Are you better off than your parents were at your age?

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TollyVonTheDruth@reddit

Yes and no. I make a lot more money than my dad did, but he also makes good financial decisions whereas I do not.

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ElCaminoLady@reddit

Well, my folks were getting a divorce in their late 40’s, so there’s that! (I’m still married to a faithful husband)

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JakkSplatt@reddit

My parents were better off financially but I'm healthier.

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boringlesbian@reddit

Yes, my father was dead before the age I am now and my mother was suffering from COPD , divorced, didn’t own a home, and never went to therapy.

I’m fairly healthy, married, own my home, and have a good job with a good pension plus additional retirement savings. And I have done the work in therapy. It’s nice.

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AutisticMom69@reddit

Absolutely not. My parents owned a house and were financially stable.

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wmposl70@reddit

For now, but probably not much longer

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DeepStar-42@reddit

Yes, but that’s bc my parents own nothing and actually were in more debt than me

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Nope. My mom retired at 55 and my dad at 59 from being a teacher and city middle manager. Built their house when they were first married and then bought a small beach house when I was in high school. They saved and invested well. My mom gets better raises in her retirement than I do in my actual career in higher education. My parents do not understand a career in which one has to move to get a better paying job as they never moved until retirement. Meanwhile, rent has always been nearly half my take home pay and I’ve had a second job most of my adult life and I need to pay for therapy to deal with all of it.

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Wooden_Try1120@reddit

Not at all.

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1DietCokedUpChick@reddit

Yes. I’m better off than them NOW.

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leshbombs@reddit

Yes, much

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semiholyman@reddit

By a mile. My parents. Ever saved, lived paycheck to paycheck and always struggled with money. My mother had an affair with a coworker and both suffered from depression. My dad smoked and suffered from type 2 diabetes. Neither were college graduates.

My wife and I have both graduated college and I have a masters and doctorate. We both worked corporate and/or nonprofit jobs, contributed to our 401k, bought rental property, and have paid off our house. By every measure we are both better off than our parents. They were boomers and we are generation jones.

Looking to retire in the next few years. Hoping we will have social security but we aren’t stressed of it goes away.

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WasabiChickpea@reddit

No. They bought my childhood home when they were in their 20s. I live in an apartment that I can barely afford. They went on vacations twice a year from the time I was 6 years old. I haven't had a vacation in a decade. They're set financially, retired early. I'll be working until I'm dead.

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CuratrixJC@reddit

Parents yes, grandparents no. Both of my parents were physically and psychologically broken by the age I am now (60). My father teetered on the edge of insolvency the last few years of his life. My mother had money, but was so scared of spending it and winding up on assistance that she let her house fall apart around her rather than repair it. I have a far more stable life than they had, though I will never be as well off as my father was at his peak.

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MizzGee@reddit

No. My greatest generation and silent generation parents had their house paid off. They had cars, trailers, took multiple vacations. My father was a carpenter who would take off work from November to March and go to Florida, pitch horseshoes for enough money to live in cheap hotels, and live like a beach bum, leaving his wife and kids at home. My mother was a professional woman in a small town. They both had great pensions. I didn't get my degree until 2018. I lived through so many recessions, had to move, paid a lot of money to help charities, paid a lot for my kid to go to college. I still have a mortgage because we lived in California forever and I changed careers a few times.

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Grouchy_Vet@reddit

Yes! I’m much better off

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SenseNo635@reddit

Yes, substantially so.

Wife and I both grew up with nothing. Put ourselves through school. Worked insanely hard throughout our career. Current net worth is $44M.

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cabhop@reddit

Damn, that’s awesome. Interested to hear that journey.

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Bamalouie@reddit

Yes - Im 50 and have saved aggressively since I started working. Put up with my mom and sister constantly going off on me for driving an old car and living in a simple house yet I was the one with no debt. My now 80 yr old mom spent every last dime she ever made and then some on totally ridiculous bs (designer clothes she never wore, cars, campers) so now I give her money every month so she isnt homeless. My sister on the other hand gives her hand me down designer bags for Christmas because that's helpful. More than mildly infuriating lol

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cabhop@reddit

Yes. We will be retiring younger and with higher income, savings and net worth.

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PNWirishdad@reddit

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

no

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Ornery-Ocelot3585@reddit

No

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magneticca@reddit

Yes

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Tressa_330@reddit

No! Neither myself or my brother did better than our parents. Neither one of us will ever be able to afford to retire. Our parents both retired at 65 with pensions, social security and Medicare. They were so indebted by the time they passed on, none of that “Generational wealth” headed our way.

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Toriat5144@reddit

Yes

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Square-Wave5308@reddit

Yes, with the main reason being that I've always put money away for retirement and minimized my debt. We all benefitted from luck with home equity, but I also got the amazing years of sub 4% mortgage interest.

My parents inherited about $400k in total from their parents in their 50s, and to my knowledge that was their only savings. My dad seemed to have pissed a lot of it away playing with the stock market. I won't inherit anything from anyone and I'm planning accordingly.

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LuckyPepper22@reddit

Definitely but the bar was set pretty low.

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Trahst_no1@reddit

I’ll be 55 tomorrow. My father retired at 55 with an automotive executive pension which he and my mom he lived off for 30 years still. I’ll me working another 10 years.

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Tressa_330@reddit

No! Not even close.

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Quix66@reddit

Unfortunately, no. She’s a retired professor and has money compared to most in the area, at least before she retired.

I’m a college grad but am now disabled and poor.

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Feisty-Cloud5880@reddit

I'm sorry. THAT life sucks. I'm in process of having to apply at 59.

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Quix66@reddit

Thank you.

I hope you get it quickly and easily. Document everything and make sure your docs get everything in on time. People often don’t get it the first time so appeal or reapply right away if you need to. Depends on your state too.

Sorry you’re in this position.

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Feisty-Cloud5880@reddit

Thank you. Im on appeal now.

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clovis_@reddit

Hell yes but couldn’t have done it without them.

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wiltznucs@reddit

To say that I grew up poor wouldn’t be truthful. My basic needs were met. Food was on the table and I had a roof over my head. To say that for many years we were poverty adjacent would be very accurate. My father had extended periods of unemployment. My mother was a bank teller. I made more money in my first year out of college than they did in their best year with their incomes combined. So I’m definitely better off financially.

Emotionally; I think I’m better off too. Classic mix of latchkey kid and parental neglect. Doing my best not to turn into my father.

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This_Landscape858@reddit

100%.

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Genericisopod@reddit

Unfortunately, no. The pandemic and caring for someone will an illness has kept me from restarting my career after kids. I try to think positive but it can be discouraging.

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Cykoth@reddit

Yep! Both my parents divorced in 1978. We’re miserable and married assholes. I love my wife and we are retiring June of next year. Screw work.

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jaywright58@reddit

Better than my Dad but my Mom was able to retire early at 55. I am 57 and no where near retirement. She did well and turned 80 last December. She is doing great and I wish I had that energy!

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frog980@reddit

Financially, I make more than them but things cost more so in reality I can't afford what they could afford back then. They built a house and weren't financially strained as I had a great upbringing. If I tried to build a cheap small house I'd be financially strapped today especially adding in utilities, insurance, taxes etc.

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CatPurrsonNo1@reddit

Better off than my dad. He didn’t make it to my age.

My mom? She was a widow at my age, but at that point she still had some life insurance left. And she had a house. I will probably rent until I die, unless someone gives me a house.

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Admirable-Koala-1715@reddit

Nope

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Chiccheshirechick@reddit

Yes much better.

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jacklogan2972@reddit

Absolutely

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demipopthrow@reddit

Nope

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supershinythings@reddit

Both my parents came from poverty upbringings. They met in government jobs which paid enough to eventually lift them out of poverty into lower middle class. (I’m leaving out a giant mountain of drama of course.)

I’d say that financially, entirely due to saving and investing, I’m better off than my parents. They didn’t have the ability to save and invest, plus both weren’t good at planning ahead. This led to lots of expensive or at least non-accretive choices and drama on both their parts.

Index funds, easy access to discount brokerages, and free commission-less trading didn’t exist for them. Today’s modern tech makes it easy to do so.

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Ollyollyoxenfreed10@reddit

Not financially at all. Emotionally? Depends on the day.

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time2sow@reddit

Yes

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Slow-Objective-7440@reddit

Emotionally yes Financially, no

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SisterGoldenHair1@reddit

Yes.

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398409columbia@reddit

My parents were great, but I definitely have more wealth than they achieved and a better vision for the future of how to spend my 60s.

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Snapcrackleburp@reddit

Emotionally, yes.

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_genepool_@reddit

Yes. My parents retired with a summer home but almost zero in any retirement funds. I do not have a summer home but will have around $1M when I retire.

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NA2023@reddit

Yes and no

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Heinous_beesh@reddit

Yes. Financially: I mean, it wasn’t without MASSIVE effort—college, then more college, then grad school, and student loans I’ve almost paid down to a reasonable level 😆

Emotionally: also, especially regarding my mom. She went through perimenopause/menopause without the help of HMT, which did wreak havoc on her. They both kinda hit the bottle pretty hard throughout their lives, so that’s had its effects as well.

So yeah, I’m healthier, wealthier, and happier than parents at my age, but it wasn’t just given to me. I had to work hard. On the obverse side, I also was fortunate enough to be born into a family that wasn’t necessarily poor—pretty firmly working class so I didn’t have to completely build from ground level, and I have to admit I had the smarts and the grit, and downright stubbornness to make it.

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Ineffable2024@reddit

Financially, vastly better. Health-wise, in the middle between them. (My father was terminally ill with T2D etc. by my age. My mother is still in good health today.) Emotionally? Aside from his physical health, my dad was a pretty happy guy , and my mom has always been sort of meddlingly happy. I'm a pretty happy person.

So, basically yeah! But I never had kids and that's a bit of a regret.

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Subject_Spell_9799@reddit

Nope! Not even close

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Queasy-Extension6465@reddit

Nope parents had first million by 60. We're close but due to inflation it is not the same.

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Jennyonthebox2300@reddit

Yes. Financially, career, health, relationships, social engagement, retirement savings, marital happiness, happier more stable kids. Having more fun and happiness in life generally. But they were both raised very poor and were the only kids in their large families to go to college, stay married, have careers and send their kids to college. They did very well for themselves.

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Boomer050882@reddit

I would say about the same. But, they raised 10 kids on one salary for the most part. My Mom worked part time for 20 years. We raised 3 kids and are comfortable but certainly not rich. They were the same age

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iknowyouneedahugRN@reddit

My parents had no savings until my grandmother died. The only assets left was the sale of their condo.

We are fine to retire except that we live in the US so we wouldn't have health insurance.

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Pretend_Passenger586@reddit

Yes. I grew up in a working poor family and my mom became disabled at my age so her finances only got worse with age. My dad had a mental illness, barely survived financially on SSI, and only lived to be a few years older than I am right now. Being solidly middle class puts me much better off financially than they ever were. And not being dirt poor tends to make one emotionally better off.

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Silent_Ad1488@reddit

Well considering my mom died when she was 56 and I’m about to turn 60, I’d say yes.

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HenryLoggins@reddit

Yes

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farfanseaweevil@reddit

Financially, yes.

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tcrhs@reddit

Yes

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jetpack324@reddit

Definitely. My parents had 7 kids and lived for appearances and keeping up with the Jones. I retired early with no debt.

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MishmoshMishmosh@reddit

Probably

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creeva@reddit

Yes

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Flimsy_Equal8841@reddit

Yes and no. I've outlived my mother. My father was pretty well off financially at my age.

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warrenao@reddit

No.

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stellaflora@reddit

Maybe about the same financially, but I won’t have a pension and they did. All my retirement saving are my own investments. My employer does match a percentage.

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RdtRanger6969@reddit

I have more money, but wh-ay less long term security/assurances/stability.

Job security no longer exists. The Cost of Everything is exponentially more of each of my Dollars than it was of theirs. Billionaires were not intent on taking their money.

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Mistriever@reddit

Both. I don't know if I'm happier necessarily, but my dogs both died last week so happiness is fleeting for me currently. And even before that I was still in doomcirclejerk echo chambers my parents weren't dealing with when they were my age.

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Express-Studio-8302@reddit

Oh I'm so sorry, I also recently lost a pet and it's so awful.

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Mistriever@reddit

Thanks. It was time for Chewy to go due to arthritis and the pain meds not helping anymore, we'd had time to mentally prepare for her passing. But her brother Junior getting diagnosed with cancer and early signs of kidney failure (his mom, Jinks, died of kidney failure three years ago and his dad ,Buster, died from cancer two years ago) caught us offguard.

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Optimal_Character516@reddit

Yes. My dad was big into get rich quick schemes and also big investments that didn’t pay off. He had so much debt. My mom divorced him and had two jobs to get by. Eventually she remarried someone who was financially responsible.
I am much better off than both my parents were at my age. The bar is low.

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jonny_mal@reddit

Mentally, emotionally and romantically: yes
I have great relationships with my kids (4 of them), I’ve healed a LOT of my trauma and am constantly working on myself
I have a crush on my wife who is also my best friend (married 4 years, together 8)

Financially? Nope. Not even close. We have a small house and we aren’t starving, but I’ve never had more that 10k in the bank, and that was when we had enough scraped together to put our down payment for the house down.

The money thing used to keep me up at night, but over the last few years the other 3 things have helped the 4th thing seem not so bad.

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skspoppa733@reddit

Very much so, yes. And in most, if not every way. They had it rough, but par for the time in history.

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kludge6730@reddit

Considering I’m now older than my dad was when he died … yeah.

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jbcsee@reddit

Financially, definitely. I made more last year than my parents combined over their entire lifetimes. I have a paid off house and more then enough retirement savings. I'll probably retire before my mom (dad passed already).

As for happier, probably not. They went through their struggles much earlier in life, by the time they were in their late 40s everything was stable.

