New Home in the Country Outside of Boise Idaho---Moving Forward

We’ve found our Shangri-La.  The home we have under contract in the country outside of Boise Idaho will provide everything we have been looking for.  On the hill overlooking a beautiful river valley filled with orchards and farms.  After Alaska we had to have a beautiful view to help us with homesickness.  We will have three acres to develop into our production lifestyle with a large garden while growing our own fruit trees. 

The home is large enough to accommodate family gatherings.  We are paying about 50% of what it would cost us to get this home in Alaska.  Our property tax is dropping to 60% of our current situation. We will be within a 30 minute drive of grandchildren, and of course their parents too.  Recreation abounds in the mountains north of our home. We will be able to drive a few hours to help my mother in Salt Lake City.     

So the next big step in our journey to retirement freedom is starting to take shape.  The first step was getting back good health.  Now we have a new home and improved weather to enjoy.  If you want to join me in this grand journey you can follow along at my http://saferetirementfreedom.blogspot.com/. 

If you want the details from what we are learning from the process you can join my secure email group by signing up in the box next to my blog posts.  To help protect my copyrighted material, I only share many of the details with my email group. It would be super to have you  join us.   

Here’s a picture of the new Jeannie & Ralph VanOrden Homestead

  

  

Mortgage Free, Property Taxes and Utilities Cut in Half by Moving to Boise Area---Not to Mention other Costs of Living

For more details about our journey as we embrace our future, become part of my private email group by signing in to the left of this post.  This provides security when I share more details and it also protects any copyrighted material I post.  I hope you will join me.   

So here’s what we will be up to once we settle in our new home in the Boise Idaho area sometime in September 2012.  We have been watching the real estate market there for the past two years. We engaged a agent while there last summer and looked at several homes. 

The inventory of properties has continued to climb as the economy ruminated.  Foreclosures and short sales have been numerous.  Right now it is bad for sellers but good for buyers since we are one of the few qualified buyers with equity to bring to the table.  

During my lifetime I have never seen this good a “buyers market”.  Our negotiating position is powerful, especially since we can be patient.  Just now the contractors in Boise are starting to build new homes once again.  That signals the bottom of the market the area. 

One of the tricks with short sales or foreclosures is the need to wait out the banks, who will do all they can to soak every penny out of the deal.  If we go that route, we can start negotiating now and still be waiting in six months as we call their bluff and walk away from the deal several times. You have to good nerves to do this, as well as a willingness to lose the home if necessary.

Since we are working on buying a retirement home, we have one simple goal: to be mortgage free. In real estate it takes getting the right help to maximize your value as you sell and buy.  You want a negotiator who will represent you well.  It doesn’t take long to figure out if you are working with an agent who is interested in your goals or one who is working both sides of the deal.  Choose wisely and it could mean $1000’s of extra dollars in your pocket when all is said and done. 

Another goal is to live a self sufficient lifestyle.   We are looking for a some acreage where we can have a garden and fruit trees.  I believe in America and do not think we are falling apart as a nation. The future looks very bright to me.  We choose  a self sufficient lifestyle because it is a principle of American individualism and responsibility. 

When confronted with a choice of watching TV or being out in the garden, I’ll take outside every time.    This will keep us busy doing good things and will get us in the sun as well providing organic food for our nutrition.  It will be a good way for our grandchildren to learn good work habits as they come to our home to help with the garden. 

A production lifestyle will lend itself to our own sense of wellbeing.  It will allow us to maximize our financial resources so we can continue to grow our nest egg rather than depleting it prematurely.  We are fortunate to have several sources of income in retirement.  Since I am turning 60 this summer, I would like to avoid starting my Social Security income until I am at least 66.  It is much juicier if I wait till full federal retirement age.

One focus of my Retirement Freedom Blog will be to share what we are learning as we progress through this transition to “retirement”.  Please let me know if you have suggestions or comments.    

First in New Podcast Series is Available Now---Only 7 Minutes Long

I have completed the first Podcast.  It's 7 minutes long, about the secrets for quick debt elimination.  These steps have work extremely well.   

The audio file is available only to my secure email group.  If you'd like the link, sign-in to the left of this Blog post then go to your email address to confirm.  I will always protect your email privacy. 

New Post--Update on my Weight-Loss Battle

Since the first and best step I could take to get ready for my future was to regain my health by losing 80 pounds, I have been in “training” to do so for the last six months.  I am currently hitting up against 50 pounds lost total.  That has actually happened in about 4 months since two months around the holidays I was not in what I call the “weight-loss-zone”. 

Today I am wearing a shirt that would not fit 10 days ago.  I like what I see in the mirror but more important I feel so much better than I did at 280 lbs.  I am amazed how much this has helped my health situation.  I still have about 30 lbs to go to get to my goal of 199.  My three sons are starting to worry that I am going to get lighter than them.  It’s kind of fun to see them squirm.  I am starting to think about which sports I will participate in at the Huntsman World Games next year in St. George once we settle in Boise for the next phase of our lives. 

