Introduce yourself here!

Hey LakeRat..........what lake? Our Condo is on Lake Texoma.

BTW, for you non-Texans, there is only one natural lake
in the whole state of Texas. That's right! I didn't
believe it either. A box of used dryer sheets to any non-Texan who can come up with the name.

JG

only one natural lake
in the whole state of Texas.

Caddo Lake?

EngrGal

Bingo! Where should I send your dryer sheets?

JG

[Brat]

LakeRat, I retired at 48 (the first time) when making very good money in a dysfunctional office. Did that to save my sanity. A year later I was recruited into a great, addicting, org; left a few years later only because my parents really needed me and I had trained my replacement. These days I do consulting gigs to keep up my skills.

We retired to the NW equivalant of "the lake"- the Sound, a ferry ride away from the big city.

I shared with you my in-law story because we all need to think about 'worst case'. In my part of the world we look out over magnificent vistas, many dream of retiring to a forrest cabin from an urban life. After retiring the next thing they do is sell the house and build a replacement out in the woods (for some reason they don't downsize the urban house and build a modest cabin). For the first time in their life they need to maintain a well and a septic system. After such a move I know of one wife in my age group who said it was her or the woods and the woods won. Big houses in the forrest or on rural lakes aren't hot properties.

[LakeRat]

Hey,

Thanks for the responses. Lake Caddo is not my cup of Tea. As someone said it's the only natural lake in Texas. It's on the border between Texas and Louisiana and looks more like Louisiana (read swamp...). Dark coffee colored water and moss in the trees, yuck....

Our house is on Cedar Creek. It's a little man-made lake with 328 miles of shoreline. It's the third largest lake in Texas, behind John's Texoma and Toledo Bend which is also on the border of Texas and Louisiana. We are 60 miles from Dallas and it's an easy commute into town.

I love the lake area, but as Brat pointed out it's a high maintenance existance. A property on the water can be a real money pit. I am not real anxious to do a lot of that maintenance myself so that is the reason I would be out of here in a flash if something happened and my husband was not here. He is really great about the maintenance. A real first class Mr. Fix-it. So I don't have to worry about that right now. I love being out here. We downsized into a smaller home and the cost of living in this more rural setting is much less than in Dallas.

Brat, I love my job, but my office is very disfunctional, and I have been unhappy with the office politics for a long time. I am working thru the lists of reasons why I would be better off without the aggravation of the politics. I haven't ruled out going back to work at some time in the future if I get bored.

I have had several wake up calls in the last year. I have lost three friends (all younger than me) and have watched my inlaws decline in health. It's time to get on with life and enjoy whats left. I need to open that door to my new life, I am just having trouble getting the courage to turn the handle.

I am encouraged to be meeting you guys and finding that others found happiness in walking away and opening that new door.

Only a Texan would call 328 miles of shoreline a
"little lake"

JG

[Zipper]

When Mrs. Zipper's cousins were visiting from England for a couple of weeks in May of 2000 they wanted to see "The Great Lakes".

We spent a day in Toronto and did the tour. (Lake Ontario)

Then down to Niagara and along the North shore of Lake Erie to Pt. Stanley. They were amazed that we could stand on a 200' cliff and not see the other side. (Ohio)

Went to Pelee for a day and the marsh boardwalk on Erie.

Crossed into Michigan at Pt. Huron and up to "The Zoo" (Sault Ste. Marie). Had the best whitefish ever Cut-Throat!

Crossed the Mackinac Bridge and then back to Canada. Loaded up on cheap booze and drove just far enough to see Lake Superior and pick up a few rock souvenirs.

Then back to Manitoulin where we picked up the Chi-Chi-Maun ferry to Tobermory. (Huron-Georgian Bay) The Lake was as smooth as glass but Mrs. Zipper was getting sea-sick. Must have been the engines?

No cruises for us!

Their famous last words were......."We didn't think the lakes were so big!"

Hello Zipper. That is some beautiful country. I have been all over it many times. Recognized all of the places
you mentioned. It has been my experience that people
who have not spent much time around the Great Lakes
can't quite believe it when they finally see them up close
and personal.

JG

Where should I send your dryer sheets?

JG,

Better hang onto them, as I'm here in the snow belt and they might get lost in a snowdrift.

EngrGal

[JLP]

Hi!

I found your website through a link on a personal finance blog. I like what I see. I have posted a link to this site from my blog (http://AllThingsFinancial.blogspot.com).

I look forward to talking about retirement planning.

JLP

[REWahoo]

JLP

If you think you're going to use this forum to troll for business as a Financial Planner, you're probably out of luck. As a rule, we are an independent bunch and don't seek advice from financial planners who, although not true of all, seek to feather their own nest by "plucking" others.


REW

[JLP]

JLP

If you think you're going to use this forum to troll for business as a Financial Planner, you're probably out of luck. *As a rule, we are an independent bunch and don't seek advice from financial planners who, although not true of all, seek to feather their own nest by "plucking" others.


REW

No, I'm not here trying to find clients. I am a financial planner, but I will not solicit for clients here. I promise. I did start my blog back in October and I would like readers. Did you look at my blog? I think it is consumer friendly. Sorry if I offended you.

