Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.


We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Introduce Yourself! -> Gannet and Morus starting the journey
Post Info TOPIC: Gannet and Morus starting the journey
Gannet


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 29
Date:
Gannet and Morus starting the journey
Permalink  

This is a very close-knit forum community.  You all should be quite proud of what you have created here.

We are recent arrivals, so let us introduce ourselves,Gannet (Dave) and Morus (Betty), married 41 years.

We each turned 60 within the last few months and that started a lot of introspection. I hate my job, even though it's a very good job, and Betty is tired of the long commute to hers.

As part of the introspection. one of the things I started doing was a Do Want and Do Not Want list. That was somewhat of an eye-opener. Much of my current life is on the Do Not Want list. Hmmm.

On the Do Want list are that we want to spend more time together, and there are still a lot of places and things we want to see.

On the Do Not Want list are the chains of our stuff, including taking care of our house and yard.

Cue Jacob Marley:

“Ah! You do not know the weight and length of strong chain you bear yourself! It was as full and as long as this seven Christmas eves ago and you have labored on it since. Ah, it is a ponderous chain!”

Marley of course referred to Scrooge's spiritual chain, but the chains of Stuff can bind pretty tight as well. And I have a ridiculous amount of Stuff (Betty is more reasonable in that department).

My company sent out a pension forecast recently, which of course they periodically do. Our current lifestyle burns through a lot of cash flow, and I honestly thought we'd have to work 'til at least 70. Well, what with the gears already turning, I decided to run the projections and a budget and see how things turned out. Lo and behold, it looks like we can comfortably retire at 62 if we sell the house and simplify our life a bit!

Yow!

The natural conclusion, and I'm sure you can all see this coming, is to go full-timing in an RV until we can't do it any more.

Thankfully, we have a little past experience at this. A bit more than 20 years ago we lived full-time in a 30' Airstream for 18 months, and did one cross-country trip in it. So we've been through the cycle of de-stuffing before, and we know we get along well enough for constant close presence.

Other than that, we've got to go through all the steps and stages that y'all have done.

Target date is end of 2016.

Wish us luck!



__________________

event.png

 
Jo And Craig


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 446
Date:
Permalink  

I say... if you are really serious about fulltiming, it's never too early to start the purging.  Otherwise, you will wear yourself to a frazzle and recovery, at this age, is not as easy as it once way.  Good luck, and welcome aboard!



__________________

 

sun.gifJo & Craig: Class of 2014!

http://itsourmomentintime.wordpress.com/

Life isn't about how you survived the storm, it's about how you danced in the rain!

2016 Lifestyle Luxury 39FB

2015 Ford F350 Dually Longbed (It's awesome!)
MarkS


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 806
Date:
Permalink  

You have it figured out. When I was younger I always wondered what my retirement would look like. Deciding to full time to simplify, see stuff, and be together was one of the most freeing decisions we ever made. Now, if the wait doesn't kill me!!!

__________________

MarkS & Jackie
MSgt, USAF, Ret
2004 Volvo 780 530 HP Cummins 13 speed
2014 Trilogy 3650RE
fulltime since Oct 8, 2016
Gannet


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 29
Date:
Permalink  

Jo And Craig wrote:

I say... if you are really serious about fulltiming, it's never too early to start the purging.  Otherwise, you will wear yourself to a frazzle and recovery, at this age, is not as easy as it once way.  Good luck, and welcome aboard!

Already started. Three trash bins out by the roadway for tomorrow's pickup. :)

I've also started the "4 piles".

Thankfully, our living situation will allow us to keep the yet-to-be-purchased RV in the driveway for some months as we transition over. So we're hoping to have the stuff pretty fine-tuned by D-Day.

We'd go sooner, but we need the income stream from SS. And another 2 years of savings and 401k contributions won't hurt. Once I hit 62 though I know I'm going to get very itchy feet, even though the current plan is to finish out 2016 in the job.



__________________

event.png

 
Jo And Craig


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 446
Date:
Permalink  

Good luck with that plan, Dave.  Many on this forum are already grinning because they thought the same thing.  Once they stuck their toe in the water, they were all in!



__________________

 

sun.gifJo & Craig: Class of 2014!

http://itsourmomentintime.wordpress.com/

Life isn't about how you survived the storm, it's about how you danced in the rain!

2016 Lifestyle Luxury 39FB

2015 Ford F350 Dually Longbed (It's awesome!)
pkhalin


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 161
Date:
Permalink  

Dave and Betty, best of luck with your plans.  I know with the anticipation, it seems like a long time.  But the time will pass quickly.  We've started to purge as well, albeit slowly, to be out next August.  But soooo looking forward to it.

Hope all goes well. 



__________________

Paul & Kim

99 Ford F350 Crew Cab

2013 Montana 3582RL

db678d46-b95c-4628-ab02-fec3e8951386_zpsdbd80ead.jpg?t=1407204781
BiggarView


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1661
Date:
Permalink  

Welcome aboard Dave and Betty. Your previous experience will certainly help you as you now plot out your new full time strategy. Let the good times rollsmile



__________________

Brian, Cindi & Josie (our fur baby)
2017 RAM 3500 Laramie 4x4 CCLB, CTD, Aisin, B&W hitch, dually
2020 Keystone Montana Legacy 3813MS w/FBP ,MORryde 8k IS, Kodiak disc brakes, no solar  YET!
Gannet


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 29
Date:
Permalink  

Thanks all for the welcome and kind wishes. :)

__________________

event.png

 
WestWardHo


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1627
Date:
Permalink  

Dave and Betty,

Welcome. Love it when plans come together. Retiring at 62, be sure you have real life estimates on healthcare costs. The Hensons on this forum are specialists on that subject so don't hesitate to contact those folks.

Best of luck to you. Hope you're out here soon!

Sherry

__________________

I don't know where I'm going but I'm on my way. - Carl Segan

Our "Rolling Rest Home" 2013 Trilogy 3650RL dragged by a 2005 GMC Sierra 4x4 Diesel Dually -SOLD

2015 Casita Spirit Deluxe 17 on the way.

Kids: Paris (AKA Kitty)  & Sadie
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Introduce Yourself! -> Gannet and Morus starting the journey
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us