has worked out very well for my wife and I.

Sitting on the beach right now in Cancun.
Spent 3 weeks traveling all of Italy in April.
Alaskan Cruise last August
2 weeks in Portugal last February
Yadda yadda yaddda.......
Oh, my $650k House has 10 more payments left.
I’ve saved every year for my retirement the last 40 years. The portfolio has been 7 figures the last 4 years.
My 401k is in the mid 6 figures.

All this while enjoying the only career I’ve ever done. I do agree with you though, trucking is still fun for me, although I despise what this industry has turned into. With all my finances in place, I still work because I can and want to, my wife does the same. Right now I’m sitting on the beach in Cancun under an awning planning our 3 week trip in February to Australia and New Zealand.

 

I loved driving by Crete HQ in Lincoln an hour ago and saying F%$# You Tonn Ostergaard on channel 19...

 

That sounds great! Who do you drive for?

 

It's not the profession but how a person manages their own personal finances. That peace of mind is available to anybody in this country who takes the time and has the discipline. Congrats and continued success.

 

Abilene Motor Express the last 7 years. And believe me when I say, this all didn’t come about the last 7 years, it’s been put in place starting in 1978 when I started driving.

 

Big deal, you’re an old man and you have a few bucks.
Whooppee.
Let me guess....
1. You never struggled when you were young like everyone else.
2. The day after you graduated high school you paid cash for a nice house and a brand new pickup and car.

 

There’s one in every crowd........but to reply to your 2 statements,
1) I most certainly did, but I stayed focused.
2) Absolutely not, but, I did have our current house built and took out a 15 year mortgage.

Now, about the old man remark, I owe you nothing. My post is on the same lines as the OP. Now, if what I say doesn’t interest you at all, it won’t effect my day one bit. But, like I’ve told anyone over the years, anyone can do the same thing, it all depends what’s important to you. I saw as a young boy, my mom and dad do without just so their 2 sons could have a roof over their head and food on the table. I vowed it would never happen to me, especially retiring and passing away a year after retirement like my dad did. You think I wrote what I did to impress you or anyone else? Not hardly. I wrote it just so other folks can see it’s attainable, through hard work and a plan. Nothing was ever given to me, I wasn’t lucky, and you’re absolutely correct, after running around on the ocean all day on a jet ski, I realized I am getting old.

 

Right before deregulation. So you got to enjoy the good old days

 

Yessir. There’s still good days. A lot of them. My issue is after 41 years of this, I’m a little jaded.

 

There is always some sorry ### comment by someone. Good to hear a success story. Unfortunately yours seems to be in the minority..glad you are enjoying the good life. Sounds like your hard work, discipline, and pererverence paid off.