Homebase vs travel, ala Kramer

[Enuf]

Kramer, et al,
I'm seriously considering something similar to comments Kramer made in the San Antonio thread. That being, selling the car, finding a fairly inexpensive place to put things, in a nice walkable city, then travel internationally with no worry about car care, burglary, pipes bursting, etc.

Has anyone found this option to be affordable? Say in a security type highrise condo with doormen.

I found this to be the costs so far.
Philly = $1750 min (downtown)
Chicago = $1750 min (Near North)
Seattle = $1500 min (Belltown)
Vancouver = $2000 min (Coal Harbor)
San Diego = $1500 min (Gaslamp/East Village)
San Antonio = $800 min (downtown)
New Orleans = $1000 min (French Quarter)

Anyone have info about other cities.

 

[Florida]

I do not see this option as affordable.
Why pay rent 12 months a year when you may only be spending 4 months there?

I would consider working out a monthy rate with a local motel or extended stay type situation when in town. They are common in Florida but rates are seasonable.

Keep you stuff in a Public Storage.

 

[dex]

If you are thinking this way - why not just get an RV & load your stuff in it.
When not in use you can put it in storage.
It gives you the option of not being tied to one US city.
------------------------------------------------
There are many permutations for this type of lifestyle. Once you establish your criteria you will then narrow down your options and be better able to define your cost structure.

 

[honobob]

Enuf
Have you ever been to Cincinnati? Built on 7 hills like Rome with lots of interesting housing. Check Craigslist for nice two bedroom apartments under $600. Lots of view properties in the hills and along the Kentucky and the Ohio side of the river. Good Hospitals. Good airport, Delta hub and in the middle of pretty much everything USA! Nothing wrong with Cincinnati unless you're trapped there.

I'd toyed with the idea of doing what you're proposing at one point. I wouldn't like the storage thing, my stuff deserves better and it would be such a hassle getting things when you wanted them. At those cheap prices and dependent on how much travel I planned I'd get a "roommate" to take care of things and keep the place up and pay towards the rent but "disappear" when I was in town. They could go to the extended stay! This way I'd come home to my stuff just how I'd left them and be back in MY neighborhood. I think travel is best if there is a "home" to come back to.

Cincinnati used to be a big convention town so there were alot party places and there were several 4-5? star restaurants (Pigalls, Maisonette) plus Cincinnati chilli. On of our book writers on the forum worked at an incarnation of Pigalls if I remember right. Maybe they'll see this and give their impression of their time there.

All in all I think it has alot going for it as a home base.

 

[chris2008]

In the thread "Costs of a perpetual traveller lifestyle" the Kaderlis mention that they are living in a low cost RV community when they do not travel.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

when considering a home base vs just a po box & a suit case i've been looking within a six hour drive from here but i don't see myself moving across country to a place unfamiliar to me only to then go gallivanting around the world. what if you then find a place in another country where you might like to settle for a while. move again? sounds like too much work.

 

[kik84]

Seems like the search might breakdown to:
1. very inexpensive. Less than $600 for instance.
2. near a decent airport.
3. interesting to explore.
4. safe, comfortable oasis to rest up for a "next" trip.

What about a boarding house owned by a couple either without children or older and no children left at home?

 

[Florida]

I would treat my time spent in the US in a similar way as traveling throughout the world.

Why pick a home base for financial reasons before you really feel at home there.

 

[rs0460a]

I would treat my time spent in the US in a similar way as traveling throughout the world.

Why pick a home base for financial reasons before you really feel at home there.

I agree to these statements. While I'm retired (my DW to retire within the next 18 months) we've traveled extensively during the last 12+ years (e.g. foreign 1-2x year, and at least 1 time in CONUS each year). This was outside my "business travel" which required my travel to western Europe every 1-2 months over the same period of time.

While I traveled "too much" while employed, I can now take the travel (which is my DW's "passion") a few times a year.

We're located within 60-90 minutes of a major airport (Newark/Philadelphia) which is not bad for direct flights throughout the world (or even the US ).

In addition, our home is close to other "features" that non-US folks would like to have, such as NYC (along with its shopping, plays, and general "entertainment") and Philadelphia (yes - even it has some "good stuff" ).

IMHO, you need to look at your "base" along with your expected travel destinations. We're on our respective second passports, but our local "destinations" can surely match/exceed those that we have a "stamp" ...

I retired last year from a company that I had just short of 30 years of service. During that time, it "transferred ownership" from US based to two different Euro (North/South) multi-national companies.

While I certainly became more "culturally rounded" during this time, what was interesting is that those coming from Europe took time to stay an extra few days to see the sites in "my backyard" (e.g. NYC/Phila). That proved to me that I lived in an area that was also considered (by "outsiders") to be of "cultural value" ...

Sometimes, you just have to look around to see what you actually have (e.g. sometimes the grass is greener, under your own feet!)...

- Ron