Kiplinger's:How to Make Your Money Last FOREVER!

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Billy

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Billy and I were interviewed for Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine for their October cover feature article: How to Make Your Money Last FOREVER!

They sent a photographer out from New York last month to take 300 photos (no kidding!) Our story and interview is located on page 69, under EXTREME Early Retirement.

Since we have almost 16 full years of ER under our belts at age 54, who better to ask?

I'm starting to feel like a Seasoned Retiree!  8)

Enjoy the magazine!

Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement, A Common Sense Approach
 
I know what you mean about the pictures.We were in the march issue of money magazine and will be in the november issue of fidelity magazine.The pictures and all the attention are the best part.
 
Hi Mathjak. Congratulations on your magazine coverage.

Billy and I have a different take on the 'attention and photos' thing. What excites us is having the opportunity to let people know there are options in planning for their retirement.

Retirement doesn't have to be Rocket Science http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/motley_fool_article_10.htm,

nor do you need a gazillion dollars to retire. Priceless Retirement http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/motley_fool_article_6.htm

If you are willing to think out of the box even a little bit, http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/motley_fool_article_8.htm

or consider simplifying your lifestyle http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/retire_to_simplicity.htm the options available to you exand.

Most people don't even know how much it costs them to maintain their job Cost of Working http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/cost_of_working.htm.

We find that being in a position to help others reach a retirement they enjoy is the best part!  :D

Take care,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
 
When they did our Money Magazine Article, we too had a great Photography team, Chris and his helper. They must have taken about 100 or so simply for a 1 page article. We never did get any of the pictured back though.

SWR
 
mathjak107 said:
I know what you mean about the pictures.We were in the march issue of money magazine and will be in the november issue of fidelity magazine.The pictures and all the attention are the best part.
Click to expand...

I'm with you man. Helping others is cool and all, but ego gratification is priceless.  :)

Ha
 
ShokWaveRider said:
When they did our Money Magazine Article, we too had a great Photoghy team, Chris and his helper. They must have taken about 100 or so simply for a 1 page article. We never did get any of the pictured back though.

SWR
Click to expand...

Which issue?
 
The pictures and all the attention are the best part.

I'm with you man. Helping others is cool and all, but ego gratification is priceless. 

A man after my own heart
Click to expand...

You guys….   :LOL: :D 8) :confused:

Maybe you two illustrate the benefits of a different point of view! 

We were told all along the road to Early Retirement that what we did couldn’t be done.   :p This includes writing a book, putting it in CD-Rom format, and having it actually sell. We have no publicity department, only ourselves.  8)

Persistence, determination, follow-through, patience, creativity, faith in one’s self and the future, being willing to take risks, being willing to change when it’s called for, being willing to learn something new all have value.

These are attributes accessible to all human beings, not just a privileged few.

We relish in the sense of accomplishment against odds and against  fear itself. It’s a sense of satisfaction built on self effort.

The joy and fun we feel in this is that others can do this too, not just us.

Take who you are and what you know and make your lives work for you.

Resources are not just limited to money and social standing, but to character development. And anyone can develop their personhood if they choose.

Anyone.

This is the message.

AZANON
You guys make a nice lookin' couple.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Azanon... :-[ :D

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement
 
Billy said:
Persistence, determination, follow-through, patience, creativity, faith in one’s self and the future, being willing to take risks, being willing to change when it’s called for, being willing to learn something new all have value.
Click to expand...

This is making me tired. Are you going New Age on us?  :)

Ha
 
Billy & Akaisha:

Great article, congratulations. Anyone for Tennis? :D

You both look really well for it. (Would have been nice to see full face shots, why do they do that?)

I remember our time on Nevis, (when I went searching for your old friends their). After 2 years cruising the Caribbean it all seems like a distant dream. Saying that we have had a great year in NE Florida, but it may be time to move on. The cost of health insurance is getting a little ludicrous. They did not mention that in your article, but I think it is on your web page.

SWR
 
Persistence, determination, follow-through, patience, creativity, faith in one’s self and the future, being willing to take risks, being willing to change when it’s called for, being willing to learn something new all have value.
Click to expand...

Ha
This is making me tired. Are you going New Age on us? 
Click to expand...

:D :D :D

Nah... we just think it's Common Sense!

Human beings are amazingly resourceful, especially if they believe in themselves.

Often the programming we get from the media or world at large wants to defeat that notion, IMO. Don't let it.

ShockWaveRider - thanks. We do remember your efforts to get us back in contact with our friends on Nevis! We appreciated that.  ;)

RE: health insurance, we have 2 chapters in which we speak to that issue in our book, Table of Contents: http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/table_of_contents.htm

and on our website we have devoted a good deal of webspace to it.

Health Issues Page: http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/medical_issues.htm

Health Care Panel Discussion: http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/hcp_toc.htm

and Recommended Websites for Self Education: http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/hcp_recom_websites.htm

The healthcare situation in our country is what it is, and the best way we can deal within it is to become informed patients. There are no guarantees in life. We can make the best and most informed decision we are able to, at the time.

Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
 
Akaisha:

Thanks, I know I have read lot before on your site about health care. I am a little bitter about it as I am considered uninsurable. I have a pacemaker and no insurance company will touch me. Other than that I am as healthy as a horse (A healthy horse that is). My condition was congenital and came on out of the blue, it was not caused by bad living and bodily neglect. It did result in me getting every cardiac test immaginable so I know my heart is solid with no blockages at all now. I have also always had moderately high blood pressure, but those drugs are cheap. It never went away after I retired. :(

Luckily, I was insured at the time I gor the pacemaker, so the Total Out of Pocket was managable.

Just now premiums are continuing to rise into the stratosphere. I pay more for health care than housing and food combined. But this subject has been discussed many times.

SWR
 
I understand, SWR... it sucks.  :p

Seems the people for whom insurance would be a good thing are the ones who 'cannot' get it.

Our medical system seems to be closing itself down more and more, becoming outrageously priced and not really delivering the care one would hope to be there.

I realize not everyone is open to alternatives or traveling to foreign countries for Hcare, but we try to present options so at least some will know that there are choices.

It's a sort of mantra to us, but we always say "There are no guarantees in Life." We have to make the most of the cards we have been dealt.

None of us are playing with a full deck Not all of us are given easy hands to play -- that is part of the innate challenge of Life.

I do wish you the best, SWR.. You've got a lot of life left to live!

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
 
Very nice article. Nice to put faces to the names.
THanks for providing the link.
 
That is a good article.
I think every money magazine this month had a cover that had to do with retirement.
Do you guys stay in the RV all the time, or are you renting places (i.e. when you were in Jalisco for 4 years?) Just wondering.
 
Hi Virginia,

We have a fairly mobile lifestyle. We keep a home base here in Arizona that is a turnkey situation. We have full amenities such as pool, tennis court, fitness rooms, computer rooms, free Wi-Fi, social activities, etc.

When we travel, (which is often and for lengths of time) we rent.

We have our expenses posted in the piece we wrote for The Motley Fool Rule Your Retirement Newsletter called Priceless Retirement (see: http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/motley_fool_article_6.htm)

In June of 2006 I did the numbers again, and although the percentages in the categories changed, the net annual spending did not.

We were interviewed by Clark Howard syndicated radio show out of Atlanta just last week. His show is called Save more, spend less and don't get ripped off! :D

You can listen to it by going to our home page

http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/

It is streamed video so it shouldn't take long to load.

Be well,
Akaisha
 
Hi,
I took a look at your expenses. How do the two of you manage to pay only 12% for medical. Do you carry insurance?

Thanks.
 
Hi Oldbabe!
Yes, we carry insurance. We have a large deductible and self insure for things like doctor's visits (we do have a co-pay) and prescriptions (we have co-pay for that too).

We tend to not like to be on medications, so we don't have much history of that, nor do we run to the doc's office for every little thing... We are generally healthy.

Since we travel quite a bit, if a circumstance comes up that needs attention, we utilize local health care. For instance, I get my dental work done overseas in Thailand. This has included crowns, root canals, xrays, etc. I also get my eyeglasses there as well.

My understanding is that some states on the east coast (N.Jersey?) have large mandates in that the state themselves require the health insurance companies to cover a large variety of services, even if you, yourself would not utilize them (accupuncture, massage, aromatherapy, etc.) so premiums would be higher.

We tend to go 'no frills' in the insurance department, and eat well, exercise, don't take meds if at all possible (yucky side effects), and do things in moderation. This has paid off very well.

We utilize preventative health services here in Arizona that promote onsite wellness programs. We discuss all our approaches in our book :

Table of Contents:

http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/table_of_contents.htm

Although some expenses in health care will probably increase as we age, we emphasize having options to turn to, and not be held hostage by a health care premium...

Best,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
 
Thanks for the reply, Billy. I have basically the same attitude as you outlined as far as medical care. No prescriptions, prefer nutritional remedies to pills, etc. I'm looking at the high deductible ($5K), basic health insurance policy (Humana One) but it still costs $220/month. Is that the sort of insurance you use?
 
Yes, it is. We have always gone the high deductible route. Years ago they only offered $2,500 deductible as the highest. Then it finally went to $5,000. Now they offer $10,000 deductible as an option.

Have you taken a look at our Health Issues Page? http://www.retireearlylifestyle.com/medical_issues.htm

We have recommended websites for your self education and there are sites for insurances also. Check out Sanoviv and Bumrungrad on that same page as well.

Hope this helps!

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
 
Thanks, Akaisha. I have looked at that page before, but I appreciate your pointing me back to it again. Very informative!
 
Thanks, Oldbabe. We hope to do some more interviews and get some other articles up there for information on alternatives.

Check back on those pages from time to time, or if you have a suggestion, or someone whom you feel could contribute, just private message me or contact us at our email address TheGuide@RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

Best,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
 
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