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Some of them run numbers and assume a few things that don't pan out - reduced spending, consistently good interest on the declining balance and no major unexpected expenses. I worry about whether I will really be happy living the way it is easy for me to imagine will make me happy.
My girlfriend and I are both career high income and will have a combined delay-to-age-70 Social Security income of about $85K. As long as we're both alive, the worst case where we run out of money other than home equity in a paid-for house is pretty comfortable. There's always a doomsday scenario where things get pretty lean but we're still going to have a roof over our head and food on the table.
The Sheraton is not at the airport, we stayed there once. The Hilton is at the airport.
The Sheraton Heathrow is ~5 minutes on the free bus loop from T5 as the first stop and a 3 minute walk from the bus stop. The Sheraton Skyline is similar from T1/T2/T3. One or the other always has a 60 pound prepaid weekend rate. The advantage of those hotels is you have walkable restaurant options so you're not held hostage to expensive hotel food. There are pubs and Indian walkable from both those hotels. We walked to the White Horse Pub the last time. The trip before that, we walked to the Harlington Tandoori from the Skyline. Google Maps gives you real time updates on the bus service so you know exactly when the next bus is departing.
The Sheraton Heathrow is ~5 minutes on the free bus loop from T5 as the first stop and a 3 minute walk from the bus stop. The Sheraton Skyline is similar from T1/T2/T3. One or the other always has a 60 pound prepaid weekend rate. The advantage of those hotels is you have walkable restaurant options so you're not held hostage to expensive hotel food. There are pubs and Indian walkable from both those hotels. We walked to the White Horse Pub the last time. The trip before that, we walked to the Harlington Tandoori from the Skyline. Google Maps gives you real time updates on the bus service so you know exactly when the next bus is departing.
I know they are close to other Indian restaurants, that’s the plus. But for a few days there, we didn’t want to get out at the airport because we must get back there for our flights.
I know they are close to other Indian restaurants, that’s the plus. But for a few days there, we didn’t want to get out at the airport because we must get back there for our flights.
From Boston, my thing is to take the Saturday morning flight, be in passport control at Heathrow around 7pm, check into the hotel, walk out for a bite to eat, be in a real bed by midnight, leisurely morning, then continue on our way on an afternoon flight. The last trip, it was an afternoon flight to Rome. The trip before that, it was an afternoon flight to Lisbon. The next one, it's an afternoon flight to Porto. On a Saturday mornings, getting to Boston is really easy. Sunday afternoon, Heathrow isn't busy so security is 30 seconds. It's a short free bus ride and there's a bus every 20 minutes or so. If we're early, Heathrow is a huge shopping mall so we walk around browsing.
I only ever use Heathrow airport hotels for that one arrival night so it's a low stress adjustment to the time zone. When I was younger, I thought nothing of taking the red eye and working all day. I've aged out of being able to do that.
My advice is: Don't plan to do this and that after retirement.
First, you don't know if you can live till that age.
Second, there are many activities that you can only do it young, i.e. White Water Rafting.
Third, by 65, the travel insurance premium jumps up quite a lot. By 70, it is almost not affordable. By 75, probably every insurance company will not take your application.
Go enjoy life whenever you have the cash and time, retire or not.
we all remember those we knew who died young ...that is because they are so few ... try remembering everyone who lives. the odds of one in a couple being alive at 75 is 97%, 78% for a man and 85% for a woman .
Someone close to us died at 95, after enjoying 28 years of retirement. That is memorable.
And if I can offer some hints about how he did it: He did everything like a tortoise. He walked slowly, he ate very slowly, and he was mostly mild-mannered.
I lost 5 people between 61 and 63 in 3 months. One was a dear friend of over 40 years. I watched him take his last breath on Memorial Day. Both of my parents never made it to retirement, and I'm glad I retired at 58. Maybe I should start drawing my social security? People in my family don't make it out of their 60's. I can only hope I go to sleep one night and not wake up in the morning like one of my friends did. That's not so terrible. I'm not sure I really want to see my 70's.
When you get to 69 and 11 months, you'll change your mind about wanting to see 70.
My dad will be 90 in a little over a week. I hope I get out and enjoy my 80s more than he has if I make it that far; he could have. My mom lived past 80. I am in better shape that either of them was at 60; maybe better than when they were in their 40s. There are certainly no guarantees, but I should definitely have a plan that carries me a long way. I am trying to get a lot of things done without waiting for retirement, especially things that require me to be in good physical condition. Both shoulders and a knee have been surgically repaired, there is degenerative damage in my lower back and I try to ignore some signs that my hips might have to be replaced in a few years. I am still very physically active right now and doing some things I have wanted to do "someday" for a long time.
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