Updates...

[Ultralight]

Went whole foods vegan about 6 weeks ago. Blood pressure slowly lowered and is now normal. I get it checked once each week.

Lost 11 pounds. Yes!

I am officially halfway through the PSLF program. Less than 5 years to go! I hope that in five more years I can post that I have completed the program, had my loans forgiven, and officially made Yppej the most bitter person on the planet. Keepin' my eyes on the prize.

Went to orientation at the dog shelter. I start volunteering tomorrow. Plan is to work work senior dogs.

Kicked up my cardio from 3 days a week to 5 days a week.

Lobbied local government to allow a variety of cannabis businesses in my city, not just dispensaries. Succeeded!

Have my funds saved for my next trip -- thinking of somewhere in Asia!


Please share yours!

[Tammy]

Our middle child and his family are moving to Grand Canyon village. What an adventure! He got a job there. We’ll be driving route 17 a lot in the future to see the grandsons, and the stars that shine better without the city lights.

[Ultralight]

Our middle child and his family are moving to Grand Canyon village. What an adventure! He got a job there. We’ll be driving route 17 a lot in the future to see the grandsons, and the stars that shine better without the city lights.

Excellent!

[sweetana3]

Small but found a YMCA with a fantastic exercise instructor who can match our moves to a wide variety of music. I go 5 days a week with a 3/4 mile walk to and from. Step, cardio and weight work. Feel better, getting some muscles and losing a little weight.

Wanted some scraps of fabric to make quilts and told a bunch of people. One friend told someone else and she gave me three huge boxes of perfect scraps big enough to work with and novelty prints for kids. So we both benefitted. She found someone to use the fabric and I got the fabric to use for donation quilts. She makes 4,000 hats a year so had a lot of scrap.

[iris lilies]

I have benn sick for weeks with sinus allergies. Ugh. This is unlike me. Everyone is saying this is an extremely bad year for pollen and mold.

[Ultralight]

Small but found a YMCA with a fantastic exercise instructor who can match our moves to a wide variety of music. I go 5 days a week with a 3/4 mile walk to and from. Step, cardio and weight work. Feel better, getting some muscles and losing a little weight.

This sounds like a great set up, especially that you can walk there!

[happystuff]

Still have a job! I count that as an update because I work in retail and I don't think things are going to be going so well into the next year. Hopefully I will be proven wrong.

Should probably post this over in Spirituality, but was gifted with a couple of items blessed by HH the Dalai Lama!!! I'm extremely grateful and feeling the need to do simple kindnesses to others.

Overall, things are good.

[catherine]

Now that we've started "freezing our a$$es off, as the Vermonters told us we would, we're getting ready to head for something warmer: New Jersey! haha.. only DH and I would consider snowbirding to New Jersey! But we'll get to see the NJ grandkids.

Work is crazy busy.

Still doing Meals on Wheels, which I love.

DD is engaged and just bought a house, so we'll be involved in her life in one way or another for a while.

Only bad thing was a "death in the family"--I waited too long to take a beautiful plant in and we had a frost. I had grown that plant from a cutting during my FIRST Master Gardener program in New Jersey. I'm truly bummed. It grew so well outside--much better than inside--but I waited one day too long to bring it in for the winter.

Otherwise, all is well.

[herbgeek]

I'm in my 6th month of retirement. I spent the summer and early fall getting caught up on long deferred house and yard maintenance, and started the prep for a new project for the spring (a wildflower meadow, which requires me to pull out tons and tons of bittersweet and other invasives). I started some strength and yoga classes at local senior/community centers to augment the cardio I already do in the basement. Still trying to figure out what is "next" as far as a focus/project to work on but in the meantime taking classes I come across just for fun. Its a weird space to be in where I don't have to remember 3 things at once, or have to rush to fit things into little spaces in my work schedule or just feel its all I can do to just get through a week.

