A 22-foot, used camper-van greatly improved our lives in our early-mid retirement years. We set off on numerous trips across the US and Canada typically for a couple of months. The little van had a diesel engine and we averaged about 23 miles per gallon (versus the 10 mpg a bus-size RV gets.) Though other people embrace the RV approach to "go wherever the road takes you," I preferred researching, planning, and reserving destinations and campgrounds to maximize our time.
We visited dozens of national parks and historic sites, and had too many adventures to detail. As examples, we followed Lewis & Clark's route and the California Mission Trail. We found each lighthouse along the coast of Maine, and slept beside Ancestral Puebloan ruins at Chaco Canyon. We stayed in peaceful campsides by the water in the Florida Keys, booked a campsite by the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta's launch field , and had dinner with a view of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (in the lodge that sadly burned to the ground last year). Often I wrote magazine articles about our trips, which provided a little extra retirement income. My husband supplied some of the photos, a fun collaboration. In between the van travels, we visited with family members and made trips to places you can't drive to. After 8 wonderful years, we sold our "magic carpet" just before the Pandemic hit. I spent those shutdown months making photo books of our travels, and we still look at them constantly. I'm gladly we didn't end up with a long "someday" list. Our travels are now limited by my spouse's health, which makes that investment priceless.
I was a freelance travel writer for about the last 20 years of my career and eventually co-authored a book with an acquaintance who had a lot of publishing experience. Through his contacts, we received a contract from a university press and were paid an advance for our royalties, which we earned through our book sales plus more. The university’s publishing staff was large and we benefitted from their editor, cover artist, promotional team, and so on. It all took a couple of years, but it was a kick for our book to be in the Library of Congress and we won an award. After the pandemic came and went, I decided I was ready to retire.
Dan, I really enjoyed your post, probably because I now handle everything to do with our finances (my spouse’s cognitive issues meant making changes.) I use a very good preparer, but I’ve learned how to assemble all the details she’ll need. Meanwhile, I just want to weigh in on the sub-topic of CCRCs. My father & mother set an example - they lived happily in a nonprofit CCRC in the 1990s until they died, as my mother sank deeper into Alzheimers’ Disease. I became a fan of the concept, and we started visiting choices available where we live and went on the waitlist in 2019. Best decision we ever made, we’ve been very happy here for more than 3 years. I encourage people to move in while they are still healthy and able to handle the stress of the move (mid-70s for us). I’ve made lots of friends and done a lot of rewarding volunteering. I strongly recommend finding a non-profit like ours with a large endowment and a culture of friendliness and volunteerism. They’ll probably have a high occupancy rate in the 90%+ range and a waitlist of several years.
You asked for personal experiences. I resided in North Carolina when I became eligible for Medicare. At that time Plan F was an option, providing very good coverage, and I went with it, and chose a nationally-known carrier with decades of experience and good reputation. A few years later, we moved to Florida. No underwriting needed. No change in monthly fee. The transition was seamless. My same NC insurance carrier is still my Medigap policy-holder. The company is well-known throughout the US, including Florida. My advice is to choose the carrier that is highly-rated in both states. I am so glad I decided to pay monthly for a Medigap plan when I became eligible for Medicare. The older I get, the less I would have wanted to deal with extra recordkeeping, pre-approvals, co-pays,and so on. I can choose a specialist recommended by other trustworthy doctors and friends, make an appointment, and easily schedule what I need.
Beyond the expenses of the trip, could there be a limited-time-away-from-their-jobs factor leading them to suggest postponing the birthday event for 6 months?
Or is the birthday just a weekend away? I ask because our younger family members do have time constraints and can’t schedule week-long, fun events the same way retirees can.
Smoke, sparks, and surprise retirement spending arrived shortly before our house went on the market. A lightning strike took out our sprinkler system and a chunk of landscaping that had to be replaced. It could have been worse - no fire in the garage - but those pretty Florida palm trees aren’t cheap. Then a hurricane hit, days before the real estate agency photographer was scheduled, with more damage, again nothing serious. But we had to scramble, competing with thousands of other homeowners needing similar repairs. Now we live in a CCRC, where an onsite, skilled, & bonded maintenance staff is a phone call away. If our microwave explodes, they’ll replace it at no charge. Yes we pay a monthly fee, but it’s predictable and covers a lot.
I also am curious about several things. Age entering retirement and size of the portfolio, and what % the fiduciary advisor receives annually. I can’t see why a fiduciary would suggest that a retiree invest in anything illiquid that would tie up capital for 5 to 10 years.
