Over 50's, how did you accumulate your wealth?

Parking_Trouble

I love these types of thread.

Been very, very lucky.
Left school at 16 when most of my classmates went on to Uni.
Had 3 jobs in my career. Always been n IT. Well paid from day 1.
never had money worries. Never inherited a penny and never will.

Spent money on motor racing for while in early 20's.
Got on the property ladder early. Lovely cottage was £26k.

Married, had a daughter, got divorced. Clean break divorce, left with a Morris Marina. Ex sold the house for £89k.

I bought my new partners flat for £60k at height of market and we moved into another property together. Then had 2 sons. Got married again. Wife took redundancy and used that to pay deposit on the house we still live in 24 years later.

Same job for last 30 years. Got to Senior management role. always enjoyed what I did. Pretty good at my job but never a high flyer. Now coasting.
DB pension(s), SAYE, Share investment schemes. Savings decimated in 2008. Wife did whatever job she wanted, earns less now than 25 years ago. We could have been mealunaires but we've got enough and wouldn't change it. Working class kids done good.

Been pumping money into AVCs but should have started earlier.
Got over £800k tied up in the house. Going to downsize in the next year or two but two boys in their mid-twenties.

I haven't saved enough but my only child wife will inherit a fair bit at some point.

My kids and family think I'm rich but that's not true. We'll be comfortable in retirement I hope.

Lucky generation. Very different for our kids.