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Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
2,308 posts, read 4,121,934 times
Reputation: 5025
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Escort Rider
......" If our heart is really in a location, then we know it without analyzing the reasons why. And that's the location we should be in, even if it's not the lowest cost of living imaginable, or even if there are drawbacks ....(from somebody else's point of view ..
😁..I don't often agree with Escort Rider -- when it comes to describing the qualities and enumerating what a specific area has to offer --- for retirement, however I do agree with his above quoted statement.
Sixty Five years ago, at age 19, as I was discharged from the hospital where I had been
-- for 6 months-- (the only survivor of a double fatality auto accident), I made a promise to my self that when I recovered, I would finish college, get married, get a job that fit my skill set & live and retire in an area that fulfilled my desires and requirements. By the Grace of God, I have "made good"on that promise!!
I was married for 51 years and have a 60 yr old daughter, traveled (many trips with my wife) in my job for 40 years, built our retirement home at age 48 (here in Montana) and then worked another 14 years to retirement at age 62.
Has life been easy --- Hell No...........Has it been fulfilling --- Hell Yes!!
I'm in my 23rd year of retirement and 37 years in this home I built for retirement and wouldn't change a thing.
I am so sorry to hear you are unhappy in SW Florida after leaving MA. Did you sell your home there? Did you buy a home or condo in SW Florida?
I can understand that it would be quite a shock with the drastic change in climates, especially enduring the FL summer weather (I lived there). Is there anyway you can live in MA and rent in FL during some winter months?
Or maybe half-way back, like NC, Tennessee or VA would be a better fit for you. The trees, flowers and terrain are much more similar to MA with a milder climate although summers are warmer.
Oh, dearie me, shamrock, no, my life got totally destroyed when hubby died with no insurance. He only had life insurance from his company and when his cancer came back, they used some excuse to fire him. I begged him to sue the company but he wouldn't. I got $3 that was in his wallet. I lost the house to the bank. Came down to Florida at the urging of an old friend who turned her back on me when I got mired down with so many expenses in moving. Another friend has come to my rescue by letting me stay for a little while rent free so I can get some money behind me and start to repair my credit. This is why I am so horribly miserable. I am trying my best to recover from almost deathblows to my life. All our savings went to trying to save hubby's life after his health insurance went bye-bye with the job too.
I only started posting again because someone repped my original post and I thought I would update it to what is my new reality. Sorry it sounds so crappy, it is but I don't want people to feel bad. LOL, I know I sound suicidal, I AM but like I said, I am too nosey about what will happen next!! I talk about it because it keeps me in check. I know, I am weird.
What a terrible series of blows. Thank you for telling us.
As for being suicidal, I think there is a mechanism in the mind that is like a safety vale "there is a way out even if I'd never do it" kind of thing.
I can appreciate why advice isn't so helpful. Keep trucking.
Oh, dearie me, shamrock, no, my life got totally destroyed when hubby died with no insurance. He only had life insurance from his company and when his cancer came back, they used some excuse to fire him. I begged him to sue the company but he wouldn't. I got $3 that was in his wallet. I lost the house to the bank. Came down to Florida at the urging of an old friend who turned her back on me when I got mired down with so many expenses in moving. Another friend has come to my rescue by letting me stay for a little while rent free so I can get some money behind me and start to repair my credit. This is why I am so horribly miserable. I am trying my best to recover from almost deathblows to my life. All our savings went to trying to save hubby's life after his health insurance went bye-bye with the job too.
I only started posting again because someone repped my original post and I thought I would update it to what is my new reality. Sorry it sounds so crappy, it is but I don't want people to feel bad. LOL, I know I sound suicidal, I AM but like I said, I am too nosey about what will happen next!! I talk about it because it keeps me in check. I know, I am weird.
I think you are amazingly resilient to get through those tragic events. Sincere condolences on the passing of your husband. I think the complete lack of compassion by some companies is beyond contemptible.
I hope you get back on your feet again, but if you've gotten this far I'm sure you will. I hope you are close enough to a beach to walk - somehow it is always helpful to me to clear my head. Very best wishes to you.
