A perfect normal day for me starts with awakening at 5, after 7 hours of good sleep, greeting my spouse who has already made the coffee, reading the local newspaper. Do a few puzzles on the NYT website, check headlines and read some articles. Same for the Washington Post (my home town paper). Local TV news for weather info. Around 7, I have fruit & yoghurt for breakfast and watch the sun come up over the Gulf of Mexico outside my 11th floor windows.
Every day, I am glad we waitlisted at our CCRC for 3 years to get an apartment with a view - we are grateful for that and many reasons to live here. We’ve been here for 3 years and like it better every day. Around 8, we walk around the 15 acre property, checking on the ducks and other birds in the pond, and admiring new blooms in the volunteer-managed orchid garden. There are the usual medical appointments to keep, and challenges to meet in the years ahead, but we are blessed with fairly few health problems at this point (approaching 80s). There are financial accounts to monitor and occasional meetings with advisor. Saving for retirement starting in our 30s was a good idea. I check in with friends & family by email and seek to regularly make plans together. Also I send or answer emails about volunteer committee meetings and activities. I belong to the Health & Wellness Committee here and serve as my floor’s representative to the Resident Council. I work a two-hour shift one day each week in our library - my favorite volunteer job. It's a great place to meet new people and catch up on news of other residents. Not to mention first crack at the latest books. We eat a hearty lunch in the dining room most days and take home leftovers - so luxurious to not have to plan, shop for, and prepare meals. We get together for early dinners on Sundays with a dozen friends here in one of the private dining rooms. There are lectures, concerts, classes, etc to round things out. It’s a wonderful life and I am grateful for it. And I know that life can change in the blink of an eye.
I have our emergency fund in Fidelity’s money market. I had been keeping a big chunk in CDs, but as the rates dropped to 4%, I moved the proceeds into the MM pot.
I’ve also got a nice chunk of my retirement money in TIAA-CREF, a 403(b) investment vehicle for nonprofits, as opposed to a 401(k). My employer had a good match which helped build it in my working years. I’ve not yet taken the annuity option, and it has grown very well, even as I have taken the RMD each year. Eventually I’ll convert it to an annuity.
After my spouse went through a medical crisis in his 40s, he began thinking of an eventual early retirement in his mid-50s if he were to live that long. (Spoiler: he’ll be 80 in a couple of months.) I was on board and ready to leave my high-stress job, especially since I had progressive hearing loss from age 32 that was worsening. We had vacationed in and liked the US Virgin Islands where several of our friends were living, and a five-year plan emerged. We were already debt-free and started maxing out our contributions to retirement accounts. We cleaned up loose ends, selling a few real estate investments. We bought a fixer-upper house on the island and found renters until we needed it. We put all our worldly goods into a shipping container and moved down at ages 53 & 55. Our “tropical retirement” came in stages. I easily found an interesting & enjoyable full time job with a modest salary and health insurance (and later I went part time.) My spouse renovated our island house, and then took his own low-stress, part time job rather than play golf every day. We met great people who are still our best friends. It was an idyllic time in our lives. We moved back to the continental US eight years later because the health care facilities in the islands were poor, and because our parents in the US were aging. We never did go back to high stress, high-paying full-time jobs working for other people. We took SS at 62. My spouse stopped working for good ten years ago. I freelanced as an editor and writer at my own schedule for 20 years. We went on long trips around the US & Canada in a small camper van. Now we live in a CCRC and love it. What made early semi-retirement possible was starting young to build our IRAs and Roths, leaving them alone to just grow, and eventually building other brokerage accounts too. As soon as we could, we avoided carrying debts, including mortgages and car loans. If you have no debt, you have a lot of flexibility.
Thanks for an enjoyable post - I share your feelings on these topics. The loneliness factor began looming large in my mind about five years ago as I lost my closest pals. Two brothers and a sister-inlaw who was a friend of 60+ years) died. Our best friends decided to sell their house near us and move into a residential cruise ship. We do not have children. Our response was to investigate local options and then join the waitlist for a non-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community with a large endowment. We moved in three years go, and feel it was one of our best decisions ever. We are making lots of friends, mainly through volunteer activities. Many newly-arriving residents are our age (early baby boomers), but I've also found good friendships with those who are 20 years older than I am. Your concern about the economy for others who are less fortunate than we are is well-placed, and shared by residents and management where we live. Cities like ours with a high cost of living push employees a longer distance away to find affordable housing. Many service people in our state who work in farming, food service, and health care have traditionally emigrated from other countries, and now their options have changed.These are hands-on jobs that can't be done on a computer from afar. Many of our medical professionals also moved to our state from other countries in the past. Perhaps that will be changing, too, adding to the shortage of doctors. I agree with another post that many generations do have major challenges. I started thinking about 1980 when my husband and I married. We were trying to get a mortgage when interest rates were in the teens, and headlines convinced us that we shouldn't expect Social Security to be there for us when we retired. The upside was that we were propelled to open and fund retirement accounts relatively early in life which appreciated over the years.
