What Price Happiness? Cost of Living (Manchester, Nashua: car registration, how much, new house)

[WannaComeHome]

No diatribe here, just... trying to figure things out again.

How do you figure a price for... happiness? I mean, we really don't like living in MD (although I do like my friends and activities) and we really do want to move up to NH.

DH looked at figures to see how much difference it would make if we bugged out sooner than originally planned. If he stays another 6 years, he can retire at about 70% which would be nicely comfortable. If he leaves 2 years early (??? ) it means a difference of about $3k a year - after federal taxes.

On the one hand, that doesn't seem like a lot to push through for 2 more years, but on the other hand... that could be our property tax for the year (quite likely). True, he doesn't plan on sitting idly by and whittling on the porch, but you can't count on a job or money coming in that isn't already in hand. He's an Elec Engineer btw.

How would a retired couple, no kids (just cats), that aren't into clubbing or movies or any of that stuff (although we do like to eat out a little)do on $63k? Our town has relatively low taxes, only $14.+/1000 - at least at the moment.

How do you decide a price to put on happiness????

[debbiej63]

How do you decide a price to put on happiness????

I think it depends on how unhappy you are there. Will delaying the move cause such stress that it will decrease your life span? Stress does some strange things. Maybe one of you could get a part time job to make up the difference? There are also companies up here that may have a job opening for an EE. Or, maybe reduce the price of the house that you were originally budgeting for? Just throwing out some ideas...

[CometVoyager]

Originally Posted by WannaComeHome

No diatribe here, just... trying to figure things out again.

How do you figure a price for... happiness? I mean, we really don't like living in MD (although I do like my friends and activities) and we really do want to move up to NH.

DH looked at figures to see how much difference it would make if we bugged out sooner than originally planned. If he stays another 6 years, he can retire at about 70% which would be nicely comfortable. If he leaves 2 years early (??? ) it means a difference of about $3k a year - after federal taxes.

On the one hand, that doesn't seem like a lot to push through for 2 more years, but on the other hand... that could be our property tax for the year (quite likely). True, he doesn't plan on sitting idly by and whittling on the porch, but you can't count on a job or money coming in that isn't already in hand. He's an Elec Engineer btw.

How would a retired couple, no kids (just cats), that aren't into clubbing or movies or any of that stuff (although we do like to eat out a little)do on $63k? Our town has relatively low taxes, only $14.+/1000 - at least at the moment.

How do you decide a price to put on happiness????

Wanna, IMHO I would make the move like tomorrow morning, as to stay away from what you each desire so much is just not worth 3K a year and the fact that your husband is an Electrical Engineer, well he could probably make that in one or two weeks just doing some part time consulting!

We really do not know how much time we have here on this planet Earth and while each of you are healthy, and have the energy and drive I would suggest you get on your horse and get right up here fast!

Especially since is it just you guys and your pets you are free to literally just wake up tomorrow morning and say I am going to do this! It is your adventure and your life! Do not be a slave to mediocrity and established protocol. In other words as we say in New Hampshire, "Live Free or Die!"

GO FOR IT!!!!

[WannaComeHome]

hmmmm,
no Debbie, it isn't so stressful that it's causing health issues (hubby had a stress related heart attack a number of years ago - but that issue was resolved with a new boss). And we are going to build our new house - so.. while it will be expensive to build it will be pretty cheap to maintain.

Comet, you think there really are consulting jobs for an EE? We've been afraid that there just wasn't a market up there. Actually consulting, writing articles and teaching seminars is what he wants to do (he's really not much of a whittler ) - but that's money 'now' and not in the future unless he can bank enough to fill in once he's too old to continue (he's only 52 at the mo'). he gets into specialized hardware design stuff.

I know $3k just doesn't sound like much.. esp for 2 years (which was a surprise!)... you really think $63k annual would be ok? We do have a little taxable income, it's not like we haven't been preparing for retirement but.. it is taxable (even in NH) and with the market so volatile and all... I just don't like counting on that stuff.

It would be so nice to change my byline to '4 years and counting'

[debbiej63]

(hubby had a stress related heart attack a number of years ago - but that issue was resolved with a new boss

That is just so young!! I hope his health continues to get better.

Comet, you think there really are consulting jobs for an EE? We've been afraid that there just wasn't a market up there. Actually consulting, writing articles and teaching seminars is what he wants to do (he's really not much of a whittler )

How about teaching a college course? There are lots of colleges up here and most love to get instructors with "real world" experience.

I also sent you a dm...

[WannaComeHome]

yeah, it was young. He was way overworked, overstressed and had an absolute idiot for a boss. he's with a new group and is just fine.

Actually he had thought about teaching at a college - I'm the one nervous about it There certainly are a lot of colleges in NH.

let's see... Southern NH College is in Manchester - anyone know anything about it? would they care about EE? And Hesser is in Nashua.. What's Franklin Pierce like? Anyone know about it?? Nothing terribly close to us other than FP. hmmmmmm

[lisa g]

There's also Daniel Webster College in Nashua, with its own airport....
Wanna, my advice is to follow your heart and live the way you want to as close to now as possible. In our case, kids made it a bit more to contemplate and plan around, but you don't have that excuse You are being wise not to count your chickens before they hatch, but you can also plan ways to get around that 3k. Can your husband put out some feelers in NH or do some networking? My friend's husband in NY is an EE & does quite well doing home inspections on the side. Maybe he could do something like that?
Life is too short - hopefully you don't reach the breaking point in MD (the point at which I complained and grumbled about everything everyday in SoCal-not fun). You shouldn't have to live that way.

[BF66389]

Given you live in the MD area I'm assuming he may have a clearance- perhaps putting in those extra 2 years at BAE or something in Nashua/Merrimack or even down near Hanscom AFB and socking the money away would easily make up for the lost 3k/year.

Also, not sure what company he works for or if he is gov- but perhaps he could transfer to a position at Hanscom AFB; we commute from Hollis and its not bad at all.

As for affordability on $63K- it depends on your other expenses. I suggest making a very realistic budget and making sure you include everything (medicine, car registration, etc). Whether or not that pension is adjusted upward for inflation each year also has a big impact...

[BF66389]

Oh, and make sure you adjust your budget based on current trends; for example- we assumed $6 for oil this winter. It's high- but not unreasonable given recent price increases.

[Movingback]

CometVoyager- well said

WannaComeHome- My wife and I are in your exact situation at the moment.
We are currently living in Mill Valley (just over the golden gate bridge from SF)
And are getting tired of the Cali attitude and way most folks treat each other out here.
We have some some friends that will be greatly missed, but my heart calls out for Home (I was born/raised in NH).
We are also weighing the potential decrease in wages factor in moving now or in the future (it will be MAJOR) and have just decided to wait 18 months to make the move and build up a bit more cushion. I will say that our economics make it a bit more compelling to stay here as long as possible.

If we were had your economic reality of saving 3K a year, we would have left for home yesterday. We have decided to both leave 6 figure salaries and move home where we will be making 2/3's less. That Makes a pretty strong statement where we place the the Happiness/money equation. And as other posters mentioned, your hubby could most certainly find some consulting would in southern NH, or Northern Mass. to make up any potential shortfall.

CommetVoyager said it well, you just never know how much time you have left on this earth. If you could make a move to where your heart calls, and be reasonably sure your finances will be ok (looks like they will), I can't see a good reason not to go!!

Best of luck on your decision