I have been working a career job since 21 - have a split pension (they pay 7.5% I pay 4.75%) to a large pot, so i'll finish work with a big sum that I will have control over. I have added a couple percent a year to that myself for many years.
My wife is in health care and will be on a fixed retirement fund (meaning at retirement she'll get a paycheck till she's dead)
I bought a 4 plex in 2014 - rented it out until end of Oct, '20, Sold it, paid off my house, I am debt free other than a short term finishing off my truck payment.
I have added my own RRSP since I was about 22 or 23 -(like your 401k I believe)

Put away money for my sons (2 boys 16,17) education. We have RESP here, meaning if I put un money the gov't matches each year up to a certain number ($800 maybe) So, I think my boys will have access to about $100K at graduation time. If they don't use the money, I get my principal back. BUT if they do go to school, we can spend the gov't matched portion first, if they don't use all at education, we can get all the rest returned to us.

I've always planned and saved, always comes off on payday to all savings, so i've never missed it or seen it. (I think that's a big key point)

So now, I'm 43, debt free and feel like a 10 ton weight lifted off my shoulders, which I LOVE. Likely last until 56-57 at work.

BUT, in all this I have never for a second skimped on life - vacations, weeks in Arizona with family, trips to Mexico, I have done a yearly golf trip with the buddies for 10+ years, I love life and it loves me back. Never been rich by any means, but just smart.

One big factor in the retirement for us Canadians is we don't have health costs really. (dentist, new eyeglasses) But for the most part if I head to the hospital for anything, it's covered by my taxes already.

Fellas, I can’t believe the personal sense of accomplishment and relief being debt free. It’s worth every penny (not having it in the bank)
There has to be a lot said to have a great outlook and great mental state.

Also. I need to look you up in Maricopa bud, we have a place there.

Ha, yup.
We actuallly already live in a small community where people come to retire. Great way of life, inexpensive, unreal high end golf course, outdooors and beautiful.

Our family place is in Cobblestone farms area in Maricopa, I spend as much time at “The Duke” while I’m down. That and the multiplex theatre/bowling/casino/etc

I hope like hell it does, I have no debt AND my investments may take a nice hike!!

For me, I just paid off my mortgage and it was the absolute feeling of no-debt and the weight of "it all" being lifted off my shoulders and not being able to invest that sum of money I had in my hand at the time is ok for me. I could have tossed it all in a fund, but man, I feel like a million bucks not owing, that was Nov 1, I'm still living off the high

I firmly believe I have got myself and my wife into the best possible scenario, my boys are 16,17.

My wife has a pension that will be a salary until she's dead after retirement, and I am building a pension (company) into a large pot. this one is called PEPP in Canada, one of the best run pensions out there I believe
My wife and I have added to an RESP (education fund) for my boys since birth, should have just a bit under 100k for them when they are into post secondary.
Both of us have added to our own personal RRSP's also since our early 20's and have been making a nice pot there also.

I feel if we can live off our RRSP's and her salary for a few years easily. My large pot will have grown in that time nicely, then we can start withdrawing from that a couple years in and it should work out nice for us. All that and our home is paid off at 43 (her-42)

Maybe caught the incorrect thread?

Yeah, we'll be in that boat in a while yet to decide. I'm very conservative with my money, so it will be tough for us to take the higher defined benefit rather than the survivor one. But if I biff it early, she should have a million or + dumped over to her from my pot, which is nice.