ERed, but lots to learn - Too Frugal for my Cat

[toofrugalformycat]

Hi there. I ERed at age 46. I'm now in my 50's, married, no kids, living in Anchorage, Alaska, but considering moving to a warmer place at least part of the year.

 

[dumpster56]

Hey welcome, Its was 100 today down here in North Carolina and gonna be above 98 for the next 7 days. Humidity you can cut it with a knife.

 

[haha]

Hey welcome, Its was 100 today down here in North Carolina and gonna be above 98 for the next 7 days. Humidity you can cut it with a knife.

I stood next to and chatted with a retired guy from North Carolina today while we watched the Blue Angels Sea Fair Show. Incidentally, the Blue Angels were absolutely thrilling, as always!

Anyway, it was about 75 with a nice light breeze blowing-- he told me that he wished he could wait until fall before going back to NC.

The only thing I miss about eastern summers is going swimming at midnight, the wonderful feel of the water being warmer on your skin than the air. Of course you had to be on the lookout for water moccasins!

Ha

 

[Dawg52]

Anyway, it was about 75 with a nice light breeze blowing-- he told me that he wished he could wait until fall before going back to NC.


Ha

How nice. Someday, I want to spend the entire month of August in a climate such as this. August sucks here in the south.

 

[bssc]

Hi and welcome to the boards

There is always Phoenix. It was only a chilly 95 here today. Maybe that's too cold for you. And it very pleasant during the winter.

Of course, there are lots of Petsmarts where you can spend lots of money on your cat.

I would recommend the Life after FIRE forum for starters.

 

[toofrugalformycat]

Thanks, bssc, but I don't own a cat. I borrow the neighbor cat, who sometimes hangs out on my deck and allows me to pet her and carry her around when she's in the mood. I never feed her or allow her inside, so I know she loves me for myself. Hah.
Speaking of lots to learn, how would I find out the location where someone (say haha) is writing from, when it's not in the profile and they never started a thread? I'm pretty new to this forum, as you can tell from this question.

 

[bssc]

All the benefits of a cat without having to pay for the vet bill, very LBYM.

There are several ways to find out where someone, say Haha, is from. The first is to click on their name in the upper left hand portion of their post and view the profile. In Haha's case, location is not provided. The second is to check their posts to see if they make any comments about their locale. For example, you can guess Nords is in Hawaii because there is no surfing in North Dakota. Finally, you can ask, either in a thread or private message.

 

[wildcat]

Hi there. I ERed at age 46. I'm now in my 50's, married, no kids, living in Anchorage, Alaska, but considering moving to a warmer place at least part of the year.

If you are considering a part-time move for warmer weather, I would think you would want to stay as close to the western part of the US as possible given that your home will remain in Alaska, no? Easier and cheaper to get home if needed.

Do you have a home there?

This thread may help. Covers what people like about where they live and some reveal their location.
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/what-do-you-like-about-where-you-live-28214.html

There are a lot more polls/threads about people's home location but I can't find 'em and some are old. We have so many new people each week it may not hurt to start a new thread if you like.

Welcome to the forum.

WC (can't wait for fall)

 

[chinaco]

Makes sense to me. I am not as far north as you and I am considering doing the same in the winter.

I am currently leaning toward leasing instead of buying. That gives us some flexibility.

 

[Moemg]

Welcome ,
I live in Sarasota Florida so August is in the 90's .You have to live in the pool until October unless you need to evacuate for a hurricane .Luckily I live on the water so we usually have a nice breeze .

 

[toofrugalformycat]

Thanks, everybody, for checking in. Wildcat, thanks for the helpful thread. Yes, we have a paid-for small house here in Anchorage. We've lived here for 25 years and I'm a gardener so it's hard for me to think about uprooting myself (hah) but DH wants to go and I've decided I don't want my destiny decided by the apple trees I've planted. In an ideal world we could keep this place and have a winter place, but upkeep on two houses - yikes! I know there must already be threads on this topic - I remember seeing one sometime - but if anyone can point me to a good one I'd appreciate it. I haven't browsed this board much yet.
We'd definitely rent for several months before we bought somewhere else. Hopefully we'd have rental income from our house here in the meantime.
We bought this place shortly before a peak and crash in the housing market here so I'm leery of buying another house. It has been 25 years though. Maybe I should get over it.

