Retirement (Springfield, Washington, Nixa: apartment, rent, health insurance)

[skiper]

I will retiring soon. Looking at Springfield. I am a middle aged man single and staight.My retirement income will be around 40k a year. I live in memphis tn.For about the last 35 years. Sorry to say memphis has gone down, the truth is the liberals have killed this town. Poor schools, highest crime in the u.s. low job market. What once was a pretty city is now a dirty city. It may ok to visit. But not to live here. Well enough of that. Now i have heard a lot of good things about Springfield mostly from the thread boards. Please tell me about the cost a small house in a good area. What would a good apartment with a garage rent for? Or how about a loft apartment downtown . Iam not real big on the party scene .but I don't mind getting out now and then. Iam a christian man. and would like to meet a nice christian women. I have no children. I also can someone tell me how much snow u get ? I cant think of anything else. So please fell free to include whatever. THANS skiper

[SassyGirl2]

Originally Posted by skiper

I will retiring soon. Looking at Springfield. I am a middle aged man single and staight.My retirement income will be around 40k a year. I live in memphis tn.For about the last 35 years. Sorry to say memphis has gone down, the truth is the liberals have killed this town. Poor schools, highest crime in the u.s. low job market. What once was a pretty city is now a dirty city. It may ok to visit. But not to live here. Well enough of that. Now i have heard a lot of good things about Springfield mostly from the thread boards. Please tell me about the cost a small house in a good area. What would a good apartment with a garage rent for? Or how about a loft apartment downtown . Iam not real big on the party scene .but I don't mind getting out now and then. Iam a christian man. and would like to meet a nice christian women. I have no children. I also can someone tell me how much snow u get ? I cant think of anything else. So please fell free to include whatever. THANS skiper

Oh brother, where do I start? First I am in Mississippi so you and I have a lot in common about the problems in our perspective home states. I have friends/family in the Memphis area, north Mississippi and Jackson areas as well so I can speak with the voice of experience. My advice, RUN as fast as you can to Springfield. Do it now. Don't pack, don't look back. Run for you life.

Now, for Missouri, or Misery as my family in Missouri jokingly calls it, I have nearly as much experience as I do with MS/TN. My observations, from a Mississippian perspective - property tax is not as welcoming as ours, however the trade off is the cost of living is lower. Housing tends to run 10k to 15k higher than the Jackson area for a moderate home - average being 1600+ s/f, 3 bed, 2 bath, 2 car garage. With you being in TN, Missouri will be more comfortable for you financially as you will certainly enjoy more nickels in your pockets than you do now.

Springfield is the place Jackson, MS, use to be in the early 60's - white picket fence, neighborhood get togethers, Sundays for church going, no cursing in the restaurants, Walmart clean enough to eat off the bathroom floors. Heck, you can actually sit on the toilet seats, without the necessary protective covers, in all facilities. Neighbors watching out for neighbors, unlocked doors, smell of the fresh air, friendly waves and "how are you'uns (instead of ya'll) doing today. It is a trip down memory lane for us old folks. Great medical facilities.

Locations I suggest: Ozark (Christian County), Nixa (Christian County), Republic (Greene), Battlefield (Greene), Rogersville (Webster), Willard (Greene), in Springfield (Greene) from Campbell on the west, Sunshine on the north, just a little east of Hwy 65 for the east boundary and anything south down into Christian county. If you don't mind a little drive, approximately 25 miles northeast of Springfield is a growing little community named Marshfield (Webster). Christian county taxes are a little higher than Greene county and Webster county is lowest.

Now that said, you will have drawbacks where ever you hang you hat, but they are much less in Missouri. Why the heck do you think we are moving there beside the fact I have family there? (Leave us a house if you beat us there.) Everyone from CA and AZ seem to be moving in so I hope there is housing available for you and me.

I could ramble on forever on this subject but I will leave it to others to post their thoughts. Don't want to spoil someone else's fun.

I will end with I hope to see you in Missouri soon and I hope I beat you there. Hey, I could be your welcome wagon, you think?

P.S. A little more snow than Memphis but not much. Humidity is lower so the seasons are not as harsh - summer and winter.

[skiper]

Thanks !!!!

[SassyGirl2]

Skiper,

Welcome to the Missouri forum. You, as I have, will find many new friends here from all walks of life. This networking is fun, informative and supportive. You will be amazed at how wonderful this particular forum is. This is the first one I have felt comfortable joining. I tend to error on the side of caution but these folks make me feel as though I can "come in, take my shoes off, prop my feet up, grab of cup of coffee (or whatever you favor), let my guard down and enjoy their company". Great bunch of folks to know and rely on. You will find this out for yourself. Hey, if you move to the Springfield area, being a member of this forum, you will have a support system in place with the greatest bunch of folks alive.

[Melancon]

We are moving to Springfield for a lot of the reasons posted here.
Springfield reminds me of what Baton Rouge was in the 70's and New Orleans was in the 50-60's. A nice lean safe place with easy traffic and big enought to have everything you need. We will have to make trips back to Louisiana to load up on seafood, etc.
I have already found other "lost" Cajuns in Springfield.

[SassyGirl2]

Originally Posted by Melancon

I have already found other "lost" Cajuns in Springfield.

We also have friends just outside of Baton Rouge. If ever we can entice them up to Missouri (when we can finally relocate), will have to give you a ring so they will not feel so much like fish out of water.

[skiper]

Thanks to all of Springfield sounds just like what the doctor order.

[SassyGirl2]

Skiper,

I wish you a happy "recovery" as you are correct, as far as I am concerned. Springfield is very healing.

[Darlynn0217]

Check out areas around Table Rock Lake! You will be amazed at the beauty in "our little piece of heaven"!! Everyday, I give thanks that I am a part of such awesome surroundings!! It is still pretty rural out here near Reeds Spring, Branson West and Kimberling City, and the views are breathtaking! But, still close enough to Branson and Springfiled to keep your calendars filled (for years to come!), just trying to see all the shows and try out the restaurants. As you can tell from this forum, people are moving here in droves! Ya best hurry!!! We'll save ya a spot!!

[malo]

Hi everyone

...This is my first post. I've been checking out the retirement forum to see how others are planning their retirements. My wife and I are considering Missouri, Alabama, Tennessee, Washington, and Oregon as possible places to retire ..so that's why I'm posting here. I've got about ten years before I'm ready to leave my job ..but could possibly transfer with my company before retirement (very large international company). I've been maxing out on 401k for a while but will have to cut back if we decide to purchase retirement property before retirement (possibly land first -then build after selling California house). I will have a small pension of about $1100, SS appox. $1200, draw from $401k $2,000 (4% of bal.), draw from other investments $800 (4% of bal.). Wife's retirement will kick in 5 yrs. later ..no pension, SS appox. $800, draw from 401k $200. I will have to provide health insurance as my employer does not offer that with my retirement package.

Would appreciate *advice on health ins. and *it's cost for retirees, the *pros and cons of living in above mentioned states and cost to live in said states, and *other recommended places to retire. We prefer not to deal with extreme weather. We are in Northern California now. I see this post is better fitted for the retirement forum, but this site isn't allowing copy and paste ...so I'll post and then try to somehow get this message over to the retirement area. I am very interested in Missouri and would still appreciate feedback from this forum. We were in Southeast Missouri a few weeks ago to watch my son play football and visited Branson while there. We really liked the area and think we could find a good fit somewhere near Springfield and Branson. Thanks for any help.