Retirement & the New Fuel Costs

[marmac]

the OP mentioned --fuel costs"

It is going to hit seniors VERY HARD who live in colder climates this winter as they heat their house.

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by marmac

the OP mentioned --fuel costs"

It is going to hit seniors VERY HARD who live in colder climates this winter as they heat their house.

Maybe, for those who heat with a petroleum product.

[marmac]

forest beekeeper----------I'll bet the vast majority of seniors living in cold climates do heat with a --petroleum product.

The fact--YOU---don't doesn't change my assumption.

[donsabi]

Marmac

The one thing that stopped me from moving to central PA was that most of the house were oil heat and I knew it was going up. I had no idea it would go up like it did.

I did move to NE TN. Low costs, but it has other problems. Shopping is spread out for me. Some days I may drive 80 miles just shopping. My major problem here in TN is that I have not been able to get a doctor. I am Medicare with BCBS and still have been refused by every medical facility in the area. I have to go the VA hospital for general medical care which is 30 miles away. Thankfully I leased this time so I will be leaving when my lease expires. I suggest you make sure you can get medical care wherever you decide to go.

Don

[rferd]

I have a son who lives in Maryville, NE TN, and he is very happpy there. It is a small town with everything you need and just next to Knoxville. The city is very well recommended for retirement. You might want to look it up.

[gypsy2]

Originally Posted by donsabi

I just wondered how the new fuel costs are affecting seniors on a fixed income?
I am also curious if any seniors have decided to move to a large city where shopping is condensed and public transportation is readily available.
I am now in TN and shopping is so spread out the gas costs just eat up my budget. The price of food has gone up considerably and that sure isn't helping.
Comments appreciated,
Don

Hello. Will let you know later. Am retiring in December will be traveling, camping, cross country starting in the spring of '09. Time frame; any, none. Gas will be my biggest expense I expect.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by gypsy2

Hello. Will let you know later. Am retiring in December will be traveling, camping, cross country starting in the spring of '09. Time frame; any, none. Gas will be my biggest expense I expect.

I was considering going cross county using my Kubota tractor to tow a sheepherder's wagon with a sign... "will do tractor work for fuel or used cooking grease"

My friends have convinced me that my 50 mpg VW Passat would be a better choice for economy and tire prices, and I would have AC and wipers in the car. I am looking into making a 'camping' trailer from my 'Snowbear" utility trailer for trips. I can get 44-46 mpg towing a small trailer. One friend towed a pop-up tent trailer across Canada @ 42 mpg, and said it worked out well, they are a bit big for my taste.

My VW Motorhome gets 20 mpg, but it has to sit during good weather, as I would rather get 50 mpg and use a tent (for a few more years...) Yesterday it was painful to pour in 16 gal (52 mpg = $76) for an 800 mile weekend trip, but... that would have been 40 gal ($180) in the motorhome. Next spring will be my exodus too, and I will be planning on working odd jobs along the way for gas money, and to learn more about communities I may want to relocate to.