[pinkytoe]

I am approaching my fourth year of retirement and third year of living in Colorado. In thinking about it, I am glad we made this move as it exposed us to all kinds of new experiences that we wouldn't have had staying in the same place for the duration of our lives. Totally different weather, scenery, political and cultural beliefs. Just got back from a trip to TX and got to see DD's new house in the burbs and spend time with our 16 mo old twin grand-daughters. So fascinating to watch two identical humans interacting!! Volunteer garden work has slowed down so my indoor winter project will be re-upholstering a chair and cleaning out paperwork. Thinking about doing an "orphan" Thanksgiving potluck as we won't be spending it with family this year. I think there is a move in our near future so will give lots of thought on the best way to make that happen. In the meantime, I will continue to look for fun and interesting things to do - book club, classes, hikes, etc.

[Teacher Terry]

Any ideas about next location? I have moved a lot when younger so no desire to leave my tribe now. I bet being with the twins was fun.

[sweetana3]

Pinkytoe, one of the most educational things we did was spend 3 years (corporate move) in a totally different state. Learned that we carry ourselves with us when we move, other states can be interesting but all have their own issues, and we could be content almost anywhere. I no longer obsess over moving somewhere else.

[Tenngal]

Thanks for the update!

Sounds as though things are going well for you.

As for me, I have confessions to make.

Been low carbing for a while but not too well the past few months.

Gained back 6 pounds.

Still doing ok for an old woman of 63 other than having the shingles about 3 weeks ago.

Best wishes on the volunteer work, sounds interesting.

[Teacher Terry]

I have lived in 5 states and have definitely been happier in some places than others. I used to love moving when younger but not anymore.

[lhamo]

I'm nearly 4.5 years into early retirement -- and just about to turn 51! DS is in his senior year as a CS major, doing well both academically and socially. He moved into an apartment with two friends from his program, but still comes home once a week or so to do laundry and get fed some homecooked goodness. DD seems to be settling into high school well, too. She was on the volleyball team so the first part of the semester was pretty busy, but now things are a bit mellower. She is on the robotics team and it will be interesting to see where she takes that. DH is again back in China helping out with his parents, whose health issues continue to compound. We are grateful that being retired allows him the flexibility to go back as he is needed without having to worry about a job.

We've been in our Seattle house for about 2.5 years now. I've been getting really into gardening and had good results with my first in-ground vegetable patch this summer - expanded it with a couple of small raised beds on a dry part of the lawn where I planted fall/winter crops (brassicas mostly) and just revived an old bed that the previous owners had put it that had gotten overgrown with non-edible stuff. I also have a large collection of containers on our upstairs deck that work well for sun-loving plants. I've joined a local garden club and several gardening groups on Facebook where I have gotten a bunch of free plants and seeds. Still love trying to do things on a budget where possible -- the frugalista is deep in this one!

[rosarugosa]

Always nice to hear from you, Lhamo. Glad retirement is going well. It will be 2 years for me on 12/1, although my retirement was a lot less early than yours.

[SteveinMN]

I'm not on here much anymore; so many topics which don't seem to further my journey in simplicity. To everything there is a season, I guess...

Not much change here. Things will change next spring when DW retires. At least that's the plan -- she was eligible as of the first of this month, but she has a couple of projects she'd like to finish there and we'd like to bank some more $$ for a few big-ticket items before we lose her paycheck. So it probably will be spring 2020 before she pushes the button.

DW may opt to work elsewhere afterward --likely not full-time -- because she wants to do something in her field and she wants the structure that comes with having some deadlines. But she has to take a few months off from work before she can go back to what she was doing in any capacity. And, by then, she may enjoy her free time too much to sully it with 30 hours of work every week. ;) On the other hand, we'll need health insurance. So either one of us will be working for the Man With Insurance or we'll have to figure out how to cover the costs for the years till we're Medicare age.

