Do you think retirement was what you pictured to be?

I've said this before but one thing that has surprised me is how inexpensive my life is now. I still seem to spend plenty of money but not nearly what I anticipated spending. I believe the biggest reason is I only need to support myself now, I got divorced and my kids are both married adults supporting themselves. Also I went into retirement debt free and that helps tremendously.
 
Financially retirement has been less expensive than I anticipated but I still have to plan and save for a variety of things just like I did during my working years.

My biggest disappointment was the lack of people to do things with.

When I stopped working I lost many work related social contacts and a few very close old friends died within a few years of my retirement.

It’s hard for me to believe that I haven’t worked in twenty years.

I’m truly thankful and blessed to have my quiet little life in the slow lane. 🐌
 
Oh... not even close to what I dreamed. If you've got some time, let me fill you in.

I took an early retirement when I was 55. Since that time, we've owned 6 home's, some hot rods, motorcycles and RV's... there has been no rest. So, Let's quick cover just a few things done to those houses since then.

House #1... bought a house in Arkansas. Had to fence the yard. Closed in the carport to make a garage. Put an above ground pool in the back. Painted exterior. Added a full width front porch. Poured a big slab alongside the house to make a small computer store plus an additional 2 car garage. Planted peach and cherry tree's out front. repaired old shed and closed it in for more garage space. Fenced around the shed for my wrecker business and impound yard. Fenced a small grave-site for 2 fur babies.
Kitchen fire started with gas leak and pretty much destroyed house. what wasn't burnt was smoke or water damaged. Plus roof was ruined along with attic by holes punched in it for firefighters. That started re-build. First, a new roof and a/c unit. total rewire of house, complete kitchen re-build, new insulation and drywall throughout the house. complete rebuild of bathroom. new carpet as hardwood floors were ruined as well. new windows and doors. Turn attached garage into large, insulated room.

Ask me how I feel about State Farm insurance.

Home #2... Moved to Florida and bought a 32x80 manufactured home on an acre. Fenced the front yard. Added 3 car ports, 1 on each end of home and 1 out back. Enclosed and installed door on 1 carport to turn into garage and enclosed the sides of another to protect car. Added covered/screened walk out deck and partial above ground pool to back of home. Built front porch for front of home. Landscaped front yard and added small fish pond. No home grave sites,but did bury 1 in a pet cemetery.
Got bored so converted a greyhound bus and sold the home and hit the road.

House #3.... Got tired of driving the country and bought land in Arkansas. Decided to sell bus and build a house. Wife and I built the entire house ourself, that included clearing the spot, installing a septic system, framing and finishing the entire
house. (plumbing, wiring, roofing, etc). Built a frog pond water feature. Planted peach, cherry, apple and plum tree's. Kept adding land until we had 38 acres. Fenced a little over an acre for fur babies to roam free. Also built 3 raised gardens and of course, a small grave site for out fur babies.
After some years, Rented out our Arkansas house and bought a house in Florida on 1/2 acre corner lot.

House #4.... Florida. Tore out and rebuilt the kitchen entirely. New appliances. Closed in the lanai. Re-roofed house. New a/c unit. Installed in ground sprinkler system. Removed carpet and tiled entire house. Replaced aging board privacy fence. Painted house, exterior and interior. Replaced all windows with energy efficient ones. Bought a new huge refrigerator and had to knock out a wall and expand the room so fridge would fit in kitchen. Planted multiple tree's and plants. Built a raised garden. Put up a carport in backyard for boat. Another small grave site for fur babies.
Sold house for a profit and headed back to Arkansas to bounce non paying renter.

Arkansas... Upon returning and getting the law to remove the deadbeats, we started repairs. They had stolen all appliances, half the cabinets, all the light fixtures, including the ceiling fans, We had to completely rebuild the kitchen.
Somehow they had leaked water in bathroom and rotted floor.Had to repair the floor, and install a new shower and toilet. Not to mention the mountain of trash, (and I mean mountain), they left behind.
22,000 dollars later, and a whole lot of sweat, we had it back to livable. Now, the everyday chores included bush hogging about 20 acres of the 38 acres of land, cutting up any dead fall in the woods, and then splitting and stacking the winter firewood supply. Mowing and weed wacking and spraying for bugs,the 1+ acre fenced piece of yard for the fur babies. Then, I re-did our private 1/2 mile road (hauled the gravel in our dump trailer, spread the gravel with the box blade on the tractor).

