I'll Never Be Able To Retire!

Back when I was young, putting money away for retirement was not an option. I had a child to raise by myself – a life to make for a family – and no husband to support me. As the years passed I kept saying “Someday I’ll do [this or that] . . .” without ever realizing that “someday” was just around the corner. In my mid-50’s, as my second husband (getting married again was a HORRID mistake) left for some place where he could spend endless hours having internet and phone sex without a wife turning it into a 3-ring circus, I realized “someday” had arrived. I was facing a wall and there was nothing much I could do about it. The realization hit me that I’d have to work for the remainder of my life. Of course, it didn’t occur to me that half the free world had arrived at the same conclusion because their 401k’s had been stolen or the Stock Market had crashed. All I knew was I was faced with a reality I couldn’t change. I was at point zero.

If you planned on retiring to a life filled with yachts and round-the-world globetrotting, you may be out of luck.  However, if you are like most of us, who simply wish to enjoy life, there are some things you can do.  Once you reach full retirement age in the U.S., you can draw social security benefits with no limitation on your earnings. If you retire at age 62 (early), the Social Security uses a special formula to determine how much you can earn.  Visit their website, to review their guidelines.  You will be surprised at how much you can earn while drawing Social Security benefits.

In doing some research on retirement I came across several possibilities. I had always thought I’d end up retiring in Mexico or Central America. But by the time I was of an age to do it my son had become a father and being so far away from he and his family didn’t seem like the best thing in the world. 

I remarried and moved to SoCal just as I was preparing to buy a house in Colorado. Housing in SoCal was incredible, so we rented a house. Thus, nearly 20 years later, I was facing the issue of retirement with no house to fund it. In the end, the one thing in the retirement book that made sense was the one thing I’d never done in my life – living in an RV full-time. 

The one thing I’ve never been called is boring. I’ve always loved to travel and exploring other cultures and lifestyles gets my blood pumping. So the idea of being able to travel a bit with my pets while still working was pure gold. And the real pièce derésistance was this: I would own it. It would be MINE, ALL MINE! 

And so the adventure began. What did I really need to be comfortable. It took several years of research – talking to folks who’d spent years traveling in RVs, attending conferences, taking classes, trundling in and out of every RV I could get to. I finally narrowed the field. I have dogs and I have birds. It was going to take something unique to accommodate them. 

Everyone said a woman should only have a motor home (“If something happens you can always climb in the driver’s seat in your nightgown and make a quick exit. You’ll just have to replace a few hoses!”). Sorry --- I could just see my 2 Giant Schnauzers attacking those huge front windows every time someone walked by. And I’m a person who needs light. Having to close off those windows to protect my privacy or isolate the dogs was simply not going to work for me.

And, of course, there was always the issue of what I could afford. With no major resources and credit not worth stealing, it was obvious I was looking for an older model. It had to be in good shape as I had neither the knowledge nor the resources to entirely revamp a wreck. Finally, it needed to be something I could reasonably handle on the road by myself. Fortunately just about that time a new friend came into my life through a dog list I belonged to – someone who had grown up with RVs and someone with the knowledge to help me make a great choice.

Let’s fast forward a few years – we’ll cover those details in another Blog post. I’m now living in my vintage 33’ 1978 Holiday Rambler Travel Trailer – and I love it! After all, this is MY retirement – nobody else’s. We must figure out what makes us happy before it becomes achievable. 

Living in an RV has taught me much about life. It’s also helped me turn my life into something much more manageable than I’d had before. My plan, from the beginning, was to stay in one place long enough to learn about the area – long enough to see what I wanted to see – long enough to make some new friends and learn about the area from the folks who lived there. If I wanted to move on, I’d move on. If I decided to change my direction one day, I’d do it. Years of zooming here and there just to meet the vacation deadlines of a “real” job had left me dissatisfied and angry. I wanted more.

One of the first things I noticed was that monthly/long-term park fees were about a third of what I had been paying for rent in my house. And most times the park fees included water, sewage and electricity – all of which I’d paid separately when living in my house. The park folks also mow my lawn and trim my trees. Granted, many parks these days meter electricity – but even that monthly bill is far more reasonable than it was in my house. After all, how much power does can it take to live in a 33’ RV? Even running my AC 24/7 along with the TV, computer, some appliances and lights I have not exceeded my $75 a month allowance this summer. If I’m in a place where I can tie into a park propane line, I pay far less for propane than I’d pay to have my tanks filled. I’ve always been frugal, I can make a 40 lb. propane tank last longer than most of my RVing friends ever imagined. 

