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.
) -- usually stay in Kona area.
