A year into retirement here. Some highlights from year one.
Moved our 401k to an IRA at Vanguard. The 401K had been in Vanguard before our company changed to another some years ago and I always liked dealing with Vanguard.
There was a snafu getting it transferred which turned out being a blessing as my holdings were in the money market when the stock market corrected at the end of the year.
Got back into the market at the first of the year and except for one rocky month things have gone well.
We purchased some real estate which I am looking as a diversification of my holdings. I feel confident I can sell for a profit at some point and the property provides us with firewood to heat our home and meat for the freezer as well as some income from seeking firewood.
Profits from the stock market have been tucked away in the money market. I will reinvest at some point if and when the market corrects.
Social security and a small pension have covered our day to day expenses.
In April I will have to purchase a year of medical insurance for myself to get to Medicare after my Cobra runs out. Figuring at this point worst case scenario will be an additional $1000 per month over the cost of my Cobra insurance I pay now.
A simple life for sure but feel we are in a better financial place than I ever could have imagined after a 44 year career as a laborer in a factory and never making more than $90 K per year.
Moved our 401k to an IRA at Vanguard. The 401K had been in Vanguard before our company changed to another some years ago and I always liked dealing with Vanguard.
There was a snafu getting it transferred which turned out being a blessing as my holdings were in the money market when the stock market corrected at the end of the year.
Got back into the market at the first of the year and except for one rocky month things have gone well.
We purchased some real estate which I am looking as a diversification of my holdings. I feel confident I can sell for a profit at some point and the property provides us with firewood to heat our home and meat for the freezer as well as some income from seeking firewood.
Profits from the stock market have been tucked away in the money market. I will reinvest at some point if and when the market corrects.
Social security and a small pension have covered our day to day expenses.
In April I will have to purchase a year of medical insurance for myself to get to Medicare after my Cobra runs out. Figuring at this point worst case scenario will be an additional $1000 per month over the cost of my Cobra insurance I pay now.
A simple life for sure but feel we are in a better financial place than I ever could have imagined after a 44 year career as a laborer in a factory and never making more than $90 K per year.