Where I am currently spending my winters I get an electrical allowance and pay for my propane. In winter the furnace requires propane, but I do not use my AC unit. So I use my electric pressure cooker and small electrical oven more than I use my gas stove. It’s a balance – a little dance one learns to do when living an “alternative” lifestyle. One of these years I’ll have enough money to mount solar panels on my rooftop. Then I’ll be “off-the-grid” and the dance will be different.

Since all my TVs managed to die shortly before I left the house in SoCal, I bought a digital TV. I needed some help connecting it to the roof antenna, but it allows me to have basic TV without paying for cable – another expense I had at the house. 

The one thing I really needed to continue working my business was access to the internet. Fortunately, during all those years of research and investigation, internet access became much easier and more affordable. I now connect using a USB air card through my cell phone company, at speeds as fast (or faster) than I had at the house using cable.

In transit there are ways to cut expenses. If you are an Elk’s member you might spend a night in a local Elk’s Club parking lot. Many spend a night in a WalMart parking lot, making sure to pick up a few items in the store while getting the store’s permission to overnight there. Always ask permission first and follow the rules Escapees and other RV groups have set forth on being a good neighbor when camping in a retail establishment’s parking lot. 

You might want to consider workkamping – hiring into an RV/mobile home park where you get a reduction in your rent in exchange for doing some office or maintenance work. The major park systems often hire folks to act as guides or as park staff doing other necessary work. In exchange they receive a place to park their RV with hookups. 

If you are really strapped you might check into “boon docking.” This is where you camp, usually in an isolated area, and depend on your RV’s internal systems, rather than hook-ups. It means keeping an eye on your tanks and making a trip to an official RV dumping site every few weeks, but it can extend the budget a bit. Check on the internet for possible boon docking locations --- sometimes BLM land is a good resource for that kind of camping.

The fact remains, I have my own little house. When I move I sleep in my own bed, cook in my own kitchen and use my own bathroom. I don’t have to haul things in and out of a motel room while I’m traveling and I can decorate as I please inside. Yes, there is maintenance on an RV – but much less then on a home. And much of it you can do by yourself. The internet is a treasure trove of information on RV maintenance if you are interested. 

Living in an RV requires discipline. Downsizing and packing was a 3-ring circus for me. I still have a storage unit full of boxes to be sorted and repacked. It contains my most precious items --- and a lot of stuff which will probably hit the trash bin. With all the sorting and packing at the time I moved out of the house, it was simply not possible to make all the choices necessary. So another run-through will be required at some point down the line. 

In truth I am still sorting through things I shipped back East for use in the RV. Because I stayed with friends for a few months I learned to live with nothing but what I had in my suitcases for a while. That was a good starting point for full-time RV life. Now, as I move things into the RV I am truly aware of what I need and what is sheer fantasy. Dad’s well-cured cast iron frying pan, along with my own cast iron dutch oven – those are keepers. A fancy cookware set – not so much.

There must be a secure place for everything in an RV. And storage is not always convenient. It’s something one learns to live with. The adage you hear repeatedly is when something new comes in, something old leaves. Repurposing things I no longer need is a good thing. It saves resources and gives me a chance to share with someone else. If I need something, I check the thrift stores first. Often I find things there that are still in their original packaging!

Downsizing isn’t really that bad – it’s something many do so their children won’t be left with a horrendous clean-out job upon their death. Both my parents had been good about downsizing. I’m afraid I was not as willing as they had been.

Smaller living means one consumes less. I use less electricity and less gas. Unless you enjoy a sudden plunge into darkness or waking up to a freezing cold home, you learn to monitor your appliance usage. I also have suddenly started checking new appliances before I buy them – if something is a power hog, I don’t need it. Using a fancy oven is no fun if you have to turn off the TV/stereo, computer and AC unit before you can use it. Standing in a steamy bathroom with no AC while you try to dry your hair is no fun when it’s 90 degrees outside. Not only do I save on utilities, I save money because I no longer buy on impulse.

Downsizing doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. I’ve discovered the most wonderful library systems since moving into my RV. Books consume storage space – so why buy them? Visit the library. Most libraries also have wonderful audio/visual departments too. If not, visit Netflix online. Because I only plan to move a couple of times a year, I can receive quick turn-around on Netflix DVDs delivered to my door. Or I can download them online, if I’m really in a hurry.

I still enjoy my beadwork, quilting and sewing. While moving into a new living space has allowed me to make a few new items for my personal use, I’ve finally been able to return to my old practice of making things as birthday and Christmas gifts. 

When moving into a new neighborhood, volunteer work is not only a great way to meet folks, it’s also a great way to learn about the area. I’ve noticed (finally) a great resurgence in gardening. When my son was young we planted a garden every year. I wanted him to know how to produce his own food. I always said the day might come when it would be necessary to our very existence once again.