After the CCRC called to offer us an apartment we loved, we had a full cash offer on our mortgage-free house two days after it went on the market. Our sale proceeds covered the buy-in fee with a big chunk left over to add to retirement savings. The strategy that worked for us when we moved to Florida was buying a dated fixer-upper in a good neighborhood and having modest renovations done right away so we could enjoy our updated home for the next seven years. During the last three years, we went on the CCRC waitlist and started getting rid of excess stuff. We followed the guidance of our RE agent for simple de-cluttering and staging before the photos were taken. In our neighborhood, there were a lot of houses that really needed updating and sat on the market for months, ultimately selling for far less per square foot. So my advice is not to wait for “one of these days” to do a few improvements.
Thanks for sharing the story. It’s a great illustration of being able to turn in work orders for all sorts of maintenance requests when residing in a CCRC, without having to pay the tab.
We once had a backyard mulberry tree that attracted raccoons who would over-indulge, get drunk, and fall out of the tree. Luckily they never noticed our soffits.
Our nonprofit CCRC includes a property tax charge on the monthly billing statement, broken out so we have a total at the end of the year to use to file for a deduction on taxes (we itemize). The CCRC management also files for Florida Homestead Exemption for each of us to reduce that tax.
We moved from a Florida house into a nonprofit Florida CCRC three years ago and have been very happy with the decision. Other people have covered many of the inclusions. Areas we used to spend $ on with a house (which went away): Landscaping (tree trimming, plants, yard treatments, sprinkler system repairs & maintenance)
Weekly lawn servicing man
Monthly Pool man
House maintenance (painting, repairs, roof replacement, pool cage repairs, etc etc)
HOA fees (some cover pool & yards - ours did not)
Termite treatments (and cost of repairs after infestation)
Hurricane damage repair (below deductible)
Lightning strike repairs (below deductible)
Homeowners insurance (rental insurance now)
Plumber It’s nice to leave all that to our excellent maintenance staff.
Comments
A perfect normal day for me starts with awakening at 5, after 7 hours of good sleep, greeting my spouse who has already made the coffee, reading the local newspaper. Do a few puzzles on the NYT website, check headlines and read some articles. Same for the Washington Post (my home town paper). Local TV news for weather info. Around 7, I have fruit & yoghurt for breakfast and watch the sun come up over the Gulf of Mexico outside my 11th floor windows. Every day, I am glad we waitlisted at our CCRC for 3 years to get an apartment with a view - we are grateful for that and many reasons to live here. We’ve been here for 3 years and like it better every day. Around 8, we walk around the 15 acre property, checking on the ducks and other birds in the pond, and admiring new blooms in the volunteer-managed orchid garden. There are the usual medical appointments to keep, and challenges to meet in the years ahead, but we are blessed with fairly few health problems at this point (approaching 80s). There are financial accounts to monitor and occasional meetings with advisor. Saving for retirement starting in our 30s was a good idea. I check in with friends & family by email and seek to regularly make plans together. Also I send or answer emails about volunteer committee meetings and activities. I belong to the Health & Wellness Committee here and serve as my floor’s representative to the Resident Council. I work a two-hour shift one day each week in our library - my favorite volunteer job. It's a great place to meet new people and catch up on news of other residents. Not to mention first crack at the latest books. We eat a hearty lunch in the dining room most days and take home leftovers - so luxurious to not have to plan, shop for, and prepare meals. We get together for early dinners on Sundays with a dozen friends here in one of the private dining rooms. There are lectures, concerts, classes, etc to round things out. It’s a wonderful life and I am grateful for it. And I know that life can change in the blink of an eye.
Post: What’s Your Perfect “Normal” Day?
Link to comment from December 12, 2025
I have our emergency fund in Fidelity’s money market. I had been keeping a big chunk in CDs, but as the rates dropped to 4%, I moved the proceeds into the MM pot.
Post: Where to Keep Cash
Link to comment from December 6, 2025
I’ve also got a nice chunk of my retirement money in TIAA-CREF, a 403(b) investment vehicle for nonprofits, as opposed to a 401(k). My employer had a good match which helped build it in my working years. I’ve not yet taken the annuity option, and it has grown very well, even as I have taken the RMD each year. Eventually I’ll convert it to an annuity.
