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I don't agree that sailboat living will be more stressful or that much more expensive. Yes, boats are expensive, but with inexpensive houses going for 1/4 million, upgrading to the new LED big screen TV, etc., you could easily have a lower cost of living on a boat.

Besides, if you had been listening to him, he is enjoying his family and his life now, which is the real point. He doesn't sound like a yuppie recreational boater to me.

posted 3 years, 2 months ago
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This topic is so timely for my situation right now! Yes, like everyone else, I was raised in a way that sheltered me from the reality of "starting out."  I expected life to be much easier after college graduation than it turned out to be; I actually expected to have everything my parents worked 30 years to get right away - after all, I had a college degree.  I am 28, married, and waiting for financial stablilty before having a child (another 5 years?).  The thing that troubles me the most is the incredible debt I incurred getting my degrees.  I now have a MS degree, make 27,000 a year before taxes, and pay just over $500 a month on my student loans (I still owe 58,000).  My husband is in medical school, and will owe approx 250,000 in student loans (they just raised his tuition 11% for next year, his fourth).  I know that previous generations struggled to make ends meet, but did they feel this pressure of debt? Thank goodness I don't use credit cards, and that I was able to find a job as a research technician - it's not my dream job, but it's better than nothing.

Happily, I can believe that someday these loans will be paid off!  I don't have the same drive that my parents did to accumulate things.  I don't have TV (but couldn't give up internet).  I think our generation is reevaluating our parent's values and focusing more on true happiness, our environmental impact, and relationships.  We aren't looking for 2500 sq ft suburban houses with SUVs and "bling."

posted 3 years, 2 months ago
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