I love Michigan summers. As a 30 year construction worker, the winters seem longer than I like now. Retirement is around the corner and New Mexico or Arizona would be ideal in the wintertime. I kinda want the best of both worlds. Tax free pension state would be my choice to live when retired.
For quite a while it's been Ireland I'd like to head to. But I'm only 28% Irish and that isn't enough to get me in! Housing costs are high. I have been told it's difficult for an American to settle there --I have no idea if this is true.
I'm trynig to make contact with some ex-pat communities in Ireland and Portugal.
Portugal would be a completely different life from everything I've known and that sounds wonderful! To have one last great adventure.
Anyone know anything about retiring to Portugal?
I'm in Iowa now,and bless the nice peoople here, but I want something more exciting. I'm from Chicago and would go back in a minute--if I could afford it.
Right now my current home is the best place for retirement. I'm within walking distance of a grocery store, drug store, 5 banks and a number of restaurants. The senior center may not be the most sophisticated but it works. I know my way around so I can get to the places I want to go to either by driving, bus, train or taxi. When I'm no longer able to drive I am considering selling my apartment and moving to an Over 55 community in Arden, NC if it is still in existence that is. I don't want anyone to have to deal with selling my place should something happen to me. Why NC? The cost of living is considerably less than it is here in NY and the only way I could achieve a similar area is to move further north and that I WON'T do. The place I'm looking at has a great activity schedule, good apartment layouts and I think would be a great fit for me when the time comes to sell.
I retired in Hawaii but my daughter wanted to go someplace else. She scouted around and decided, why not Las Vegas, Nevada. We have sunshine, great weather, not humid, and only 4 or 5 months of cold, well, it would be cold to us(40-50) since living in Hawaii. It's super hot 3 months and the house will be inviting.
Our family could come and stay with us. Even friends could stop by as they go gambling and see the shows. Actually Nevada is the 9th island of Hawaii. Food is inexpensive and just about anything else. Oh, the Dollar Store will blow you away!
so, we packed up and moved to Las Vegas. We've been here 6 months. I'm loving it! It's all how you look at the place you moved- share your Aloha! Share your compassion. When, people asked me why did you move from Hawaii to Las Vegas? Because it's Paradise!
Scottsdale, Arizona is lovely for a solid 9 months - bit HOT in the other 3 months...but with the Grand Canyon (North and South Rim), Prescott, Sedona, Cottonwood, Flagstaff and all of the lovely mountain areas - 5000 feet or so... plenty of places to escape the heat and go fishing. Definitely will remain in Scottsdale...but, may size down the home a bit.
The answer is simple: MEXICO. My wife and I are proud to be among the estimated 1 million + US expatriates who have chosen to live in Mexico. The cost of living is significantly better and friends tell us how expensive and impossible it is to live a decent retirement in the US. Despite news reports on cartels and violence, we feel safer here than we did in the United States. The current administration's policies are mean-spirited and immigration matters handled in an inhumane way. One of our best life decisions was to retire to Mexico.
To amcoffiebean: Got your message through AARP email. Sorry but I wouldn't even know how to find a private message and unfortunately I wasn't the person who wrote of Georgia. I would not go that far South. I'm a four seasons person so NC would be the furthest south I'd go to live.
LogicsHere, so very sorry I will double check to see who received the PM. Was trying to reach eb65614617 who posted about the GA area we are interested in.