This is a very close-knit forum community. You all should be quite proud of what you have created here.
We are recent arrivals, so let us introduce ourselves,Gannet (Dave) and Morus (Betty), married 41 years.
We each turned 60 within the last few months and that started a lot of introspection. I hate my job, even though it's a very good job, and Betty is tired of the long commute to hers.
As part of the introspection. one of the things I started doing was a Do Want and Do Not Want list. That was somewhat of an eye-opener. Much of my current life is on the Do Not Want list. Hmmm.
On the Do Want list are that we want to spend more time together, and there are still a lot of places and things we want to see.
On the Do Not Want list are the chains of our stuff, including taking care of our house and yard.
Cue Jacob Marley:
“Ah! You do not know the weight and length of strong chain you bear yourself! It was as full and as long as this seven Christmas eves ago and you have labored on it since. Ah, it is a ponderous chain!”
Marley of course referred to Scrooge's spiritual chain, but the chains of Stuff can bind pretty tight as well. And I have a ridiculous amount of Stuff (Betty is more reasonable in that department).
My company sent out a pension forecast recently, which of course they periodically do. Our current lifestyle burns through a lot of cash flow, and I honestly thought we'd have to work 'til at least 70. Well, what with the gears already turning, I decided to run the projections and a budget and see how things turned out. Lo and behold, it looks like we can comfortably retire at 62 if we sell the house and simplify our life a bit!
Yow!
The natural conclusion, and I'm sure you can all see this coming, is to go full-timing in an RV until we can't do it any more.
Thankfully, we have a little past experience at this. A bit more than 20 years ago we lived full-time in a 30' Airstream for 18 months, and did one cross-country trip in it. So we've been through the cycle of de-stuffing before, and we know we get along well enough for constant close presence.
Other than that, we've got to go through all the steps and stages that y'all have done.
Target date is end of 2016.
Wish us luck!
Jo And Craig said
03:18 PM Sep 7, 2014
I say... if you are really serious about fulltiming, it's never too early to start the purging. Otherwise, you will wear yourself to a frazzle and recovery, at this age, is not as easy as it once way. Good luck, and welcome aboard!
MarkS said
03:24 PM Sep 7, 2014
You have it figured out. When I was younger I always wondered what my retirement would look like. Deciding to full time to simplify, see stuff, and be together was one of the most freeing decisions we ever made. Now, if the wait doesn't kill me!!!
Gannet said
04:07 PM Sep 7, 2014
Jo And Craig wrote:
I say... if you are really serious about fulltiming, it's never too early to start the purging. Otherwise, you will wear yourself to a frazzle and recovery, at this age, is not as easy as it once way. Good luck, and welcome aboard!
Already started. Three trash bins out by the roadway for tomorrow's pickup. :)
I've also started the "4 piles".
Thankfully, our living situation will allow us to keep the yet-to-be-purchased RV in the driveway for some months as we transition over. So we're hoping to have the stuff pretty fine-tuned by D-Day.
We'd go sooner, but we need the income stream from SS. And another 2 years of savings and 401k contributions won't hurt. Once I hit 62 though I know I'm going to get very itchy feet, even though the current plan is to finish out 2016 in the job.
Jo And Craig said
04:48 PM Sep 7, 2014
Good luck with that plan, Dave. Many on this forum are already grinning because they thought the same thing. Once they stuck their toe in the water, they were all in!
pkhalin said
07:04 PM Sep 7, 2014
Dave and Betty, best of luck with your plans. I know with the anticipation, it seems like a long time. But the time will pass quickly. We've started to purge as well, albeit slowly, to be out next August. But soooo looking forward to it.
Hope all goes well.
BiggarView said
06:02 AM Sep 8, 2014
Welcome aboard Dave and Betty. Your previous experience will certainly help you as you now plot out your new full time strategy. Let the good times roll
Gannet said
06:06 PM Sep 8, 2014
Thanks all for the welcome and kind wishes. :)
WestWardHo said
07:33 PM Sep 8, 2014
Dave and Betty,
Welcome. Love it when plans come together. Retiring at 62, be sure you have real life estimates on healthcare costs. The Hensons on this forum are specialists on that subject so don't hesitate to contact those folks.
This is a very close-knit forum community. You all should be quite proud of what you have created here.
We are recent arrivals, so let us introduce ourselves,Gannet (Dave) and Morus (Betty), married 41 years.
We each turned 60 within the last few months and that started a lot of introspection. I hate my job, even though it's a very good job, and Betty is tired of the long commute to hers.
As part of the introspection. one of the things I started doing was a Do Want and Do Not Want list. That was somewhat of an eye-opener. Much of my current life is on the Do Not Want list. Hmmm.
On the Do Want list are that we want to spend more time together, and there are still a lot of places and things we want to see.
On the Do Not Want list are the chains of our stuff, including taking care of our house and yard.
Cue Jacob Marley:
“Ah! You do not know the weight and length of strong chain you bear yourself! It was as full and as long as this seven Christmas eves ago and you have labored on it since. Ah, it is a ponderous chain!”
Marley of course referred to Scrooge's spiritual chain, but the chains of Stuff can bind pretty tight as well. And I have a ridiculous amount of Stuff (Betty is more reasonable in that department).
My company sent out a pension forecast recently, which of course they periodically do. Our current lifestyle burns through a lot of cash flow, and I honestly thought we'd have to work 'til at least 70. Well, what with the gears already turning, I decided to run the projections and a budget and see how things turned out. Lo and behold, it looks like we can comfortably retire at 62 if we sell the house and simplify our life a bit!
Yow!
The natural conclusion, and I'm sure you can all see this coming, is to go full-timing in an RV until we can't do it any more.
Thankfully, we have a little past experience at this. A bit more than 20 years ago we lived full-time in a 30' Airstream for 18 months, and did one cross-country trip in it. So we've been through the cycle of de-stuffing before, and we know we get along well enough for constant close presence.
Other than that, we've got to go through all the steps and stages that y'all have done.
Target date is end of 2016.
Wish us luck!
I say... if you are really serious about fulltiming, it's never too early to start the purging. Otherwise, you will wear yourself to a frazzle and recovery, at this age, is not as easy as it once way. Good luck, and welcome aboard!
Already started. Three trash bins out by the roadway for tomorrow's pickup. :)
I've also started the "4 piles".
Thankfully, our living situation will allow us to keep the yet-to-be-purchased RV in the driveway for some months as we transition over. So we're hoping to have the stuff pretty fine-tuned by D-Day.
We'd go sooner, but we need the income stream from SS. And another 2 years of savings and 401k contributions won't hurt. Once I hit 62 though I know I'm going to get very itchy feet, even though the current plan is to finish out 2016 in the job.
Good luck with that plan, Dave. Many on this forum are already grinning because they thought the same thing. Once they stuck their toe in the water, they were all in!
Dave and Betty, best of luck with your plans. I know with the anticipation, it seems like a long time. But the time will pass quickly. We've started to purge as well, albeit slowly, to be out next August. But soooo looking forward to it.
Hope all goes well.
Welcome aboard Dave and Betty. Your previous experience will certainly help you as you now plot out your new full time strategy. Let the good times roll
Welcome. Love it when plans come together. Retiring at 62, be sure you have real life estimates on healthcare costs. The Hensons on this forum are specialists on that subject so don't hesitate to contact those folks.
Best of luck to you. Hope you're out here soon!
Sherry