It is one of the best things you can do for yourself and family, to get control of your weight.  It is not really terribly difficult once you decide to be determined.  Getting in the Weight-Loss-Zone is as much about psychology as it is about other details.  However, the details help the psychology to take root and stay.  Here’s what I suggest from my experience for anyone who wants to get serious about weight loss. 

1)      Get on a good food program that makes it easy to control calories.

2)      Get a private coach who will help you with motivation and questions.

3)      Exercise appropriately as guided by your coach. 

4)      Learn as much as you can about the science of weight loss. 

I have learned that most people like to approach weight loss as a very private time in their lives.  Input from too many people seems to actually get in the way.  The psychology is interrupted by comments that are not meant to derail progress but sometime do.  Such as a comment that I get on occasion, “oh are you OK---you look like you are coming down with something”.  When you start to look so much lighter people aren’t used to your new persona so they say something a bit ignorant without meaning to be so.   Get a good coach and listen to their voice predominately.   

Here is a link to my website where you can learn more:   http://weightlosspowerusers.com/        

Congratulations and Welcome to My Email Group

Congratulations and Welcome to my email group--I hope you will not just read and listen, but particpate by responding and commenting.  My personal email address is vanordenr@gmail.com.  Feel free to contact me directly if you would like to have a non-public conversation. I look forward to our interactions. 

Ralph VanOrden
Retirement Freedom Blog

Getting Ready for the Future---Regardless of Age

I have read many of “early retirement” articles (see link below) as recently we made our decision to retire “early” at age 60.  The article I've linked to below was honest and direct about the outlook for BabyBoomers.  Most articles concerned me enough to make the retirement decision troubling, to say the least. Most BabyBoomers are postponing their retirement due to understandable faint-heartedness in the current economic environment.  But here’s the good news:

1) If you are out of debt you are doing very well compared to most BabyBoomers.

2) If you are not out of debt you can make an aggressive plan to get there ASAP.  This is the topic of my next Podcast to be posted on March 1, 2012. 

3) If you can live mortgage free you are in great shape compared to most BabyBoomers.

4) If you have a pension, social security, and inflation proofed savings you are doing better than most BabyBoomers.

5) If your savings are inadequate you can go on a 5 year program to aggressively building your nest egg. This will be the topic of a future post. 

6) You can cut expenses and still live comfortably.

7) You can build a “retirement” career or business to supplement your income. Most BabyBoomers have expertise that can be marketable in the post-recession era which seems to almost be upon us as of February 2012.

Click and read the article at the bottom of this post---and sign up for my exclusive content secure email group at my Retirement Freedom Blog at http://saferetirementfreedom.blogspot.com/. I will touch on each of the topics mentioned above in future posts but only for my email group.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703321004575427881929070948.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection

Podcast Series Launched Soon

I have completed an outline for a Podcast Series I am currently preparing. The first in the series will be available in March 2012 and then at a rate of 2 per month if all goes well.

The research I have been doing is producing some important insights about key issues for those who wish to live a Provident/Production Lifestyle.  Here's a quick taste of the principles:

1) How to get Out of Debt and Stay there forever

2) How to Get Mortgage Free Sooner than you thought possible

3) How to Safely Inflation-Proof your Nest Egg for the Future

4) How to Build a Phenomenal Nest-Egg is only 5 Years

5) How to Build a Stay-at-Home Online Business that Provides Fantastic Residual Income

6) How to Engage a Production Lifestyle without costing you an Arm & Leg

7) Energy Independence without Overwhelming Costs and Maintenance Nightmares

Only those who are part of this private and secure email group will get access to these Podcasts.  Facebook is just to public and not sufficiently secure.  If you would benefit from this series, you can go to my Blog at http://saferetirementfreedom.blogspot.com/ and sign up for my private and secure email group.

This series will work well for BabyBoomers but the younger generation should be thinking about these things now as well.   

 Become a part of this growing group of likeminded people now.

Ralph VanOrden---Retirement Freedom Blog

Best Thing we can do to Help Ourselves Toward a Successful Retirement

Click on the link below for a great article about how to protect yourself in the Investment Market. I am covinced it is an important part of any retirement strategy to have a good Investment portfolio. It’s not the whole picture but could be part of a successful early retirement. We have a professional investment counselor who manages our savings since I tend toward being too aggressive with my risk management. 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-to-create-financial-security-in-retirement-2011-09-01

If you want to receive more updates on these kinds of retirement preparations, sign in to my exclusive email group to the left of this post.  It is more secure if I use the email group for the details. I hope you will choose to join us.

Update---A Great Way to Supplement Income and Stay at Home

There are several ways to improve “income” during retirement.  You can lower expenses or get a “job” and make some more money.  Most BabyBoomers are very innovative when it comes to these options.  Though some are happy to do some non-stress entry level position, one of the things many wish to avoid is being tied down to a regular 9-5pm job that takes up all their time to enjoy retirement.