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Huge_Razzmatazz_985@reddit

Nope life has not turned out as expected and I am pivoting and hopefully will turn around

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Cantseetheline_Russ@reddit

Yes. By a lot in pretty much every way possible, especially financially. My parents were solid upper middle class…. But I went into finance and began investing and saving big early and grew it as my income grew. I surpassed their net worth at 32.

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mechamega@reddit

Yes because they were unhealthy and are dead but financially, mom yes, dad no

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vivienleigh12@reddit

Yup, and far more responsible. Not by accident after watching both mooch off their parents (and never giving us anything after HS).

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Character-Gene-4342@reddit

Absolutely yes, even thinking early retirement. Paid off house and cars. Pay off credit cards every month. Had to figure it out myself because the parents were clueless about finances.

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Awilson841@reddit

Nope

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Unique_Pineapple_529@reddit

By far, yes!!!

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rharper38@reddit

Nope. My parents had union jobs and 3 houses and both had new cars at my age. Not happening

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onefourthofme@reddit

No No No

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Haunted_Voyager@reddit

Absolutely not. I will never own a home.

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Simple-Bell5599@reddit

That’s a big screaming fuck no financially.
But on the bright side, my parents are still alive and healthy and help us out when needed

However I do think that my relationship with my spouse is far better and more honest and open.
I also believe my relationship with my sons is way stronger than I ever had with my parents.

I do feel blessed even tho we are struggling like most people now.

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BBAus@reddit

No way.

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sits_with_cats@reddit

We have more money saved than they ever did, but they were able to both retire early without having to make any big sacrifices, whereas we struggle to afford health care w/o working. They had friends they'd meet for coffee a few times a week, & have dinner with at least once a week. For us, friends are hard to find now. Seems like everyone is too self absorbed to have anything beyond transactional relationships.

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AmharachEadgyth@reddit

Yes. My dad spent all their money!

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Tralfaz1138@reddit

That's a mixed one. My dad had a corporate management job all his professional life and his new wife was also had corporate management jobs. So combined they had a pretty decent income when he was 60. I'd say they were better off than I am now at that age. Also much better situated for retirement with their corporate pensions. That's born out to where I'm pretty certain he's much better off at 84 than I will be at that age (and I am certain he's much better off than I am right now).

At 60 my mother had my fathers alimony but still had to work a job that was a bit demanding on her physically before they moved her to more of an admin job at the hospital she worked at. She lived on my uncles property, so she was able to get by well enough, but was definitely not doing as well as me in either health or money. Now she's moved to an independent living facility near me and I'm working on trying to clear up her financial situation

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cooler1986@reddit

My parents were both deceased at my age, so yes.

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Eatmore-plants@reddit

I’ll be 59 in a few months, the age my mother died. I look at pictures of her and can’t believe I’m the same age.

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LMB19@reddit

Financially no. Emotionally yes. I have a successful thriving marriage of 28 years. My kids are all thriving and successful. My mother has been in a miserable second marriage for 36 years and is emotionally stunted and a miserable person. She may have money but it proves it doesn’t buy happiness.

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Cattailabroad@reddit

Not even close. My parents had pensions and inherited money. I will have neither.

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Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit

Plus our parents bought homes when prices were much lower many decades ago. Last 6-10 years housing and rents prices have skyrocketed

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Cattailabroad@reddit

Oh yeah I forgot to add that to the list.

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NihilsitcTruth@reddit

Not even close. It's so far apart I doubt ill ever know thier feeling of safety and security.

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ggibby@reddit

Financially, not even close. Emotionally, maybe.

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Midwestblues_090311@reddit

Financially, no. Emotionally, a little. Happier? Probably

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snowtweet@reddit

Yes. Very much. My parents made a series of bad choices. I learned from most of them.

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Kath-r-in@reddit

Nope

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ConscientiousDissntr@reddit

I am emotionally much better off. I have a much happier marriage. Financially, they were considerably better off.

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ConsequenceNational4@reddit

No..my dad is way more successful than me. He did well for himself and for us..I have a college degree but work retail. My dad was an Executive vice President for a baking company.very common bread you see today and retired at 52. Im 49 now.

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FoundationCareful662@reddit

Oh definitely. My parents worked their tales off to make sure their 4 children all lived the American Dream - surpassing them in lifestyle, wealth, housing, health, etc. So utterly grateful for everything they did for us and we all paid it forward to their grandchildren

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reignoferror00@reddit

financially, emotionally, happier? The answer to all is a resounding "Fuck No!"

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Shell-Fire@reddit

Nope.

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DallasMotherFucker@reddit

Fuck no. My dad was making more than me and that’s not adjusting for inflation, his house was paid off and living expenses were way lower.

He still managed to blow it all thanks to some long stints of unemployment and medical issues, so whatever.

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Plastic_Difference54@reddit

Hellz no.

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Weak_Ad6116@reddit

Emotionally and marriage-wise? Yes. Financially? No. I’m doing fine, but I grew up with a lot. Dad owns (still!) an engineering firm.

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Javafiend53@reddit

That's not an easy question. Do I have more money? No. They were both retired by my age (59). I am looking at having to work until lunch time the day I die. I have had a more adventurous life. My relationship with my children is miles better. My relationship with my grandson is better. I am more helpful when my kids need something. So the answer is no and yes. My parents only reason for being was working. At jobs in my mom's case that broke her. They still put money ahead of anything else in importance in their lives and I think that's a sad way to live.

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KatrynaTheElf@reddit

No

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Iwantaschmoo@reddit

Yes, but i don't have 3 kids. If I did, probably about the same or worse.

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CryptographerOk3814@reddit

Yes. Not even close.

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MichiganThom@reddit

No

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Sigh_master1109@reddit

I am not

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MienaLovesCats@reddit

Yes; better health; better financially. My mom & stepdad and bio dad were recovering financially from their divorce ect. My mom was very unhealthy; struggling with Meniere's disease and food allergies. My mom is now much healthier at 71; then she was at my age (50). My husband is also 50. The complete opposite for my in-laws who had a very successful Architecture firm; their investments were doing good; their health was good. My husband and I are in the middle of my parents and my in-laws.

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newwriter365@reddit

Yes, but I also have two Masters degrees and they barely graduated high school. They were financially blessed, by that I mean that they became wealthy later in life simply by virtue of modest real estate holdings and the exploitation of (our) child labor.

I estimate that mom is worth somewhere in the low seven figures currently and my NW is around the same. The biggest difference is that I am happy in my life, my kids like me and I look forward to a comfortable retirement complete with travel and maybe relocation to Europe. She is a miserable human whose children barely speak to and will live out her days in a sad suburb of a Midwest town.

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AssociationOdd1563@reddit

I make way more money than they did and have way less to show for it

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379tuco@reddit

Yes I am still alive, broke but alive

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Repulsive-Strike7110@reddit

Yes on both fronts I think. 1st gen here. Mom and dad were mostly on single income (factory work) raising me and my siblings. Both still alive but bicker and fight a lot. My dad lost his job around the same age as me. Difference is we have a decent amount saved and partner still works and gets paid well enough to help cushion the tough economic times that may come.

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TaurynTlynn@reddit

Financially I would say maybe because I'm unsure. Health wise I am way better off .

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zenlittleplatypus@reddit

No, but I own my own home, so that's something.

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hookedonnaturr@reddit

Yes but they had 6 kids and I only had 1. Better off financially but I won't have many people to take care of me when I get old so in a few years I will not be better off than them.

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ljinbs@reddit

No. I’m 59, still working and living in an apartment. My dad was disabled on the job when I was 8. My mom worked for the phone company who offered her early retirement. They added 5years to her age and 5 years to her length of service. She retired at 50.

They had enough to live in but in California it didn’t go far. They moved back to their hometown in the southeast, custom built their house, and retired there. They lived there until they died. They also had fantastic health insurance thru my mom’s retirement benefits. I would give anything to be retired. But I have to continue to work to pay for rent and health insurance until I’m at least 65.

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danceswithsockson@reddit

Oh absolutely. But I don’t have a kid, so some might say my mom’s life was richer. All depends on your point of view.

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ExperienceWild4244@reddit

Yes, I'd say my wife and I are better off financially (slightly). But, also better off in life. We've been married longer, are still in love with each other, and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we're unbeatable together.

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MaudieLebowski@reddit

Am I allowed to say “fuck yeah”?

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PriorButterscotch953@reddit

I think it’s relative. My parents grew up poor and did fair. I grew up fair and did well. So I think we probably have the same perspective.

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pjgreer@reddit

54 year old genX and youngest child of 5.

Financially, I would say my life is even or just slightly better.

Health wise, without a doubt, I am much better off than them.

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damageddude@reddit

Probably? My dad had passed by my current age. My mother still lived in her Queens condo. The condo was worth somewhere around $230k in today's money. Aside from pensions and social security that was pretty much it.

Due to the crazy NYC area real estate market I live in a house we bought in 2000 worth well over $700k that we could not afford today. I have a 401k and investments that are around $1M but some of that is from a life insurance policy from my wife that I invested, aside from what I needed to finish raising our children and paying for college.

But my salary, with a higher education, is less than my father's peak in 1988 (adjusted for inflation) when he passed. He was entering prime earning years. He and my mother would have been very comfortable in retirement, heck my mom was ok until her health failed.

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raymondspogo@reddit

We work as a family to make everyone better in the family. I'm not exactly where my parents were at my age, but I also don't want for the expensive things they enjoyed.

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Beneficial_Run9511@reddit

Well I don’t live in Mississippi if that’s what you mean

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TunaChaser@reddit

Well seeing as my Dad was my age in 2008, I would say no. Things have really turned to shit since then.

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Outrageous_Lab375@reddit

Not even close.

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noseleaptilbklyn@reddit

No

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kristtt67@reddit

Definitely not, nor better off than they are now

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annarbor-guy@reddit

Definitely…but all because of the values they instilled in me

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seanx50@reddit

No

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Gullible-Apricot3379@reddit

Definitely better off financially.

Not sure about emotionally. I never really had a read on whether my parents were actually okay or just faking it and mutually dependent on each other.

I don’t think they ever got any happier as they got older, and I think they were both happier when they were younger.

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Centralperkeast@reddit

Hell no!

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stueynz@reddit

Yup . My Dad had been dead for 4 years at my age. Mother was moping in her widow’s weeds and hasn’t hooked up with her second husband yet.

Otherwise not significantly better off financially. We are at the “can spend a grand” on something we want without having to think about it stage; same as them.

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Negative-Appeal9892@reddit

Financially, no. Emotionally, probably.

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RoosterEmotional5009@reddit

Yes. Although my mom is eternally happy so there is that. But yes.

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Hotsauce61@reddit

Yes by a mile

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AlgoRhythMatic@reddit

Yes. My mother was a single mom and hustled multiple teaching jobs her entire life, even opening an after school enrichment program in her home after she retired - which she maintained until her late 70s up until COVIID years. She never made above 80k per year, but still managed to save a ton, never really spending any of her retirement. She also had the prescience to purchase long term care insurance, which became very essential in her final days. She passed on in August of last year.

Of all the things my mom instilled in me, frugality was at the top of the list. She taught me what it means to deeply scrutinize the value of things, which I believe led to a large portion of my success in both engineering and personal finance. I miss my mom, and hope she’d be proud that I’ve surpassed her net worth at this point, and will hopefully be able to travel to places she was not able to later in I her life.

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StevieInCali@reddit

No, but I am better than I was 10/20 years ago.

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Correct-Condition-99@reddit

Yes. Less debt.

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HarmonicShepherd@reddit

Not by a long shot

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AuroraDF@reddit

Definitely financially better off. My mother was recently seperated, had a new partner who she later married, and so emotionally she might have been better off.

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canfullofworms@reddit

By the time my father was my age, he had been dead for 5 years.

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HangingSnowflake@reddit

I hear ya. 4 years in my case. Thank God for blood pressure meds because otherwise pretty sure my siblings and I would be dead now by too what with the rampant high blood pressure in our family. So in that one specific at least I guess yeah, we're better off.

Not sure about happier, though. I feel way more stressed out than my mom who's been living happily off of invested life insurance and social security for the past 30 years (not to say she wouldn't rather have had my dad, obvs, but still, she's financially set in a way I don't ever expect to be).

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cholaw@reddit

Absolutely not

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Lumpy_Ad104@reddit

Yes I have a refrigerator.

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snotick@reddit

My parents asked me to accompany them to their financial advisor a few years ago. So, I know where they were/are financially. They moved to a retirement home last year, but we live about a mile from that house. Due to a back injury at 50, I'm not in the same physical shape as my Dad. But, financially, we have over 50% more than they had when they move to the retirement home.

Emotionally, I can't say. Because nobody knows how other people perceive their lives. I'm generally happy, with the exception of being in pain. But, I try not to dwell on things I can't change.

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Apprehensive-Ant2141@reddit

So much so. I grew up in abject poverty and have somehow climbed my way up to lower middle class.

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whipla5her@reddit

That's hard to say because my parents didn't talk about their finances. But judging by what they owned and what my parents were doing at my age, I would say we're doing about the same. No upset about it.

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cnew111@reddit

same. My parents NEVER spoke to me about finances. After they passed I found out that they were comfortable. I have shared with my son my balances and my financial institutions. As I get older I will probably be more specific with him.

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plemyrameter@reddit

Maybe better, but mostly just different. I have more money (no kids), but they didn't have work stress like pretty much everyone has these days. My mom was retired at my age, and my dad was very close. They traveled quite a bit more; I'm too exhausted to plan much because of my job.

They were probably also happier because they grew up fairly poor and escaped farm life for the city. They were doing better than most of their families. They also each had a pension and health care for life, so that removed a TON of anxiety about the future. My mom still complains if her specialist copay is $30. I'm like, yeah, mine's about the same but I have to pay a few thousand dollars a year just for the insurance (and I'm grateful to have it).

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zoidbert@reddit

Not financially but yes emotionally.

