GoingRight
It is clear to me that as a 70-year-old, I daren’t use the term ‘baby boomer’ as it now seems to be a dirty word! We are to be ridiculed for our views, our colour, our privilege of having had free tertiary education, and having universal superannuation. There is uninformed envy of our accumulated wealth, which has accrued by hard work over many years.
Reflecting on last weekend’s election I admit to feeling very vulnerable with a real fear of appallingly thought out taxes being used to attempt to balance the books. Then there is the redistribution of wealth being foremost in our socialist leader’s mind so that she can advance her agenda to boost the wealth of those who have not for various reasons been able to be self-sufficient.
Many of our generation who were badly hurt in the share crash in the late 1980s invested in a small rental to use as a form of retirement income. This was often with a huge mortgage and paying over 20% interest but with the view that it would be paid off in time. This would allow for a more comfortable retirement when the time came, and all acknowledged there would be tax payable on the net rental income, but still it was more than the super would provide.
Some of us were fortunate to have had more than one rental over time but few of us years ago realised the increase in the value of these homes. Not all of us however got off scot-free with many ending up with huge expenses to repair leaky homes and sadly this saga is still going on. This is not to mention the ‘P’ homes that some tenants leave the owners to repair at huge expense.
We personally went into this area of investment for the cash flow and it got us through a very tricky stage in our lives. Since the Labour Party have come to power the requirements for landlords have increased to the point where you wonder how many will want to continue in this form of investment. Most landlords look after their properties. Not all tenants do.
So many of today’s seniors look wealthy to the young and envious left-wing socialists, but actually, with increases in taxes, many older people will struggle and find themselves having to sell their investments that would have allowed them to grow old with dignity asking no one for a handout.
I don’t really trust Labour to not bring in taxes which disadvantage the elderly who are such vulnerable and easy targets. Not only vulnerable but we also don’t have the same passion and energy psychologically to fight battles we would have had when young.
We have offspring whom we have helped get on the first rung of the ladder and many like us want to do the same. In this climate where houses are so expensive, particularly in Auckland further help may be required.
I detest the quips from the likes of Chloe, saying “Ok Boomer!” How derogatory is that and how insulting as if our entire generation has caused all the woes that young people now face.
I still feel that our generation has been so lucky being born after the major wars of the 1900s, the freedom of speech we had, the safety of playing outside with neighbours’ kids all day and the independent travel we undertook as school leavers or recently qualified university graduates. We were brought up to have self-responsibility and never took anything for granted and started with little, which seems to have gone out of the door with today’s young, many of whom want things new and now!
Many of our friends when first married and in their first home, whether rented or owned by them, had their bookshelves made of bricks between shelves of wood sitting on them. Whilst some young ones work very hard and are quite intense, which is also not good for the soul, there are many who have a sense of entitlement that they are not going to make any effort to improve their lives but want someone else to provide the way forward.
Many young people and many women made it into parliament at the weekend, replacing many older experienced MPs. I am not totally against this as I am a great believer in leaving a job before you get stale and people can’t wait for you to retire. Whilst I don’t know who these new young MPs are or their backgrounds they are likely of an age where they think they know everything and we know nothing. These past few weeks I have had my eyes opened and keep saying to my husband that I feel that the world is going in a different direction from the one we are used to or understand.
I love being at home, love being in the garden, and these days prefer to see my friends during the day. I realise that every generation brings new ideas forward but these are interesting times for me, and I hope I live long enough to feel that I can understand the world around me again. I don’t know about being labelled a ‘boomer’ but boy were we the lucky generation. I have many great memories.
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