House #5... Florida. The next acquisition on 1 acre This time, I just closed up the Arkansas house. (never will rent out again).
Again, a house that needed a lot of love. Had to clear and cut away over grown jungle growth. Clean and restore in ground pool. (new pump,filter and solar heater). New front and back doors. All new appliances, Paint the house exterior and interior. Install ceiling fans in all rooms.Fence the yard for fur babies. (300ft chain link + 2 gates). Work on grading and stopping water intrusion. (house sat downhill).
Grade and build a decent driveway. Close in the lanai. Fence entire perimeter of property. (760 ft field fence plus Tee posts) Build a raised garden, add plants. Install gutters, replace garage door opener. Another small grave site for fur babies.
Then discover it has a sink hole problem. As if that's not enough... While working on this Florida house, get word that Arkansas house has burned to the ground.

House #6.... Today, Florida. Scramble to find another house. Much searching and disappointment until, finally land a house with large shop that upfront needs nothing done, but to move in. (hooray) Doesn't last long before we paint the exterior, add a front fence for the fur babies, paint the interior, put up new doors with doggie doors.
Raised garden, peach, apple, cherry, fig trees. Also banana trees and sugar cane and multiple other plants. Replace kitchen sink, Replace electric stove with double oven one, Replace fridge with larger one, Install gutters, Insulate shop building ceiling, Insulate garage attic R-30, Install larger well tank and whole house filter, Install outdoor wash sink, Add extra garden spot and fence, Replace 5 ceiling fans with larger ones, Install ceiling fan in garage.
 
I had political ambition and wanted to be a politician but not to line my pocket but to improve life for people but that did not pan out and yes I used to go to town hall meetings , etc in fact went to one here 2 years ago but that ship has sailed as I was to caustic , opiniated and just out there plus an Independent .

That is my real regret in life but my personality became a double edge sword .

So out of boredom I still do 4 to 6 light plumbing jobs a week and comedy acts which are unpaid and if you read my posts you understand why , lol but this was not the plan I had .

Btw , Do not go to a town hall meeting introduce yourself mention you grew up with small time mobsters so meeting the local politicians you feel right at home like you never left . it will not go over well but yes some citizens attending will applaud .
 
C50 said:
I've said this before but one thing that has surprised me is how inexpensive my life is now. I still seem to spend plenty of money but not nearly what I anticipated spending. I believe the biggest reason is I only need to support myself now, I got divorced and my kids are both married adults supporting themselves. Also I went into retirement debt free and that helps tremendously.
Click to expand...
Being divorced myself we can now eat all the ice cream we want .
 
squatting dog said:
Oh... not even close to what I dreamed. If you've got some time, let me fill you in.

I took an early retirement when I was 55. Since that time, we've owned 6 home's, some hot rods, motorcycles and RV's... there has been no rest. So, Let's quick cover just a few things done to those houses since then.

House #1... bought a house in Arkansas. Had to fence the yard. Closed in the carport to make a garage. Put an above ground pool in the back. Painted exterior. Added a full width front porch. Poured a big slab alongside the house to make a small computer store plus an additional 2 car garage. Planted peach and cherry tree's out front. repaired old shed and closed it in for more garage space. Fenced around the shed for my wrecker business and impound yard. Fenced a small grave-site for 2 fur babies.
Kitchen fire started with gas leak and pretty much destroyed house. what wasn't burnt was smoke or water damaged. Plus roof was ruined along with attic by holes punched in it for firefighters. That started re-build. First, a new roof and a/c unit. total rewire of house, complete kitchen re-build, new insulation and drywall throughout the house. complete rebuild of bathroom. new carpet as hardwood floors were ruined as well. new windows and doors. Turn attached garage into large, insulated room.

Ask me how I feel about State Farm insurance.

Home #2... Moved to Florida and bought a 32x80 manufactured home on an acre. Fenced the front yard. Added 3 car ports, 1 on each end of home and 1 out back. Enclosed and installed door on 1 carport to turn into garage and enclosed the sides of another to protect car. Added covered/screened walk out deck and partial above ground pool to back of home. Built front porch for front of home. Landscaped front yard and added small fish pond. No home grave sites,but did bury 1 in a pet cemetery.
Got bored so converted a greyhound bus and sold the home and hit the road.

House #3.... Got tired of driving the country and bought land in Arkansas. Decided to sell bus and build a house. Wife and I built the entire house ourself, that included clearing the spot, installing a septic system, framing and finishing the entire
house. (plumbing, wiring, roofing, etc). Built a frog pond water feature. Planted peach, cherry, apple and plum tree's. Kept adding land until we had 38 acres. Fenced a little over an acre for fur babies to roam free. Also built 3 raised gardens and of course, a small grave site for out fur babies.
After some years, Rented out our Arkansas house and bought a house in Florida on 1/2 acre corner lot.