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Rubberbangirl66@reddit

Yes

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DeepGreenThumbs@reddit

Absolutely not. My parents, at this age, had paid off their home, retired early with THREE pensions between them, and were doing deeply fulfilling work on their own.
I'll finally be out of medical debt, next year, and struggle with PTSD and autoimmunity.

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SDMonkee@reddit

Yes. Sober. Healthy. Divorced!

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Astronut38@reddit

I am 100% totally better off than my parents were at my current age.

Both parents passed away in their early 50's.

So yeah, I'm doing pretty good compared to them 😄

I have to joke a little about it because the alternative is depressive.

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stickybond009@reddit

Yes far. But that's financially..... Not emotionally spiritually or socially

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SuspiciousMeat6696@reddit

No

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Pewpew-OuttaMyWaay@reddit

No .. defs no

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Unver1f1eduser@reddit

Yes, Dad battled his demons, could have achieved a lot. A very smart man.

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2PlasticLobsters@reddit

My parents were better off financially because my father had a good income. I'm better off overall because they were alcoholics & my mother had mentally illness she didn't fully address. They were both massively screwed up emotionally, in multiple ways.

It took years of therapy to veer off the path they put me on.

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ContributionOk4015@reddit

Yes, but only because I’m not an addict.

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Firmod5@reddit

Congrats on breaking that cycle.

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ContributionOk4015@reddit

Thanks

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feelingmyage@reddit

Yes.

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8drearywinter8@reddit

Hell no. I got an incurable chronic disease and lost my health, career, and marriage.

Parents were healthy and happily married and living in a nice house (bought when houses were cheap, because their salaries were average/low, but houses were affordable for their generation), living exactly the life they chose. I wouldn't have chosen their life (not religious, didn't want kids, etc), but they chose it and were happy with it and did well with achieving their goals.

I worked hard to build a life that would be authentically mine, and then had illness take it all away. Definitely not better off.

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kat_storm13@reddit

No, no, no

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Paprika420@reddit

No, my parents are comfortable in their retirement, I know that my retirement party will be my funeral.

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Murky-Substance-7393@reddit

Yes. My dad died at 26 and mom was a trainwreck.

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itsmyvoice@reddit

Absolutely. My mom was going into a full on mental meltdown at my age and within a year, she couldn't work anymore.

My father was continuing down the path of destroying his health. He stopped working around my age. He'd lost his career long before that and never got it back. Just small consulting and that's it.

I'm struggling a bit. Raging hormones are not helping, but I have a very well paying job, which I love. I'm more present for my kids than they ever were. When I was my youngest's age I was fixing my own dinner from frozen. My kids might get takeout once in a while but mostly I cook daily if they're home.

I'm both emotionally healthier and defi financially healthier.

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Firmod5@reddit

Unquestionably. Then again, they had 3 kids and I have none.

[-]

GaryNOVA@reddit

Arguably yes. But it’s about the same.

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surfer417@reddit

Gotta say I’m doing loads better. Being raised by a marginally employed artist dad and a struggling hairstylist mom that were divorced didn’t leave a lot of money lying around for things like college funds or health insurance. They both personified the “Me Generation” with their career and life choices. Us GenX kids really learned how to fend for ourselves. I’ve passed that on to my son along with a real goal of making sure each generation does better than the one before it.

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AngelHeart-@reddit

For me it isn’t a straight yes or no.

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Quirky_Commission_56@reddit

Nope. My parents screwed me over every chance they had.

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Eazy12345678@reddit

yes. parents made money. which helped give me a better life. when they pass away the inheritence will hopefully turn into generational wealth threw smart investing.

i plan to do the same for my kids

goal is make their lives better always

[-]

SabrinaFaire@reddit

Well, my mom had been dead for 8 years, so yes. My dad retired at my age though, so no.

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Abstrata@reddit

Comparable. But my grown kid is not. She works really hard and is great with money, and I made sure her schooling is paid off. She has hardly any debt. She has health insurance. She’s doing well. But if she wanted to buy a house on her own right now… and the prospects for her to have a real retirement… the options are more limited now. The planning has to be so careful and the execution so precise. She might as well be in my parent’s generation for frugality. What things cost compared to the quality is wild right now too.

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hkusp45css@reddit

I mean, I hope so. I had the benefit of education, living in peace, being reaered in a time where the culture I was raised in was rich with abundance and national unity.

It would have been a slap in the face to turn out worse, I think.

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Think_Position5532@reddit

Yes

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AdGold205@reddit

I’m neither a single parent nor an unemployable alcoholic.

My job is pretty flexible and meets our, I think our retirement options are pretty good, our kids are happy and healthy, and I’m managing with my mental health in a healthy way.

[-]

onions-make-me-cry@reddit

My parents raised us really impoverished because neither one of them could ever keep a job.

When my mom was 46 they'd divorced and remarried other people. She was starting her teaching career and made probably low middle class wages but her spouse was a high earner. My dad started his own business, generating low middle wages for himself and his new wife.

So yeah, I think I do better now than my parents did then. My mom bought a much more expensive (for the time) house in a much nicer area than me, though, and she'd go on to sell that house for more than 3x what she bought it for.

I'm not in contact with either of them. They sucked as parents, and are even worse grandparents to my kid. There was nothing to save.

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Horn_Flyer@reddit

Yes

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rhionaeschna@reddit

No and probably not happier than they were. My folks were very working class and they had money stress til retirement and even then had worries as my brother and his family lived with them for years. I'm disabled and on a disability pension. Don't own a home or car and probably never will. Despite all this I'm not miserable. It is what it is.

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MsAddams999@reddit

My Mom was a year dead at my age and my Dad was mourning her hard so no, definitely not happy or better off. I can't even say my life as a whole wasn't worse though with them because although I have been through some seriously nasty stuff and nearly died more times than I like to think about my folks they had it rough too.

My Dad saw combat in WWII. My Mom she was abused by her family and by her first husband. They both were alcoholics and had a lot of anger management issues as a result of trauma. They had health issues that made them miserable.

My folks worked for years only to end up with financial issues dogging them. Part of it was the alcoholism but part of it they were cheated out of.

My Mom came from a very well off family. All her brothers had trust funds but she didn't get one. They didn't let her go to college. They set up an arranged marriage for her to a violently abusive man.

Dad he worked two careers and paid into pension plans and for insurance that he barely got in the end because the government and his later employer changed the terms of that after he retired and basically cheated him.

By the time my Dad passed I had a house and a car but not a lot in the bank and I was too ill. No ody wanted to hire me and then I lost everything to a tropical storm.

I'm stable now but it was six years of homeless hell before it was all done. I don't have much to show for the work I put in for most of my life either.

Years ago a guy with mega money he wanted to marry me and I turned him down over some fundamental differences. My Mom and Dad thought I was NUTS and in retrospect I think maybe I made a huge mistake not marrying the guy sometimes even though I know what I did back then was morally right.

I'd have been a very rich widow before age 30 the way it turned out and my life would have been vastly more comfortable as a result.

I never married. Never had any kids. I don't particularly want marriage now but if I ever went there I wouldn't marry a poor man. I'm not all about the money but I've been through so much that I definitely get the value of having money now, way more than I did when I was in my 20s...

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VanillaHuel@reddit

I'm worse, and they worked so hard to set me up for better, so I feel terrible for them for how it ended up. :(

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jbcatl@reddit

No, my dad was retired with health benefits and a pension plus 30 years of stock options 5 years younger than I am now.

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TicklePitts@reddit

Not at all

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MonicaBWQ@reddit

I think I am about the same financially and emotionally. We perhaps slightly better off financially than they were in the same stage of life.

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badasschurchlady@reddit

Yes and no. Happier, always. Financially, at this point she was probably better because she was an executive at a Fortune 50 AND we’re getting ready to hit the point where things will shift. I’ve spent my career in churches which pay shit, even compared to other nonprofits so up to this point in our careers she out earned me but she also had me and paid for my private college education with zero help. She also retired for a second career in education at 55. Because I’m an only child with no other family I’ve been militant about saving for retirement - every raise goes into my 403b and I finally have an employer with a pension. Now, I have more debt than she did (because so much is going into my 403b) but, when I retire (9 years says my broker), I’ll be way ahead of her at the same age.

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regprenticer@reddit

In 1999 I had to ask my dad to fill out an income declaration for my student loan. Prior to that I didn't know how much he earned And was shocked to see he only made £17k a year. That's about £40k in today's money. Mum mum worked 10 hours a week in a shop.

However my father was able to

own a BMW 3 series
own a 3 floor 5 bedroom home in the city centre (Scotland)
have an annual foreign holiday (usually Florida)
could afford to have 3 kids
retired confortably

I earn £75k and my wife earns £25k. I'm afraid we barely come close to that standard of living. In particular we live in a 3 bed semi and only have 2 kids (my wife had to quit a well paying job because the cost of childcare for 2 kids was about £30k a year - my parents had my grandparents look after us.)

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NomadicPurple@reddit

I have to wonder if your parents had some “off the books” source of supplemental income. Or maybe they were just wise spenders.

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ApprehensiveWash7969@reddit

Financially I am but my brother is not. I used the stability my parents provided to get ahead and am excelling in life as a result. My brother squandered that same stability and is trying to get by day by day. As far a being happier, that one is debatable. My parents were very happy with the life they built. RIP mom and dad.

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Dry-Friendship-5945@reddit

No, due to severe illness and the subsequent loss of a career job.

However I was arguably doing better than them in my 20s and 30s despite far less favorable economic conditions than they enjoyed.

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disco_duck2004@reddit

Yes. While they made good money at the time, they also had to keep up with Jones, and always had bill collectors calling. They faced foreclosure at one point when I had given them $ to prevent that.

Thinking about it, that's maybe why I think I don't have enough saved in retirement, but looking at others my age I am doing very well

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Unlikely-Section-600@reddit

I think I am maybe ahead bec I have a good 401k and pension. She has a good SS check and small pension.

I probably have more debt than her

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Chemical_Author7880@reddit

LOL

Oh, you’re serious?

No. Absolutely not. Not even a little.

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JustMeOttawa@reddit

I would yes, definitely!

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NomadicPurple@reddit

Maybe not financially but I’ve lived longer than either of them did. I wouldn’t call myself happy but I am grateful.

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Hifi-Cat@reddit

Financially yes (ACA cliff not withstanding). Emotionally, likely. 60 now, mom is 86. At 60 she and stepdad (who was working) would be seeing friends, dinners, local travel.

I was working, living at home, unhappy and not recognizing that I needed to work on getting a partner and more friends; my number one problem now.

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Academic_Island_3183@reddit

Yes I stayed single.

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EggForTryingThymes@reddit

No, but my Ma won a couple mil in Vegas at my age.

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Difficult-Low5891@reddit

Definitely. Waaaaaaaay better off.

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No-Profession422@reddit

Yes very much so, since both were dead by my age.

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Outrageous_Plum5348@reddit

Exponentially in every way. They were both long dead.

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The_Master_Sourceror@reddit

Finally yes. My parents divorced a few years before they were my age, that essentially ruined their finances. Before that, no way.

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ReadyTeddy81@reddit

Financially, no. Emotionally, yes.

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melmel1966@reddit

Yes. I own things. My father never had a new car. Ive had 2. My house has two bathrooms, never go to bed cold in the winter.

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Outrageous_Drag6613@reddit

Worse off

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MathematicianOk7508@reddit

Financially maybe, emotionally yes

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RoundLobster392@reddit

financial not by much. Intangibles yes.

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ayemateys@reddit

Big yes. My mom was terminally ill at my age…my husband is way more successful than my father ever was and my parents never owned a house.

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Ecjg2010@reddit

The only way I am better off the they are is in how my relationship with my kid is. She is 15 and we like each other. Genuinely, as people. That is not something I ever had wirh my parents. She comes to me woth everything. She knows she can.

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Cattailabroad@reddit

I suppose maybe in some way but not when it comes to retirement. So much of my money goes to healthcare that would have gone into retirement.

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AlarmedWillow4515@reddit

For sure, in every way. And my parents were better off than their parents. I hope to keep the trend going and give my kids a boost so they end up better off than I am.

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Odd_Policy_3009@reddit

gif

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BigLoudWorld74@reddit

Yep.

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crab_races@reddit

Well, mine were homeless --soon to be dead-- after decades of alcoholism at this age, so i'd say this genx redditor is #winning.

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Chuckles_McNut@reddit

Financially no...but in literally every other way 100%

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windysideofcare@reddit

Not even a little bit. I was better off when I got my first job and moved out on my own (compared to my parents at the same time in their lives) but 25 years later? Heck no. I'm barely getting by and they were thriving at my age.

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Familiar-Court-4217@reddit

Oh, hell no.

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MissDisplaced@reddit

No. While I do make more money in salary, I got a late start and only graduated college bought a house in my 40s. By my current age (59) their house was long paid off and they were already retired at 55 and my dad had two pensions from his factory jobs. They were living a nice relaxing retirement in their late 50’s and had no shortage of money for dad’s beloved bass fishing and other nice things.

I will need to keep working until at least age 65/66, maybe longer. Dad passed, but mom lives simply but comfortably off his Social Security and sale of house.

What they achieved (two houses, pensions, early retirement) with no college education would never happen today.

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Sharp-Alternative375@reddit

Sure it can still happen. I retired last year at 58 with two pensions and a pretty sizable nest egg. a few days ago I was talking to a guy who had been working for the postal service since he was 20, he's now 50. He would retire tomorrow if he could withdraw money from his IRA (has to wait until 59 1/2). If a young person invest $200 per month from age 20 till 62 they would have 1.2 to 1.5 million. It can still be done, you just need to start early and stay the course. Hell, I did it and I barely graduated high school.

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MissDisplaced@reddit

I don’t think many 18-20 year olds have an extra $200 per month though.

I know I didn’t back then and it’s probably less likely today. Unless you fall into a cush job that doesn’t see layoffs.

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Roddenbrony@reddit

No and no.

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lisanstan@reddit

Definitely, finances is the least of it.

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ApatheistHeretic@reddit

Yes. But it's not hard, they were both nearly destitute approaching 40 and it was all downhill from there.

