I just retired at age 37 after working in a factory for 20 years. I get a pension equal to $35 for every year of service that I worked ($700/mo). My15 yr mortgage will be paid off in 2011 and with taxes and insurance all combined is $293 a month. It is a cozy 2 bdrm home (a little less than 1,000 sf.) that I bought for $40,000. I have no other loans or debt and no credit cards. I have a car and a motorcycle that are both paid for. I am very frugal and have always live well below my means.

Everything else I pay, insurance, utilities, food gas and $10 every 3 months for a prepaid cellular phone all total less than $300 a month. I still have $100 bucks or so leftover after all expenses are paid (which after 2011 will be about $400 leftover once my house is paid off).

I have never been married and don't have (and don't want to have) any kids. Anyway, like I said I live comfortably on $8,400 a year which is about half of the "poverty line" for my area. I have six figures in a 401K all in an interest producing bond that yields from 3% to 8% (even in 2008). I have all the necessities and really don't see a need to take on any more debt whatsoever. It seems like monetarily most people say only $100,000 a year or more is successful.

So, my question is at age 37, with very low income but very low debt...am i "successful" or not?