Comments
A 22-foot, used camper-van greatly improved our lives in our early-mid retirement years. We set off on numerous trips across the US and Canada typically for a couple of months. The little van had a diesel engine and we averaged about 23 miles per gallon (versus the 10 mpg a bus-size RV gets.) Though other people embrace the RV approach to "go wherever the road takes you," I preferred researching, planning, and reserving destinations and campgrounds to maximize our time. We visited dozens of national parks and historic sites, and had too many adventures to detail. As examples, we followed Lewis & Clark's route and the California Mission Trail. We found each lighthouse along the coast of Maine, and slept beside Ancestral Puebloan ruins at Chaco Canyon. We stayed in peaceful campsides by the water in the Florida Keys, booked a campsite by the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta's launch field , and had dinner with a view of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (in the lodge that sadly burned to the ground last year). Often I wrote magazine articles about our trips, which provided a little extra retirement income. My husband supplied some of the photos, a fun collaboration. In between the van travels, we visited with family members and made trips to places you can't drive to. After 8 wonderful years, we sold our "magic carpet" just before the Pandemic hit. I spent those shutdown months making photo books of our travels, and we still look at them constantly. I'm gladly we didn't end up with a long "someday" list. Our travels are now limited by my spouse's health, which makes that investment priceless.
Post: The Art of Spending Money
Link to comment from May 20, 2026
It is still available for purchase through various suppliers including the University of Illinois Press, titled Traveling with Service Animals.
Post: Writing a Book in Retirement: The Good, the Hard, and the Surprisingly Meaningful
Link to comment from May 20, 2026
Excellent article.
Post: Resilient Investing
Link to comment from May 16, 2026
I was a freelance travel writer for about the last 20 years of my career and eventually co-authored a book with an acquaintance who had a lot of publishing experience. Through his contacts, we received a contract from a university press and were paid an advance for our royalties, which we earned through our book sales plus more. The university’s publishing staff was large and we benefitted from their editor, cover artist, promotional team, and so on. It all took a couple of years, but it was a kick for our book to be in the Library of Congress and we won an award. After the pandemic came and went, I decided I was ready to retire.
Post: Writing a Book in Retirement: The Good, the Hard, and the Surprisingly Meaningful
Link to comment from May 15, 2026
Our best toy was a used, 22 foot Sprinter van outfitted as an RV. We put 50,000 miles on it and loved every minute.
Post: Retirement Toys
Link to comment from May 6, 2026
Dan, I really enjoyed your post, probably because I now handle everything to do with our finances (my spouse’s cognitive issues meant making changes.) I use a very good preparer, but I’ve learned how to assemble all the details she’ll need. Meanwhile, I just want to weigh in on the sub-topic of CCRCs. My father & mother set an example - they lived happily in a nonprofit CCRC in the 1990s until they died, as my mother sank deeper into Alzheimers’ Disease. I became a fan of the concept, and we started visiting choices available where we live and went on the waitlist in 2019. Best decision we ever made, we’ve been very happy here for more than 3 years. I encourage people to move in while they are still healthy and able to handle the stress of the move (mid-70s for us). I’ve made lots of friends and done a lot of rewarding volunteering. I strongly recommend finding a non-profit like ours with a large endowment and a culture of friendliness and volunteerism. They’ll probably have a high occupancy rate in the 90%+ range and a waitlist of several years.
Post: Debriefing
Link to comment from March 29, 2026
You asked for personal experiences. I resided in North Carolina when I became eligible for Medicare. At that time Plan F was an option, providing very good coverage, and I went with it, and chose a nationally-known carrier with decades of experience and good reputation. A few years later, we moved to Florida. No underwriting needed. No change in monthly fee. The transition was seamless. My same NC insurance carrier is still my Medigap policy-holder. The company is well-known throughout the US, including Florida. My advice is to choose the carrier that is highly-rated in both states. I am so glad I decided to pay monthly for a Medigap plan when I became eligible for Medicare. The older I get, the less I would have wanted to deal with extra recordkeeping, pre-approvals, co-pays,and so on. I can choose a specialist recommended by other trustworthy doctors and friends, make an appointment, and easily schedule what I need.
Post: What happens to Medicare Supplement coverage when moving to a different state?
Link to comment from March 17, 2026
Beyond the expenses of the trip, could there be a limited-time-away-from-their-jobs factor leading them to suggest postponing the birthday event for 6 months? Or is the birthday just a weekend away? I ask because our younger family members do have time constraints and can’t schedule week-long, fun events the same way retirees can.
Post: Opinions Wanted: Please Reply Freely (I’m used to being called an idiot)
Link to comment from March 10, 2026
Smoke, sparks, and surprise retirement spending arrived shortly before our house went on the market. A lightning strike took out our sprinkler system and a chunk of landscaping that had to be replaced. It could have been worse - no fire in the garage - but those pretty Florida palm trees aren’t cheap. Then a hurricane hit, days before the real estate agency photographer was scheduled, with more damage, again nothing serious. But we had to scramble, competing with thousands of other homeowners needing similar repairs. Now we live in a CCRC, where an onsite, skilled, & bonded maintenance staff is a phone call away. If our microwave explodes, they’ll replace it at no charge. Yes we pay a monthly fee, but it’s predictable and covers a lot.
Post: Smoke, Sparks and Retirement Spending.
Link to comment from March 6, 2026
I also am curious about several things. Age entering retirement and size of the portfolio, and what % the fiduciary advisor receives annually. I can’t see why a fiduciary would suggest that a retiree invest in anything illiquid that would tie up capital for 5 to 10 years.
Post: Keep it Simpler
Link to comment from February 16, 2026