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r7ndom@reddit

My Father: Technically, we make more money inflation-adjusted, but we also burn through cash at a faster rate due to lifestyle and kid activities. Emotionally, I'm probably in at least as good if not better shape than he was at my age. He did have a pension to look forward to, which must have been a good feeling. Overall, I would say I am slightly better off than he was at my age.

My Mom: She is an artist and entrepreneur. She doesn't find jobs; she makes them for herself. I'm not sure there is any way I could be more emotionally healthy than she has ever been. Financially, I make more, but by the time she was my age, she had a level of financial security I may never have, due to her husband's small pension (mostly a benefit due to healthcare) and my mother being frugal in all the right ways.

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Sassca@reddit

Financially yes, but honestly that’s not saying much.

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Most-Individual8794@reddit

financially, no. Maybe emotionally because I am independent and childfree so my life is pretty low stress.

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GeneralPITA@reddit

well, yeah, I don't have me as a kid.

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toooldforthisshittt@reddit

Yes.

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kingForOneDay@reddit

My parents were divorced, so yeah

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crone_Andre3000@reddit

Yes, yes and yes

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Trick-Pineapple5890@reddit

Yes. Better off financially and I believe I’m happier. Some of it is because they sacrificed so that I could be better prepared for life than they were. The other part of it is that I chose not to have kids, so I have fewer financial pressures and more free time. I also think that technology has just made life in general a lot easier than it was 30 years ago.

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CittaMindful@reddit

Yes. Both emotionally and financially. I knew higher education was my way out and it has been.

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aurelianwasrobbed@reddit

Financially? Eh.

Emotionally and functionally? JESUS CHRIST, yes. Both parents had hit rock bottom and been in the mental ward by the time they were my age. Also, they were divorced and had both dealt with abusive partners after the divorce. Also, they had substance abuse issues. Also, they had to commute to their jobs, and in one case, wear hose and high heels. I’m not saying which parent that was.

I am WAY happier and more functional. My COL is so far beyond what theirs was, even comparing incomes. But I'd take the financial stress of my current life over everything they had going on.

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Scarlett_Texas_Girl@reddit

My Dad makes more money than I do.

In every other way I've accomplished more. I would not trade places with him.

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FirstLalo@reddit

Indubitably.

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PolymathHolly@reddit

I’m certainly less responsible than they were. At 51, I live like a glorified high school kid, partly because I burnt out on my career and nobody will hire me for better paying jobs despite having a degree (it’s a useless one) and partly because I had a life-altering event happen to me when I turned 26 and I think it basically stunted me into the mindset that nobody wants me in their life as a friend or anything else so I guess I’ll just mooch about being a loner weirdo. Forced me to not be able to have any kids to contribute at least that to the world.

So despite growing up the child of two silent generation parents who were distant affectionately but not necessarily emotionally, I’ve become this closed off recluse who’d love to have the life I see other people having but the people I do come across who vaguely stick around in my life don’t consider me a priority enough to keep in touch with me, because I lead such a drab silly life and they’re busy being proper grown adults, with proper jobs, families and friends.

It’d become even harder now since my mother died unexpectedly in February because now I’m an orphan and don’t even have parents to rely on for anything. I can pay my bills (just) and have a roof over my head (just) but I can’t say I’m better off.

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one_bean_hahahaha@reddit

Financially no. In every other aspect, yes.

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KnoWanUKnow2@reddit

At around my age my father was suffering from what we would now called undiagnosed anxiety induced panic attacks and was about to be forcibly retired from his job.

So emotionally, I think I'm in better shape.

Financially, it's a toss up. He was a vice president while I'm a senior software developer. He was probably making a bit more than me right up until he was forcibly retired.

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formercotsachick@reddit

I mean, absolutlely. At my age, my father has already been dead from lung cancer for over a year. My mom was getting remarried to my stepfather, who would also die within 5 years from the same cancer as my dad. They also all worked blue collar jobs on their feet for decades and their bodies paid the price.

At 55, I'm running 5Ks and paddling on the weekends in pretty darn good health. I work from home at full time in a job with limited stress that I enjoy. My husband and I travel quite a bit and now that our adult daughter is living independently, have a good amount of disposable income to pursue our interests both together and separately. My parents never owned a house or a car and never went to college, where I have done all three.

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divinerebel@reddit

Fuck no.

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NoFollowing7781@reddit

Definitely

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Fogsmasher@reddit

Both yes

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SouthernTrauma@reddit

Yes to both.

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SnowbearVacation@reddit

Yes and Yes! much better relationship, much nicer and larger house, no kids, much more fun job, no addictions, less boredom, live in a great city with beauty and peace around it.

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Glum-One2514@reddit

Marginally, but mostly just because my wife has a job that pays better than my mom ever made. Otherwise, it's fairly even.

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Nantzstoast@reddit

Financially yes, by a wide margin. Emotionally? Tough to say. My parents were good about hiding their struggles from the kids

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madtownjeff@reddit

Well considering I have already lived 11 years lo ger than my father...

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EnjoyingTheRide-0606@reddit

Financially, yes because they never owned anything in spite of having multiple rental properties in their name. They owned a historical building in a very popular walkable downtown, too. Once they sold it (for almost $1million), they moved into a home with an $800k mortgage. Wtf? My dad was 70!

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Due_Lemon3130@reddit

Way better off. Thanks to them.

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OldGeotch@reddit

Same. But my kids won't be because they don't accept the same lessons.

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Due_Lemon3130@reddit

Same here. I tried talking them into reasonable majors, but there was absolutely no interest. Now I have one with a degree working retail.

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old-cigar-smoker@reddit

Father & Stepmom... I believe so but didn't really know their situation. Mom & Stepdad... nope.

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jessper17@reddit

By far. And zero kids to deal with.

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OPsDaddy@reddit

Yes. But they had many, many children.

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Chaemyerelis@reddit

Probably about the same. My parents were stable. Im stable.

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thedumbdown@reddit

Easily 10x more well off. They were both terrible with money. Mother inherited $250k and married the first conman she met. Paid all his debt. Bought him a house & new car. Started a church in TX. He brought his next wife to my mom’s funeral. I’m still, at 50, better off than she ever was. Pops drank himself to a late grave.

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whirlydad@reddit

Nope.

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just321askin@reddit

No. My dad was a public servant, making enough to buy a house in his 20’s and support a housewife and two kids, with regular vacations etc.

Now my wife and I both work full time, no kids, and barely have any savings or money for retirement.

But, my parents also had an incredibly toxic marriage and eventually divorced, so I’m grateful my wife and I are still married and happy together.

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BlownCamaro@reddit

Not even close.

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muziklover91@reddit

Shit ya

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TCB247364@reddit

gif

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Jezikhana@reddit

Financially? Hell no. Not even close. Emotionally, yes very much so.

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kes23@reddit

Yes. My parents worked 3 jobs to make ends meet. I am getting by off of 1 job. I also had my daughter late in life. I was in college when my parents were my age and I have a 4th grader. We were at different parts of our lives at the same age.

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DeezDoughsNyou@reddit

My folks were living much larger. I am much more well adjusted and happier. It’d be nice to fly first class but I wouldn’t switch seats with them!

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EastAd7676@reddit

Fuck no, financially. In terms of happiness with my and my own family’s happiness and satisfaction, definitely yes.

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aarkwilde@reddit

Not at all.

[-]

seaburno@reddit

Financially? No. My parents were objectively wealthy. (In the mid-90s, when they were around the age I am currently, they sold a house for $5.3 million. That same house on Zillow is currently valued at over $17.5 million).

Emotionally? Probably. My father was emotionally stunted and repressed his emotions.

Happier? Probably not. By my age, my Dad was semi-retired, and they were spending their time traveling the world and mostly doing what they wanted. I'm still working -and plan on doing so for at least 10 more years. I like my job and the people I work with, but if I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd probably be out the door in less than 6 months so I can spend my time doing what I want to do.

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StephDos94@reddit

Not by a long shot. But they had parents who helped them financially.

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Jenniyaaah@reddit

LOl NO

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jellitate@reddit

Absolutely not!

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Beautiful_Bike_1823@reddit

I make a lot more but have a lot less.

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SoCal7s@reddit

Perfect summary of what I was trying to say.

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HermioneMarch@reddit

Financially, not at all. Happier, I’d say yes. I know my dad entered therapy and started an ssri when he was about my age.

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IDunnoReallyIDont@reddit

Them - 40-50k household salary (dad worked 2nd shift as a supervisor), 900 sq ft home, 4 kids. Government cheese lol

Me - 380k household salary (both in tech), 3000 sq ft home, 2 kids.

So yeah. We’re doing better. Grateful for it and grateful for my dad instilling his work ethic into me. He was a workhorse and deserved more pay even back then! I miss him so much.

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Upstairs-Hope4392@reddit

Yes. I am. By far.

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SoCal7s@reddit

Better than Dad. Debatable w Mom. I have more money than Mom but live in a shitty little apartment in a great neighborhood. She lived in a nice house at my age and was retired with a pension. My “more money” has to do the work of her pension so she wins.

[-]

gonzopaw@reddit

I am sober.....proud of that. Financially, emoitionally NO. What a shit show this world is....nothing much left in the way of opportunity or civility. I feel like the other half of my life was lived on an alternate timeline and somehow we all got shoved onto this failing and painful timeline. I am now looking forward to getting older and making my exit , never to return to his hellhole. Don't get me wrong I really love the animals and the beauty of this planet but I cannot stand my fellow human beings and what we have all done to this place. I am just done and tired.....nothing more to look forward to except war and finacially instability.

[-]

StillC5sdad@reddit

Financially no. But I am sober

[-]

elphaba00@reddit

My dad was a high school math teacher, and my mom worked a minimum wage job. They were still able to buy a 120K house in the early 90s, take yearly vacations, get me a car when I turned 16, and send me to a private university. No one inherited anything, so it was all them. Me today: Working it out in my head when the next payday is and hoping I make it.

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jungle4john@reddit

No not even close. My parents were middle-upper class. They were making literally a million between the two of them by the late 80s and early 90s. In true boomer fashion they blew it all.

I will say I am happier and more content with life than my parents ever were. I've dealt with my demons, [cough] my parents, and have an absolutely amazing relationship with my son so far. They have never had any of that.

So I am doing so much better than my parents were at my age with all the metaphysical stuff, but momentarily they did better.

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TheSwedishEagle@reddit

A million a year in the 80s was very rich. Upper middle class. LOL.

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jungle4john@reddit

Sorry that's what i meant, it's early where i am. Whats funny is we did not live like it though. We lived comfortably but not extravagantly. We drove Mercedes but they were the ones my dad bought in 1978. My father funneled most of the money into real-estate and then lost it all in the SnL scandal of the early 90s. By 93 my parents were broke and nearly a million in debt to the irs. They were still making a very healthy 6 figures, but it all went to debt collectors. We had our power shut off so many times because the irs would clear all my parents' accounts and wouldn't leave them with anything for bills or groceries.

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NYCphilliesBlunt@reddit

Yes, but only because I didn’t have kids

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dogbowl14@reddit

I’m supporting them.

[-]

Glum_Manufacturer232@reddit

Yes for the most part. Financially yes, health yes but that could be changed any day.

[-]

No_Character_4443@reddit

Financially? Better than one parent, but not the other. (But he remarried into significant money)

Emotionally? Oh yes, much better. Neither did any sort of emotional work at all. I do weekly therapy, meditation, tons of self help books, meds, journaling, etc, etc.

Physical health? Light years better. Neither did ANY exercise their entire lives. I've been a life long endurance athlete. In their 50s, they never really left the couch. A walk of a few hundred yards was difficult, etc. I did a 46 mile run across the Grand Canyon and back last weekend and do 100 mile trail running races. Despite their warnings for decades, my knees are fine ;-)

Happier? I think so. I find a lot of joy in my life. Not sure they did. It was sad.

[-]

DeFiClark@reddit

Yes, but my parents were both academics for whom financial success was not a core value.

Happier, mixed. In her 50s my mom was a bitter divorcee, my Dad was generally happy and internationally renowned in his field.

Emotionally I’d say Im doing better than either of them; my Dad never got help for any of his issues, and my mom lied to all her therapists.

[-]

Dear_Treat2592@reddit

Yes, I’m in a better place financially and much better shape physically. Smoking and drinking excessively will kill you but also ages you prematurely. It’s fun when you’re young but catches up with you over time.

[-]

Swiftiefromhell@reddit

No

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Ok-Dragonfruit-715@reddit

No, but I wouldn't have wanted their life anyway.

[-]

purplesquirelle@reddit

Yes. My dad made a lot more money than I do and ever will, but he also had 3 kids and a wife who didn't work so that money was all spent and not saved.

[-]

CoachOpen1977@reddit

Not at all but they really hustled and constantly worried about money and I’m not that money-motivated. I prefer to just take it easy in stress-free but low-paying jobs and enjoy my modest life as-is.

[-]

P1anetfa11@reddit

Parents were immigrants who came to the US in 1971 with $200 and a single suitcase of clothes (and college degrees, so they were professionals). We lived in a 1-bd apt. Career in tech, I'm retired now and my current net worth is $14m about 70% of it in equity, bonds, and other investments.

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Wrong_Pen6179@reddit

Impressive! Hope you are enjoying your retirement!

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Better_Resort1171@reddit

I'm not an A Hole, so yes

[-]

pwiedel@reddit

My lifestyle is more modest than theirs was.

However, my retirement portfolio is in a much better place than theirs was.

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Wrong_Pen6179@reddit

1000% yes

[-]

SuffragetteOffspring@reddit

Emotionally and mentally, yes. My parents could all use some therapy. I say this with love but mean it sincerely.

Financially - my parents were far more stable at my age. I do fine but they had union and corporate jobs and the benefit of far cheaper real estate. They were able to buy their primary homes for reasonable prices and then leverage their respective houses (parents divorced and remarried when I was young) as collateral for investment properties and businesses. They’ve owned vacation homes, boats and RV’s which I and my kids greatly benefited from.

