Any Tacoma Owners Over 50?

No idea what that is like, started at the age of 13 delivering papers, mowing grass, and odd jobs to scratch and save up $1000 for my first vehicle at 16. Started working construction at 15, with a pool cleaning business on the side.

 

Finding a “hard working person” today is getting rarer. You my friend is that kind of person! I too was working from the 14 years old helping my parents with there Janitorial business. Once out of high school alway had a job. Left home at 18, put myself though college. Retired today, but still working PT, helping with work on the wife’s family coffee farm, never ending alway something .

For you younger one , better have a retirement plan, or a company IRA, and contribute at least 10% or more, because one day, you will look back and be glad you did. Time flies!

I still am investing P/T. Don’t need to touch my IRA, but at 72 I need to follow the IRS rules for the RMD. ( Required minimum distribution). Wish I knew about buying stocks when I was younger. I just started to play the stock market a few years ago. With money I can afford to lose. Each month buying something! Even if just one stock. 1+1+1+1+1 adds up.

That same money I would be spending on fishing stuffs, junks I do not need but wanted, eating out too often, steaks, etc, today getting richer by the dollar.

When you get old, can’t go back, but you can learn from our mistakes. Invest for your retirement “NOW”

 

My family owned a swimming pool/wood burning stove business. Remember adding up my first paycheck, and thought that is really low. Never asked what I was going to get paid…added it up it was only $2/hour. Talked to my grandfather about it, he said you being 15 you’re too young you should be an unpaid apprentice, lucky you’re getting anything at all! They never gave me anything other than the opportunity to work. Eventually worked my way to a foreman running my own crew by the age 21, then left and struck out on my own. Had series of successes and failures over the years. Finally…finally somewhat comfortable.

Had a client in the other night complaining about her spoiled stepchildren that were given everything (buy a car, crash a car, buy them another, and they crash that, buy them another…) and still became drug addicted fuckups. lol! So the grass isn’t probably greener over there… ha ha!

 

The rich can afford to spoil there kids, SAD those kids will never learn the value of hard work.
There are many very wealthy parents that do not fall in this category. Good for them.

The value of working hard, working correctly too, lasts a life time!

Learning how to work? Is never taught in schools. I learn the hard way, at 18 years old, a old man in the (seventies) I work with at a hardware store , told me. “Boy” “You do not know how to work”! He walk away. Took me two weeks before I had the courage to ask him. What do you mean I do not know how to work?

The answer change my life!

This old man had a chicken business, he work at the hardware store to keep himself busy, you see his family wanted him to stay retired. The hard store mangers had to keep reminding him to pick up his paycheck, it seems he never does.

The best part , two weeks later I got a 7 cents raise! I was getting paid $2.01 before the Raised.

 

I had a paper-route too! The supervisor/paper distributor trusted me with collecting for their paper which taught me early the trust people expected from me!

I'll be leaving the work-force soon...at least, that's my plan. My goal is to walk away on my terms with sufficient income to maintain my lifestyle.

My department tells me when I take PTO (Paid Time Off), they can see the level of work I produce as compared to the person(s) filling in for me while I'm out. I don't mean to toot my own horn but I'll take that compliment all day/every day except on Sunday. lol

 

Ya I think it is a younger guy truck but I love mine it’s my first I got mine in March 22’ I turned 55 in May. The young guys have great taste in trucks so do us old bastards lol

 

Every company we work for, there is always a worker who’s valve is worth more then the rest of the companies workers.

These are the ones who understand the meaning, learning “ How to work” and applies those skills!

Often times when they let those guys go, only to regret it later, not realizing “What they did for the company”.

My wife is one those workers, customers from around the world , when they visit Hawaii. They go directly to the store and ask for her. They visit the store not for the products, sure they buy more, she always treat every one like family.

She left on her own terms too.(retired)

 

When we age it shows, looking at a beautiful truck or a woman , that will never age in our minds. The beauty of things.

I like the Chevy 57 wagons, I had one. It’s beauty will never go away.

 

Ha! Man, remember having to get up super early so everyone would have their paper by 6:00-6:30 am. Hardest part was getting people to pay for it, then would have to come out of my earnings. Learn some lessons there!

Oh, I probably have another 8-10 years unless a miracle happens!

Wife had it worse than me, grew up super dirt poor, and now is a Professor. She is just glad she has a roof over her head for all the stuff she has been through.

 

That is for sure! Looking back, my grandfather and father were teaching me lessons, of course you never know it at the time. When you’re young you think you know it all, as I age the less and less I know. Ha!

 

Over 50 and just bought my 1st Tacoma 30 days ago and I love it! I've had to work hard for everything I've ever gotten, so I appreciate what I've got and the good Lord's blessings on me to get them!

 

True that brother 55 got my first one 2 months ago was going to drive the old Jeep for another couple years but decided nope not this time. I bust my ass every day working, doing things for everybody else this one is for me

 

When I was 65 years old, My 1999 Ford Ranger was getting too old. Went to bank for a loan on a 2012 Tacoma 4x4 the Auto dealer had on the lot. The bank I go to, the loan officer was a friend, she told me you qualified for a brand new Tacoma truck. Why don’t you buy one.