Most threads on a retirement forum deal with moving away since so many people do it upon retirement---and there isn't as much to say about staying in place. But just wondering whether there are other folks who don't feel compelled to move away---and what your reasons are for staying in place. Is it liking your home, not wanting to sell and take a loss, or being by family?
I guess what I'm really wondering is whether I am just being lazy and letting inertia rule by staying in place---whether the goal should be to find your ultimate happy place...and whether such a place really exists (there's a saying, "wherever you go, there you are" as well as "bloom where you are planted.") So while I feel that I am doing well by enjoying my current locale (even though it's not perfect---traffic is the biggest issue), I don't know if I am doing myself a disservice my not exploring the "ideal" place to live.
Is anyone else okay with retiring in place?
Had we retired in place, we would have at least had to buy a new home because we were living in a 2 story house and the stairs were getting increasingly difficult on joints.
We also only had one child out of 4 still living there. Even the one child still there we now see for more extended quality time vs when we were there.
Additionally, we had exorbitant to the point of sickening expenses. RE taxes of $10,000 which would only be going up, not to mention utilities, etc.
We moved near a resort area and see all of our children more frequently because they like visiting/vacationing in this area. We also moved nearer family that we see and enjoy more than we saw and enjoyed extended family where we were.
We are happier here than where we were.
Its a personal thing and everyone's experiences/circumstances will differ.
I'm 58 and single and relocated in 2006 for work. I live in the Maryland suburbs outside of DC and decided to retire in place. I paid off my 3 story townhouse 2 years ago and of this June no longer work. Here's why I am staying:
1. There are many amenities for retirees nearby, including aSenior Center and beautiful public library, and several kinds of international and big name grocery stores, big box retail stores, malls; and a major grocery and liquor store right across the street.
2. There are bus tops in front of the development, thus enabling me to get around when I am not able to drive
3. There are 3 major airports to chose from (I like to travel frequently)
4. My development has 2 large swimming pools for adults and is landscaped nicely. Snow removal is prompt. I have a small front and backyard with no grass to cut.
5. I invested a lot in my house fixing it up and chose and replaced the paint colors, kitchen granite flooring, plumbing and lighting fixture. Also replaced the roof, hot water heater, and air conditioning. If I moved I would never recover all the money I spend on it. I love the layout and sizes of the rooms.
6. Access to amenities and events in Washington DC and surrounding Maryland and Virginia cities.
7. Lots of non degree classes available at local community college.
I don't have many friends; but can always find things to do. My son and his family live 2 hours away. My other son and his family live an 1 hour flight away.
I would be, if NH didn't have property taxes so high that no retiree could possibly afford to stay.
Over the years I've noticed that although you complain frequently about the high property taxes in New Hampshire, you never mention that your state has no income tax and no sales tax. Well duh! How could property taxes be other than high under those circumstances?
Also, you are the accomplished master of hyperbole. "No retiree could possibly afford to stay" in New Hampshire? I call baloney on that one.
Over the years I've noticed that although you complain frequently about the high property taxes in New Hampshire, you never mention that your state has no income tax and no sales tax. Well duh! How could property taxes be other than high under those circumstances?
Also, you are the accomplished master of hyperbole. "No retiree could possibly afford to stay" in New Hampshire? I call baloney on that one.
Shh! You're giving the secret away. Make it sound bad so others don't move there and bring their bad voting habits with them. I'll be more than happy to tell you how rough it is in Alaska.
Location: Formerly Pleasanton Ca, now in Marietta Ga
10,347 posts, read 8,564,711 times
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I don't think there is anything wrong with staying put, especially if you have friends and family nearby. I moved from the expensive Ca bay area to Atlanta as I planned to invest in real estate and also restart a business that had died off.
In the end I made more than I planned off of real estate and have a great cash flow so I didn't have to restart my business. So I retired early.
Combined with a lower cost of living I am quite comfortable. Since I made more than I thought I could move back to Ca, but for now I am enjoying my new life in the south and have enough extra money to live almost anywhere. I thought about trying new areas and countries. If I go back to Ca I would have to curtail that because of the housing cost.
In the end do what you can afford and makes you happy. Life is too short.
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