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Why be so negative towards people who do not share your preferences? I do love winter and cold weather and do not like hot weather and summers but I have nothing bad to say about people who have the opposite feelings. I think different people's metabolisms are suited for different climates.
My sister and I both grew up in Chicago. She loved the hot, humid summers, I didn't. She is happy now living in LA. The hotter the summers the better. I am living in the much cooler PNW and hope to relocate someday to Cleveland. The winters there will not bother me as much as the summers but I am not moving there for the weather. Minneapolis would be my second choice as a city to which I would move. And for the record, I recently lost 35 pounds and I am not at all fat so that doesn't add or subtract to my being hot or cold.
It's all about what would suit the individual. Aren't we lucky we live in such a vast country where there is weather to please everyone?
I'm sorry you take it so hardly as a negatve attitude towards others. I have lived in Minnesota all my life, over 50 years. I know very few people here that enjoy winters. The vast majority of the population here put up with winters and do not like the weather at all. Although most of the past 20 years were much milder winters than they were 20 to 50 years ago.
There are big pluses for living here. Heath care is very good here compared to many other areas. The economy is usually better than the national average. The cost of housing is moderate, much lower than some areas. If you are below the poverty level, there is a lot of support. Although some people don't like that because there is a segment of the population who are too lazy to work.
However, for me, for five months, especially the three deep winter months is more unbearable each year. My life is more bareable in more recent years since I can telecommute if there are snow storms. I also telecommute at other times to avoid driving in rush hour traffic. We take several winter vacations to get away from the cold and snowy winters here. I see becoming a snowbird in six years as a natural extension of what we are doing now. It's more expensive to be snowbird than to stay in the same place, so you need to invest in yourself to increase your income and live on significantly less than what you earn. Then your retirement income will be signicantly higher that the portion of the net income that you accustomed to living on during your working years. That doesn't always work for everyone though because of misfortunes and bad luck. But you can improve your odds by investing in yourself. So far, it has worked for me and I am 'on track' to becoming a snowbird in less than six years.
I'm sorry you take it so hardly as a negatve attitude towards others. I have lived in Minnesota all my life, over 50 years. I know very few people here that enjoy winters. The vast majority of the population here put up with winters and do not like the weather at all. Although most of the past 20 years were much milder winters than they were 20 to 50 years ago.
There are big pluses for living here. Heath care is very good here compared to many other areas. The economy is usually better than the national average. The cost of housing is moderate, much lower than some areas. If you are below the poverty level, there is a lot of support. Although some people don't like that because there is a segment of the population who are too lazy to work.
However, for me, for five months, especially the three deep winter months is more unbearable each year. My life is more bareable in more recent years since I can telecommute if there are snow storms. I also telecommute at other times to avoid driving in rush hour traffic. We take several winter vacations to get away from the cold and snowy winters here. I see becoming a snowbird in six years as a natural extension of what we are doing now. It's more expensive to be snowbird than to stay in the same place, so you need to invest in yourself to increase your income and live on significantly less than what you earn. Then your retirement income will be signicantly higher that the portion of the net income that you accustomed to living on during your working years. That doesn't always work for everyone though because of misfortunes and bad luck. But you can improve your odds by investing in yourself. So far, it has worked for me and I am 'on track' to becoming a snowbird in less than six years.
I was just asking why you made the negative comment
Quote:
For people that really love winter, I usually respond, move to the arctic circle where you can 'enjoy' winter almost all year round! Maybe you could volunteer to work and live in Antarctica, where you can true'y 'enjoy' winter all year round! My brother in law thinks people that love winter should stick their heads in their freezers!
Did you mean to say "badly?" I wasn't bothered. Stuff like than doesn't offend me. But I did think it odd that anyone would express such an adamant opinion about people who preferred colder climates. I understand you don't like them and that's fine. But I do.
For the record I don't want to live in a very cold place and freeze. I am not a penguin. So Antarctica is not an option.
Sorry for this misspelling. I should have used the words 'more tolerable' so that you could understand that message.
Or, alternatively, you could have used the correct spelling (bearable). I did understand the message, of course. My post was just attempting to capitalize on the unintended humor which occurred to me because of the misspelling.
I'm sorry you take it so hardly as a negatve attitude towards others. I have lived in Minnesota all my life, over 50 years. I know very few people here that enjoy winters. The vast majority of the population here put up with winters and do not like the weather at all. Although most of the past 20 years were much milder winters than they were 20 to 50 years ago.
