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Well that's about it I guess...I'm trying to walk the fine line of pursuing our dreams (that may not happen for a year or two) and dealing with (and still having a fulfilling happy life with my family) while we're where we live now until we do get to our "dream" destination.
Anyone else going through this? What helps you? Obviously if we were saving big chunks of money every month to help or had job leads that would certainly bolster our spirits about things, but we're still a ways off from that.
Any and all comments appreciated
P.S. Just for the record, I do love and appreciate and value my family, friends here, etc., but I've never been the most patient person out there...
I am going thru the exact same thing right now! I desperately want to move - but I am not exactly sure where. I do not dislike my current city, but I am just not feeling happy here anymore. We also do not 'really' have any money to make a big move. Well, I do 'have' money in stocks and other various places that was set aside by my parents for me to with as I please. So I could cash it all in and go for it - but I know that should not be my first choice.
I don't really have any specific advice for you because I don't know what to do either!! I feel - unsettled - that is really the best word for it.
6 years ago my mom passed away, my daughter graduated high school and real estate taxes in my current home were forcing me out. So a door opened and we moved away from Northern Virginia (where I had lived for 41 years) to a slower paced, cheaper area in Virginia. During the past 6 years, my husband's job had considered moving him to Florida so we researched the area and were very happy about that move. The move never happened but we still talk about moving to Florida because it fits our lifestyle.
My son is about to graduate high school and enter the National Guard so another door is getting ready to open and I am ready to bolt. For 6 years I have dealt with elderly inlaws (my fault for moving here) and I am now just ready to find a house near the beach and live a very low key lifestyle.
I am trying to stay upbeat and figure out a plan but I just cannot get moving on it. I have considered selling stuff on EBAY and saving all that money to be move money (and cleaning out my house at the same time). That is really the only productive thing I can think of.
Maybe we can figure this out together so our dreams can come true!
Thanks for the post Stacy Coincidentally, we are wanting to move to Florida as well.
The idea about selling stuff on Ebay is a good one. I think after we pay off our next couple of straggling bills if you will, we just need to start putting anything and everything we can into a savings account and my husband will continue to look at job postings in the area we hope to move to. If anyone has to go down with a job first before we actually move, it would have to be him.
Maybe one of us even needs to get a weekend job for extra savings money (and by one of us, I mean my husband ).
Quote:
Maybe we can figure this out together so our dreams can come true!
If I come up with anything productive to post, I'll let you know.
Count me in the club! I retired last year and really want to move from the Baltimore area to the gulf coast of Florida but just am not in a position to make it happen right now. I love warm weather and I love the Florida lifestyle. I've made numerous trips to various areas there over the years to narrow down the places I prefer. I just visited the Sarasota area a couple of weeks ago and looked at some of the homes for sale in the Port Charlotte, North Port, and Venice areas and was really amazed at what is available in my price range. The weather was beautiful and it just reinforced my desire to go.
Then I get home and get hit with 60 inches of snow in less than 5 days. If I needed an incentive this was it!
But realistically I'm going to have to be patient. My boyfriend cannot retire yet, and there just aren't any jobs in Florida. Although we could probably make do on my pension until he found work it just doesn't make sense to do that right now. So we will have to see what happens.
Meanwhile, I have to figure out what to do with all of this snow...
(I posted this and then saw that both of you also are planning a move to Florida! We really are all in the same club!)
I do know this.... if you wait until all your ducks are in a row before you make the move it may never happen. Over the years I have found that my ducks will never all be in a row no matter how hard I try. However, I refuse to be miserable.
Chances are I will never have all my credit cards paid off or a nice fat savings account for 'emergencies'. If I tried to do that - I would be miserable and never enjoy life and would be too old to enjoy the palm trees I dream of. Life is too short.... I have resigned myself to the fact that I will probably always have a car pmt (because I would rather have a newer car than an old car that always has 'surprise' repairs).
Maybe my logic is all wrong or just the complete opposite of most people's thinking. But if we wait til things are perfect, life has passed you by. I'm not getting younger. The worst thing that can happen is that I really do not like Florida and I have to move again. In the big scheme of things - that really is not so awful!
So I guess I am just reminding everyone that sometimes you do have to take risks in order to experience your dreams.
I'm not really in the same boat. I'm in a place I like right now and are looking at having to relocate for my husband's job--not sure when or where just yet but most likely won't be able to stay.
Anyway when we moved from Mass to DC to here and now for our impending move we had time before it happened--we made lists of everything we wanted to do/see/conquer in that area--hikes, museums, etc. We wanted to take advantage of the time we were in the area. It kept us busy and we never went back and thought "why didn't we do this when we had the chance. . . "
Also, if you've moving far from friends and family that you are near now, just spend time with them, you'll never visit as much as you would like or for as long as you would like--at least I never seemed to be able to.
Life is short, work towards your goals but don't stop enjoying the life you have now because you're working towards something different.
I can relate. But at least you guys are all in the same COUNTRY...I want to live in the U.S.
I don't believe life is ever 'on hold'. If you're alive, that's really something. I know this, and I try and remember how lucky I am. But some days, it is so dang hard. I do not want to be in Australia anymore. I don't fit in here, cannot relate to the mentality, and feel it's time for a change.
To that end, my SO and I have entered the Diversity Visa Lottery, in the hopes of obtaining a Green Card legally, the only way IMHO. I never traveled much as a kid, and I think that's partly why I've had the bug as long as I can remember.
But in the meantime I feel as if I'm in limbo. I still have college to complete, and that's a help. The last 3 months have been vacation from school though, so I do feel as if I've vegetated a bit. It doesnt help that we've moved to a little country town part time..extremes of weather like you wouldnt believe, and I really have to work to keep my interest levels up. So it does feel like life is 'on hold'...but it's not really. It's another stage in the journey. Sorry if that sounds all airy-fairy.
We dont find out about the DV lottery results until mid-year. Fingers crossed for that.
At least I get to travel to New Orleans in the meantime...always grateful for that!
I'm one of those paying this price. The H and I LIVED to retire. When it finally happened, we no longer had a marriage left. It's great to plan for the future but don't forget about today.
I think maybe part of the trick, if you're doing this move with your spouse/partner/squeeze, is to make sure and keep something for yourself. Whether it's a hobby, certain friends, alone time...whatever. I've found out just how vulnerable you can feel when you feel as if you're 'biding time' while waiting to move to where your really want to be.
Maybe it's being a bit too dramatic, but it is tricky. You have to be careful not to get lost in it all. I feel like I'm doggie paddling most days, but I agree with yellowsnow. Keep today in mind as well. It'll probably help the time to go faster too!
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