Paying for those golden years

Re “Not-so-golden years,” editorial, July 8

I agree that saving for retirement is not easy, but if you have a long-range plan, it is a lot easier. I was married in 1949, and one of the first things I did was open a savings account with $5; my salary was $55 a week. When I got paid on Friday, my first stop was the bank. It was amazing how over the years our account grew, even with low interest rates.

I had one hard-and-fast rule: Once the money went into the savings account, it remained there. Today we live on our savings and Social Security. Considering our ages and our life expectancies (I am now 81), we should be able to live out our remaining years comfortably and without too many problems.

LEONARD SMALL

Oceanside

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There is a group who will retire quite nicely. I’m referring to public sector workers who, thanks to our system that allows them to negotiate contracts with politicians who are indebted to them for their own jobs, have given themselves retirement benefits on the taxpayers’ dime. Of course, these contracts are apparently unbreakable regardless of the fact that much of this future obligation of largesse is underfunded. God help us when this bill comes due.

ANN MYERS

Solana Beach