Meet the oversavers: Older Americans who have plenty for retirement but wish they'd worked less and vacationed more
Joshua Winston, 70, did a pretty good job preparing for retirement: He ran two successful veterinary clinics, made smart investments, and lived frugally.
But a week after he retired in May, he was diagnosed with cancer. Now, Winston said, he regrets working such long hours during his career, often missing out on trips and date nights.
Winston is one of a few dozen respondents to an informal Business Insider survey who said they worked too hard during their careers or focused too much on saving for retirement, sacrificing family time, travel, or other leisure activities when they were younger. They're among the more than 3,600 older Americans who shared their life regrets through surveys or direct emails to reporters. This story is part of an ongoing series.
Some survey respondents thought they were behind on retirement goals and chose to bypass larger purchases, only to realize they were well-prepared and too cautious about getting there. A few said traumatic experiences, such as the death of a loved one or a catastrophic medical diagnosis, made them anxious about saving money in case of another emergency. Interviews with five Americans who thought they were too frugal point to the difficulties of knowing how to best prepare for retirement.
