Do you have a plan?

Otis Driftwood · 10-07-2010 6:57pm #1

I was chatting with one of my friends during the week,he is the same age as me is married,owns his own house and has a child.We were talking about the weekend gone by,his consisted of doing odd jobs around the house and looking after his daughter while his wife went out where as mine consisted as going on the batter for two days and rambling around Achill Island.He asked me was there any sign of me settling down,buying a house etc and started giving me guff that at my age I should be thinking of things like this.Now it was in no way preachy,just the usual banter between men but it did get me thinking about the future and what Id like to be doing in 5/10/15 years etc.

I have been thinking about it since and have come up with the ideal scenario as I would see it now.Of course we dont live in an ideal world so things can and do go awry but on the basis of it been a perfect world here is what Id like to have achieved by the time I hit 40.

Have my career sorted - Im still not sure what I want to do with myself career wise however I am enjoying what I am doing at the moment,its in a growth industry and there are opportunities for advancement ie gaining practical qualifications.
Build my own house - My parents own a modest sized farm in a very nice area so I have a site if and when I need it.I dont think Id like to buy a house as where ever I end up living would need to have my own touch on it,plus I could easily build a great house for under 200k.
Get married and have kids - Hanging out with my friend and his daughter has really cemented that I want to have kids.I would never have been gooey over babies but since his was born I find myself getting doe eyed over them.Im probably quiet traditional in some respects and although I am in no way religous I would like to get married in a church.

If I could achieve the above in the next decade or so then Id like to think that Id be a very happy man.

So what about the rest of you guys and gals?Do you have a plan or am I just rambling.:o

MagicMarker · 10-07-2010 7:05pm

None of the above bar the career. Starting college again this year so have 4 years of that. If I had a career sorted in the next 6-10 years I'll be happy.

Other than that, I have no desire for children (this won't change) and certainly have no desire to get married. If the price is right I'd like to maybe own my own house but I have no qualms about renting.

Basically, once I'm earning a good wage I'll be leading a life of leisure outside the 9-5.

amacachi · 10-07-2010 7:06pm

I've a few plans, the most likely of which is to finish my degree (only three years left :pac:) then spend a year failing to find work then do a postgrad in medicine. After that I'll see what happens.
I definitely want kids but I don't see it happening to be perfectly honest, but who knows.
I don't plan on ever getting married, as for buying a house it's a bit away, I won't be putting myself into huge debt for it anyway, I'm done with owing more money than I get in a year.

Galvasean · 10-07-2010 7:07pm

1. Keep working at the film business
2. Become quazi famous
3. ?????
4. PROFIT!!!

Thats pretty much it. The question marks relate to family/home etc. Not sure if/when/how they'll come about.

Otis Driftwood · 10-07-2010 7:15pm

amacachi wrote: »

I definitely want kids but I don't see it happening to be perfectly honest, but who knows.

Why do you say that Amacachi?Just curious.:)

sam34 · 10-07-2010 7:34pm

biggest plan is to get a permanent job, once thats sorted other things like building my own dream home will fall into place

marriage - no thanks, happy with the set up i have at the moment

kids - absolutley no way, ever.

in the last number of years, have spent most of my free time doing courses/getting qualifications to build up my cv. am looking forward to having more free time to pursue my big interest in astronomy.

amacachi · 10-07-2010 7:45pm

nedtheshed wrote: »

Why do you say that Amacachi?Just curious.:)

More suited to PI to be perfectly honest. Basically I'm 21 and haven't had anything close to a relationship yet, I'm getting more and more reclusive and I like it that way. :pac: Really I can't imagine any woman wanting to be with me long enough to have kids in a situation that would suit me (i.e. not knocking some chick up on a one-nighter). Like I said, more suited to PI. :pac:

Will · 10-07-2010 8:10pm

I'm 24, have a regular enough job. Plans never go to plan in my experience, basically thinking of heading back to college to do nursing, which again is another 4 years gone. Either that or get on a course in gold smithing and jewellery design. I make bowls and such so have a small enough income from that but want to develop it further.
I'm quite happy being single and don't really want to get married or have kids, cannot say whether this will change or not but atm im happy with where I'm at.

Whatever makes you happy is my motto. If you own a house, married with kids at 20 and you are happy - cool. Likewise if you are on the other side of the coin.

Snowie · 11-07-2010 7:25pm

My plan..

Well i just got the collage course I've wanted to do for about8 years..
Things change in my life faster then I can blink at times... Not so much now a days but then agian i was sitting ona fence of anxiety wondering weather I was going to be in collage. last week.
(sorry it don't get old saying it ):D

I have no idea where the futures bringing me. But I want it to be full of good times and some bad the bad always make you appreciate the good so much more

:cool:

all I want to do is well for my self..

The Big Red Button · 11-07-2010 8:17pm

Will wrote: »

Plans never go to plan in my experience, basically thinking of heading back to college to do nursing, which again is another 4 years gone.

Well, the way I'd see it is, four years from now there will be "another 4 years gone" either way, whether you have a nursing degree to show for it or not.

But that might be one of those things that makes sense only in my head and not to anyone else!