With DW's retirement will come my retirement as househusband. I'll still do plenty -- the kitchen essentially will be mine and DW has never liked doing home maintenance or outside care. But I don't have to do everything (which is what I do now). With that will come a fair amount of free hours I haven't figured out how to fill yet. Lots of candidates, lots of requirements that knock some of the candidates out of contention.

[Teacher Terry]

Steve, is the ACA reasonable in Minnesota? Costs really vary by state. Too bad she doesn’t get retiree HI. We have thought of dropping ours for the ACA but didn’t because we cannot get back on. It would save us a ton of money. We have 5 years until DH is 65. I have to stay on to keep him insured. I also have Medicare A and B.

[SteveinMN]

Steve, is the ACA reasonable in Minnesota?
tbh we haven't researched the costs yet. DW does have an HSA that we can tap, which will help considerably, but until we get some realistic numbers (and a better idea of where ACA is going in the next few years) we won't really know. She can COBRA, of course, but that's of limited duration and not inexpensive. Plan B is to work at one of those places that offers health insurance to part-time employees.

Retiree health insurance seemingly is, like pensions, a thing of the past. Even the Fortune 100 company at which I worked last moved a few years from retiree coverage that was pretty much identical to what employees received to receiving that coverage for a couple of years to giving retirees an allowance to spend on private insurance/exchanges to ... no coverage at all...

[rosarugosa]

Steve: You might want to check out local hospitals. At least around here, they have lots of part-time jobs doing all different kinds of things, and offer benefits if you work 20+ hours per week. I carry our HI (fortunate to have retiree HI although very expensive), but DH works part-time at a low stress job and we carry life ins, FSA 403b and a really great retiree medical savings plan through his employer. He also got 5 weeks of paid vacation/PTO right out of the gate.

[SteveinMN]

Thanks for the tip, rosa! We live within a couple of miles of three (!) hospitals. I think I'll take a look at the opportunities they have open now...

[iris lilies]

Steve my suggestion to you about the ACA is: five years ago I didn’t know what the ACA was going to look like either during my retirement lead into Medicare, but I took the plunge. We did cobra for 18 months and then took ACA insurance for the remaining time until we hit 65 for Medicare. The ACA coverage was much cheaper of course than COBRA but money really wasn’t the issue for us.


Anyway – what I am saying is – the ACA in some form is going to be around.
Before you turn on spigots of retirement income that you cannot turn off, look at income categories for ACA subsidies and try to plan your income stream accordingly.

.

[Teacher Terry]

Starbucks gives HI to people that work 20 hours a week last I knew.

[SteveinMN]

Anyway – what I am saying is – the ACA in some form is going to be around.
Before you turn on spigots of retirement income that you cannot turn off, look at income categories for ACA subsidies and try to plan your income stream accordingly.
Thanks, IL; that's sound advice.

One of the biggest challenges we've found in dealing with financial planners is finding people who know enough to be able to advise on that entire concept of taxation of income. Sure, they know the broad stuff like Roth versus traditional IRAs, but working HSA income and SS and pensions and non-retirement savings and all? I realize there are a few variables missing from those equations (how long the money will be needed, inflation, etc.), but most planners we've talked with don't/can't get to the level of explaining something as simple as what you mentioned (about ACA income categories). I suppose that will be something I have to learn myself.

[SteveinMN]

Starbucks gives HI to people that work 20 hours a week last I knew.
Still do; we know a couple who do exactly that for HI.

[frugal-one]

Thanks for the tip, rosa! We live within a couple of miles of three (!) hospitals. I think I'll take a look at the opportunities they have open now...

I worked for a hospital part-time a number of years ago when we owned a business and needed health insurance. It was great! Part-time job with part-time benefits with health care.

[iris lilies]

Thanks, IL; that's sound advice.

