Saturday, April 30, 2011

4-legged Retirement Plan---START NOW---the sooner the better! 1) Pension, 2) Self Directed Internet Business, 3) Savings, 4) Social Security

We are a bit more than a year away from the first possible retirement date from my career as an educator.  I turn 60 in July 2012 and could retire with a pension due to having over 33 years with the same employer.  About the only advantage to staying past age 60 would be to continue to build our 401K savings plan to supplement our pension and social security.  So we are pretty serious about retiring, but I have been surprised by my worry about having nothing to do. 
Lest you start commenting that we could go on missions and serve in all kinds of other pursuits, such as quality time with grandkids, not to mention golf, we do plan on doing all of those…but I also want to start another “career” to last from age 60-75 that will supplement our income and increase our net worth.  I don’t do the couch-potato thing very well.  I need projects and creative outlets, so career #2 here we come.  It must be a business that gives us freedom to work when we wish and do otherwise when we wish. 
Now back to our trip to Boise----we had a dual purpose: time with children and grandchildren as well as looking for a retirement home.  We spent time playing games, watching Liam’s first T-Ball game (so cute), geo-caching, and looking at possible homes buy.  The housing market in Boise has been decimated which gives us a retirement boost since we can buy more home for the $$$$$.  Short sales and foreclosures abound.  You must have nerves of steel to navigate the banks and former-owner labyrinth but amazing buys are abundant.  Million dollar homes for sale for almost 50% off…wow!  Way too much home for empty-nesters but fun to contemplate and perhaps a good investment lurks.   
We want acreage to garden and maybe have some animals.  I figure we should have the where-with-all to produce what we need if something ever does happen to the distribution system in our country.  Boise is beautiful this time of year and gardening season is starting.  The mountains are close for recreation.  The Snake River is just to the south.  Most of our children and my mother would be within an easy days drive.  Tax-wise, Idaho is good for retirees. 
The price of food and necessary household items is fantastic compared to Alaska.  I would miss catching 40 lb. salmon but there are some pretty good fish in the Snake River.  And hunting in them-there-hills north of Boise is not bad either.
Our developing Internet Business can be run from anywhere we can get a fast cyber-connection.  So Boise has moved to the top spot on our retirement list.  August 1, 2012 is starting to look pretty good as the beginning of the next great adventure in our lives.