House #4.... Florida. Tore out and rebuilt the kitchen entirely. New appliances. Closed in the lanai. Re-roofed house. New a/c unit. Installed in ground sprinkler system. Removed carpet and tiled entire house. Replaced aging board privacy fence. Painted house, exterior and interior. Replaced all windows with energy efficient ones. Bought a new huge refrigerator and had to knock out a wall and expand the room so fridge would fit in kitchen. Planted multiple tree's and plants. Built a raised garden. Put up a carport in backyard for boat. Another small grave site for fur babies.
Sold house for a profit and headed back to Arkansas to bounce non paying renter.

Arkansas... Upon returning and getting the law to remove the deadbeats, we started repairs. They had stolen all appliances, half the cabinets, all the light fixtures, including the ceiling fans, We had to completely rebuild the kitchen.
Somehow they had leaked water in bathroom and rotted floor.Had to repair the floor, and install a new shower and toilet. Not to mention the mountain of trash, (and I mean mountain), they left behind.
22,000 dollars later, and a whole lot of sweat, we had it back to livable. Now, the everyday chores included bush hogging about 20 acres of the 38 acres of land, cutting up any dead fall in the woods, and then splitting and stacking the winter firewood supply. Mowing and weed wacking and spraying for bugs,the 1+ acre fenced piece of yard for the fur babies. Then, I re-did our private 1/2 mile road (hauled the gravel in our dump trailer, spread the gravel with the box blade on the tractor).

House #5... Florida. The next acquisition on 1 acre This time, I just closed up the Arkansas house. (never will rent out again).
Again, a house that needed a lot of love. Had to clear and cut away over grown jungle growth. Clean and restore in ground pool. (new pump,filter and solar heater). New front and back doors. All new appliances, Paint the house exterior and interior. Install ceiling fans in all rooms.Fence the yard for fur babies. (300ft chain link + 2 gates). Work on grading and stopping water intrusion. (house sat downhill).
Grade and build a decent driveway. Close in the lanai. Fence entire perimeter of property. (760 ft field fence plus Tee posts) Build a raised garden, add plants. Install gutters, replace garage door opener. Another small grave site for fur babies.
Then discover it has a sink hole problem. As if that's not enough... While working on this Florida house, get word that Arkansas house has burned to the ground.

House #6.... Today, Florida. Scramble to find another house. Much searching and disappointment until, finally land a house with large shop that upfront needs nothing done, but to move in. (hooray) Doesn't last long before we paint the exterior, add a front fence for the fur babies, paint the interior, put up new doors with doggie doors.
Raised garden, peach, apple, cherry, fig trees. Also banana trees and sugar cane and multiple other plants. Replace kitchen sink, Replace electric stove with double oven one, Replace fridge with larger one, Install gutters, Insulate shop building ceiling, Insulate garage attic R-30, Install larger well tank and whole house filter, Install outdoor wash sink, Add extra garden spot and fence, Replace 5 ceiling fans with larger ones, Install ceiling fan in garage.
Click to expand...
With or without HOA ?
 
squatting dog said:
Never once had a place with an HOA and never will. :)
Click to expand...
I describe people like you with two words - Brill iant .

As you know here in Florida no HOA is initially more money but well well worth it , in fact flight from gated communities to houses without HOA's .

I'm in a small HOA gated community in Miami because brill iant I am not but plan to move .
 
Twostep said:
I miss the stress, the impossible deadlines, 18 hour days and then the aha moment when it all came together. It was a good run in an industry I had never heard of before. Things change and they might change again after October. So I will enjoy the summer, get a decent tan and will hopefully figure out what Marguarita is the best.
Click to expand...
Do not rule out Key West outside of Holidays as packed then .
 
Generally already knew how it would be because between my 7 high tech jobs over 4+ decades, I took off from employment for extended periods mostly for backpacking, photography, skiing, and educational pursuits. Each time until my savings became low enough, I had to go back to work again. As someone frugal without dependents and not much interest in wealth, that was not as complicated as it would be for others. And because of skills, I didn't have to deal with usual negativity employers usually have about those not continuously employed.

What has surprised me is how I've managed now over 8+ years since retiring, how I've been able to subsist fully on my monthly SS benefit checks. That is without using any of my modest savings that isn't enough to even cash buy a house here in California. So yeah, already knew how I would be spending my time without the usual retirement dreams of those who think happiness is about activities spending money or buying endless junk to fill homes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top