An Opportunity to Reboot My Life

[Birdie Num Nums]

I've been living at this same place for over 30 years. FIREd four years ago. Got a decent nest egg to FIRECalc for a long time to come. I'm gonna turn 60 soon.

Been renting all this time (at a very favorable rate, which has helped me FIRE sooner than later), in a community that I just love. Landlord just informed me he is gonna sell this place and move on--sometime in the next six months to a year. So, he gave me much advance warning for me to figure out my next move.

I've been visiting popular apartment rental sites, jotted down some notes, and will visit places soon--although it should be many months before I need to move.

Meanwhile, I've also been thinking about selling lots of stuff on Craigslist, letting my brothers/friends keep stuff, and putting the remainder in a storage facility at some $120/month.

At my age, nest egg, and health (which is quite good), I'm considering traveling Europe and/or elsewhere for six months or more. Life is too short, I'm mobile and have the cash, and Tomorrow Never Knows (as Ringo once said).

I'm thinking I can always come back to this area that I love, some time down the road after my travels, collect my stuff from family/friends/storage, and then Life Goes On.

This is a rare "Opportunity to Reboot My Life." Otherwise, I could just sign a lease for an apartment in the area, and continue what I've been doing for years.

Comments?

 

[Gumby]

I have often thought that when I retire it would be quite fun to sell everything and travel the world, staying in relatively short term rentals (3 months) in various different countries. I would get to see the world and really learn the local cultures. And I could some back to the US if need be. It is, however, unlikely that I will ever convince the young wife to share that particular dream. She is an American girl.

 

[walkinwood]

A great idea! Traveling on your own schedule is so much easier now with the amount of information and services available online.

Do it while you're in good health and it may keep you that way for a very long time.

Not an option for me since DW wants a home. I'm okay with that since it isn't a surprise to me. Instead, we do long trips - our longest so far was 6 weeks, with a 7 week one coming up at the end of the year.

 

[NW-Bound]

Just do it. Visit back here often, and post photos too.

When you are done with traveling abroad, maybe buy an RV and live a vagabond life in the US for a couple of years before settling down again.

 

[pixelville]

Go for it. No brainer!
Be warned lots of fun planning and work ahead

 

[Ronstar]

I agree - go for it. And I got some travel advice from a guy on a walk one day -"it's better if you did it sooner than later"

 

[Onward]

Listen to the color of your dreams.

 

[Meadbh]

What a great opportunity! Absolutely, you should grab it with both hands. Use the rent money that you save to rent for short stays abroad and travel light. Your relatives can hold your mail.

 

[Turboslacker]

Terrific idea!

 

[Bestwifeever]

Is this an opportunity just because you will no longer have a favorable rent amount (once you retired four years ago you could have easily flown the coop then, right?)? So the cheap rent must have been a form of golden handcuffs for you? Now that the handcuffs are unlocked, go for it!

 

[panacea]

Sounds like fun and exciting opportunity!

 

[Redbugdave]

You ain't getting any younger and this is the first day of your life...don't let it slip away.

 

[Unpaintedhuffhines]

Brilliant idea. Do it.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Go for it. We have been selling some stuff and giving some away to downsize and travel. I think based on our relatives, once we get to be late seventies, or before than if we have health issues, we won't want to travel much, so the time is now or never.

 

[Midpack]

Like everyone else said, I'd go for it (if it was me). When you get tired of the new chapter, you can always go back to where you were, whether it's after a month, a decade or never. Take the opportunity to explore other places and people. Wonderful!

 

[ivinsfan]

Just do it! The mental and physical energy required will be a great way to start your 60's.

You didn't ask for suggestions, but there are many wonderful things to see and experience in this country. VRBO makes it so simple to settle in for anywhere from and week to a month. You get all the creature comforts for not much more then the price of a hotel room.
If we did this, I would follow the weather and pay special attention to the cruise port cities. You can get wonderful trips to Hawaii, South America, Panama Canal, New England, Canada,etc. No extra airfare if you are in the port city already. I know that some cruise lines will sometimes offer fares with no single supplement, I guess a travel agent would know more about that.

I'd love to do exactly this trip, once I can get my DH to actually retire. To me this would be a great mix of relaxing, enjoying the natural wonder of the US and hard-core traveling/sightseeing. I don't think I could do 6 months of straight travel/sightseeing and still enjoy everything.

