Rock-Stars-of-Aging-by-Marc-Middleton

Rocks Stars of Aging
64
FINANCE
50: Centenarians Live Simply and Avoid Debt
“Buy everything with cash. For less than seven years, I had a
mortgage. I paid everything outright and I've lived that way until
today. Not owing any money gave me peace of mind. That is the
secret to longevity right there." -- Nicholas Pierro, 102
Almost every centenarian we interview tells us the same thing, "We
never had much." In fact, they had very little and had to work hard for
that.
Most centenarians are poor but they don’t know it. Sixty-seven
percent of 100-year-olds have income below the poverty line but
aren’t aware of it. They simply perceive themselves as better off than
objective resources reveal. It’s been said that not wanting something
is the same as having it without all the hassles. That is very much the
centenarian lifestyle. They don’t feel poor because they don’t equate
money with riches. They have everything they want.
And if they don’t have it, they don’t go into debt to get it. One of the
secrets to successful aging seems to be staying relatively debt free
and avoiding the stress of major financial issues. For the most part,
centenarians are financially conservative and have lived within their
means for most of their lives.
The trappings of wealth bring with them the burden of maintenance,
storage, financing, etc. When it comes to longevity, simple, minimalist
lifestyles are best.
Rock Stars of Aging
64