Ready! Set! ....

[Anmacc2]

Okay so.... The kids are all married. We paid off the house. We bought our new TT, bought our new TV. Have no debt. DW (59) has set her retirement date for 4/27/16. We leave on 4/28 for a six week vacay from South Florida to Nova Scotia, numerous points in between, and back to SF on a different route with numerous stops of Interest along the way. I am 56 and will retire at 59 when DW turns 62. Please share your respective wisdoms and insights. We want to live our Golden Years to their fullest potential. What advice would you like to share to help us do that? We have about $4000 a month in take home income without touching any assets, pensions, or 403bs. Thanks!

[Blazing_Zippers]

A useful book to read is "Younger Next Year." Both of our libraries had it, and it's a simple easy way to understand getting older.
We've always been around younger people and they've keep us younger then we actually are. Don't forget staying active, and keeping a positive attitude.
We enjoy our travel trailer more then using motels. Spring in the Northwest is just around the corner, and we'll be out there. Wave to us.

[Ski_Pro_3]

I frequent this site for all sorts of retirement advice, not just financial. Peruse the forums and hope you find the site as useful as I do!

http://early-retirement.org/

[ncrowley]

Nova Scotia is great but I would not plan to get there until July. Take your time getting there.

[noteven]

Start camping in your new unit in your yard at home, so you can jettison the uneeded extra stuff you have filled it with and fix the issues, stick up the 3M hooks where you need them etc

And then enjoy...

[OttawaDon]

This thread is making me smile and I really hope we continue to get some wise advice from the experienced folks on here.

We are in a very similar situation, but not quite. I turn 55 next month and will be retiring 2 days after my birthday. I am not a wealthy man, but everything is paid off and I expect to pay cash for our first new trailer in the next month or two.

My pension will be modest, but we haven't lived an extravagant lifestyle during our 32 year marriage. We've been planning for an RV lifestyle for awhile now and it's coming close, we want to do this while we are still young and healthy.

Our plan originally was to do the US thing during a bit of the winter months but we'll wait until the dollar parity is a bit closer. In the meantime, Canada is large enough to keep us occupied for a good while.

It's a funny feeling, on one hand I wonder where the years behind me went, but on the other I can't wait to live the ones in front of me.

[Alabama_Jim]

Don't travel too many miles in a day. Take in all the sites you can. National Parks are all beautiful. Don't let speed demons worry you, just keep your pace and let them go. May God Bless you and provide many long years of fun safe travel.

[salem]

Sounds more to me like you and DW should be giving advice, not asking for it.:) You two enjoy your retirement.

[gbopp]

My advice is, do it. Don't put it off, just go and enjoy yourselves while you are able.

You don't know what life will hand you tomorrow.

[path1]

Anmacc2 wrote:
What advice would you like to share to help us do that? We have about $4000 a month in take home income without touching any assets, pensions, or 403bs. Thanks!

It's treble after you retire. You no longer get weekends off.

Everybody is different. There is a lot of what I call "retirement failure". For me I can no longer work overtime to get something. What ever you have, that's it. You should make it very hard to become separated from your $$$ that you worked all this time for.

Some little things we did...

We ran our entire $$$ situation past a tax guy, so that we know we are paying the very least we can. Found out a rental needed too be sold. Big difference of w-2 verses 1099 and what to be invested in for us. Had to do a couple "change of custodian" in 403's and 401's. Found out fees were pretty high at ex-employers plan compared to big name stock broker. Wife had various 403's and other stuff that we never dealt with before. Collected them into one pile from different employers over the years. Because retired, no longer qualify for matching stock. We're long term planners. Biggest problem we had was figuring out how to budget in vehicle replacement for upcoming years. We used to pay property taxes with our house payment. Now paid off and it about kills me to write a check to the county in the thousands. But it sure makes me smile when I'm driving in HOV lane during rush hour and not going to work.

Medical...seems to be a nightmare for some. Especially if you're planning on what state to call home. As in income taxes and whatever medical they have.

Get the "Old geezer" pass, will pay for itself quick. I think age 62 is when you can get one?

[coolmom42]

Stay healthy. Get plenty of physical and mental exercise.

Keep your marriage happy and strong.

Spend time with your family. Hold them close. Celebrate at every chance.

Keep up with what's going on in technology and the rest of the world---don't turn into a grumpy old man who can barely work the TV remote.

Take care of small problems (of every kind) before they become big ones.


Take your time.

Be flexible.

Read up on managing income in retirement. Make sure you are invested at a risk-appropriate level for your age. Understand your investments, and don't get ripped off by management fees and loaded funds.

Make a spending plan (aka budget) and use it. Change as needed, but spend your money with purpose. (My guess is you've already been doing this, given your financial situation.)

And ENJOY YOURSELVES! Congratulations!

[pop-sicle]

Me and Copilot have same basic plan, also leaving from Florida (north central ) plan to go to Maine thought about going into Nova Scotia not sure. Up into Canada drop down into either Mich. or Wis.

Just basic plan right now have not set leave date until I gather more info, like the post about you leaving early of course that just depends on how fast you travel north.

Plan to see Mystic Connecticut, Statue of Liberty, Niagara Falls possibly Wash. DC

Good travel and be safe.

[DutchmenSport]

Sounds like you're all set! My suggestion is to simply, "Go!" AND HAVE FUN!

[spud1957]

Bit early to be heading to Nova Scotia if you ask me. No campgrounds open till May 22 weekend. Weather will be a bit cool.

Also, just my own personal opinion, TMI in your post.

[Homer1]

Don't run any races. Take it easy and enjoy the scenery and arrive alive.

[2oldman]

You're doing great... sounds like you've done well and laid out the finances to perfection.

Wisdom? Do all you can when you are both fully retired. Don't put things off. When you hit your 60s is when your health can be a big factor. Hopefully, it isn't right now.. Smoking? I hope not. Overweight? Get rid of that asap.