Living in 2 different locations to satisfy both partners after ER?

[seraphim]

We do the RV bit - we take off when we feel like it, to wherever we fell like, return to home base and family when we feel it. Very little planning involved. We're generally gone 6+ months out of the year - 1 to 3 months at a time. About a month back home and we're ready to go again.Bikes on back of camper, Ally 17' expedition canoe in the back seat (it's a folder). We have a nice truck camper which gives us room, amenities, yet is small enough to take places a Class C, Class A or trailer won't get into. 400 watts of solar power keeps us generally independent of campgrounds. We use it like a hard shelled tent to live out of, not live in, and keep our power usage low. Cheaper that way. Just our way of doing things. There's a lot of flexibility, and your DH would not be locked into the same scenery and bike trails - one can follow the sun, the wind, or merely one's desire...



We call it the Panzerbjorn - the armored bear.

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[imoldernu]

We do the winter/summer house thing. They are about 1050 miles apart and the distance is a drag. Hard to find different routes for seeing something new and just doing a 2-3 day driving slog is not totally fun. There are issues with leaving a place for 6 months of the year: we've dealt with frozen pipes and a break-in and theft. Then there is the maintenance that has to be kept up (pool and lawn/leaves) and the restoration for a few days when you reopen a house. While I thought our utilities would be less by living in only the temperate climes/times we end up paying $86/month to one city just to have the water meter - on or off. Flipping robbery. Then there is the dual electric and gas bill.

My fantasy involved moving N or S with a toothbrush and a few pairs of socks and stocking each place with the necessaries. The dual stocking of all clothes and furniture and gear happened, but we still transport a solid station wagon of stuff both ways every trip.

Pets? Gotta mention just how much joy cats have had on multi-day car trips.

The good thing is that we both are pretty good with both locations - if we weren't it seems like a real problem...

+1
Now, w/23 years of experience doing this... You nailed it...
Biggest problem with renting? I need my "stuff". For anyone who hasn't done the 6+6... consider what you'll miss when the only parts of your home stuff that you can take with you... has to fit in your vehicle.
Now that we're settling back to our IL home, the decluttering of FL is a challenge, but we wouldn't have traded the snowbird experience for any amount of money.
For us, buying and becoming a part of the communities was important. We're social animals, and living in a place where we know everyone, and spending our retirement with people we learn to know and love... all with the same goal of enjoying the retirement years... this has been a fantastic experience.

Finding the right place to live... not the home to live in...