Will wrote: »

Whatever makes you happy is my motto. If you own a house, married with kids at 20 and you are happy - cool. Likewise if you are on the other side of the coin.

Very very true.

Will · 11-07-2010 9:13pm

I agree chatterpillar that 4 years time is gonna come round regardless. Would be interesting to revisit this thread in 4 years and see whats going on with the contributor's lives. If things went to plan or if they went a totally different direction.

Snowie · 11-07-2010 9:22pm

Will wrote: »

Would be interesting to revisit this thread in 4 years and see whats going on with the contributor's lives. If things went to plan or if they went a totally different direction.

Would be very interesting:cool:

brumindub · 11-07-2010 9:40pm

Ideally, I would like to be working in New Zealand in my profession. That is my dream. Would be great if it happens sometime within the next 4 years.

Not too fussed about the whole marriage and kids thing tbh.

I don't think I'd be buying a house over the next few years.

Oh, I'd also like to start driving and buy myself a peugeot 306.

Would like to take my dad to Egypt and Greece-although it won't be the way I'd always imagined.

Would be more than happy if I get that done over the next 4 years.

djk1000 · 11-07-2010 9:56pm

Well I'm 33, I had the long term relationship, stable career thing, I never stumped up to buy a house though.

In the last two years, all that has changed, I'm single again, I'm retraining as an accountant, I'm doing a part time degree, I'm learning to be a diving instructor, I've done the teach English as a foreign language course. I'm saving money like a mad thing and when I finish the accounting exams in 1.5 years, I'm off to Canada, or South America, don't know really, don't care. All I know is that stability, career, kids, house, picket fence is not for me. I'm going to be selfish and spend the next 1/10/50 years travelling and working and just taking in the world, I've even been learning to sail, part of the saving is to maybe buy an old yacht and tour the Caribbean for a while (I have a friend that owns a bar in the Caribbean).

If I'm ever lucky enough to meet someone special again, then obviously their plans for the future will also be important, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I just don't see the point in having kids or being tied to a house or working your ass off. Life is short and once I have somewhere to lay my head and a meal in my belly, I think life for me anyway will be more fulfilled by adventure, travel and new experiences.

MagicMarker · 11-07-2010 10:07pm

djk1000 wrote: »

Well I'm 33, I had the long term relationship, stable career thing, I never stumped up to buy a house though.

In the last two years, all that has changed, I'm single again, I'm retraining as an accountant, I'm doing a part time degree, I'm learning to be a diving instructor, I've done the teach English as a foreign language course. I'm saving money like a mad thing and when I finish the accounting exams in 1.5 years, I'm off to Canada, or South America, don't know really, don't care. All I know is that stability, career, kids, house, picket fence is not for me. I'm going to be selfish and spend the next 1/10/50 years travelling and working and just taking in the world, I've even been learning to sail, part of the saving is to maybe buy an old yacht and tour the Caribbean for a while (I have a friend that owns a bar in the Caribbean).

If I'm ever lucky enough to meet someone special again, then obviously their plans for the future will also be important, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I just don't see the point in having kids or being tied to a house or working your ass off. Life is short and once I have somewhere to lay my head and a meal in my belly, I think life for me anyway will be more fulfilled by adventure, travel and new experiences.

A-fúcking-men!

Herbal Deity · 12-07-2010 12:29am

nedtheshed wrote: »

although I am in no way religous I would like to get married in a church.

Probably not the topic for such a discussion, but this comment makes me so, so angry and so sad at the same time.

Anyways, I don't have a plan really. 1 year left in a computing degree. I really like it and I'm very confident that I can quite easily have a stable career in the industry.

I might take a year out after I graduate, not sure yet. I like the idea of doing a PhD, and it's something I'm seriously considering persuing. I like the idea of staying in academia also - research, lecturing etc.

Recently, I've been giving some consideration to emigrating. I'm beginning to like Ireland less and less, mainly due to socially conservative attitudes and laws. However, where exactly I'd move to I don't know.

Re: marriage and kids - maybe. Following on from above, I don't think I'd like to raise a child in Ireland. I'd like to get married eventually, but would only have a small ceremony.

Ricardo G · 12-07-2010 12:38am

29 yrs old now, jobless with 2 years, broke, am lucky enough to be in a great relationship, no kids and probably wont get married for another while, don't have a mortgage and dont intend to!!

In 4 years would love to have kids, would love to be married to my existing girlfriend of course, would love to have the security of a half decent job and a few bob to traet the family and above all to be as happy and healthy as i am now!!

c - 13 · 12-07-2010 6:04am

No real plan as such. I'm 26.

Have a stable job, have my house, have a girlfriend of 5 years.

Would like to move back to Ireland as I'm getting a bit fed up of traveling now.
Would like to start up a little business venture myself but don't think that will happen as I don't have the balls to take a big financial gamble like that.

