How Are Today's Markets Affecting Your Lifestyle?

Not at all. We've always lived well below our means, we have an excellent financial adviser and the last two years have been the best ever for my company.

We're waiting for minimum withdrawals which are several years down the road. Doing fine on SS and pension even saving a little.

No negative effect.

We are better off today than ever before. I have some very conservative sock holdings. I did all my gambling when I was posed to make a recovery if things went south today I am on cruise control. My suggestion is not to risk money and assets that will effect your long term ability to maintain the retirement lifestyle you have chosen.

no effect thank goodness for us.

we did things smart and were lucky it panned out well for us. knock wood!

but like mentioned, we love the lower fuel costs! every bit that I save in travel expense means I can put that money somewhere 'more fun' on my vacation :)

jrp wrote:

Now, this $2.00 /gal diesel is having a great effect on my monthly travel budget.

It figures....LOL! Ed and I only seem to plan major trips when fuel is sky-high.....

Ed is a stock-market follower/investor, and thanks to his diligence (and my frugality), we can weather any storms. I feel very grateful for that, too.

Wow, been trying to post reply since yesterday but wouldn't let me, hope this one goes through. Great to see such a wonderful amount of replies, and looking forward to more.

So in general the cost of fuel seems to be a huge positive for many, or others are not affected by having fixed income and seeing no difference or not affected in their structure for the most part. Would love to see some more Canadians comments, but interesting Macktee how you are handling the exchange rate to your negative being south right now. It is what it is for sure, and I well recall when it was $1.65 to the US$1 so we have always budgeted based on a $1.3 to $1 exchange rate personally.

Thanks for the interest and responses thus far, looking forward to hopefully reading many others take on how their travels/lifestyle may or may not have been affected somewhat.

For sure it's a great time for our southern cousins to head north of the border on current exchange rates. Our fuel might not be quite as cheap as yours generally but for sure it's the best we've seen for many many years. Come on up the ice fishings great (LOL).

When responding to the OP's question, please focus your comments on how the economy is affecting "one's travels/FT lifestyle". Where the economy is, has been, and is going, and why is NOT thrust of the op's question or this forum. Thank you. :)

Come on up!

With the Canadian dollar as low as it is this year is a good one to go north.