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There is a good reason for goats to be "verboten" - nothing worse than someone who decides to get goats and does not understand how hard they are to fence in. Your neighbors won't be amused when your goat climbs up on top of their high-end car, scratching the paint badly. Damn goat will pass by every old pickup in town to go jump up on a Bimmer, Benz, or similar. Not sure what motivates them, but I do know that's how it works. Not saying the OP does not know how to handle goats, maybe they do. But there are always people who try and fail.
I have never lived in Wyoming, but have lived near Denver (Johnstown) and in Idaho Falls, so have experienced similar winters I think. These winters are no joke, although, like anything, if you are properly prepared in terms of vehicles and clothing, and have made proper arrangements for heating your house, and that house needs to be pretty well insulated - well it can still be a PITA. But if you are unprepared, it can be a lot worse, people freeze to death in such country from time to time.
LOL. Our family home WAS in an area that permitted livestock. It later changed to just equines, as it moved up the desirability scale. Our neighbors' goats used to come over to our place and jump on my dad's collectible '55 Lincolns. I was around 15, and he asked me if I could get ahold of the goat. I did, and we took it to the dump, me and the goat in the back of his li'l Datsun. The dump: Goat heaven. Yeah, that was in like '71.
I also lived in Wyoming and Montana winters and yeah, no joke. Had to plug the pick-up in, every night. No thanks!
I retired from the US Navy when I was 42. I built our house and farm. I am currently 58.
Quote:
... And, what's the plan for when you go? How will your wife handle the farm? This is a life which requires a strong healthy man.
That sounds rather sexist.
My wife has gone through five heart attacks [so far]. She has already outlived all of her siblings, her parents and grandparents. We anticipate that she will pass first. I should have another 40 years ahead of me.
My construction projects are winding down. I did Solar-Power last year, and Solar-Thermal this year. [so more no electric bills and no further heating bills]
I do not think that I will be adding any more construction projects onto our farm after this.
My wife is more than capable of handling farm operations otherwise.
I missed where Rod5591 said anything about his financial resources. He is simply trying to figure out how his retirement will work. Retirement is scary when you have not made the leap yet. There are many posters here who would not be comfortable going into retirement even if they had 5X my cash flow. What you think you would be comfortable with, will be entirely different from how much someone else will need. After 16 years of retirement I am still learning.
Reason I am looking for a less expensive place is, I am no millionaire. We will have about a $460K nest egg that we will have to buy our place with and then make the rest last. If I can wait till I am 67 to collect social security I can count on about $2,700 per month, if the government doesn't go broke.
He can forget California. Not to mention the gas tax being raised.
Yes, the California gas tax (adding up to $.30 per gallon) is one of the reasons we've decided to leave here. We feel so discouraged by what the Democrats have done to this state. In Orange County, which is still republican, the roads are pretty good, but as soon as you cross over to Los Angeles county, the quality of the roads deteriorates noticeably.
I think OP wanted a house. That's where it gets tough. You can find a trailer with some acreage in that range. A house? Much more difficult, especially if it doesn't need a lot of work.
We are also looking at mobile homes. They are less expensive. I guess some brands or manufacturers are better than others. Not having lived in one before, I wonder how they hold up to cold weather, rain, etc?
Reason I am looking for a less expensive place is, I am no millionaire. We will have about a $460K nest egg that we will have to buy our place with and then make the rest last. If I can wait till I am 67 to collect social security I can count on about $2,700 per month, if the government doesn't go broke.
We came here with less than 1/4 of how much you have.
We came here with less than 1/4 of how much you have.
I didn't say we are poor, but the $460K number I gave you includes my 401K savings plan + the estimated equity in my home in CA that isn't even sold yet.
My wife always tells me to not waste my time on regrets, but still, I regret that I did not stay in the Navy and retire at age 40 with a pension. But actually when I was in the Navy, I couldn't wait to get out. One of my COs wanted to recommend me for OCS but I wasn't interested. I almost counted the days till my 4 years was over, thinking that when I was free at last, I would set the world on fire. LOL what an arrogant and insufferable fool I was.
I was stationed on CV63 USS Kitty Hawk for 2 years, and I found it difficult to not see the sky for days at a time. I can't imagine how you submariners did it inside one of those little subs, under the water most of the time! Thanks for your service.
Rather in the grand scheme you are actually very well setup for retirement.
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... I regret that I did not stay in the Navy and retire at age 40 with a pension.
That happens.
Quote:
... But actually when I was in the Navy, I couldn't wait to get out.
My first enlistment was for 6 years, and I hated the Navy. I got out and went to college. As I was finishing my EE, friends convinced me of the value of the pension. So I went back in. served another 14 years and got the pension.
But that time around, I invested like crazy.
Quote:
... I was stationed on CV63 USS Kitty Hawk for 2 years, and I found it difficult to not see the sky for days at a time. I can't imagine how you submariners did it inside one of those little subs, under the water most of the time! Thanks for your service.
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), Length: 1,068.9 ft
USS Alaska (SSBN-732), Length: 560 ft
Given how 'huge' a carrier is, a 'little' sub is over half the size of a carrier. Considering how many nuclear warheads were carried on each FBM in the cold war [16 or 24 missiles with up to 14 warheads per missile], a fairly powerful sumbitch.
But, yeah, 7 months each year spent underwater is a pain. Fortunately, we got the extra cash and tax-free bonus pay.
We're seniors looking to get out of Asheville, NC (lived in NY near the City). We know
cold and blizzards. We can't afford the >55 places. Our focus is Lehigh Valley (someone
recommended looking at Easton and we will). I've
used cost of living calculators but: 1) They rarely have dates associated with them (so
they're worthless - this forum is actually better), so I don't know what's correct.
2) Any pointers on how we can figure out property tax components? I know if we
live in Bethlehem, taxes will be higher but if we live outside the city limits, any clue
how much difference this would make?
We are also looking at mobile homes. They are less expensive. I guess some brands or manufacturers are better than others. Not having lived in one before, I wonder how they hold up to cold weather, rain, etc?
You'd be better off in a dry climate with a MH.
They tend to leak.
Usually little to no insulation either.
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But if you are unprepared, it can be a lot worse, people freeze to death in such country from time to time.
