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Old 02-18-2015, 07:37 AM
 
Location: South Jersey
79 posts, read 81,286 times
Reputation: 367

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Seems there are a lot of snowbirds on this forum who travel to warmer places during the worst winter months.
We are retired and kids are gone, could certainly afford to do the same.

So DW and I must be oddballs, in that we stay in NJ during the winter!

Reasons?
1/ Fear of getting stranded at an airport during a winter storm.
2/ Fighting the hoards of other northern snowbirds in places like Florida or Arizona... restaurants jammed, traffic, etc..
3/ Worrying about our property up north when those winter storms/frigid temps hit.

I don't have trouble shoveling snow (exercise!), still go to the gym 4 times a week, read, cook healthy food, etc.. guess it would be nice to be in some warm weather during the winter, but enjoy looking forward to spring, summer here.

I dunno.. what do you think?
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Old 02-18-2015, 07:45 AM
 
Location: State of Being
35,879 posts, read 77,141,672 times
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Well, it doesn't seem a problem for you so . . . not sure what you wanted to know from others . . . ?

Up until winter of 2012, hubby and I always planned a vacation to Florida for about 10 days in the month of January. It was a great break and seemed to make it easier to get through the rest of the winter.

You could always consider doing something similar if you wanted a respite from cold weather. You don't have to buy another home or lease something and be a "snowbird," lol.

But it doesn't sound like it is a real issue for you to stay right where you are during the winter.
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Old 02-18-2015, 08:15 AM
 
Location: Florida
23,155 posts, read 26,068,004 times
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The only thing I could offer if it's only the potential negatives that keep you from doing it is the old saw about that 99% of what we worry about never happens.
On the other hand it may be that you just don't want to do it enough to bother.
Only you know.
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Old 02-18-2015, 08:27 AM
 
Location: it depends
6,369 posts, read 6,382,289 times
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No, not oddballs--you are exactly like the snowbirds. You and they have arranged things so that you wake up each day where you want to wake up. To each his own.
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Old 02-18-2015, 10:37 AM
 
Location: Paranoid State
13,044 posts, read 13,793,766 times
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We're reverse snowbirds. We spend Thanksgiving through mid-April in ski resorts. We try to ski 90 days/season, but sometimes we get in fewer days due to conditions (dry out west) or injuries (knees a bit sore from all those mogul runs).
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Old 02-18-2015, 11:08 AM
 
Location: Bend Or.
1,126 posts, read 2,916,168 times
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We are retreing to where we have more snow. A short break during the winter? sure, we do that now. But live most of the winter in the snow? Bring it on.........
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Old 02-18-2015, 11:11 AM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,638 posts, read 28,470,306 times
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There's nothing wrong with wanting to stay where you are. If the weather doesn't prevent you from going out of the house and you live in a place where there are things to do, it's fine. Why bother with the stress from the things you say that worry you?

I've known lots of people who stay in the north and lead very active lives in winter. Not me--I got away during January, thank goodness, because the short days and total darkness at 4:15 were really depressing--and so far this month I've been stuck inside. So this month would have been a nightmare for traveling. I can't imagine trying to do the amount of driving we did during January. Flights are cancelled, roads are clogged with snow, if your car broke down, you could freeze.

I did worry about the house but when we got back it was just as we had left it. Everyone's idea of winter enjoyment is different. Some people embrace it; others flee from it. Some came take it or leave it and it's all up to the individual.
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Old 02-18-2015, 11:35 AM
 
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,602 posts, read 57,579,010 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nbseer View Post
Seems there are a lot of snowbirds on this forum ,,, we stay in NJ during the winter!

Reasons?
1/ Fear of getting stranded at an airport during a winter storm.
2/ Fighting the hoards of other northern snowbirds in places like Florida or Arizona... restaurants jammed, traffic, etc..
3/ Worrying about our property up north when those winter storms/frigid temps hit.

I don't have trouble shoveling snow (exercise!), ...
I dunno.. what do you think?
I think ... Too many fears! or conflict, Best for YOU to stay home, (others many have different desires)

You may be too young / occupied with stuff around home to desire or enjoy snowbirding. That is fine, we are all at different places in life.

For some it is health dependent where they stay, others have family obligations, other just live to explore / try new things.

Do what best fits your current mindset and future objectives.
It is quite acceptable to NEVER travel and still live a very meaningful and contributory life. My grandfather took <5 days vacation / travel in his 95 yrs. That was GREAT for him. Cows require milking 2x / day; 7 days / week.

We travel a lot (and keep some snowbird locations) because we enjoy it and we each had parents who were debilitated by age 50. After spending 32 yrs doing elder care for a disabled parent, I appreciate this short spell of freedom, it could end any day now. (Winter or summer, not predictable by the weather.)
While I live in a very beautiful area, it comes at a cost (280 days of drizzle / yr).

I am fortunate enough to 'snowbird away' often during the 'drizzle season'. Might be a $23.10 flight to San Diego for the day, or a trip to CA, TX, CO, UT, Asia for a month or more. My pipes have only frozen once in a rental mobile home, 25 yrs ago. I enjoy exercising while snowbirding (seeking sun). One day it was snowing in sunny escape to SD Black Hills, so I went to a local community Swim center, and swam 300 laps. It was a good day of relaxing.
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Old 02-18-2015, 12:11 PM
 
48,505 posts, read 96,546,470 times
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Short winter trips to me is not snowbirding. In October you can see the packs of RV's head to the Padre Island area for winter. Everyone is different and likes to travel in certain areas during certain seasons. I avoid Colorado in the areas I like their because its brutal even by residence standards.
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Old 02-18-2015, 12:22 PM
 
253 posts, read 376,384 times
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I think that there is nothing wrong with opting to stay in the frigid north during the winter. However, if you are doing it because you feel that you MUST, (rather than that you just want to) then that may be an issue. Our family has taken many winter vacations over the years. Hubby has a big family and we have relatives right next door. However, we don't like to burden them with a lot of responsibility. So, while we leave a key (just in case)...we rely on technology!

You can monitor a security system over the internet to alert you to problems. You can also control house systems like the hot water heater and the furnace in the same way. Our home has 2 furnaces. In a cold snap, it is unlikely that both systems will fail, so pipes are not likely to freeze or break. We stop the mail before we go on a trip so that we don't have to worry about it piling up unchecked.

I suppose that we'd have no control over a tree falling on the roof or a freak fire, but we could always fly back within 24 hours to deal with whatever might happen. Some things, like insurance issues can be initiated via phone and followed up on when you arrive. The key is to be prepared and try to address potential issues.
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