Life after retirement

I like it.

and it's a diesel pusher ...for that price !

Gunz, you worked hard, raised kids, made choices about money, took extra shifts, skipped a vacation or two…and that really nice truck you dreamed of, made a partnership with your wife to be reasonable….

It's time to live a little, Gunz. You have earned it. Your wife has earned it.

What are you waiting for?

  

Get a Prius, a good tent, air mattress, two good marine batteries, a pillar ac unit, and make sure your smart phone can act as your high speed modem, and then camp and visit friends.....like ben said.....three days fish and house guests should be treated the same.........we are spending a week with one couple and next week less than 20 miles with another couple and rent places as we need. The only thing really costing us money is my terrible poker play. 2013 was my first losing year in four years, and 2014 has been a bad start. I spent the day walking around Goodland Florida which is basically the furthest south on the west coast of Florida and has the famous Stan's bar. No fancy pants stuff in Goodland......just fishing and a 1000 islands.....they closed the local airport near marco because of those damn imported pythons which were laying on the runway. I may be gone soon, or I may live three years, but you do not have to spend money to find warm weather and friends.

2seaoat wrote:Get a Prius, a good tent, air mattress, two good marine batteries, a pillar ac unit, and make sure your smart phone can act as your high speed modem, and then camp and visit friends.....like ben said.....three days fish and house guests should be treated the same.........we are spending a week with one couple and next week less than 20 miles with another couple and rent places as we need.  The only thing really costing us money is my terrible poker play.  2013 was my first losing year in four years, and 2014 has been a bad start.  I spent the day walking around Goodland Florida which is basically the furthest south on the west coast of Florida and has the famous Stan's bar.  No fancy pants stuff in Goodland......just fishing and a 1000 islands.....they closed the local airport near marco because of those damn imported pythons which were laying on the runway.  I may be gone soon, or I may live three years, but you do not have to spend money to find warm weather and friends.

Mr. Oats, nothing but good wishes for you and my hope that you will survive 2014 and beyond!

Mr. Oats, nothing but good wishes for you and my hope that you will survive 2014 and beyond!


Thank you, but I am ready......and I have a smile on my face.

Heck with a tent. I have done both and if you really want to enjoy your travels a small motorhome is far and away the better thing for older bones. I could sleep on a pile of bricks when I was young now I appreciate a warm dry bed a whole lot. Also as far as time goes some fool could blow the world up tomorrow live for today !.p.s. WITH A GOOD USED MOTORHOME IF YOU TAKE CARE OF IT AND BUY IT RIGHT YOU CAN GET YOUR MONEY BACK.

I don't know what to say that hasn't been said live life like theres no tomorrow --   

2seaoat wrote:Get a Prius, a good tent, air mattress, two good marine batteries, a pillar ac unit, and make sure your smart phone can act as your high speed modem, and then camp and visit friends.....like ben said.....three days fish and house guests should be treated the same.........we are spending a week with one couple and next week less than 20 miles with another couple and rent places as we need.  The only thing really costing us money is my terrible poker play.  2013 was my first losing year in four years, and 2014 has been a bad start.  I spent the day walking around Goodland Florida which is basically the furthest south on the west coast of Florida and has the famous Stan's bar.  No fancy pants stuff in Goodland......just fishing and a 1000 islands.....they closed the local airport near marco because of those damn imported pythons which were laying on the runway.  I may be gone soon, or I may live three years, but you do not have to spend money to find warm weather and friends.

I love stans when they have the oldie band playing there. I do not care for their food but its fun to feed it to the catfish over the edge, the beer is good.

The food sucks, but what I like about Goodwin and Stan's is it lacks the pretension of Naples and Marco.......I would like to get a shack on one of the canals and just fish, golf, and play poker........well I get pretty tired to fish, I just shot a 93 at Fiddlers and want to blow my brains out because I am losing all my strength and hand eye coordination, and poker losses just for this year will eat up my first ss check in feb.......after three of the last four years winning significant amounts this bad streak is getting old.....but if I am still here in the morning.....I am a big winner.

Gunz wrote:I have about 28 months left in the DROP and then my career as a firefighter will be ended.   As of late I have been seriously trying to get my ducks in a row as to what I want to do.   My wife and I are selling our big place in Molino as it is way too much work to keep up.  The kids are out and most of our animals are gone.   Once it is sold we are going to find something kinda closer to town that will still give us room to do our dog training thing but wont take me 6 hrs to get the grass cut.   The wife is going to continue to work part time so I may take a job resupplying ATM machines for a local bank.  supposed to be a fairly good gig and good pay.   Financial wise I should be good between my fire pension and DROP money and a fairly good chunk that I managed to squirrel away into T Rowe price over the years.   Couple of questions.   Should my wife and I continue to work until we are eligible for medicare?     Should we both do part time work so that we can still do some traveling while our health is good?   I'd love to hear some advice from some of you retired folks.

What's important is to wake up early in the morning looking forward to whatever you're going to be doing that day. Attitude is everything. Find what really turns you on and go for it. Don't compromise for a few bucks. The facts are, many retired folk are earning a lot more than they did before they were retired. Consider: In our culture and economy, if you're really good at something, you'll make good money -- and the people who do best at their occupations, are the ones who absolutely love what they do.

I had an ad agency in Los Angeles for thirty two years. Loved every minute of it. Now I write and help friends promote their businesses. Love every minute of it. Money is important, don't get me wrong -- but satisfaction with your life should be your number one objective.

You will only truly own one thing in your life -- your allotted time on earth. You don't know how much you've got, so don't waste it! Best wishes ..

