Tinkering in my savings. Just looking around really. I save a lot for retirement now because I never saved before. Put in 12% of each paycheck into my S&P index fund. By "tinkering" I mean I projected out twenty years assuming nothing changes in my life. Potentially, I'd have a million dollars in the index fund. Could I retire? Maybe. It's complicated. Again, assuming nothing changes, the interest alone could make me between 30-50 thousand a year depending on how I use it. Certainly comfortable, assuming I have no debt at that point, which is certainly the plan.

I'm not sure how I feel about any of this. There's a grudging optimism, because this system is clearly designed to keep me working for decades and then my wealth will still serve the function of making someone else wealthier. More fuel for the machine to crush other workers.

Briefly, I considered purchasing my childhood home from my mother and renting that out for income. Which could work, if I don't mind being part of the problem.  

One of my in-laws took a loan out against their retirement savings to put into remodeling their house. Which I saw as unwise...well, I still see it as unwise but I suppose a much older person might feel like it's too late to really build up to that self-sustaining amount and just dump it all into something they enjoy now. Then draw on Social Security and hope for the best.

I've been working since I was 16. If I had a job like this back then, I would have my million dollars saved already. And what then? What would I do if I retired right now? Is it even something I need to wait to retire to do? 

My fear is that I've been in this head-down, plod-forward mode because historically, it's been difficult for me to live consistently. I worry about anything tipping me off-balance. Eliminate variables.

But I love the variables. Don't I?