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Old 03-31-2011, 01:13 AM   #1
Confused about dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
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New Poster From Hilo

Hi, I'm AuroraBoarder, and I just joined tonight because of a recommendation from someone on Yahoo Answers. I'm 50 1/2 years old, and want to retire soon as I'm 62. I don't have much money saved, but I've lived all my life on nowhere near the salaries I've seen dicussed on the web, so I trust I can find a way to retire on my meager savings. I have some ideas; hopefully, we can share, and I can teach you something as well as learn from you!
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Old 03-31-2011, 04:00 AM   #2
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Location: midwestern city
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Hello - you may find this thread useful :

http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...tip-43303.html

Welcome to the board. By the way you are very lucky to live in Hawaii - my dream place.
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Old 03-31-2011, 05:41 AM   #3
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Location: Washington, DC
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Welcome. If your low cost life style is low enough it could allow Social Security to handle a lot of your retirement costs. Once you have calculated your needs and estimated how much of them your SS will meet you will find a lot of help here on how much you need to save to make up the delta.
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Old 03-31-2011, 10:13 AM   #4
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Welcome to the board! I second the statement of choice of living location. Another 12 inches on april fools expected here!
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Old 03-31-2011, 10:43 AM   #5
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Welcome!
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Old 03-31-2011, 12:48 PM   #6
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Location: Oahu
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Welcome, Aurora! I think you're the board's first Big Island poster...

If you haven't already done so then you could run your budget and your portfolio through FIRECalc (FIRECalc: A different kind of retirement calculator) to check the forecast.
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Old 03-31-2011, 05:38 PM   #7
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I've always been vicariously interested in ER-ing to the big island. If you have any words of wisdom about the area e.g.

-- housing costs and other costs ,
-- tax considerations
-- "what you do all day".
-- areas to look into beyond the high cost resort areas.
-- Bringing pets (a small dog in my case) from the mainland

I'd be interested to hear about them (if you feel like it that is..)
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Old 03-31-2011, 05:42 PM   #8
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Welcome to the forum!!

DH & I are big fans of the Big Island (Scuba Divers ) -- usually stay in Kona area.
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Old 03-31-2011, 06:13 PM   #9
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Welcome. Ten years is a lot of time to put together a plan and make it happen. Get to it and good luck.
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Old 04-04-2011, 11:28 PM   #10
Confused about dryer sheets
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Hilo, Hawaii
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Hi, you guys! Thanks for the warm welcome!

It turns out there are lots of independent sustaining farms here, as well as on the Mainland. It sounds like this will be the best idea for cheap retirement. One farm I found in Oregon has you work 40 hours a week doing farm chores, working in their gift shop, and things like that, and you get free food and lodging, plus a small stipend. Whatever extra income you have is yours to use at your discretion. That includes Social Security, plus whatever savings and pensions you have.

I want to move to snow country, so I can ski and snowboard. I'm in excellent health, and so is my father, who will be 75 this July. He still runs 6 miles in one hour, once a week or so. All but one of my grandparents lived to be nearly 90 (one got killed by a drunk driver at 62). They weren't in the best of shape, but they didn't stay physically active, either. So I have reason to believe if I take good care of myself, I'll have at least until age 75 to live a good life.

The cost of living on the Big Island is high, considering it's not swimming in high-salaried jobs. Most houses cost around $200,0000-$500,000. You can find them as cheap as $35,000, but they're either fixer-uppers, WAY out in the boondocks, or are on "catchment" - i.e., no running water; you put a giant tank in the yard and pray for rain, and even then, it has to be treated for you to drink it. Food and gas are expensive, because they have to be imported. Public transportation is cheap, but unreliable; you really need your own car. Utilities aren't too bad, depending on where you live. Houses here don't have heaters, but they can get really hot if you live at a low elevation.

There's not much to do here. After viewing the rain forests, wildlife, and unique features, that's it. If you want to just hang out, this is the place. The people are mellow, and the crime rate is low. Drugs are rampant; so is teen pregnancy. It all depends on what you want.
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