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Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,759 posts, read 58,161,153 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meo92953
AZ, I had thought of staying here because my family was thinking of putting a guest house on the family farm but, as I suspected it's protected land and can't be grandfathered in.
So - still thinking of the (what if's).
I live in a federally protected area...
think "Stealth"
Camo netting is your friend
Midnight bulldozer operations, and underground home (very energy efficient)
Mean Dog will help keep the enforcers away during the day.
Watch out for Drones! (We get photographed daily, "Scan Eagle" is manufactured and tested nearby. . So you must work at night!) https://dronepatrol.org/identification
I am retired, DH is still working (until 2018, when he retires from his 2nd career, 1st was 24 yrs with AF).
When he retires, our plan is to pack up our house, rent it out and travel/live extensively in S America for a 3-5 yr period. Ecuador will be our home base (Cuenca) and with such a greatly reduced cost of living, that 3-5 yrs will afford us the travel/exploration we want as well as the ability to continue to sock away funds.
Obviously, health and healthcare issues are of concern in your mid 60's, but Good Lord willing that is the plan. Travel, travel, travel until it is not fun anymore, than come home and sit in the front porch and watch the world go by hand in hand!
Regarding the above... I'd give a lot to retire hand-in-hand with someone I loved. Alas, 'tis not to be the case, as per the title of this long discussion "women retiring alone!"
Yes. Retirement alone for a single woman is very different than having another person to do it with. Thus, the object of my thread. Alone. By yourself. With no one else. The first thread gave us lots of ideas, but only a few women came back to the second thread to say they had actually done it (ie, moved somewhere alone). Some very brave ones did return to tell us their stories. I would certainly like more of those women to return here and let us know what happened. So I ask again: Did You Do It????
I don't remember if I ever posted in this thread before. I think maybe a few times, long ago.
For those of us who are single, what option is there other than to retire alone????? So yes, I did it.
My first retirement location choice turned out to be a bust. It was in a beautiful tourist area that I had visited many times. I found that when living there, there really wasn't much to do, including very few opportunities for volunteerism. Most of the residents were seasonal, which I found to be a real disadvantage. People on vacation behave differently than people who live in a place year round (more drinking, noise, odd hours.) And those locals who were not seasonals were very socially insular. I'm not a church goer, which really had a negative affect on my social life.
My second choice, a small university town, has proven to be WONDERFUL! I take OLLI classes (Osher), and there are always other events at the university, including concerts and lectures and plays. Community residents can use the university library, and the public library here is well funded and very active. There are many opportunities for volunteerism - I really enjoy volunteering for the statewide PBS station, which is located here. Because it's a college town people are accustomed to meeting and befriending new people, so I have a comfortable social life (although I do need to work harder at this). There are many churches in town, but church isn't the main or only form of social life, even though this is a small town. The college has a new "wellness center" which is open to the whole community, and I plan on taking advantage of the personal trainers they have there. There are several clinics and a small hospital in town, and more doctors and bigger hospitals are available at the two big cities which are both within an hour's drive away. Those bigger cities also have good airports for those who want to travel far away. The town itself is very walkable, and the crime rate is very low. I purchased a little acreage just outside of town, so I don't have to deal with student noise, but the students have proven to be lovely to interact with, and they are great for helping with yard work and pet care. The town is pretty affordable. For seniors with a limited income, there is a nice rent controlled senior apartment complex, and a senior center with the gov't. supported lunches. Because the town only has about 11,000 residents, traffic isn't a problem. But all of the things one could need are here - a nice new grocery store, three hardware stores, nice specialty stores downtown, a few nice restaurants and some fast food joints and a wallyworld. There's also a movie theater! The farmer's market is excellent, and there are periodic townwide special events, too. I'm so glad I moved here! I'm sure I'll be here for the rest of my life.
I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend small college/university towns for other single retired ladies. Just find one with the kind of weather you like and an economy you can afford and you'll be sitting pretty during retirement! (I also recommend choosing a university that has OLLI classes (Osher) because the classes aren't just interesting and fun but they are also a great way to meet people.)
Last edited by 601halfdozen0theother; 09-15-2016 at 11:38 AM..
I'm single and 78, married once years ago, 1 daughter and 2 teen grandkids. Marriage was NEVER on my radar after the 1st one. Long story, but I enjoy MY life alone and don't want to take care of anyone, and take care of myself better than any doctors can.
I live in a town that has the best weather in the world and why would I leave it. My move here 53 yrs ago was the best move my ex and I made.
Yes. Retirement alone for a single woman is very different than having another person to do it with. Thus, the object of my thread. Alone. By yourself. With no one else. The first thread gave us lots of ideas, but only a few women came back to the second thread to say they had actually done it (ie, moved somewhere alone). Some very brave ones did return to tell us their stories. I would certainly like more of those women to return here and let us know what happened. So I ask again: Did You Do It????
Point taken, but even single I think I would do the same. The cost of living is soooo much cheaper and you can afford to live "a better quality of life and spend money while still saving" with such a plan. HUGE Expat community in Cuenca, lots of singles (guys and gals).
As the other poster said, she was not interested in "taking care of anyone else" and I live in a 55+ community where the motto for the "Uno's group" (single/divorced/widowed/widower) seem to be "I'm not your nurse and I am not your purse".
I think (God forbid) if I were to outlive my hubby, that would be my motto as well.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,759 posts, read 58,161,153 times
Reputation: 46262
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhxBarb
Yes. Retirement alone for a single woman is very different than having another person to do it with. Thus, the object of my thread. Alone. By yourself. With no one else. ...
Challenges each way, but solo is so, so, so much more flexible / ez / fast to make AND IMPLEMENT decisions.
Yes, special considerations due to being solo (especially being solo w/o kids or close friends and family). but... when you set your path, you can execute it!
And there are millions and millions of single gals who have gone before you!
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,759 posts, read 58,161,153 times
Reputation: 46262
BTW: one of my favorite books, as I remember similar stories told by my aunts and single ladies I worked for as a kid. My grandparents were so excited when after a flood, I found the 'Prairie Dugout' that their grandparents had built when they arrived to homestead.
I am retired, DH is still working (until 2018, when he retires from his 2nd career, 1st was 24 yrs with AF).
When he retires, our plan is to pack up our house, rent it out and travel/live extensively in S America for a 3-5 yr period. Ecuador will be our home base (Cuenca) and with such a greatly reduced cost of living, that 3-5 yrs will afford us the travel/exploration we want as well as the ability to continue to sock away funds.
Obviously, health and healthcare issues are of concern in your mid 60's, but Good Lord willing that is the plan. Travel, travel, travel until it is not fun anymore, than come home and sit in the front porch and watch the world go by hand in hand!
That plan is so similar to ours. The difference will be we are not keeping the house. Our plan is to pack our stuff in a pod and dispose of the rest. Sell the house and put entire sale in checking/savings/CD/treasuries and travel. Our location will be Incheon Korea and travel the areas of China, Vietnam, Thailand and other areas in the far east. We have plans for other zones as well with Ecuador (Cuenca) as well. It doesn't make sense for us to keep property in Massachusetts and we can list ourselves as residents of MA using family we have here and maintaining an address here at least for a while until we figure something else out.
That extensive travel we are planning too has given me pause as to buying a new home. We are rethinking that as we move forward with things.
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