I'll add to the list - shovel snow, deal with traffic, remain in a bad personal or family situation, change of scenery, you name it. It does no good to live independently of work if you can't enjoy the benefits that it brings. My goal is to actually move to a higher-cost area in a few years, while also not having the stress of continuing to make a six-figure income. That higher-cost area, of course, has substantial other advantages that I desire.
asithi
· 1 year ago
I think family is the biggest appeal of living in CA for me. My in-laws, parents, siblings, and cousins are here. I might not interact with them much, but just being only a couple hours of driving from them makes me feel connected. I would hate to have to spend my vacation just visiting family throughout the year. And when I get annoyed with my parents I can just go home. When do parents stop telling you how to live your life?
But things would be easier in another state, especially one where housing is cheaper. My husband and I talk about selling our house at retirement and downsize to something cheaper at another state, but I think it is just talk. Who wants to start shoveling snow for the first time in your 60s?
FFB
· 1 year ago
Yup, Queens is expensive. Small attached houses are ridiculously expensive. And you get to travel around an hour to Manahttan. We've considered Florida (we loved Miami) as well as out west (Portland). For now our place is paid for and we're working on school for both my wife and I. After that who knows? Wanna rent out the place in Kansas?
We'd miss the food variety too if we moved out of NYC.
Patrick
· 1 year ago
You know... you could always move to the South and bring the doner and tzatziki sauce with you. Mmmm.... :)
Joking aside, I agree with you. My wife and I are considering a move to be closer to the rest of her family, even though it is substantially more expensive than where we currently reside. IMO, family is much more important than kiving as cheaply as possible. But that is our choice; others can choose whichever is best for them.
Pamela
· 1 year ago
As a person who moved from Ventura County to Aiken, SC (yup, it IS as small as it sounds) I think I have the best of both worlds. At the moment I am working in Raleigh & going back & forth but before I took the position I'm in now (and I'm in it for a finite amount of time) I lived in Aiken working from home for almost 3 years and loved it. I like the friendliness of the small town, I'm within a 1/2 drive of Augusta (750K population) and about 2 - 2 1/2 hours from family in Atlanta - where I can get just about any kind of cuisine or anything else I need a big city to find.
With the sale of my home in LA I bought my current home on 3 acres, & house is 2,900 sq ft for less than $225K, and had enough money left over to purchase several pieces of income producing real estate to support me when I do finally decide to retire. Most everything I need however I can find either on-line, at the big retailers in town (Target) or the specialty retailers (Pier 1, Hobby Lobby, Dillard’s) and Aiken actually has an amazing array of restaurants.
Before I moved however, I did several months of research to find a town I wanted to live in presumably for the rest of my life. I was mid-50's then and while I might never retire "officially" I wanted a place where I could experience life at a slower pace.
All this said I have to admit I've been a nomad most of my life - the 6 years I spent living in CA was the longest I've lived anywhere since I graduated high school 40+ years ago and started moving up that proverbial career ladder - which accounted for several of my moves. I also have a small family (no siblings - Mom lives with us) and enjoy visiting family & getting to see new scenery. I also travel for business so boredom is not an issue either.
I guess my point is work should not dictate where you live nor should the cost - Your happiness with where you are should.
(though I have to admit to missing my jaunts to the Hollywood Bowl..)
Greg
· 1 year ago
Hey there Bripblap.
I often view my #1 value as being totally financially free. Mobile in everyway shape and form when I want where I want. But as time goes on, I realized that I am not this economical monster machine bent on no-life in order to achieve no-debt. So I see what you're saying.
When I was growing up I wanted my eyebrow pierced and to dye my hair often. There is no reason to do this, I have great blond hair that not many people can get the shade of, but that is despite the fact of what I WANTED.
Most of the things we want are not things we need. But if we listened to people saying not to get what we want and we ended up with everything we needed, what then? You've driven all life out of your existence. All you have is your debt-free reality and who knows how long that took you to get there?
As I told my dad back then, "Let me be foolish and young!" and now as I say to myself, "Let me see the world and dream!"
No point in doing anything for the world if you've never experienced it or dared to dream what could be if tried.
Long comment sorry man! Your posts always make me think. Excellent.
-Greg PS. I got my blog up. Tell me what you think? Working the kinks out... haha good thing didn't try to learn html just this basic stuff throws me for a spin.
move to portugal
· 1 year ago
Thanks for the link Steve. For us moving to Portugal is not about financial freedom, its about changing our lifestyle, our working enviroment and if I'm honest getting some sunshine:) I will miss city life when I'm there but you can fly from Lisbon to NY, thats one of the first things I checked!
All Comments
But things would be easier in another state, especially one where housing is cheaper. My husband and I talk about selling our house at retirement and downsize to something cheaper at another state, but I think it is just talk. Who wants to start shoveling snow for the first time in your 60s?
We'd miss the food variety too if we moved out of NYC.
Joking aside, I agree with you. My wife and I are considering a move to be closer to the rest of her family, even though it is substantially more expensive than where we currently reside. IMO, family is much more important than kiving as cheaply as possible. But that is our choice; others can choose whichever is best for them.
With the sale of my home in LA I bought my current home on 3 acres, & house is 2,900 sq ft for less than $225K, and had enough money left over to purchase several pieces of income producing real estate to support me when I do finally decide to retire. Most everything I need however I can find either on-line, at the big retailers in town (Target) or the specialty retailers (Pier 1, Hobby Lobby, Dillard’s) and Aiken actually has an amazing array of restaurants.
Before I moved however, I did several months of research to find a town I wanted to live in presumably for the rest of my life. I was mid-50's then and while I might never retire "officially" I wanted a place where I could experience life at a slower pace.
All this said I have to admit I've been a nomad most of my life - the 6 years I spent living in CA was the longest I've lived anywhere since I graduated high school 40+ years ago and started moving up that proverbial career ladder - which accounted for several of my moves. I also have a small family (no siblings - Mom lives with us) and enjoy visiting family & getting to see new scenery. I also travel for business so boredom is not an issue either.
I guess my point is work should not dictate where you live nor should the cost - Your happiness with where you are should.
(though I have to admit to missing my jaunts to the Hollywood Bowl..)
I often view my #1 value as being totally financially free. Mobile in everyway shape and form when I want where I want. But as time goes on, I realized that I am not this economical monster machine bent on no-life in order to achieve no-debt. So I see what you're saying.
When I was growing up I wanted my eyebrow pierced and to dye my hair often. There is no reason to do this, I have great blond hair that not many people can get the shade of, but that is despite the fact of what I WANTED.
Most of the things we want are not things we need. But if we listened to people saying not to get what we want and we ended up with everything we needed, what then? You've driven all life out of your existence. All you have is your debt-free reality and who knows how long that took you to get there?
As I told my dad back then, "Let me be foolish and young!" and now as I say to myself, "Let me see the world and dream!"
No point in doing anything for the world if you've never experienced it or dared to dream what could be if tried.
Long comment sorry man! Your posts always make me think. Excellent.
-Greg
PS. I got my blog up. Tell me what you think? Working the kinks out... haha good thing didn't try to learn html just this basic stuff throws me for a spin.
For us moving to Portugal is not about financial freedom, its about changing our lifestyle, our working enviroment and if I'm honest getting some sunshine:)
I will miss city life when I'm there but you can fly from Lisbon to NY, thats one of the first things I checked!