“Corfu, The Beauty of Cape Drastis” by Maria Rosaria Sannino, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Envisioning retirement as serene as this secluded coastal paradise, where every day feels like a vacation.
I was reading my RSS reader BazQux the other day and came across a post by rscottjones about retirement planning. With approximately 8 years until my own retirement, I've started planning too. I found his approach very interesting.
I like reading what other people are thinking and comparing ideas. Since he shared his and his wife's general plans, I thought I'd share mine to help organize my own thinking.
My situation is different from his. It's just me, and I'm helping my elderly parents right now. I'll probably stay where I am for the foreseeable future. Once they're both gone, though, I'll need to reassess. I'm not particularly close to my brother or sister, or to my nieces and nephews (though that's not for lack of trying on my part).
Part of me would love to move somewhere less hot, humid, and hurricane-prone. But another part wants to stay in Florida. Contrary to popular belief, Florida is very expensive. Yes, the weather is good most of the time, but the costs add up quickly. Health insurance, home insurance, and car insurance are all expensive here.
If I could afford it and had the energy, I'd explore living abroad. My dream list includes Malta, Corfu, Crete, England (particularly St. Ives and the southern coast), Brazil, Hawaii, Uruguay, Argentina, or the Azores. Most of these are unrealistic due to language barriers or cost. England might be possible despite the expense, since there's no language barrier.
Realistically, I'll probably move within Florida to a villa or condo, though I haven't decided on a location yet. Given my medical conditions, staying where I am (just downsizing to a villa or condo) makes the most sense.
I do have travel plans, though. I had a passport but let it expire. I've never been out of the country, and I want to change that. I'd like to visit those countries I mentioned, plus Poland and Israel.
If I did leave Florida, I've been looking at staying on the East Coast. I've thought seriously about West Virginia, Virginia, or Delaware. Within Florida, my top choices would be Gainesville, Ocala, Orlando/Celebration, or Sebring.
In any event, unless something drastic changes, I plan to stay independent. I don't want to go to an independent or assisted living facility. I'm striving to make sure that whatever I choose, I'll be debt-free and settled. I plan on keeping busy with several things I enjoy, especially the homelab stuff. I want my Plex server completed except for new titles, and the rest of my major digital projects finished so I can just maintain things and experiment with new ideas. That way when I get back from travels, I can upload all those wonderful memories.
What's up first on my international travel plans? I think it will be Corfu. Ever since watching the series The Durrells, I've wanted to go there.
Wherever I end up living, it needs to be ready so I can age in place. I definitely won't be relying on family once my parents are gone. So while my plans aren't as concrete and in motion as RScottJones's, I do have an outline and some concepts that need firming up. Having read his post, at least now I know I'm thinking about the right questions.
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