About three years ago, my spouse and I sold our house and moved back to my fathers property and remodeled his guest house so we’d be around as he aged and have the benefit of a family compound with shared expenses and responsibilities. My Dad has encouraged me to draw back on how much I work so I’m around more and can help him with projects and maintain his investments. So while I don’t make his union wages or have my Mom and stepmothers corporate jobs high wage/benefits package, I’m now able to save most of what I make, as is my spouse, and we consider this as paying our share of what my Dad and his wife built, as we’ll be the stewards going forward after he passes.

I think one of the major differences is that my parents didn’t have to subsidize me as a young adult in the same way I have my kids. I could afford college with a part time job where my kids could not. I paid for private schools as budgets and programs were cut in our public schools. Back when I was a kid, the public option was a solid option. I’ve also paid for my kids health insurance through college because life is expensive enough without having that while you’re trying to educate yourself.

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Psychological-Lack98@reddit

Definitely. Different circumstances

[-]

djauralsects@reddit

Absolutely not.

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joshua_addison_music@reddit

Not financially.

Health, yes. Which is more important.

[-]

WalnutTree80@reddit

Yes. Definitely.

[-]

brookish@reddit

I’m not, but I’m not that much worse off.

[-]

deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

[-]

GenX-ModTeam@reddit

No Politics - Political posts or comments of any sort are not permitted. If you wish to have political discussions, you may do so on our other sub r/GenXPolitics.

Breaking this rule may result in bans, either temporary or permanent.

Before you make the claim: No, providing respite from political discussions does not infringe on your rights.

Also, this politics ban was put before the sub over a year ago, and members have spoken.

[-]

emryldmyst@reddit

Yes

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Ok-Refrigerator-3691@reddit

Yes, much better. The older I get the more useless I realize they were.

[-]

iloveairportsushi@reddit

Yup

[-]

Buckeye_mike_67@reddit

Much better off. I worked for my dad out of high school framing houses so I learned the basics of framing homes. He didn’t know how to run a business though. I went on to work for a couple more crews and learned the custom side of things. I’ve had my own business for 30 years now and have done substantially better than my dad financially. My mom died in 2001 and he’s been a lost soul ever since. I learned a lot from my dads mistakes

[-]

Firm_Accountant2219@reddit

Yeah I kinds think so. I’m 59. My parents had both bad financial luck and some problems of their own making, and so were not in a great place at this age. I’m on track to retire at 65, house is close to paid off, cars are free and clear and I can replace them without debt, career and health are in good places.

So pretty good all told.

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Mikethemechanic00@reddit

Grew up middle class private schools. Parents worked 6 days a week. Never spent time with us kids. We rarely went on vacations or did anything fun or new. At 15 was told to get a job year round in HS. I did. Also was told I had to get out at 18. They refused to pay for college. I met my wife at 25. House by 28. Married by 32. Kids by 37. Wife and I are 51. We live upper middle class. We spend all of our time with our kids. We are huge on vacations. Hawaii, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Many trips to Disney etc. Weekend getaways. My kids are foodies. I am way better than my parents were. My wife and I spend our money now. We have seen too many people save and not go anywhere or take vacations. They retire and die or get cancer. When we retire. Our house is paid off and we have free healthcare. Don’t plan to do anything but stay home and do hobbies.

[-]

Itscurtainsnow@reddit

My mum, a single parent factory worker receiving no child support, paid her mortgage off 40. Mineral be done by 90.

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LayerNo3634@reddit

Doing better financially than my parents, but probably not as well as husband's parents. It's hard to tell. They had money left, but we have a nicer home and travel. They never went anywhere and saved every penny. Difference was our parents did it on one income, we have two.

I don't compare my life to others. We have a fairly nice home and are happy. That's good enough. I don't care if someone else has more. I don't feel better about myself if someone has less.

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Coffey2828@reddit

Physically or financially, nope. Not even close

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Eddie_Bernays@reddit

Yes. Financially better off. Also, emotionally/mentally.

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ultimate_ed@reddit

Overall, I would say yes on all fronts, though a lot of that is thanks to the opportunities that they provided that I was able to build on.

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jmg733mpls@reddit

Nope. Not even a question.

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Educational_Land7852@reddit

Not financially. But I am better off mentally. I broke the chain of generational trauma.

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SunnyOnSanibel@reddit

Nope!

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Felix_Vanja@reddit

Yes and no, depends on which parent

I'm not sure about my Dad he was doing well. I was ~25 when he retired at ~56. So he was retired for most of my adult life. That hurt them in the long run, 2008 was not good to them. If they had worked another 5 years they may have been better off.

My mom ... well, she did okay.

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TheAmazingSasha@reddit

No

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midwesternmayhem@reddit

No. My parents financially struggled in their 30s and early 40s, but by 50 my mom had stopped going to grad school (after her second masters) and was working, and my dad got a big promotion so they were very comfortable. Quite frankly, they were less financially well off than my grandparents -- my grandfather owned a construction firm and basically retired when he was 40.

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Smittles@reddit

My dad was married three times by my age, a third divorce looming around age 55. He’s damn near broke now, and is seeing to it he doesn’t live too much longer. I’d say I’m in a healthier financial situation, not sure about emotionally, because I’m not sure my dad’s not a blissed-out hippie thinking everything is groovy.

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demona2002@reddit

Better off financially but I think my mom was happier. I am on the cusp of retirement and expect my QoL to vastly increase once that happens.

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rdnkgrrl18@reddit

Shore as hell ain’t! I’m always amazed at how I remember that my ‘rents were so much more grown than I ever have been. Happier? I wouldn’t think so. When my ‘rents were my age, I’d already had my two kiddos so they were onto grandchildren. My father had already retired from the Army and was flying private for a whole nother career. They’ve got money in CD’s, stocks, etc. I have no savings 😆

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janc666@reddit

Not even close and never will be

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Glum_Mud_4693@reddit

No

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ancientastronaut2@reddit

No.

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SweetCar0linaGirl@reddit

Not at all 😔

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wrldwdeu4ria@reddit

Not better off. Happier though.

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TheSwedishEagle@reddit

Yes, but my parents couldn't manage money. Also, I went to college and they never did so I have a much better career. However, given ehete they started from they had a great life. Things were easier for them for sure.

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sevenselevens@reddit

Financially no, emotionally yes

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InternationalAd9230@reddit

This is exactly what I was going to type! My parents were miserable. They hated each other until the day my dad died, but wouldn't divorce because "Jesus".

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marcduberge@reddit

I’m sorry .

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Minute-Actuator-9638@reddit

Far better in all aspects but my father was an alcoholic who fled to Mexico at 42 when the IRS started trying to collect the taxes on his small business that he hadn’t paid in 7 years. My mom spent the next 20 years paying it off. Though, even after all that she was able to retire at 62 because she had a pension and social security.

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Impressive-Shame-525@reddit

Yes, but it's a combination of things that made it happen.

We grew up broke AF, but mom and dad were very active in our lives. Dad eventually got a job with the county and that helped a lot.

But my 4th year out of high school, before I finished college, I was making more than my father. I was the first to go to, and graduate, college. I paid for it all myself.

I had a friend that was / is the money guru and I started saving early.

Promotions at work, stock options, being lucky to be In a position to increase investments during the dot Com bust and the 2008 great recession put me in a very stable spot.

Then my company offered me a lot of to go away. Like a lot a lot.

So I did.

Retired before I turned 50.

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TinyRandomLady@reddit

Nope. Single, no kids, no house, much lower paying career and poor financial planning/savings up until a few years ago. The only thing I’m doing better then them at this age is that I have no credit card debt, and as I don’t own a home and my car is fully paid off, I am debt free. At this age my dad discovered my mom had only been paying the minimum on the credit cards and they were deep in credit card debt so he tightened up the purse strings and got everything fixed up in a couple years, as a kid I had no idea.

[-]

0905-15@reddit

Largely, yes, but they had a second home whereas we have a much more expensive primary home and travel more.

We only flew three times for vacation as a kid and never to an international destination (though drive to Vancouver from Seattle one year). Now we fly 2-3 times a year and have been overseas.

My wife and I have a very different relationship from my parents, who have a weird codependency

[-]

sidewaysbynine@reddit

This is closer to my answer. My dad was retired from the military with a pension at my age, +1 for him. He had also lost one house in a bankruptcy, bought another house and lost that due to a midlife crisis he and his wife had, has since bought a mobile home and lives in a trailer park.

I am self employed and will never have a pension or that military medical for life he has, but I am only a few years away from paying off my one and only house I have ever owned. He has been married 4 times, I have been with my only wife for 35 years and married to her for 31. My wife works for the government and is a few years away from her retirement.

The question is am I doing better, and the answer is I think so, but it depends on what is important to you.

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respectandmanners@reddit

Probably not financially, but definitely happier and more satisfied in relationship

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Marigold1976@reddit

Pretty on par really. They are both gone now, but they seemed happy. They were financially stable to the last. We’re doing fine. Ask again in five years. Our wealth is pretty tied up in the market. Could go any which way;).

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CtrlAltComment@reddit

My father had passed before my age.

Mom at my age had a great 2nd husband, I'm widowed.

Both had 3 kids. I'm close to mine and she we were all estranged from her.

I will retire from my career in about 5 years or so and she was forced to retire due to health.

She had cancer, would die a year later and I'm gratefully healthy.

[-]

liddybuckfan@reddit

My mom died of cancer at 57 and I'm 56 now so certainly yes. My dad was a professional jazz musician so I'm not sure anyone was as happy at 56 as my dad, lol. He loved what he did so much and bragged until the day he died at 83 that he never did an honest day's work in his life.

That said, I'm definitely doing better financially than both of them. My dad died of Alzheimer's with a tiny bit of money left but my sisters and I were definitely trying to figure out how we were going to split the cost of his care if he'd lived longer. I do not want my kids to have to worry about that.

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sageguitar70@reddit

Yes, much better. My kids still talk to me.

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i-am-jjm@reddit

Yes, financially, health/wellness and family. While both parents were professionals. My family has been able to capitalize on a debt free start and work our way up from entry point careers to executive positions and my wife even owns her own business. Both sons are beginning their journey now. People look down on a university education but for 3 generations it has proven to advance our families.

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patterson_2384@reddit

yes.

no kids.

married for love and friendship.

geniunely happy.

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JimFive@reddit

My parents were retired with a full pension and a paid off house. I've been saving for 30+ years and I don't know that ill be able to retire. So, no.

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Enough-Cow-6869@reddit

Nope. Not even close.

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Necessary_Giraffe_66@reddit

Definitely not

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SouthConsideration15@reddit

Financially for sure. Probably better off overall as well.

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GboyFlex@reddit

No. He had a great pension with free health care by the age of 39. Afterwards he worked in commissioned sales for about 10 years to pay off their house and have extra money. My mom owned several flower shops that paid for my schooling and her land yachts. By the time I was 11 she was a stay at home mom. At 54 they were already in a version of retirement for a few years. I'll have to work until I drop.

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Sea-Oven-7560@reddit

mom was dead so yes in that way. She was also wealthier so no in that way. Dad was a college professor and lived a comfortable middle class, no frills lifestyle all his life so I have a higher quality of life by most people's standards -we travel a lot and have more disposable income.

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FLAtarian@reddit

Financially no. Emotionally, probably. My parents had our house paid off and had a decent amount of money saved up and invested, but they never seemed happy or content. They always seemed to be stressed out about something.

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beneficialmirror13@reddit

Pretty sure my parents had their house paid off or almost paid off at my age. And both were/are good savers. (I am too but it's hard to get ahead.)

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PomegranatePlus6526@reddit

Definitely. It came through discipline and hard work. My parents worked hard, but were very irresponsible financially. Emotionally I am light years ahead of both. My mother died miserable and alone. My father is still alive as far as I know, but he is miserable. That’s why I stopped talking to him. My life is so much more peaceful and happy without the BS and drama. I love my father, and he needs to figure out what he needs because I can’t provide it.

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LawfulAwfulOffal@reddit

No.

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RepresentativeYam363@reddit

No, my parents worked hard and invested well. They benefited from investments. Combine that with how cheap everything used to be. We used to go on family vacations every year, I could do most recreation sports through school or cheaply through my town, I went cheaply to sleepover camp every summer. My parents were able to give each of their kids a leg up in life by helping pay for cars, housing, and undergraduate college. I am not able to afford half the hobbies and experiences that I had as a child and I do not think I will be able to afford giving my kids the leg up I received from my parents. It makes me sad.

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

[-]

evasion-guard@reddit

OkAdeptness5959 evading a ban is bad, m'kay.

[-]

Czarsmama@reddit

Absolutely not

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bankrobberdub@reddit

No.

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ActuaryFew6884@reddit

No, even though I tried. Much less net worth, accounting for inflation

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Murky_Possibility_68@reddit

My dad was long dead so debatable.

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FreeElleGee@reddit

Absolutely. My parents were recently divorced and broke at the age I am now. I think my dad had just filed bankruptcy and was living with his parents. My mom was commuting 40 miles each way for a crappy job after moving out of her parents home. Both were miserable.

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EcoNorfolk@reddit

Way better off despite them being boomers.

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secrerofficeninja@reddit

Yes but I don’t know that I’m enjoying life any more than them. I have more money.

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FarCry5372@reddit

Far better off in every way.

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tpauly0225@reddit

Yes! My parents/family were successful and we are too.

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No-Country6348@reddit

Yes. My parents were not very responsible with money, i learned from them that i never wanted to live that way.

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Fantastic-Regular614@reddit

I basically am in the same situation as my mother, minus the alcholism. Poverty, as far as income goes, but American poverty, which is still pretty nice considering.

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DataZigZager@reddit

Yes and Yes. But they were uneducated refugees, and I’m an IT professional. That's not a fair comparison.

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TheWhogg@reddit

Why? Lots of uneducated refugees have been staggeringly successful.