JLP

[IDunno]

No, I'm not here trying to find clients. *I am a financial planner, but I will not solicit for clients here. *I promise. *I did start my blog back in October and I would like readers. *Did you look at my blog? *I think it is consumer friendly. *Sorry if I offended you.

Don't feel bad -- it seems that the majority of posters here are anti- financial planners. Don't let it get to you. My introductory post mentioned that I was considering using a financial planner, and everyone seemed focused on that one aspect. Using a financial planner, I could avoid a number of potential pitfalls that are present in the general advice here.

I personally welcome you here, and hope you enjoy your stay.
-Scott

[Hyperborea]

*Using a financial planner, I could avoid a number of potential pitfalls that are present in the general advice here.

Hmmm, interesting teaser comment with no backing information. Any specific examples?

[JLP]

Don't feel bad -- it seems that the majority of posters here are anti- financial planners. *Don't let it get to you. *My introductory post mentioned that I was considering using a financial planner, and everyone seemed focused on that one aspect. *Using a financial planner, I could avoid a number of potential pitfalls that are present in the general advice here.

I personally welcome you here, and hope you enjoy your stay. *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * -Scott

Thanks, Scott! I really like this board. I think it is very helpful. The whole idea behind my blog is to help people make informed decisions and to hopefully explain things in a way that people can understand them!

I don't take offense to people being anti-financial planner. There are a lot of crooks out there disguised as financial planners.

Anyway, I hope to bring helpful material to this board.

JLP

http://AllThingsFinancial.blogspot.com

[Eagle43]

Hi Everyone,
I, too, have been lurking around and finally decided to register. I am not an early retiree. I retired from USAF (after 21 years)and from a major corporation (after 22 years). Anyway, this results in two pensions. I will turn 62 this year and start social security too. Have about 500k, counting cash, bonds, and mutual funds. Biggest part is in Vanguard Index funds, which I have split 60-40 (bonds v. stocks). Oh, and I use Tricare for medical insurance which is very cheap.

I wish I had found this forum earlier. I retired rather reluctantly a year ago. I have found that my pensions fund everything, so reinvest all dividends. All is well, so far.

[Jarhead*]

Hi Everyone,
I, too, have been lurking around and finally decided to register. *I am not an early retiree. *I retired from USAF (after 21 years)and from a major corporation (after 22 years). *Anyway, this results in two pensions. *I will turn 62 this year and start social security too. *Have about 500k, counting cash, bonds, and mutual funds. *Biggest part is in Vanguard Index funds, which I have split 60-40 (bonds v. stocks). *Oh, and I use Tricare for medical insurance which is very cheap.

I wish I had found this forum earlier. *I retired rather reluctantly a year ago. *I have found that my pensions fund everything, so reinvest all dividends. *All is well, so far. *

Eagle43:
With 2 pensions, Soc. Sec., and $500,000.00 in financial assets, and cheap health ins. that probably places you
in better financial shape than most any poster on this board. Congratulations.
Probably the biggest challenge for you is to figure out how you are going to fill up your days.
Have you developed outside interests that keep you active and involved?
If not, that is probably going to be your biggest challenge, as it appears you have the financial side covered.
In any case, welcome to the board, and enjoy your retirement.
Jarhead

[IDunno]

Hmmm, interesting teaser comment with no backing information. *Any specific examples?

Sure. The general consensus here seems to be to buy index funds, and leave it at that. While that is a good generic strategy, it leaves a lot to be desired -- for example, what if the U.S. dollar keeps going down? What if there is heavy inflation (or deflation)? What if the stock market crashes?

Keeping all your money in U.S. stocks is similar to keeping all your money in your employer's stock. It may be patriotic/loyal, but isn't the safest option (and can be very unsafe, depending on what happens).
-Scott

[unclemick]

Talks cheap - benchmark Vanguard's Balanced Index and beat it - after ten years you can write a book on how well you did.

By all means, if you have a schtick you're good at - go for it.

I attend two retiree functions a month - back stopped by company pensions/SS - they are all over the map investment wise - gun collecting to raw land to fixed income to rental real estate to coin/stamp collecting to ?? However the largest number have stocks in some form. Then there's Pete - Christmas Tree farm and has his grandkids running his seasonal snowcone stands.

[Eagle43]

Eagle43:
With 2 pensions, Soc. Sec., and $500,000.00 in financial assets, and cheap health ins. that probably places you
in better financial shape than most any poster on this board. *Congratulations.
Probably the biggest challenge for you is to figure out how you are going to fill up your days.
Have you developed outside interests that keep you active and involved?
If not, that is probably going to be your biggest challenge, as it appears you have the financial side covered.
In any case, welcome to the board, and enjoy your retirement.
Jarhead

I'm going to Senior Classes, in fact going to an investment class this afternoon. I am trying to learn Spanish. Have taken several short trips. Just returned from South Padre Island, where every 3rd person over 65 seems to be from Illinois. They go down there and rent motel rooms for 2-3 months. Of course the RVs are down there also by the thousands.

By the way, anybody ever heard of Progresso, Mexico? Just across the border from Texas between McAllen and Brownsville? You should see the winter Texans there. Imbibing those cheap maragaritas every mid-afternoon.

I've read Zelinski and Terhorst. Maybe need to take an extended trip to Mexico or Europe a little later this year.

Also, aren't there several posters with a million plus on this forum