There are big pluses for living here. Heath care is very good here compared to many other areas. The economy is usually better than the national average. The cost of housing is moderate, much lower than some areas. If you are below the poverty level, there is a lot of support. Although some people don't like that because there is a segment of the population who are too lazy to work.
However, for me, for five months, especially the three deep winter months is more unbearable each year. My life is more bareable in more recent years since I can telecommute if there are snow storms. I also telecommute at other times to avoid driving in rush hour traffic. We take several winter vacations to get away from the cold and snowy winters here. I see becoming a snowbird in six years as a natural extension of what we are doing now. It's more expensive to be snowbird than to stay in the same place, so you need to invest in yourself to increase your income and live on significantly less than what you earn. Then your retirement income will be signicantly higher that the portion of the net income that you accustomed to living on during your working years. That doesn't always work for everyone though because of misfortunes and bad luck. But you can improve your odds by investing in yourself. So far, it has worked for me and I am 'on track' to becoming a snowbird in less than six years.
As someone who recently moved out of MN after 66 years of living there, your assesment of MN is quite accurate !
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,762 posts, read 58,170,577 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Teddy52
As someone who recently moved out of MN after 66 years of living there, your assesment of MN is quite accurate !
Be careful... you may need to come back someday for a potluck dinner (I sure miss those...). Maybe it was the WINTER that made the tuna casserole taste so good. I'm currently making Pears and Lime Jello for potluck tomorrow But... measly dinners in PNW compared to MN.
I'm still considering Becketwood for after I reach age 80. (if...)
But, I need to get my name on their waiting list, I have less than 30 yrs left! (The wait list was more than 10 yrs last I checked, but the 'new' economy might now have that wait down to 10 minutes!).
My DH and I are spending one last winter in Florida before we head off to our retirement destination. While I would dearly love to be a seasonal resident of Florida, I can no longer tolerate the year round heat or the reactionary politics of the state. We are heading to the northwest, where we hope to live a more urban and "downsized" life. Of course many friends and family think we're doing this backwards; we're already living in a retirement destination! But what what we want doesn't exist in Florida. I'm quite looking forward to our adventure next year! That's what keeps you young, right?
My DH and I are spending one last winter in Florida before we head off to our retirement destination. While I would dearly love to be a seasonal resident of Florida, I can no longer tolerate the year round heat or the reactionary politics of the state. We are heading to the northwest, where we hope to live a more urban and "downsized" life. Of course many friends and family think we're doing this backwards; we're already living in a retirement destination! But what what we want doesn't exist in Florida. I'm quite looking forward to our adventure next year! That's what keeps you young, right?
There are actually some real pluses for those that can afford it (Oregon in general for taxes, Portland specific for housing $$ are high)
Many of my 'co-volunteers' at music venues retired in Portland. For me... 20 minutes away in income tax free WA works OK, as I live Rural and in a National Scenic area and don't handle city stuff like stoplights and such.
Glad there are plenty of choices for all of our individual desires & priorities.
Even tho I am way finished with rain, snow, ice, wind, all winter (8 months of it... actually only 285 days of drizzle and/or cloudcover) the coolness of evenings and green come at a price.
The biggest benefit to me is 20 minutes from PDX... an excellent airport for inexpensive 'sun-breaks'.
I keep an income property in Hill Country TX that has an apartment 4 me ($89 flight each way)
HoBo Airlines (Spirit Air) runs a non-stop PDX to San Diego that leaves early and comes back late. Special rates as low as $19 sends me down frequently.
Sacramento / Bay area / Reno / Vegas / PHX / LA are all quite quick and affordable sun breaks.
In the summer... I have used my Central Air twice in 30 yrs. I like sleeping in the silence of the countryside with the windows open.
So... ONE more winter here (kinda). Just booked another trip to Thailand for Oct-Nov (medivacation). Today I found a nice apartment there for $148/month. It is about 2x that rate if I want a beach place (non-tourist area but close to GREAT medical). Will be in San Antonio area for Dec. Back to Asia for Chinese New Year Jan-Mar.
The fall colors can be very nice in PNW and from Portland, you can escape to sun in winter by driving 1.5 hrs east. Or to Beach 1 hr west. or 10,000ft UP.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 10-07-2013 at 06:20 PM..
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But... measly dinners in PNW compared to MN.
) 