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DataZigZager@reddit

Being born in America gives you a huge advantage in terms of opportunities over someone who comes over with nothing and a family. It's not as bad if you're single. But you can't take as many risks if you have a family to take care of. It

[-]

Melodic_Caramel1777@reddit

Divorced parents - my mother - I’m much, much better off emotionally and financially. My father - better emotionally, not as good financially.

[-]

crazycatlady-7384@reddit

No

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Old_Goat_Ninja@reddit

No, not even close. At my age my Dad had his house pad off, his cabin paid off, and he had just retired. While retired he was investing in various properties for side gig income. I was doing ok, nice house, great kids, but now divorce seems imminent and I have to start all over. Oh goody.

[-]

Honeybee71@reddit

Yes

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TheWhogg@reddit

When my mum was my age, she had a child that hated her, who she profoundly regretted adopting and so was in the latter stages of drinking herself to death. They also bought their furniture on credit paying 24% to the finance company.

So yeah I’m doing better than that.

[-]

wmnoe@reddit

Well, better off than my dad, seeing is he died at 40.

[-]

WaterwingsDavid@reddit

I know my mom claimed to be very happy at the age I am now. I dont think my dad was ever really happy. Emotionally I'm in the gutter these days and am pretty much sick of the daily grind / incessant urban rat race. I have a friend who preaches incessantly to "just be thankful"...maybe hes right but I dont believe he understands dealing w depression or anxiety and sometimes i want to wring his neck!

Okay financially but wishing I could commence concrete retirement plans as I would like to go a completely different direction in life.

There are a number of goals id love to work on accomplishing, but they seem out of reach for now. Hoping to find some sort of breakthrough in the coming months.

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Solid-Wish-1724@reddit

Not even close

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Tls-user@reddit

Yes to all.

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beermaker@reddit

By every metric.

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OldBanjoFrog@reddit

Not even close. I will never be able to retire since my 401k were liquidated in 2008 and 2020. Job security is way shakier than it was for them.

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westonthered@reddit

No it wasn’t, stop lying for internet points

[-]

OldBanjoFrog@reddit

Get fucked. You don’t know my goddamn life

[-]

phonemarsh@reddit

Why was your 401k liquidated?

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OldBanjoFrog@reddit

I lost my job in 2008 and needed to pay the bills. Same thing with COVID.

[-]

geddylee1@reddit

Yes.

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drifter3026@reddit

No, not really. Dad was an oil burner mechanic (no college). Mom (took a few college classes) did various jobs (bookkeeper, receptionist, and other administrative jobs). They were middle class, raised 4 kids, owned a large 5-bedroom house in a decent neighborhood. Dad retired at 62 (died at 69). Mom had to keep working part time til she died at 77.

On paper, my wife and I should be way better off. Me, BS degree in CS. Her, a nurse. But we own a modest house and are just scraping by. Kids had to get student loans for college as we couldn't afford to help at all. We won't be able to retire. So, at best it's a wash. But my dad got a few years of retirement, so I think that puts them a rung or two better off than us.

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texicali74@reddit

Yes on all counts.

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tadamhicks@reddit

Yes and no. They had more “stuff” and the COL was low enough that things like vacations were less of an impact on the finances. I’m more successful at work and have a better and more stable and continuous source of income. Because things cost more relative to it I think what I can give my kids feels a lot like what I had growing up. Despite doing better in relatively the same as they were…

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Old_Instrument_Guy@reddit

Nope. I am 60. My parents at my age had enough money to retire and live comfortably for another 40 years. Both parents worked. My father was a shop foreman at Grumman Aerospace and my mother was a school teacher. They had their mortgage paid off and had no real debt.

My father always fixed thing in the house and took care of the cars. They never bought a new car and rarely took a vacation.

That being said he did get lucky at the end with a stock portfolio that doubled twice on a three year period. None the less, my parents were able to save my mom's paycheck every week, and live off my father's pay.

[-]

Anonymo123@reddit

About the same financially on my own compared to their dual income. Emotionally.. way ahead of my dad, my mom was always good in that dept. Def better health as my dad had his first of 3 heart attacks in his early 50s. Though he smoked from 14 until his 40s and was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam.

[-]

ComprehensiveEast376@reddit

Definitely

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Augusts_Mom@reddit

Financially, no. But in all respects yes.

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rosesforthemonsters@reddit

I'm definitely financially, emotionally, and mentally better off than my parents were at any point in their lives.

My parents were miserable human beings. Incapable of loving anyone, including themselves. They were a financial train wreck their entire lives. Both of them led very sad lives. They could have done so much better, but chose not to.

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Coyote_Hemi_B58@reddit

Light years ahead. My father wasn’t super into being employed, they struggled to keep the lights on right until the end. I pretty much did nothing but work my whole life but I’m 54 and retired, with a pension and enough savings to never have to work again. I learned from their mistakes and ended up ok despite all the money they cost me.

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BMisterGenX@reddit

yes and no. I think I make more money, have more money, and have less debt than my parents did at my age. But everything is so expensive now I sometimes feel poorer. Like my parents went out to eat more often than I do. My Father drank beer multiple times a week and good high quality beer on the weekends. I can only afford like one beer every other week. I can't remember the last time I went to a table service restaurant.

I think the cost of health care was way less for my parents.

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Neither_Remote_4818@reddit

Hard to say cause of perspective and lots of factors… at this age over view:

Mom lived alone in 4700 st ft beautiful home she built on 5 acres (amazing!)

Dad lived alone on a small yacht with a cat named Ruin, traveling down east coast, to Florida, up the Mississippi a bit and back to Florida. (Interesting!)

I am married still and live in a cozy little 1147 sq ft house with a little garden that I love.

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Big-Sheepherder-6134@reddit

Yes and no. They had the big house and kids. We have a condo and no kids. But I already semi-retired years ago while my dad worked into his late 60’s so I am doing bucket list things like traveling for months every year and have been fully remote since 2016. My parents only had one trip where they rented a house for a month. Otherwise they took your typical up to a week vacations. I can sleep in every day and never have to worry about making an appointment at the doctor or dentist because I can’t get out of work. My only concern is I may be out of town. Let’s put it this way. We take trips so long that my wife has to cut my hair. I also call them laundry trips because we will be gone long enough to have to do our laundry.

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Somedaydreamer22@reddit

Financially, only slightly. Emotionally—probably not. My mom had undiagnosed depression & was a functional alcoholic. I’m diagnosed & have a margarita once a month. But she had a fulfilling job, a nice, paid-off house…neither of which I have.

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Individual-Fail4709@reddit

Absolutely. Very fortunate and that allows me to help take care of them, well, one now.

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Freightshaker000@reddit

I'm 58. Dad had been dead for 7 years at my age so "better off" is a matter of perspective. Mom retired at 58 with a very nice pension and nest egg, so she was doing better at 58 than me since I still have 4 more yrs to retirement.

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Familiar-Pianist-682@reddit

Financially, yes.

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UvitaLiving@reddit

Easily.

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901CountryBlumpkin69@reddit

No, but I’m not an airline pilot

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Jas62021@reddit

😅😂😭

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Tammy993@reddit

Are you kidding?

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iaminabox@reddit

Not even close.

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PlayfulMoose9665@reddit

Financially they were ahead but that was due to a pension. My Greatest Generation parents (I was a later in life surprise) grew up in war and famine, and built a life of peace and relative abundance, and were quite happy when they were my age. Despite not having their level of financial comfort, I would say we are every bit as happy.

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Not_High_Maintenance@reddit

Yes.

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Separate_Primary_686@reddit

Yes. Financially and emotionally. I learned a lot abojt what not to do from my parents.

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wingmaneffect@reddit

The Costanza method - do the opposite!

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cstrick1980@reddit

Financially close, but to come from poverty to where my dad came from, I’d have to be very rich to match his improvement. Emotionally I don’t get as angry as my dad and the wife and I travel a lot more than my parents and spend more time with the grandchildren. Though we live closer to our grandchildren.

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Able_Buffalo@reddit

No, my boomer parents were given a successful business started by my grandmother when they were in their early 20s. They have owned homes, a fucking plane, horses, vacation homes, luxury cars. Then inherited my grandparents millions upon their passing.

Dad said he's spending it all, because he earned it.

I live in a log cabin

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AndyFarndon@reddit

Living in a log cabin sounds awesome. I don't know whether or not it is awesome, but it certainly doesn't sound like losing...

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rbrumble@reddit

Way better off financially. I have a Master's degree in a well paying field and my parents were both high school dropouts.

Am I happier? Probably, a lot of their life stress came from a lack of money and indecision.

Will I live longer? Dunno. There's some evidence Gen X will not outlive their parents, so we'll see. I got married at 29 and all my grandparents were there, so I would have qualified as a Howard (iykyk) but my Dad passed at 63, so who knows?

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beezus_18@reddit

Yes

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pmbpro@reddit

Yes, to both (financial and mental/emotional). That’s also because I went NC on them and relatives. They were abusive, unsupportive and draining me in both, so I saved myself. Life has been much better ever since.

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TrailHawk79@reddit

me too \^. my wife (1980) and I (1979) so I guess I'm on the cusp of genx. My mother was 16 when I was born, so we didn't have a decent relationship while I was growing up, she and my dad struggled pretty much my whole upbringing, sucked with money and affection. I vowed to myself to do everything opposite of what they did, I went into the Navy, went to college and started a family after I got a good job / benefits / house. My wife and I both do really well in the finance and parenting. I don't really speak or see my parents often, they live 20 minutes away, and have maybe seen their grandkids a half dozen times a year in 17 years :) it sucks that they don't really have a relationship with my kids but it's much healthier for my mental health that they don't :)

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ShaChoMouf@reddit

Nowhere close. I have never been able to earn as much as they were. They had pensions; I do not. They were able to put their parents in a nursing home; whereas I can't work because i have to stay at home and be their caregiver. After they die, i will need to find work again -- but a 50 y/o tech guy, who had been out of work 3+ years is a good as done. I have just accepted poverty as my retirement plan.

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Potential_Lie_1177@reddit

Definitely, they came as refugee so had absolutely nothing except responsibilities.

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MutedTechnology8644@reddit

SO MUCH BETTER OFF. Parents were poor (financially) in bad health, and seemed only marginally happy some of the time.

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Professional_Use8237@reddit

Financially yes, but only because they passed away and I received an inheritance. Emotionally? Maybe. I think they were both unhappy in their marriage for a long time and I think Dad struggled w undiagnosed depression.

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aburena2@reddit

I think I am. But only just slightly financially as my pension is greater than theirs. Happy wise. The same. Parents retired at 56 and 49 respectively. My wife and I at 53/52.

We do travel more than they did.

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AndyFarndon@reddit

I make more money, purely in terms of the figures. So many things are more expensive now, and also I moved to more expensive part of the country, so no.

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ryanen007@reddit

I have less friends. And I'm depressed

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Empty_Ad_8303@reddit

Financially no and I am bitter about it, especially when I see people who are less than ethical, not so smart, etc., making more money than I ever will.

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sly-3@reddit

They're also usually hiding a much larger consumer debt load though.

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scotsnow@reddit

People with conscience have difficulty playing by the capitalist rules of today. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

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sly-3@reddit

They're also usually hiding a much larger consumer debt load too.

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Here-I-R@reddit

Far worse, actually

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PopeInThePizza@reddit

Financially, not better than Dad but about the same as Mom. Dad was always a pretty content guy, but Mom is always fretting about something, and I'm somewhere in the middle.

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TheOtherElbieKay@reddit

Similar but our house is more neglected because we have no SAHP.

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Parking-Explorer6802@reddit

I would say about the same despite having far more education

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wheredidyoustood@reddit

Yes financially. Yes to happier only because my father was fighting cancer at the same age.

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Flappadingo@reddit

Hell no times 10000

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menoagegap@reddit

Yes

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OtakuTacos@reddit

Yes and yes.

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Sharp-Alternative375@reddit

I have way more than they did in IRA's and brokerage accounts, they lived on a 900 acre farm. I'm sure they were better off emotionally knowing that all 5 of their kids were pretty successful and that 8/9 grandkids were doing alright. My parents were married 55 years, all of their friends were married 45-65 years. Life was great until cancer (dad) and dementia (mom) kicked in. Their health conditions made their final few years miserable. A sad ending to what was a wonderful life they had built.

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moneyman74@reddit

Yes by magnitudes

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OtterLLC@reddit

Financially no, emotionally yes.

Dad had a Wall Street job and did very well for all of us.
I’m doing ok, but not at that level, and never will.

OTOH, we also had a high-conflict, high-stress household and my siblings and I agree that he’s an abuse victim.

I don’t make as much, but I live a peaceful life with a low-conflict partner in a beautiful rural area. I’m quite content with the choice.

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CharZero@reddit

I have always worked at non profits and had a divorce and have a kid with serious mental health issues and that is draining my own life away. My parents are vastly better off, and may outlive me.

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sane-asylum@reddit

Not even close. My parents were never rich but were able to buy their first house in ‘74, I will never live in a house. Happiness, I don’t know if they are happy but I can tell you I never have been

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Balrog71@reddit

Financially, absolutely not. Happiness? Maybe at times. Mine are silents, inherited property, dad retired at 56 with a pension, had several rental properties and built five or six homes to sell. They have it made and I don’t resent it, but my life is incomparable

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Bubbly_Following7930@reddit

None of us have ever been "happy." But financially, yes I'm better off. My parents are poor. My mom never saved anything or owned anything. My dad at least saved a little. My husband and I have a house and savings.

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troglodyte_caveman@reddit

About the same.

I could be much better off if I worked myself to an early grave like my father did, but I will choose happiness over money everyday.

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cl8855@reddit

Yes, quite a bit. They were in house debt for a long long time with the interest rates of the 80s then rolled into second mortgages even as rates dropped. Heck they still have a mortgage now in their upper 70s/80s.

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notevenapro@reddit

Yes, by a long shot. My wife and I are literally the first people from both sides of our family. Not only that but we are the only ones whose kids are college educated.

