Do you ever get it all figured out or mostly figured out?

[ultrarunner]

I had hoped with maturity would come the time to enjoy the fruits of ones labor.

So far the goal has remained elusive.

A few close friends achieved or are close to their ideal but as a group it meant pulling up stakes and getting out of Dodge or more accurately leaving their home state... a few also left but never found what they were looking for...

Getting out often comes at a steep price and I'm curious how many here stayed put compared to those that liquidated and simplified elsewhere in their golden years?

And if relocating did you significantly downsize as part of your move?

Aside from tractors some of the threads I enjoy most are threads where folks follow their dream and build that house in the country with the barn, pond and neighbors good but not close...

 

[oosik]

I was born and raised in WA. I've visited New York, Nebraska, Texas and Alaska. I will be staying here on my property in WA. What I have, here and now, as good as it's going to get for me.

With the 80 acres and the lake - I'm able to do whatever pleases me.

 

[scootr]

We've seriously looked at relocating in the last few yrs. But never found any place better. So we stay put Can't beat the weather, the activities, and the weather. Did I mention the weather? It's great. Even with all the rain it's been a nice winter, Mild temperatures with little or no freeze, spring is here and snow is there, yuck.

 

[MossRoad]

I had hoped with maturity would come the time to enjoy the fruits of ones labor.

So far the goal has remained elusive.

A few close friends achieved or are close to their ideal but as a group it meant pulling up stakes and getting out of Dodge or more accurately leaving their home state... a few also left but never found what they were looking for...

Getting out often comes at a steep price and I'm curious how many here stayed put compared to those that liquidated and simplified elsewhere in their golden years?

And if relocating did you significantly downsize as part of your move?

Aside from tractors some of the threads I enjoy most are threads where folks follow their dream and build that house in the country with the barn, pond and neighbors good but not close...

I think we have it figured out...

We work to earn money to spend on things we want to do when we're not at work. That's about it.

We have no plans on downsizing or moving to a different part of the country once we retire. We might find a diffent place (with 2 bathrooms! ), but 1300 square feet is more than enough for the two of us and anyone that visits, even for extended stays.

 

[scootr]

I think we have it figured out...

We work to earn money to spend on things we want to do when we're not at work. That's about it.

We have no plans on downsizing or moving to a different part of the country once we retire. We might find a diffent place (with 2 bathrooms! ), but 1300 square feet is more than enough for the two of us and anyone that visits, even for extended stays.

Economy of space has it's benefits.

 

[BackRoad]

We're in that last paragraph...just finished the house...OK neighbors...good church...siblings/best friends close by - the result of moving back to where my wife's family has lived for 40 years.

There are those that stay in one location all their lives...deep roots, lots of memories, friends and family, though the tradeoff may sometimes be limited opportunity in their careers.

The path we took to get here was moving several times as our careers progressed, we had roots, but never so deep to keep us in one location.

When faced with potential life changing decisions, we identified our important decision criteria, then sat long and thought hard to honestly visualize what life would be like in 5 years based on pursuing each of the major options identified.

The decision factors have always been improved quality of life, the ability to do and experience the things important to us, and towards the end - being freed up knowing our kids were grown and making their own life decisions at that point.

*

Knowing you on-line from your comments, suspect you have been in the same local your whole life. You've done well, good job, lots to keep you there...but you live in a location that has changed much, and is still changing and not for the better...but it is home for you.

It's not an easy set of variables to work with and will take some serious thought and rational and realistic "what-if" forecasting to make plans about your future.

Good luck...

 

[ruffdog]

I think we have it figured out...

We work to earn money to spend on things we want to do when we're not at work. That's about it.

We have no plans on downsizing or moving to a different part of the country once we retire. We might find a diffent place (with 2 bathrooms! ), but 1300 square feet is more than enough for the two of us and anyone that visits, even for extended stays.

Same here. We worked hard always looking at the long game (even from a young age) and achieved our goals going into retirement. We could move but why? There are many stories of people moving only to be disappointed and moving back "home".

 

[Hay Dude]

Guess it all depends on where you’re coming from???

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

We are in the implementation stage. My wife and I are in our early 40's. I've always been the planning type, so we planned together what we thought we wanted our retirement to look like and made plans to get us there. We are still 15-20 years from retirement. But, we have built the house that we think we want to retire in on a piece of property that we think we will enjoy through retirement. Our plan is to pay it off in 15 years or less. Then retirement should be cheaper than our current living expense.

Arkansas has a relatively low cost of living and we have the deep roots that were talked about above. We never even discussed moving out of a small enough radius to commute to our current jobs. Well, except for when our church announced a church plant in Celina TX... That one almost got me.