 

[kaudrey]

I would do it in a heartbeat!

Actually, this will make me think about our plans in the future. Although we aren't retiring for another 12 years, we do know it is unlikely we will stay where we are, especially if any of our parents are still alive (crossed-fingers). I would like to do exactly what you are doing - travel for a while first, and THEN figure out where to move.

 

[haha]

I've been living at this same place for over 30 years. FIREd four years ago. Got a decent nest egg to FIRECalc for a long time to come. I'm gonna turn 60 soon.

Been renting all this time (at a very favorable rate, which has helped me FIRE sooner than later), in a community that I just love. Landlord just informed me he is gonna sell this place and move on--sometime in the next six months to a year. So, he gave me much advance warning for me to figure out my next move.

I've been visiting popular apartment rental sites, jotted down some notes, and will visit places soon--although it should be many months before I need to move.

Meanwhile, I've also been thinking about selling lots of stuff on Craigslist, letting my brothers/friends keep stuff, and putting the remainder in a storage facility at some $120/month.

At my age, nest egg, and health (which is quite good), I'm considering traveling Europe and/or elsewhere for six months or more. Life is too short, I'm mobile and have the cash, and Tomorrow Never Knows (as Ringo once said).

I'm thinking I can always come back to this area that I love, some time down the road after my travels, collect my stuff from family/friends/storage, and then Life Goes On.

This is a rare "Opportunity to Reboot My Life." Otherwise, I could just sign a lease for an apartment in the area, and continue what I've been doing for years.

Comments?

A question I have is what is Seattleish. Renton, Lynwood, Bellevue, San Juans,

 

[MichaelB]

What? No contrarians? How uncharacteristic of this group. Ten reasons to pass this by

No need to rush, you make your own opportunities and you can do this anytime.
Traveling is dangerous
What will you do if you get sick?
This will cost way more than you expect.
You can't leave stuff with friends and family and expect to get it back when you return.
You might not find a good place to live when you return.
You should save your money for long term care.
Something bad might happen while you are away.
The Fed, monetary policy and quantitative easing.
.

 

[REWahoo]

What? No contrarians? How uncharacteristic of this group. Ten reasons to pass this by

No need to rush, you make your own opportunities and you can do this anytime.
Traveling is dangerous
What will you do if you get sick?
This will cost way more than you expect.
You can't leave stuff with friends and family and expect to get it back when you return.
You might not find a good place to live when you return.
You should save your money for long term care.
Something bad might happen while you are away.
The Fed, monetary policy and quantitative easing.
.

You left out Putin annexing Florida...

 

[MichaelB]

You left out Putin annexing Florida...

No problem, Birdie lives in Seattle-ish.

Would that be covered by our homeowners insurance?

 

[REWahoo]

No problem, Birdie lives in Seattleish.

Would that be covered by our homeowners insurance?

No, conspiracy theories are uninsurable.

Edit: Some people think they are covered under the sanity clause - but as we all learned from watching the Three Stooges, there ain't no sanity clause.

 

[NW-Bound]

What? No contrarians? How uncharacteristic of this group.

It's because we are just a bunch of boring ERs sitting at home and living vicariously through others' life. So, we urge others to take on adventures and watch from a distance, in between getting daily updates from our Vanguard accounts and counting the days till we can collect SS and Medicare.

Go, Birdie, go before you change your mind.

 

[Nemo2]

Go, Birdie, go before you change your mind.

And, if you change your mind, wait until you come back and then do it.

 

[robnplunder]

What? No contrarians? How uncharacteristic of this group. Ten reasons to pass this by

No need to rush, you make your own opportunities and you can do this anytime.
Traveling is dangerous
What will you do if you get sick?
This will cost way more than you expect.
You can't leave stuff with friends and family and expect to get it back when you return.
You might not find a good place to live when you return.
You should save your money for long term care.
Something bad might happen while you are away.
The Fed, monetary policy and quantitative easing.
.

... but I've heard sea level is rising, meteor is coming, ice age advancing, world economy collapsing, natural resource being depleted, fresh water evaporating, WWIII starting, rain forests disappearing, .... He should reboot himself now before it is too late.