 

[haha]

Thanks, everybody, for checking in. Wildcat, thanks for the helpful thread. Yes, we have a paid-for small house here in Anchorage. We've lived here for 25 years and I'm a gardener so it's hard for me to think about uprooting myself (hah) but DH wants to go and I've decided I don't want my destiny decided by the apple trees I've planted. In an ideal world we could keep this place and have a winter place, but upkeep on two houses - yikes! I know there must already be threads on this topic - I remember seeing one sometime - but if anyone can point me to a good one I'd appreciate it. I haven't browsed this board much yet.
We'd definitely rent for several months before we bought somewhere else. Hopefully we'd have rental income from our house here in the meantime.
We bought this place shortly before a peak and crash in the housing market here so I'm leery of buying another house. It has been 25 years though. Maybe I should get over it.

Does Alaska still give per capita payments to state residents? It may not be as expensive as you think to have 2 spots.

I live in Seattle BTW. Many people here have a winter places in Palm Springs or 29 Palms or Arizona- anywhere from a Park Model on a lot to a house or condo. You might even find one where you would not need a car. Get on a plane after Thanksgiving and get off in the sunshine.

The winters here can get old. I have never left for winter, but with the ongoing property crash in Las Vegas and Florida that may change before long.

The Alaskans I know would not like to sever connections with Alaska. Nothing else quite like it, and from what I have heard it can't be duplicated.

Ha

 

[wildcat]

Does Alaska still give per capita payments to state residents? It may not be as expensive as you think to have 2 spots.

I live in Seattle BTW. Many people here have a winter places in Palm Springs or 29 Palms or Arizona- anywhere from a Park Model on a lot to a house or condo. You might even find one where you would not need a car. Get on a plane after Thanksgiving and get off in the sunshine.

The winters here can get old. I have never left for winter, but with the ongoing property crash in Las Vegas and Florida that may change before long.

The Alaskans I know would not like to sever connections with Alaska. Nothing else quite like it, and from what I have heard it can't be duplicated.

Ha

Hmm, I picture you as being too sophisticated for the likes of Las Vegas

 

[deserat]

Wow - a cheap 'pet leaser' like me! I go to my friends' houses and pet and play with their pets - and thengo home to my house with no pets - works great all around! Did you see where they want to lease pets here in SF? Man, this place is crazy - heck, you could go walk the pit bulls at the SPCA for free, if you want pet time - or visit your friends, like I do - why pay for it?

 

[toofrugalformycat]

Haha,
You live in Seattle and haven't left in the winter? We go to Seattle IN the winter (the NW Flower and Garden Show) to enjoy the warm sunny weather! Well, warm anyway. No chunks of ice floating in the ocean there. Having grown up in Portland, I know the winters can be grey and dreary. But it's much cheaper for YOU to fly to Las Vegas than me, another advantage of your location.
Wildcat, yes, we still have the Permanent Fund that pays residents $1000 (plus or minus) every year just for living here. Also no State income tax. And guess what people complain about the most? Taxes. If they only knew. Anchorage does have pretty high property taxes but people with kids in a reasonably small house can end up with negative net Alaska taxes.

 

[Bigritchie]

Alaska/Hawaii, 2 most beautiful states in my humble opinion, that is what I would personally do (and may eventually)

 

[kcowan]

We go to PV MX every winter. There are lots of Alaskans there then. Much cheaper than Phoenix, Palm Springs and still on the Pacific. Good daily flight connections on Alaska Air. We rent from a couple in Bellevue WA.

 

[toofrugalformycat]

kcowan,
Thanks for the reply about Mexico. I'd kind of forgotten about the time we spent in Melaque, Mexico. We took the bus one day to nearby Barre de Navidad where there was a free book exchange run by a US expat. He said he got most of his books from Canadians who drove down in their little campers and read all winter, then left their books with him when they drove back north. He was surprised to see us Americans - we don't normally read that much, he said. A sad commentary on our culture, but a reminder (from you) about another alternative living arrangement.
We haven't been to Puerto Vallarta.