We both came from poverty and broke the cycle. It took tons of hard work.

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SpaceFaceAce@reddit

Eh, probably about the same financially, maybe a little less. My dad had some years where he made a ton of money but it was up and down. One thing my parents have that I’ve always been jealous of is a big friend group. Parties, dinners, vacations with longtime friends is a treasure I don’t have.

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ONROSREPUS@reddit

Financially yes. I think we were about the same at our age.

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mrsredfast@reddit

Not financially (dad with pension, mom had MBA) or health (I have autoimmune arthritis) but definitely in much stronger relationship (almost 40 years married) and have closer relationships with my kids and grandkids than they did. I am absolutely happier than my mom, not sure about dad — we didn’t see each other much the last 20 years of his life. That’s what happens when you move across the country from your kids when they’re still in school. And both my parents were married three times.

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Feisty-Cloud5880@reddit

My mom 3x too.

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whipprsnappr@reddit

Nope. Not even close. And as the years go by, that gap just widens more and more.

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SelectGuide4806@reddit

No even close. They were so self absorbed and also bullies, and so I never trusted them, and when I was bullied and ostracized because of adhd and being weird because I had no emotional development, I had no help and no place to feel ok in the world.

18-30 was a disaster, but I learned and finally became a real person.

Permanently fucked financially though. Will die doing a relatively menial job eventually, probably surviving on cat food.

I enjoy my day to day life and focus on things meaningful to me and the family I created and raised completely differently.

My parent live in comfort, they are wealthy. Kept telling us that we didn’t need to worry about college for our kids, they would help. That’s turned out to mean 3k per year. lol.

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Feisty-Cloud5880@reddit

You are NOT alone in this statement.

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OkGate7788@reddit

Cat food is a very specific nomination… 🙃

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crlynstll@reddit

At my age my parents had had 10 years of an empty nest without any caregiving responsibilities. This continued until my father fell ill about 80 and my mother cared for him with my help….I, otoh, began elder care when my eldest started high school and it continues 10 years later. I’m 60 and my mother is 90. This is the biggest thing. Otherwise, it’s pretty similar in terms of owning a house, etc.

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Feisty-Cloud5880@reddit

I'm 59 my mom worked her a$$ off at general motors in MA. We owned our own home, she had a new car every 4 years with her discount, went on vacations. She did not spoil us. She was fairly cheap. Sis and I out around 16. Get this she's been married a few times. The last guy she married was pretty high up in the military her retirement is more than what his was. Other generations will not see this type of retirement.

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greenlawn69@reddit

About the same to slightly better.

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Safe_Statistician_72@reddit

Yes for sure. I also have a graduate degree and and parents did not go to college.

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toddnks@reddit

I'm alive so there's that. My folks both passed when I was a teenager/young adult. I'm older than they ever were.

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Iwentforalongwalk@reddit

I'm doing really well, but my Dad was a self made man so he and my Mom (and us when young) lived a spectacular life. They were also very much devoted to each other. So no, my parents were better off but it would be hard to top them.

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Vegetable-Editor9482@reddit

Nowhere even close, by any measure, and I never will be.

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fyodor_mikhailovich@reddit

No, not even close, but it’s mostly been my own choice.

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balthisar@reddit

Undoubtedly. I'm in my lower 50's, and so we're talking 2005 or so.

I see so many other posts interpreting "when they were the age you are now" as being when we were kids. C'mon, guys, we're in our 50's (mostly)!

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DirkDaring93@reddit

Yes, way better.

Parents were working class poor. High school drop outs. Did NOT know how to manage money. They went bankrupt once a decade. They did their best and they would tell me to NOT be like them. Encouraged me to go to college. I took their advice and went to college with a slight detour through the Air Force.....had to pay for college somehow!

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stromm@reddit

No, by my own willing choices.

Why?

My dad chose work life over family life. All for the expectation that he was providing for his and mom's retirement.

So, he made REALLY good money and had great benefits over his 37 years of employment at Anheuser Busch in maintenance. He actively resisted being transferred into management because it would have meant a paycut, loss of PTO/Sick/Vacation time and lower retirement matching.

What that also meant was he worked seven days a week, 12 hour days for the first ten years of my life. Then six days for another four years, then 5 for another four years. By the time I graduated he finally decided to start using his PTO, before he only took two weeks of vacation. One for the family, one for him to go fishing in Canada.

We never needed anything growing up. Had a decent home that he maintained and actually did quite a bit of upgrades to (it was built in 1903), had clean clothes even though we might not have liked them, always had food (again, might not have liked what was provided but ate it anyways), good public school education, education things were never denied, learned respect and proper manners.

But we rarely got what we wanted. Birthdays and Christmas was about the only time we got toys or anything extra. Until we made our own money and could buy things ourselves.

I got my own money starting at ten. That's when I started delivering for the local news paper. Shortly after, I started buying non-polyester clothes and buster brown shoes. That also meant I was responsible for my own laundry duties. I also started buying my own snacks/drinks/food. And anything I wanted outside of birthday/xmas gifts.

My parents did not provide a car, did not provide college, did not provide anything else.

Mom and dad divorced after 29 years of marriage (mom was more than a bit whacked in the mind) and she took more than half of what he planned for them to survive on in retirement. He later was diagnosed with cancer, multiple surgeries over more than a decade before passing. Mom squandered everything she got from the divorce (just like she squandered money during their marriage). She lived almost another decade but was never stable in home or money. She always regretted divorcing dad.

So, that's the background and reason why I chose family over profession. I absolutely could have made 3 times what I did and am. But I swore I would never be dad. My kids were and are MUCH better off because of my (and my wife's) decision.

And my son is MUCH more successful than I was/am. Something I'm very proud of but worried he's too much like my dad was.

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MNConcerto@reddit

Nope, not even close.

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Grouchy-Poetry-7927@reddit

Absolutely. I was also better off than my mom and dad at age 16.

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wellbalancedlibra@reddit

No. I inherited from my parents and it was divided by 5. My dad worked for the state highway department and farmed 160 acres. My mom didn't work.

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Super_Contest1749@reddit

No. My parents inherited a small amount of money ($30k x2) in 1986-88 from my grandfather and a bachelor uncle. When your house only costs $90k, 60k is a lot. That plus a job that included a car, a clothing allowance, a golf membership and a company pension 😮 gave them a nice little bump.

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LeighofMar@reddit

They bought their first house at 38. I bought my 4th and current home at 38 and paid it off at 46. I'm 48 now and living life my way. At my age dad was working corporate, burned out, and depressed. So yeah I'd say at least did better in that sense.

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dillydobbs@reddit

My parents did good but I feel like I did better. I definitely made my children's life better and that's what matters to me

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DPax_23@reddit

I'm not a depressed alcoholic narcissist or a bipolar borderline personality uh... also narcissist, so I'm doing waaaaay better.

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Exidor@reddit

Absolutely.

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Tess47@reddit

100% im one of the "The best revenge is a life we'll lived" kids.

I know that they did their best so its ok.

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ripper4444@reddit

Much better off. My dad made good money but never understood his retirement accounts. He retired relatively poor.

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Technical_Unit_9770@reddit

Yes, they sacrificed a lot for my brothers' and my benefit.

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Sloth_grl@reddit

Yes. My dad had to retire early because of his health. We’ve paid off our house and have a decent retirement fund.

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Shot_Cartographer241@reddit

Financially yes, emotionally no

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TravellinJ@reddit

Absolutely not.

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Affectionate-Tank-70@reddit

Definitely.

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xczechr@reddit

I'd say I'm in about the same boat that they were at this age.

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introvertednurse75@reddit

My dad and step mom are much better with finances and saving. My hubby and I are awful at saving. My mom, though, she has made much different choices and I'd dealing with the consequences. So I would say I am doing better than mom but probably not dad.

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tracysmullet@reddit

lmao no

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Affectionate-Map2583@reddit

No. When they were my age, my parents had both kids out of the house, owned a second house on the water, and a boat or two. My kid is still at home and worries me, and my house is paid off. I'd say my savings/retirement funds are probably pretty close to theirs at the time. Our happiness levels were probably pretty similar.

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7eregrine@reddit

I believe so but can't say for sure My mom didn't make it to my age.

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FrankParkerNSA@reddit

Financially - Absolutely, but it's 100% because of the sacrifices they made for me and I thank them whenever I get an opportunity for it.

Dollar for dollar my income is 3x higher than my parents. That's because they moved to a place where I'd get a better education and funded 3 of my 4 years of college so I walked out with no debt and was able to work and pay for year 4 in cash. I landed a job in the telecom sector and that turned into an amazing career including consulting the past 10 years. My house was paid off when I was 46 - they were 58 when they hit that milestone.

It wasn't all peaches and cream. My wife passed 8 years ago this month. I don't have kids of my own. My parents just passed 52 years of marriage - so I'm not sure if I'm truly better off or not in the end.

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TinyFugue@reddit

Nope

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bobj33@reddit

Financially I am far better off. My sister and I graduated from college debt free and now we try to give our parents the things they couldn't afford back then like first class international flights.

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MaximumJones@reddit

Much better off. My wife and I are retired, house is paid off, and we have zero debt.

We live a very simple life which is what made it possible.

My parents had a mortgage and car payment well into their 70s.

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Lickford@reddit

No

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KDAddict2000@reddit

I’m much, much better off by all metrics.

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acciocalm@reddit

We make a lot more money but we live in a VHCOL area and shit is just so much more expensive. One example - My parents put a pool in for $10k. We got an estimate and it was $117k. And we definitely don’t make 10x what they made. Our biggest indulgence is travel, which my parents never did, and much more important than any of that, my husband and I have a great marriage, he’s my best friend and favorite person, whereas my parents had an awful marriage. So in that way, much much better off.

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New-Comfortable-3637@reddit

It’s not even close, in my favor.

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mumblemuse@reddit

No, not by any measure.

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Mushy-sweetroll@reddit

Not at all. They were much more financially secure at my age, and my dad was already retired. I’m not in bad shape, but they were doing better.

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2paqout@reddit

Im was pretty neck and neck with the folks. We both paid off houses and cars. My mother was super tight with the money. My wife likes nice things...thats were I lose.

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ForwardSlash813@reddit

Undoubtedly.

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Dank_Strategist420@reddit

No

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EmbarrassedAge7612@reddit

No but I’m definitely happier with my life. My parents were miserable people and I’ve done everything I can to not be like that them.

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d3dac1d@reddit

45(m) here. The answer is no all the way around. I was a total shithead. Never wanted to work never went to college. My parents at 45 had super good jobs with super good pay and they worked their asses off. I was very fortunate to go on year vacations to Disney or universal. I was wicked immature even into my 30s. It took me several crappy down and out years to realize I was the problem and needed to get my life back. Got super depressed. I was never a substance user…I drank a bit and smoked weed..But I really just was lazy all the time. Always wanted the easy way. Now at 45 I have a alright 401…able to take 3-5 day vacations a year..full time and a tiny savings. I’m married with 4 kids. Newish car and a stable roof over our head. So in a (long) story..I’m better than I was 10 years ago…but no where near better off than my parents.

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Pur_Veyor_01@reddit

You sound like you've righted the ship. Congrats.

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d3dac1d@reddit

Thank you. It took me a while but I’ve busted my ass. Maybe in the next life i won’t be such a shithead lol.

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DavidStauff@reddit

Yes, in all respects.

My parents had a violent, angry hateful marriage.

I enjoy the time I spend with my wife and we work together towards goals.

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kstweetersgirl2013@reddit

Both and better then Both the in-laws did prior to death as well. Not for lack of trying, they just weren't people who knew how to make things stick.

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RescueRacing@reddit

Yes. My dad was very successful and was a VP of sales and marketing for a big capital equipment manufacturer and later started a small mfr’s rep company with just him and me doing the selling/traveling. Mom stayed home with the kids and would get a job at a flower shop to get out of the house when the kids were grown. I stayed in the industry but did not want to buy him out. Instead, 3 partners and I started an actual manufacturing company and grew it into an international brand and sold the company after 10 years. We did 3 more years under contract and maxed out our earn-out. My wife worked for a large corporation as a VP in corporate communications and PR so she carried us the first year while I sweated as much ownership in the new business as I could. My dad’s sales agency was a way for him to get into ‘pretirement’ with all the kids off the books and still got his pension, etc. from the corporation while earning a nice salary each year in sales so, they were comfortable in retirement. We saved quite a bit of money in 401Ks, pension for the wife, etc. but the sale of the company is what really put a huge chunk of money into our accounts. Wife retired 9 years ago at 49 while i just retired this year at 61. Retirement is the absolute best.

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DifferentManagement1@reddit

We make a lot more money, but we also live in a much higher COL area so similar lifestyle

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Zapper13263952@reddit

Dunno; don't care.

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DasArtmab@reddit

Way better on almost any measure. Granted, they started the upward trajectory. Us kids just took it where they left off

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Mysterious-Ruby@reddit

Nope. I get to retire when I die. My parents retired in their late 50s.

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Adventurous-Depth984@reddit

Yup

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NYC-WhWmn-ov50@reddit

Well. At my age my dad was dead of throat cancer for two years gone, so... hard to say?

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hocfutuis@reddit

I'm now the same age as my dad, so yes, in some ways much better, but in the material sense, no.

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TrainingLow9079@reddit

Probably about the same on both accounts

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TheUnbelieverThomC@reddit

Negative

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97Whaler@reddit

Definitely healthier and financially

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SarcasticGirl27@reddit

I have saved much more for my retirement than my mother ever did. But, my mother retired at 65…without saying anything to anyone. I know I won’t be able to retire until 70.

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Kriss7000@reddit

Absolutely not as I followed a different career path…

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gentle_viking@reddit

Yes, and I am very grateful for that.

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RizzmwitTheTism@reddit

No. I’m extremely worse off in every way and not sure what to do for the future. They both had good careers, set themselves up for retirement, and have paid-off houses and cars and investment/retirement income coming in to see them through.