Post: The annuities are coming, the annuities are coming‼️
Link to comment from December 5, 2025
After my spouse went through a medical crisis in his 40s, he began thinking of an eventual early retirement in his mid-50s if he were to live that long. (Spoiler: he’ll be 80 in a couple of months.) I was on board and ready to leave my high-stress job, especially since I had progressive hearing loss from age 32 that was worsening. We had vacationed in and liked the US Virgin Islands where several of our friends were living, and a five-year plan emerged. We were already debt-free and started maxing out our contributions to retirement accounts. We cleaned up loose ends, selling a few real estate investments. We bought a fixer-upper house on the island and found renters until we needed it. We put all our worldly goods into a shipping container and moved down at ages 53 & 55. Our “tropical retirement” came in stages. I easily found an interesting & enjoyable full time job with a modest salary and health insurance (and later I went part time.) My spouse renovated our island house, and then took his own low-stress, part time job rather than play golf every day. We met great people who are still our best friends. It was an idyllic time in our lives. We moved back to the continental US eight years later because the health care facilities in the islands were poor, and because our parents in the US were aging. We never did go back to high stress, high-paying full-time jobs working for other people. We took SS at 62. My spouse stopped working for good ten years ago. I freelanced as an editor and writer at my own schedule for 20 years. We went on long trips around the US & Canada in a small camper van. Now we live in a CCRC and love it. What made early semi-retirement possible was starting young to build our IRAs and Roths, leaving them alone to just grow, and eventually building other brokerage accounts too. As soon as we could, we avoided carrying debts, including mortgages and car loans. If you have no debt, you have a lot of flexibility.
Post: Happy Hour, or The Panic Button? Why Early Retirement Anxiety Is Real.
Link to comment from December 1, 2025
Thanks for an enjoyable post - I share your feelings on these topics. The loneliness factor began looming large in my mind about five years ago as I lost my closest pals. Two brothers and a sister-inlaw who was a friend of 60+ years) died. Our best friends decided to sell their house near us and move into a residential cruise ship. We do not have children. Our response was to investigate local options and then join the waitlist for a non-profit Continuing Care Retirement Community with a large endowment. We moved in three years go, and feel it was one of our best decisions ever. We are making lots of friends, mainly through volunteer activities. Many newly-arriving residents are our age (early baby boomers), but I've also found good friendships with those who are 20 years older than I am. Your concern about the economy for others who are less fortunate than we are is well-placed, and shared by residents and management where we live. Cities like ours with a high cost of living push employees a longer distance away to find affordable housing. Many service people in our state who work in farming, food service, and health care have traditionally emigrated from other countries, and now their options have changed.These are hands-on jobs that can't be done on a computer from afar. Many of our medical professionals also moved to our state from other countries in the past. Perhaps that will be changing, too, adding to the shortage of doctors. I agree with another post that many generations do have major challenges. I started thinking about 1980 when my husband and I married. We were trying to get a mortgage when interest rates were in the teens, and headlines convinced us that we shouldn't expect Social Security to be there for us when we retired. The upside was that we were propelled to open and fund retirement accounts relatively early in life which appreciated over the years.
Post: What’s Really on My Mind These Days
Link to comment from November 26, 2025
After the CCRC called to offer us an apartment we loved, we had a full cash offer on our mortgage-free house two days after it went on the market. Our sale proceeds covered the buy-in fee with a big chunk left over to add to retirement savings. The strategy that worked for us when we moved to Florida was buying a dated fixer-upper in a good neighborhood and having modest renovations done right away so we could enjoy our updated home for the next seven years. During the last three years, we went on the CCRC waitlist and started getting rid of excess stuff. We followed the guidance of our RE agent for simple de-cluttering and staging before the photos were taken. In our neighborhood, there were a lot of houses that really needed updating and sat on the market for months, ultimately selling for far less per square foot. So my advice is not to wait for “one of these days” to do a few improvements.
Post: Is the value of your home an important part of retirement plans?
Link to comment from November 24, 2025
Thanks for sharing the story. It’s a great illustration of being able to turn in work orders for all sorts of maintenance requests when residing in a CCRC, without having to pay the tab. We once had a backyard mulberry tree that attracted raccoons who would over-indulge, get drunk, and fall out of the tree. Luckily they never noticed our soffits.
Post: How Has Living in a CCRC Affected Your Monthly Bills?
Link to comment from November 14, 2025
I’d like to hear more about the “raccoons above ceiling.”
Post: How Has Living in a CCRC Affected Your Monthly Bills?
Link to comment from November 14, 2025
Our nonprofit CCRC includes a property tax charge on the monthly billing statement, broken out so we have a total at the end of the year to use to file for a deduction on taxes (we itemize). The CCRC management also files for Florida Homestead Exemption for each of us to reduce that tax.
Post: How Has Living in a CCRC Affected Your Monthly Bills?
Link to comment from November 14, 2025
We moved from a Florida house into a nonprofit Florida CCRC three years ago and have been very happy with the decision. Other people have covered many of the inclusions. Areas we used to spend $ on with a house (which went away): Landscaping (tree trimming, plants, yard treatments, sprinkler system repairs & maintenance) Weekly lawn servicing man Monthly Pool man House maintenance (painting, repairs, roof replacement, pool cage repairs, etc etc) HOA fees (some cover pool & yards - ours did not) Termite treatments (and cost of repairs after infestation) Hurricane damage repair (below deductible) Lightning strike repairs (below deductible) Homeowners insurance (rental insurance now) Plumber It’s nice to leave all that to our excellent maintenance staff.
Post: How Has Living in a CCRC Affected Your Monthly Bills?
Link to comment from November 13, 2025