 

[riptides]

Where I am is where I want to be. Better with the SO.

Fortunate to have enough living space where we can accommodate our families needs or our own "down-sizing" needs if applicable. The property has afforded us many different directions to take. It's all about finding options and having long term strategies. IMHO.

 

[scootr]

There is something to be said for learning to be happy with what you have. It's affordable.

 

[ruffdog]

There is something to be said for learning to be happy with you got. It's affordable.

Exactly!

"Contentment is when you are satisfied with your life and what you have accomplished so far. It can and does lead to happiness if you are satisfied and grateful for your life. Remember we choose to be happy. Happiness is not a gift but a choice."

 

[ultrarunner]

The long game is WA for me but it's also changed quite a bit over the last 20 years and about a wash in terms of cost of living with California.

Say 2500 mo social security less parts B and D and what's left would basically cover my WA property taxes.

Property Tax law changed in WA after I bought and taxes tripled since.

My investment property is at least a part time job and all derived in SF Bay Area.

I love the WA property but the climate is not old car friendly in South Sound due to humidity.

California has the best climate I have ever experienced but the things I like to do here continue to be under attack.

Running my Echo brush trimmer, burning a yule log in my EPA cat stove, spray painting antique car parts should not make me an outlaw but it now does in California... then add changes to law enforcement, insurance crisis being the current crisis adding to the list... even attending Sunday services I'm 95% in the parking lot because a new trend is smash and grab while inside attending Sunday service.

Olympia and SF Bay Area are similar regarding homeless among many other rules and regs...

The last few years I hear the term Living Your Best Life and I'm ready to be a student as affairs for my parents get wrapped up.

 

[tacticalturnip]

I believe that I've achieved some form of maturity through the discovery that I genuinely have no idea what I'm doing. When I was in the Army I thought I had my ducks in a row; I did, however it was all in the constraints of military life. A return to reality provided me with a great view of my own ignorance and immaturity, and it's been a challenge working from that point forward.

So no, I suppose I do not have it figured out.

 

[FriendwithTractor]

"Man plans, God laughs."

I keep that thought in the back of my head every day I get up. I'm on track to get to a place that I believe will last me for the rest of my natural days. I've acquired the equipment and am now working on the place. Every day gets me a little closer. The place might change, but the plan remains the same...so far.

 

[MossRoad]

"Man plans, God laughs."

I keep that thought in the back of my head every day I get up. I'm on track to get to a place that I believe will last me for the rest of my natural days. I've acquired the equipment and am now working on the place. Every day gets me a little closer. The place might change, but the plan remains the same...so far.

Well sure! I never forget that we are extremely fortunate to have not had any catastrophic health issues, natural disasters, man-made disasters, long periods of unemployment, etc.

While we can plan for what we think is the unexpected, sometimes things happen that can wipe us out, or at least put a serious dent in our plans and expectations.

So we've always had the philosophy that food, water, clothing, shelter is about all that's required. Everything else is gravy in the big picture.

 

[WinterDeere]

Interesting thread. The trouble is that, like I suspect many here, I only find tranquility and happiness in working hard on projects and chores. As much as I tell myself I'm doing all this work for some end goal, the reality is that sitting poolside and relaxing for more than a few minutes in the evening is misery to me. Maybe that will change with age, but age 50 years now, I suspect not.

If I have any inclination toward clinical depression, it's tied to the day I wake up and have no plans or goals.

 

[BackRoad]

Yup...we can angst over a lot of first world problems.

The need for clean water, food and a shelter from the rain does not keep most of us awake at night.

Thank You Father...

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

I think we have it figured out...

We work to earn money to spend on things we want to do when we're not at work. That's about it.

We have no plans on downsizing or moving to a different part of the country once we retire. We might find a diffent place (with 2 bathrooms! ), but 1300 square feet is more than enough for the two of us and anyone that visits, even for extended stays.

About the same here, 1500 sqft house, big attached garage and we like the 4 seasons. I retired in 2020 and we could move but we almost enjoy winter more than summer. We do go south in the winter the past 4 years but only for a couple weeks to watch some races and eat BBQ.

 

[ultrarunner]

If I only only had a crystal ball to see into the future.

In all candor for as far back as I can remember 2919 was a boom time with so many indicators looking up... investments streaming in and neighborhoods along with commercial being revitalized with private money.

Pandemic set many Bay Area cities back 40 years and not exaggerating... people found they have options and with rising crime many opted to cut losses and get out not looking back.

2019 was when collectively we had finally turned a corner not counting some of the whacky laws but with money rolling in let the good times roll.