I am currently sending resumes to educational institutions in the Boise area to see what might be available in my field of expertise.  If hired, it appears I could make almost as much as I currently do with cost-of-living adjustments after 33 years with the same educational organization.  However, I still have the haunting worry that I may not like being tied down the same as in the past.  Jeannie would go traveling to visit our family without me, yike!  Not what I envisioned. 

So I have been learning about the world of owning your own business with the intent of being able to control my time commitments.  For some time I have enjoyed helping people as a weight-loss coach.  It is an awesome way to help others and make a few extra dollars.  But the big money in this kind of career is in Multi-Level Marketing, which has never appealed to me.  I am helping a few friends with weight-loss and backing away from the business gradually.  It is a very useful enterprise for those who enjoy MLM.

I am fortunate to have access to Internet Business Mastery tutorials since my son owns that business.  His Online Business has helps 1000’s of people by helping them learn the intricacies of doing business online.  Many have successfully left their corporate positions to run their own enterprise. The real long-term success of online business takes two things; 1) a good self made product, and 2) understanding how to navigate the online world.  Thus far the BabyBoomer generation is still busy finishing up traditional careers.  BabyBoomers haven’t been the meat and potatoes of my sons business.  They are just now getting to where they trust online commerce. 

So I propose to my son that I learn the ropes of Online Business and reach out to help the BabyBoomers who wish to explore the world of owning their own online business based on their own product.  He liked the idea and is coaching me along the way.  It is slower than most who embrace the cyber-world, since it doesn’t come as second nature for BabyBoomers like the current younger generation.  But I have to say it is fun and challenging, exactly what I need to keep my interest and loyalty. 

My Blog is approaching 7000 page views.  My website has been abysmal, but is going through a redesign and rebirth. My Facebook account has over 2600 friends.  If I never do monetize my online persona, I am still able to enjoy being an “opinion” leader or perhaps some would say opinunated.  I get a lot of diverse response to my posts.  It is a engaging medium.  I have decided to focus my attention on two projects. 

1)      Finishing my weight-loss eBook.  I hope it helps some to find the assistance they need to lose weight and regain their health.     

2)      Developing an online course to help BabyBoomers who wish to have a simplified approach to learning how to embrace the internet as opinion'ated' leaders and/or monetized business owners.  It will include all the details of how to safely and consistently build an online business. 

I am going to be moving most of the instruction away from Facebook to my email group in order to provide better security.  If you are interested in coming along on this journey and learning more about online business, please join my email group by signing in at the box to the left of this post.  I look forward to any interaction you are willing to give so I can tailor my course to be as helpful as possible. 

Back to my Blog---With Big News---atleast for us, its BIG

I have taken a break from writing for my Freedom Blog.  After over 6000 page views I hit a wall due to our cold dark winter, but a much needed vacation to sun-country helped me recover.  I am back to exercising and eating right so things are looking up.  It never fails to amaze me how eating right can improve outlook.  It is as though our food is our medicine.  Oh well, I digress.

My wife Jeannie left a week ago to go help with the arrival of our 6th grandchild to our oldest son Jason and his wife Melanie.  All has gone very well and bonding is in full swing in Portland Oregon.  I am jealous of Jeannie getting to be there but happy for her too.  Little baby CeCe VO is oh so cute and very calm.  Yay for calm babies.

So here is the next biggest news in our lives.  After 33+ years of teaching for the LDS Church Educational System I am going to retire as of July 31st 2012.  I am going to live what I preach and retire before I get too old to enjoy it.

We will be selling our home and moving to Boise Idaho to accomplish several of my pillars of retirement freedom.  1) Lower our cost of living dramatically.  2) Improve our health care options.  3)  Get closer to family and grandchildren.  Ever since Jeannie suffered through cancer in 2007 I have wished to move her closer to grandchildren, now that will be checked off my bucket list.  4) Getting a home without a mortgage will happen much quicker in Boise area where real estate has taken a huge loss in recent years.  We can buy a nice retirement home on acreage in Boise for about 60% of what it would cost in Alaska. 5) Property taxes are much lower in Idaho.  Boise will put us within a few miles of family and a 6 hour drive of others of our children and also my aging mother who will be 87 this May. 6) Improved access to sunny days seems to be getting more important as I get old. 

Some of you know that I had toyed with running for Alaska State political office in the newly aligned District 26. I have determined there are good candidates already running so I decided to pass on that ambitious goal.  The Eagle River District will be well cared for.

We have spent 19 years of my career in Alaska.  It has been so good to live in a wild and beautiful place.  Our friends have been superb.  Our opportunities to serve have been exciting and challenging.  I was stretched beyond what I thought I had to give.  Alaska has been very good to the VanOrdens.  We will soak every last bit of good out of our opportunity to enjoy 6 more months in this beautiful place. We will enjoy one more trip down the Alaska Highway, but this time in our comfortable motorhome rather than the $300 VW Bus we drove up the highway in 1976.  All together we will have a total of seven trips over the Alcan during our time as Alaskans. 

I can see that my online communications will become even more important to me as we relocate.  I hope to be able to stay in touch with each of you as you see fit. Thank you for your good influence on our lives.