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I just purchased a beautiful handbag for less than $5. I saw one on TV this week just about like it for $60. That was so much fun. I never used to have the time to look for good buys like this. I lived life on the run and paid full price for everything. I was also tired all the time. Now I sleep when I want. I actually get to use the aquatics center membership we have had since it opened. My car gas bill is probably less, but I have driven more than 400 miles in my car this month not to mention the miles we have driven in the "out of town" car. We get to go to fun places now. No stay at home here. Enjoy!
I will have to figure out how to relax and enjoy my down time, my husband and I are so excited about this that it seems at times that the time is standing still.
Most of the people I know who have retired say they don't know how they ever had time to work because they are busy all the time.
Granted it is not a random sample of people, but that's what I think my retirement will be like.
I know a handful who couldn't handle a life without the confining structure of having a job to go to every day. But they tend to be people I don't much like anyway with few interests. Those few have found employment to fill that need.
I don't think I will have that problem. I have many interests and hobbies that I don't have time for now that I look forward to pursuing.
As for the money question, I've calculated and recalculated my retirement income, factored in the inflation, probable moving expenses, listed out the things I will do for the first 2-3 years and their costs, worked up detailed budgets for all my expenses, calculated the taxes and filled out tax returns based on my retirement income so I have a good idea of what that will do, etc.
My numbers keep showing I will be fine with some surplus for unexpected things. I recalculate every 2-3 months and they keep working. I'm 2 years away.
I come to these boards to see what others experience and think. I don't think you can over prepare or over plan for such a big life change. Maybe I'm wrong, but it is giving me more and more confidence.
My husband and I will retire next year, we will be relocating from Alaska to Nevada in the winter months. I guess my biggest question is,
Were you concerned before retirement if you were going to be able to survive on your retirement income, our income will be roughly 4500.00 monthly until Social Security age. I am a bit spooked as whether or not we will be able to survive as both of us working gross $10,000 a month but we have bills to go with that income and once we retire we won't have any bills such as vehicle loans, big mortgages.
We only have 264 days left and I'm working on getting cold fee.
We never moved nor downsized, but what we did "get" when we retired:
-The mortgage was already paid off; we just pay the taxe and insurance and the utilities.
- 2 cars became 1 car with no payment ; 80 miles a day commute on 2 cars/40 on one became car insurance for "leisure" driving ( have the agent look it up) -- it cut the cost by over half.
- No need to buy work clothes ( big cut in cost)
-First time in history we could take advantage of actually doing all our business and shopping in the daylight and actually look for the lower prices if we chose
-Got to buy cheaper off the "over 55" menu
- Learned how to spend leisure time without feeling stressed.... seriously, while you work, you use leisure time up in a streess mode since you know it isn't always there. Relax and find out what you can do at home: take a long walk at leisure, redecorate, spruce things up, read, garden, learn to can what you grow, etc. etc. etc.....
-joined a local farmers group thru a cousin to get beef cheaper "off the hoof" ( they are dairy farmers) and then added our excess garden produce ( what I don't can or freeze) to the same groups' produce. There are lots of food coops out there; research and find one.
-time to travel to see family and for leisure
Seriously, we both have pensions. We fully bank mine and my husband's isn't even what you are getting. We didn't "lose" anything. We gained time, relaxation, loss of stress.... etc. We live where life is cheap (western NY) and didn't even think of moving. To us, it would have probably cost more!
best move i ever made. be very careful retirement boards and employers play very dirty games at the very end do not hesitate to use lawyers and unions to deal with it. be sure to find out about buy backs and 401 and 457 rollover to pay for them before you retire. many people miss out. once you retire you cant do buybacks. in my job lots of people dropped dead or quit just b4 retirement. they often were given a lil help. you must ask for buyback info they will not spoon feed you info. they make their money by not having to pay retirement that is how the fund stays healthy and the fund stays big and fat. the paychecks are much smaller from all the deductions that saves money too. remember net pay is all they are ever really out. ink and paper are much cheaper than actually having to pay people. fyi get some hobbies going now so you wont go nuts when you stop working, this is especially true for guys.
Last edited by Huckleberry3911948; 01-10-2009 at 10:36 PM..
The food network works this way. You buy a box of food that contains meat, chicken, pasta or rice, veggies, breakfast product and a desert for $30.00. Every month the food is different and you buy whatever is in the box for that month. They also sell other packages of meat and sometimes a veggie/fruit box. The meat is restaurant quality and is usually individually frozen. There is no income requirement. They also take food stamps now.
Here is the one I buy from there are sites all over the country. The Senior Boxes is new and the food is OK, in fact it is the same as Meals on Wheels that I delivered in FL. Personally, the food is eatable but bland.
Churches set up the sites to take orders and then hand out the food once it is delivered.
Link is to the menu for this month. Food Menu*- Angel Food Ministries
In FL there is one called Shared FL. very similar but the box is smaller and cost less. You can buy more than one box though.
Last edited by Keeper; 01-11-2009 at 05:27 PM..
Reason: edited/added
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