One of the biggest challenges we've found in dealing with financial planners is finding people who know enough to be able to advise on that entire concept of taxation of income. Sure, they know the broad stuff like Roth versus traditional IRAs, but working HSA income and SS and pensions and non-retirement savings and all? I realize there are a few variables missing from those equations (how long the money will be needed, inflation, etc.), but most planners we've talked with don't/can't get to the level of explaining something as simple as what you mentioned (about ACA income categories). I suppose that will be something I have to learn myself.
Well, here is my confession: this year, I just stopped caring about taxation.There were way too many variables to consider for me, anyway. I dont want to worry my pretty little head. DH is far more Top of it that I am. But when I ask him about our plan for taking out money and spending down assets he goes silent. I think it’s because we just haven’t thought much about it.

After so many decades of piling up assets, how do we pull them out? How do we convert to cash? Why not convert to cash? What are the tax consequences etc.? I’m probably going to turn on my Social Security spigot for in January because that at least will not affect ACA subsidies.

[Teacher Terry]

So is your husband not 65 and on Medicare?

[iris lilies]

So is your husband not 65 and on Medicare?

Yes, DH is now on Medicare,but ACA subsidies look at the entire year of 2019, which is why I was in no hurry to turn on Social Security income.

[Teacher Terry]

That makes sense.

[Yppej]

I guess it is easier in some ways to be working class. I have never worried about deferring income to avoid taxes.

[happystuff]

I guess it is easier in some ways to be working class. I have never worried about deferring income to avoid taxes.

Not one of my problems either. And pretty much the only "stocks" I have are on my pantry shelves. ;)

[frugal-one]

Thanks, IL; that's sound advice.

One of the biggest challenges we've found in dealing with financial planners is finding people who know enough to be able to advise on that entire concept of taxation of income. Sure, they know the broad stuff like Roth versus traditional IRAs, but working HSA income and SS and pensions and non-retirement savings and all? I realize there are a few variables missing from those equations (how long the money will be needed, inflation, etc.), but most planners we've talked with don't/can't get to the level of explaining something as simple as what you mentioned (about ACA income categories). I suppose that will be something I have to learn myself.


I would be interested in knowing how to do this too.

[frugal-one]

I guess it is easier in some ways to be working class. I have never worried about deferring income to avoid taxes.

That is not necessarily the situation. After being frugal for years, how does a person start spending in a realistic manner? As an example, it would be stupid to cash in an IRA before eligible to do so. I am sure it is wise to cash in certain equities before others. It is not avoidance of taxes but being prudent.

[SteveinMN]

That is not necessarily the situation. After being frugal for years, how does a person start spending in a realistic manner? As an example, it would be stupid to cash in an IRA before eligible to do so. I am sure it is wise to cash in certain equities before others. It is not avoidance of taxes but being prudent.
I've heard people say -- and we're starting to experience -- that, in retirement, your thinking about money changes from your working days. You're (typically) no longer on a career track, so just moving to another company for a raise isn't happening.

And the money itself is a little different. Pulling money out of a Roth IRA is tax-free (since you paid it before the money went into the Roth). But does it make sense to tap a Roth now or start emptying a regular IRA or even just non-retirement savings/investments now -- or do you expect to be paying a different tax rate either because of income levels or because tax laws changed? How do you make sure you don't bring in so much money between minimum distributions and any jobs you have that you mess up eligibility for ACA (what IL has been watching)? In DW's case, that HSA technically can be used to pay for non-medical expenses; does it make sense to change the investment allocation on that if we'll want/need that money for HI premiums? Lots of questions.

How to learn that? Lots of reading. Some periodicals like Barron's, Web sites like marketwatch.com, Mr. Money Mustache, bogleheads.com (my favorite), some retirement forums. Thing is that someone's experience in another state may not be something you can match in your own state. But it can raise the questions you can research yourself or ask your accountant/lawyer/financial advisor.

[Teacher Terry]

When we retired our money in deferred compensation was not taxed so it’s taxed when taken out and you have to be smart about it.

[sweetana3]

It is my opinion that it was easier to save the money into tax deferred accounts than it is to figure out the best way for us to spend it in retirement. We did balance our savings into both deferred and nondeferred investments so we have some time to think about it.