I’m autistic, have failed at every career I tried even though I was fantastic at them, have nothing set up for my future, am disabled now due to multiple genetic conditions that co-occur with autism, I don’t get any disability income because it took me too long to be diagnosed and I really don’t know what to do. It’s scary.

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finethanksandyou@reddit

No no no 1000 time no

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2_Bagel_Dog@reddit

Better off financially for sure.

But I often wonder about how much they struggled with the pain and mundanity of mid-life? I just saw them as my parents, but objectively they did get kicked in the teeth several times as adults.

Plus they were raising kids and one of them was probably a real pain. Me ... I was the pain...

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redvelvet9976@reddit

Definitely not…not even a fraction financially but I am emotionally more mature.

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dinkeydonuts@reddit

Mentally? By a mile.

Financially? I’m a little behind, but don’t live like a miser.

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yarnhooksbooks@reddit

Straight income? Probably not. But I don’t spend a huge percentage of my pay on beer and cigarettes, so it feels a lot more comfortable.

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Dick-Guzinya@reddit

Yes in every way imaginable including the fact that we didn’t have kids.

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likeyournamebutworse@reddit

Hah! No.

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Rich_Group_8997@reddit

Absolutely better off in every way. I have more in the bank then they've probably made in their lifetime, no kids to send through college, and am in therapy, working through my issues instead of making them someone else's problem.

I'm also pretty independent, which is something my parents couldn't manage, as my dad always needed my mom to manage his life and my mom just needs constant attention and validation, and has always been kind of helpless. So yeah, definitely better off.

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Ok_Cloud9042@reddit

Better off from an investment/retirement standpoint.

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banedarthou812@reddit

My mom died in her late 50’s and had a second mortgage on the house. My dad was never good with money and is still working in his 70’s. They both didn’t fit the boomer stereotype I guess. My wife and I are way better off financially and health wise. We did not have kids by choice so that is a factor as well.

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rostoffario@reddit

Absolutely better off.

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yearsofpractice@reddit

Hey OP. Not really. 50 year old married father of two in the UK.

My parents were career teachers - father was a primary school head teacher and mother was a special-needs teacher. At 55, they were both able to retire, mortgage free and in good health. Their pensions allowed them to choose where they wanted to live in retirement and travel extensively.

My wife and I (both university educated) have both done corporate middle-management bullshit jobs our entire lives - we won’t be able to retire until 60 at the earliest and will then have to be careful with our money if we want to have a satisfying retirement.

So… not MUCH worse, but certainly not better.

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StarMonster75@reddit

Exactly the same here.

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DifferentWindow1436@reddit

Much better on both accounts.

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Capsicumgirl@reddit

Not even close.

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bibdrums@reddit

Yes. My parents were both alcoholics. My father’s health was failing by his early forties with heart disease. He died at 54. My mom started having the same problems at mid fifties and was dead by 67. They were never really happy people.

I think I’m happier. I exercise, travel, have a great relationship with my wife and son. I think we are doing better financially but they were pretty good with their money.

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Veggyhed@reddit

Unfortunately no

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nunyabizthewiz@reddit

Absolutely

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soltydog@reddit

Financially yes.

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fridayimatwork@reddit

Yes much, because my father was already dead and my mom was low income

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timothypjr@reddit

Nah. About the same.

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Latter-Confidence-44@reddit

Not in the least.

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kramwest1@reddit

Not really. My mom retired at age 55 with a full pension and health insurance coverage until age 65. She voted to pull the ladder up behind her.

I’m 53 and very middle class, but I am watching my savings disappear as I pay my medical copays. I buy my own health insurance, and I’m worried AF about what 2027’s monthly premiums will be. Work is tenuous at best, too.
I’ll be lucky to retire at 65.

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No_Community_5696@reddit

I’m making more yearly however, things cost way more so no I’m not.

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sprocket1234@reddit

I'm better off financially and physically. They lived in happier times, when Sunday dinners filled the house. All holidays meant family. I had so many aunts uncles and cousins. I've lost all my siblings, H lost one of 2, mom in her upper 80's , the rest are gone 😢

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Embarrassed-Bench392@reddit

Not even close.

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NCSubie@reddit

100%, yes. Financially, emotionally, and health wise. Unfortunately, my two kids will not be in the same boat financially at my age. Holding out hope for their health and happiness.

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Kodiak01@reddit

I'm happy they aren't in my life and can't hurt me anymore.

That, alone, is enough.

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temerairevm@reddit

You are better off because you broke the chain of dysfunction. Take it from someone else who knows.

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Puzzleheaded-Sun-390@reddit

Financially, no. Physically, no. Emotionally, also no.

Wife took prime years off “to be a mother first”. Then took minimum wage part time job when I absolutely couldn’t pay the bills. Even then, my check was all bills. Hers was for her and kids’ extracurriculars.

So, no savings, no investments, just health issues from work and stress.

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GoslingIchi@reddit

My parents divorced when I was three so they had two completely different lifestyles.

My father had a good paying job, but he did whatever he felt like doing. I would say he was happier at my age.

He had terrible financial habits so he's just getting by living on SS. I have my pension which lets me do a bit more than just get by, so I would say I'm financially better off than my father, and if SS is still around that will make it a bit better.

He hasn't done the work, but he's been around for a long time and sees what he needs to change. I think I'm a bit of a stubborn GenX and I'm too fed up and I have too many trust issues to do the emotional work.

My mother didn't have a good paying job, and was dealing with raising me the majority of the time. I would say that I'm happier than she was at my age.

Her employer lost her whole retirement fund, and suing him was basically a net zero gain. She's getting by on her SS but she can really stretch a dollar. With her fiscal skills I think she might be doing a bit better than I am.

She's a bit of a mess emotionally, and won't even consider doing the work so I would say I'm a bit better off than she is.

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ChavoDemierda@reddit

No, we're right about the same. If not, then the only reason I am better off would be because of my union.

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thedudeintx82@reddit

In some ways financially yes. But not totally. I do own my home outright and have a very healthy retirement savings. But what’s liquid, that’s a no.

Health wise, probably about the same. I got hit with afib last month. Same age my Dad did. I spent the last year getting in shape and loosing weight. Glad I did that. Probably set me up for better success recovering from that.

Emotionally, no. Been through a lot of stuff.

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Wndrunner@reddit

Financially? Yes.

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Mr_Angry52@reddit

Financially, significantly so. I will be retiring in my mid 50s. Health wise, unsure. Emotionally? The whole family is a bit crazy sadly, and I didn’t fall far from the tree.

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dimsumplatter75@reddit

depends..

on a pure $$$ value. yes. But i think life was a lot cheaper relatively for them. than for me.

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Pristine-Speaker-768@reddit

Yes, better than they could have imagined.

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Severe-Reality5546@reddit

Nope. My dad was a high-level executive and owned two houses and a condo in areas where real estate prices are insanely high. In spite of having a large family to support, he was able to retire early.

I am now almost the same age as he was when we retired. I got laid off last July and am still unemployed. I own a house, but it is in a more reasonably-priced area. I will not be able to retire early because I still have to put my child through college.

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No-Cantaloupe-4298@reddit

Neither parent lived to my age.

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ThisIsAllTheoretical@reddit

No

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Newweedbud@reddit

Yes-financially, emotionally and health wise. Lost Dad to heart disease when he was 45 and Mom was 51 when an aneurysm took her…. I’m 66 and doing well.

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PahzTakesPhotos@reddit

Emotionally, we're probably the same. Financially we are not even close at all. My parents were far better off than we are. Heck, our kids are better off at their ages than we were at the same age.

It wasn't entirely our fault. The husband became disabled at age 28 and we had to navigate our way through that bullshit with a bankruptcy to boot (on medical bills, despite having insurance),

We're doing much better than we were when the kids lived at home, but my parents did it better and our kids are doing it better.

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SorchaRoisin@reddit

Yes, thanks to them. They let me live at home for free for a long time, and pushed me to invest young, because they hadn't.

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worstpartyever@reddit

What a nice thing to read. Your parents sound like good people ❤️

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SorchaRoisin@reddit

They were awesome. Thanks.

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marcduberge@reddit

I’m financially better off. Have parented successfully. Remained married. Emotionally stable and did the work in therapy to be a well adjusted human. Sober. Have empathy for my fellow humans.

I am so much better than my parents

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worstpartyever@reddit

Sounds like you have worked very hard to provide a good, stable life for your family. Congratulations!

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CanadianBertRaccoon@reddit

Yep. I just did the opposite of what they did ... seems to be working pretty well.

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Whohead12@reddit

Hello fellow Learn by Terrible Example Club member!

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LuceLeakey@reddit

Very much so. When my mother was my age, she had 8 kids, the last one just barely graduated from high school, and two in prison. She couldn't drive, had never had a job other than babysitter or waitress, didn't have a high school education, was in poor health from smoking, and lived in a small house in the country. She had no friends and her only social outlet was church and bingo. My father had quit drinking, but was a "dry drunk" and never socialized. I remember her threatening to leave but never doing it because where could she go? What would she do in that situation?

I have zero kids by choice, two masters degrees, live alone in my own 4-bed/2-bath home with a 2-car garage in a medium-sized city that has basically everything I could want. I work full time earning 6 figures. I have friends and hobbies and a social life. I don't have to ask anyone else for money and can buy whatever I want, within reason.

I can't imagine living such a small circumscribed life as she had. I would lose my mind.

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Ok-Problem-9226@reddit

Financially, yes but not for long. They started doing much better in their late 40s and I prob won't get to that point.

Emotionally and relationship wise, much more so yes. But I don't have kids and left the quasi cult I was raised in.

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DiligerentJewl@reddit

My parents had a lot more annual income when they were this age, but as for net worth (adjusted for inflation), unclear

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Whohead12@reddit

Infinitely. I’m not the best saver but they were downright reckless. My husband and I have a home (with a mortgage), they had a much nicer home GIVEN TO THEM, didn’t take care of it, and ultimately lost it despite making plenty of money. My husband and I have adult children we are close to, I wouldn’t describe my brother and I as being close to our parents at all. Neither of us mourned the loss of our dad. I’m establishing a relationship with our mom (she was simply a victim, too) but my brother is still very distant.

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Ok-Lingonberry-8261@reddit

Financially no.

Emotionally hell yes.

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tkingsbu@reddit

Yes.

Not by a lot.
But marginally.

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Grilled_Cheese10@reddit

Financially? No.

Psychologically? Yes.

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saltyavocadotoast@reddit

This is the answer!

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CandidateReasonable4@reddit

No, my parents were doing much better financially at 61. They had more opportunities to save money. Wages have essentially been flat or decreasing over the past 30 to 35 years.

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chillinwithabeer29@reddit

Yes

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DontTrip333@reddit

I'm not strung out on meth, so yes Im doing better. Although despite being a meth head, my mom owned a beach front home at my age. I'm in an apartment in a city. So no, on that front. Ask me in 2 years. If a meth head hasn't put a sledgehammer thru my skull at that point then I'm definitely doing better.

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WillowFreak@reddit

Yes. My mom was an emotional wreck and refused to get therapy for it. She just took a lot of Xanax. She died at 58. She was living with me for a few years because she could no longer live alone.

I refuse to go down that path. I did therapy, cut out toxic family, and I'm doing my best to take care of myself physically.

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polkadotkneehigh@reddit

I told my father my annual salary. He almost choked. Could not believe I was making so much. I put it into an income adjuster for inflation. I make the same amount he did at the same point in his career when he was a public school teacher. Things have changed.

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ChadTitanofalous@reddit

Yes, and it's not even close.

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SnooDonuts3040@reddit

Yes,they've been through multiple divorces, stepkids, houses etc, thus strain, extra domestic bs. I tried to do the opposite

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Ceorl_Lounge@reddit

Damn right. My generational rebellion is staying happily married for almost 25 years.

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Smarmy_funeral_chik@reddit

Much better, yes. My childhood household was lowkey toxic. Dad was avoidant and couldn't hold jobs; mom was depressed and angry all the time. We always had a roof over our heads but there was never anything extra. Vacations, if they happened, were camping in some dumpy state park.

We're better off by a long shot.

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Ray_The_Engineer@reddit

Interesting question. My parents were financially secure and retired at my age (59), but honestly, they just didn't do much besides sit around the house, go to the grocery store, etc. Even allowing for inflation, I'd say my wife and I are better off financially, have a nicer home, and lead more interesting lives.

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amazing-haves-34@reddit

Yes. My dad died when he was a year younger than I am now, and my mom was on disability with two children under 10. I am alive, have dual incomes and no kids. It’s not even close.

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0_IceQueen_0@reddit

My parents are UHNW and call all their kids "Waiters" lol. We're better off emotionally as we try stay away from their periphery and although we're not as well off as they are. We're all HNW.

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Triello@reddit

Much more debt than they ever had… still.

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Spiritual-Fondant656@reddit

Same.

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LocksmithGlass717@reddit

Yes

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Barley29@reddit

Yes. I'm alive.

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New-User9585@reddit

Yes, on all.

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BnCtrKiki@reddit

Yes

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Knox_the_Boxer@reddit

Depends on what better off means to you… Do we make more money- definitely (even including inflation) are we in more debt - also definitely. Do we live in a nicer home? Yes- which is the main reason we are in more debt. 🙄

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deeoh01@reddit

Yes, by every measure. My mom died before she reached my current age, so yeah I'm better off than her for sure.

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NecessaryMulberry846@reddit

Much better

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watchwatertilitboils@reddit

Not even close

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Tommy_Vercetti-4406@reddit

Because of the internet and access to information, I would say my wife and I know more than our parents did at the same age. But that is because we are naturally curious and the information is simply more accessible. But my wife and I have chosen a different lifestyle then our parents did (or could). We are single income, homeschooling family. But sets of parents worked full-time until retirement. We are certainly better off than her parents and probably in the same margin as my parents... but again, with access to more knowledge which mean we can make more informed and refined decisions.

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