TEOTWAWKI wrote:Pitbull I saw this deal yesterday on craigslist and I almost jumped on it..looks like a good buy ???

http://pensacola.en.craigslist.org/rvs/4278691385.html

Oh, I wish, Teo!   

We've talked about doing the house trading thing where you let a friend that lives in another state live at your house for a week or so and you stay at his. Many people do this instead of incurring housing expenses when they vacation.

2seaoat wrote:The food sucks, but what I like about Goodwin and Stan's is it lacks the pretension of Naples and Marco.......I would like to get a shack on one of the canals and just fish, golf, and play poker........well I get pretty tired to fish, I just shot a 93 at Fiddlers and want to blow my brains out because I am losing all my strength and hand eye coordination, and poker losses just for this year will eat up my first ss check in feb.......after three of the last four years winning significant amounts this bad streak is getting old.....but if I am still here in the morning.....I am a big winner.

if your feeing down, go down the road or even there, but better down the road and go for a air boat ride. Then come in, shower, nap, drive over for dinner at tommy Bahamas in naples and enjoy the scene....  

PBulldog2 wrote:

TEOTWAWKI wrote:Pitbull I saw this deal yesterday on craigslist and I almost jumped on it..looks like a good buy ???

http://pensacola.en.craigslist.org/rvs/4278691385.html

Oh, I wish, Teo!   

Wow that's nice! The 7kw generator is a little undersized and runs on propane not diesel which is kind of odd.
Find something you both love to do and do it!

The new air mattress is incredibly comfortable and some of the portable chairs and tents only need one thing......air conditioning, and with the prius you could leave the car run and use an inverter and run a pillar ac all night in camping spots with no electricity and find some incredible camping locations. We are doing a friend stay trip and hotels this winter, but this spring we will be taking a cross country camping trip and the Prius is one big generator and the modern camping equipment and wireless you can have the comforts of home with 47 miles per gallon affordable travel.

It is incredibly inefficient to pull an rv or use a motorized coach unless you are going to stay long term, and if that is the case get a park model and park it and drive the prius to the site.

2seaoat wrote:The new air mattress is incredibly comfortable and some of the portable chairs and tents only need one thing......air conditioning, and with the prius you could leave the car run and use an inverter and run a pillar ac all night in camping spots with no electricity and find some incredible camping locations.  We are doing a friend stay trip and hotels this winter, but this spring we will be taking a cross country camping trip and the Prius is one big generator and the modern camping equipment and wireless you can have the comforts of home with 47 miles per gallon affordable travel.

It is incredibly inefficient to pull an rv or use a motorized coach unless you are going to stay long term, and if that is the case get a park model and park it and drive the prius to the site.

that's the way I have always tent camped. air matresses, propane stove, etc. however I in my younger age than yall am finding that is not as appealing as it used to be. Getting up to go to the bathroom in a pain in the ass and this seems to be increasing as I get older. taking showers in community shower rooms is also a pain in the ass, taking extra caution to not get my feet dirty after getting out, getting my cloths on in areas that are nice but not home clean, pain in the ass. then brushing my teeth in a sink here a group of snotty nosed kids or a group of hippies also doesn't appeal to me any longer.

so sure, surving if you have to is one thing, retiring and liking tent camping, a hole nother thing.

guns the house swap seems ok, if you can do that for a while. but really motor home where you have your own comforts is sweet. My uncle just sold his place in GA and they just got back from a around the USA tour. They couldn't be happier. That was initially my retirement plan, now Ive come to the conclusion my retirement plan is to live life now best as I can because I will work till I drop.

I will say everybody is different so only you can decide what you like. perhaps try multiple things. I know when my dad had to retire, he hated it. then his eyesight went out. so whatever you do, don't do just nothing because if you are like so many who are used to being active, boredom can kill you quick.

good luck

2seaoat wrote:The new air mattress is incredibly comfortable and some of the portable chairs and tents only need one thing......air conditioning, and with the prius you could leave the car run and use an inverter and run a pillar ac all night in camping spots with no electricity and find some incredible camping locations.  We are doing a friend stay trip and hotels this winter, but this spring we will be taking a cross country camping trip and the Prius is one big generator and the modern camping equipment and wireless you can have the comforts of home with 47 miles per gallon affordable travel.

It is incredibly inefficient to pull an rv or use a motorized coach unless you are going to stay long term, and if that is the case get a park model and park it and drive the prius to the site.

Here are the cons: a prius can be totaled in what otherwise is a fender bender. They are incredibly expensive in some repairs, and they have 0 ground clearance. Agreed on pulling a vehicle but scooters and bicycles make a great substitute,

I throw the hat in the ring of any small truck between 1990 and 1997. They run great never break and with a few modifications can get 22-26mpg. Change out the rims to 15 or 16 inch get wider tires and you can go anywhere most overblown modern 4x4s can. Plus you can sleep in the back with a form fitting mattress from truck candy, put on a lehr camper top with wall to wall carpet. Change to. A heavy duty amp and you are in business, plus it goes places a prius cant even think about. Remember some of Utah's best hikes require some off road driving.

On the plus side the prius gets great mileage, and surprising space for a sub compact

Here is another cool idea

http://www.sylvansport.com

Can be pulled behind a motorcycle  

Or a. Prius.

Dude that truck candy site has some good stuff..thanks...here's an alternative to towing...

Prius should not tow anything, but the trailer is cool

There are not many things worse than tent camping in the rain.

Some of the best times I had with my ex were in my motorhome traveling and I loved it when a good storm would blow up ..the cuddling was well worth it. I got some pictures of my motorhome covered in palm leaves after a big blow in southern Florida. I should have chucked it all and kept my ex rollin down the road she loved it .