I did, things like push button start, reverse camera, lane departure, blue tooth phone, was so new to me, crawl controls, WOW, never knew they had those things ( yes I live in a cave) . I live off the grid too.

The toilet is still Manuel flush, no reverse camera either. Not like you modern folks.

 

50 + and rocking my off road

 

It’s better to get it yourself. When I was in high school, I had a friend who got a new Z28 for her 16th and a new one each year after that. Family had lots of money. Her dad died suddenly when she was 20. They lost everything, they tried to run the business, but couldn’t, and everything went after that. She had no idea how to work, or how the real world worked. Her dad didn’t do her any favors by letting her live this way. I had other friends whose parents gave them everything. It’s not a good lesson. I couldn’t understand why my parents made me earn all my own things when they had plenty of money. When my friend’s dad died, I got it.

I’d take good looking over spoiled any day.

 

Those are heart felt stories. We envy the rich, not knowing money isn’t everything. A loving family , caring family is priceless.

Growing up poor, doesn’t mean you will be poor all your life. Hard work, working smart, learning the value of saving, investing will lead to a richer life. . “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill is a good book to read, the principles still applies.

My Mom rise 4 boys, on welfare, we were too young understand what welfare was, but we alway had clothes and food. Every Christmas all our neighbors got lots of presents. We got just one present each.
My Mom remarried and our new step Dad, had a property , all my brothers had to help build this new house. One year it took , working weekends and holidays.

The lessons of building a house, was priceless. I had rented my home for 10 years, my son decide he want the house. Took us six month rebuilding , all new kitchen counters , cabinets, had to put in new toilets, bathroom sink and cabinets. new flooring , replace 5 interior doors ( every one had punch holes.). The new wood flooring took two days. New interior paint includes ceiling, and we repainted the whole exterior. Replace two windows and one French door. We even refinish both shower stalls and tub. Lesson for my son priceless. 98% of the work we did our shelves . Electrical done by a Professional all new outlets, switches, light fixtures every room. New ceiling fans,(family friend) was free but we give him ‘a Costco card worth $$$.

The lessons our parent taught us will last a life time. Hopefully we can pass those lessons to our children. Knowing how to work, the value of working hard. Plus doing honest , trustworthy work.

 

I felt this post. My dad died when I was young. Mom raised me and my sister on a waitress' salary. Things were tight, but she always made it work. She drove a modest car that she could afford. Nothing flashy. It was more important that we were happy. That has stuck with me, and I've never needed an expensive car. When I bought my first Tacoma back in 06, I felt like I was splurging. When I traded it in for my 21, even though I'm financially set, and absolutely can afford it, I still asked myself if I really needed to spend this much on a vehicle. My mom remarried and ended up having my 2nd sister (15 year age gap between us). This concept is lost on her. She is on public assistance, works in retirement home for $10 an hour, and drives the newest, bad ass Tahoe I have ever seen. Payment is $900 a month, its ridiculous. Its more important for her to have the fancy car, then anything else. Oh well.

 

@CPS-65 the good looking thing was a bit of sarcasm, I am no troll….but no Brad Pitt either. lol!

Friends thought we were rich because we had our own business, that really wasn’t the case as we worked our asses off, plus my father was bound to a wheelchair because of MS, he had to sell his part back when I was a young teenager. Remember my mom had series of crappy part time jobs to pay for blood transfusions in the early years. Basically I just worked for my grandfather and uncles as an hourly employee, never did buy into the business, left and started my own because was sick of working for family.

Before he fell ill, he did clear the land and build the house we grew up in, was never quite finished so we always had some project to do, started driving when I was 10 or 11 just so I could haul firewood on the property. We were quasi off the grid, mom had huge garden so we grew most of our own food. Got to learn how to do a lot of things over the years. Oh yeah, nothing like the feeling of satisfaction after a hard days work. Trimming trees and making dump runs today with the Taco.

Growing up the way we did, am amazed how many do not know how to do the basic things. Talking with a client about gardens, asked me who I bought my boxes off…ummmm no one, I built them, few boards, butt joints and handful of screws…fairly simple thing to do. She looked at me in awe… lol!

 

Thank you for sharing , Hope others will share there stories and inspire us.

 

I am amazed how people, especially the younger ones, will buy expensive cars, I-phones, NO savings or retirement plans. Living day to day. Pay check to pay check. But gotta have that new car/truck, Phones.

I too live pay check to pay check for most of my life. I am glad our company offer the 401 plans. The 401 made my retirement easier. Had a family to support, house payments, lots of bills. My kids came first. For 35 plus years I drove very old, use 4x4s. Having a newer 4x4 was always a dream. No break downs , no constant repairs, a working A/C ,

Finally brought a new 4x4, (2019 TRD) At the same time, got very old. Looking back , was worth spending all that money for my kids, giving them a better life, and a college education.

Funny thing both my kids brought brand new Tacomas. My son brought a 2016 Tacoma TRD, new. And my daughter a 2019 Tacoma TRD. New.
Off course they both got great jobs.