Will get married eventually, definitely want to have kids - one should be enough though

CathyMoran · 12-07-2010 7:59am

I am 36 and happily married with a young son but I have also been very close to death due to serious illness so a big wish for me would be to still be alive long term (and even to live to have a long, happy retirement). I would love to have another healthy child if possible and get some more Masters. For me being a wife and mother is very fulfilling but then again I have a wonderful husband and son.

the_syco · 12-07-2010 9:11am

I'm a 29 dude, no gf in sight, job is stable enough, as jobs go in this f**ked up time.

Plan to train up, and get a few certs but that's been on the long finger for some time.

=-=

Will: sooner better than later, regarding the course. Check if age goes against you, in regards starting off as a nurse. If it goes against you, look into doing it now. If not, you may have a few more years to start it.

Nulty · 12-07-2010 12:56pm

Galvasean wrote: »

1. Keep working at the film business
2. Become quazi famous
3. ?????
4. PROFIT!!!

Thats pretty much it. The question marks relate to family/home etc. Not sure if/when/how they'll come about.

Sorry this a little off topic but tell me where that originated. this thing -

1. Blah
2. ???????
3. Profit!

RedRebel · 12-07-2010 1:06pm

Nulty wrote: »

Sorry this a little off topic but tell me where that originated. this thing -

1. Blah
2. ???????
3. Profit!

Why, the underpants gnomes of course

Step 1 - Steal underpants.
Step 2 - ?????
Step 3 - Profit

The underpants gnomes, a great bunch of lads.

Greyfox · 12-07-2010 3:35pm

I'm nearly 30 and every plan I've made hasn't worked out so my new plan is just to stay employed and take on as little responsibility as possible

Sugar Free · 12-07-2010 6:12pm

Plan A can't start until I get the (childhood dream) job I want. Hopefully this time around.

Plan B is more vague and has been in progress for the last year and a half. Basically involves working a reasonably well paid job with excellent working conditions that's semi-interesting, paying any bills and using the rest for things like holidays, weekends away and general enjoyment.

Monkeybonkers · 13-07-2010 3:11pm

CathyMoran wrote: »

I am 36 and happily married with a young son but I have also been very close to death due to serious illness so a big wish for me would be to still be alive long term (and even to live to have a long, happy retirement). I would love to have another healthy child if possible and get some more Masters. For me being a wife and mother is very fulfilling but then again I have a wonderful husband and son.

I hope all these dreams come true for you.

Pittens · 14-07-2010 8:50pm

I just don't see the point in having kids or being tied to a house or working your ass off. Life is short and once I have somewhere to lay my head and a meal in my belly, I think life for me anyway will be more fulfilled by adventure, travel and new experiences.

I am continuing to travel and work around the world at 34. Anyway if people say why aren't you married - tell them that you would be married for longer in total, than a 22 year old would have been in 1960, were you to marry for life now.

In other words we can, to an certain extent, prolong youthfulness since we are living longer.

( Fertility is the major elephant in the room though).

Howard the Duck · 17-07-2010 12:41pm

Well I'm 28 and i don't have any real plan. The only thing i try to concentrate on is being happy. The way i do that is by spending time with my friends and family and i always try to have something to look forward to. At the moment that's a holiday in August.

Would i like to get married get a house and have kids? If i meet the right girl then yes i probably would. I would like to be doing something more creative than the job i am in at the moment but i am working on that.

You could spend your whole life worrying about plans and the future. I try just to enjoy the present.

elleburp · 17-07-2010 11:49pm

I'm 30 and I haven't made a plan since the last one fell on it's face 5 years ago. I think about it sometimes and I know I should have one but there's just too many options out there and I'm a bit paralysed by the choices. I'm single, no kids, no mortgage, have given up on the travelling thing, working a steady stable job. I'm too scared to move out of my comfort zone yet terrified by the idea that this is it for the rest of my life.

I think I might borrow a plan off one of you guys!

ChewChew · 18-07-2010 12:31am

I don't have a ''plan'' just going with the flow. I'm a 27year old female and have been very fortunate so far. I bought my house this year by myself and also own my car. I am also working in a job that I thoroughly enjoy, but like everything else, it has it's moments.

So from that point of view, everything is going grand and ticking along nicely.

I'm single and happy to be. have no kids. the whole wedding and family thing is not something I would rule out thinking about but right now it's not for me.

I am very independent and am enjoying being that way and for the foreseeable future it's just going to be me, myself and I

epgc3fyqirnbsx · 18-07-2010 1:25am

I have my career plan which I am in the middle of implementing, and it's all going nicely to plan

But I was chatting to one of my dads mates today, he is pretty wealthy and completely down to earth (drives an xzara van though he is a millionaire a few times over). He's just one of these people who can't sit still, he's always building shops, forecourts etc. Has property all across Europe and the states and I could go on, point is he just doesn't let his money sit around, he likes to invest it because he's an active fella. But he'll still be on the high stool in the local country pub when he can

Today he met me and asked me for a pint. He told me he thought I wa intelligent and probably have some ideas. If I do, then develop them, come to him and we'll get them off the ground.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

I know this man well, he was basically saying that I should think of something and he'll back me.

Now as I said, I am in the middle of my plan as it is, but an offer like that.... Well I'm looking for a new one!

Do you have a plan?

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