Between the bad economy and all the contamination we’ve witnessed in recent years, I think we’ve nearly reached that point. Gardening has once again become a big project for many families. If you are experienced, why not offer to help folks learn about gardening. Volunteer with community gardens – it’s a great opportunity to meet new folks and it’s a great adventure watching a garden grow through a children’s eyes.

Maybe you have another hobby or a profession which would lend itself to working privately from your home. Can you sew? Repair small machinery like lawn mowers? What about canning – the resurgence of gardening has found people learning to preserve food all over again. Can you house-sit while folks are out-of-town?  What about making grocery store runs for those who can’t get out? Put your thinking cap on (as teachers used to say) and you’ll come up with many little ways to supplement your income. 

   I Love To Eat!

Angel Food Ministries operates across the country. It’s an excellent way to cut one’s food expenses. Similar to grocery coops I belonged to years ago, by ordering a food box in advance each month, you get a variety of foods at a great savings. Each month is different, but the food is good and the price is right. I have always been a cook-from-scratch sort and you can save a great deal by cooking your own meals. I love to seek out small specialty grocery stores – most ethnic neighborhoods have unique little shops and the prices are often lower on items which are popular in those neighborhoods. Since I’ve always eaten this way it’s not much of a change.

The change comes with storage. There simply isn’t much room to overstock in an RV. The refrigerator requires monthly defrosting – which, for me, means “soup day.” The freezer is small so rotation is a must. I eat much more fresh fruit than I used to. Where to store things like potatoes, onions, apples, oranges, etc., took a while to figure out. Where do these things reside in my RV now? In my bathtub, of course. I keep them in a large square plastic box in the tub and it’s easily removed when I shower. 

And where-oh-where does the dog food live? In a container with a snap top. During the winter it sits outside the door. Dog food doesn’t mind being cold. It DOES turn rancid in heat. So in the summer it sits in my bathroom. Fortunately I am blessed with a full bathroom that covers the entire back end of the trailer. Plenty of room for storing dog food.

That Warm & Fuzzy Feeling! 

Speaking of dog food --- why not get a pet? Studies have shown seniors with pets tend to   live longer. Pets love us unconditionally. And they give us someone to nurture and care for – something often missing for senior lives. They force us to get out of bed in the morning to meet their needs. Walking a dog (or even a cat – I am seeing cats on leashes more frequently these days) is good for your muscles and your heart. It also gives you a starting point for meeting other people. Ever passed someone walking a dog without exchanging pleasantries? Seldom happens. 

Generally seniors can adopt pets from local shelters at a reduced rate. Purina offers a support program that helps many local shelters lower costs on adoptions to seniors. We all need some daily love in our lives and pets provide that. And many older pets end up in shelters when their owners move into facilities or can no longer care for them. Younger families often do not want these older pets so finding homes for senior pets is difficult. A senior pet is calmer, often already well trained as a house pet. It can’t hurt to look, can it?

Let’s get honest here folks. Getting old is NO fun. In many cases you may no longer be able to do what you wanted to do when you were 30 years old --- even if you COULD afford it. My wonderful grandmother (mother to 12 children) pointed this out when I was in my 20’s. “See all those books in that bookcase?” she said. “Well, when your Daddy was a little boy I wanted to read every one of them. I locked them away to preserve them for the day when all your Aunts and Uncles were grown and I’d have plenty of time to read them. Well, guess what? That day came 40 years ago and I’ve not read even one of them. They no longer interest me. Do what you want when it appeals to you. Soon enough, you won’t care anymore!” Grandma was six months short of 100 years of age when she left this world. At 95 she was still crawling under the quilting frame my Uncle made in shop class to get to the other side of the quilt she was making. I’m convinced that Grandma’s quilting is what kept her alive for so many years.

As a society we do not do well when we sit in a chair very long. We need to have a purpose in life – something that gives us pleasure and keeps us active. Our health suffers when we are unhappy – whether that unhappiness is the result of a bad job or no money for retirement. As we grow older our likes and dislikes change. But our need for happiness and a sense of well-being do not. Finding a way to stabilize our lives while making it affordable can result in a lifestyle filled with joy and new adventures. 

Living greener and leaving a smaller footprint in our later years can greatly contribute to the lives of our children and grandchildren. You CAN live happily on less without feeling deprived if you view it as a game – a challenge – instead of a period of self-imposed exile. I love jigsaw puzzles and crossword puzzles. I chose to view my new lifestyle as a puzzle. Try it – you might be amazed at how much fun you actually have!