Retirement Goals - Update #3

It has already been six months since my last update!  Can you believe that?  My, oh my, how fast the time goes.  And how quickly plans can change too.

In my last update I was on track for debt elimination and the purchase of a second smaller home to retire into.  In fact, I was seriously planning to start looking for said home beginning in January 2018.  But now my retirement home is sitting in my driveway!  And I love her!

You all know about Laverne, of course, and how I plan to downsize (once again) and move into her and travel.  Once I made the decision to take the purchase of a second home off the table things have really changed for me.  In looking at my finances and crunching numbers, discussing my options with my closest friends and a lot of weighing the pros and cons I have a lot more choices open for me.

In five years my youngest will be starting her senior year of high school.  Crazy I know, but true.  Five years goes by in a heartbeat.  Right now I want to concentrate on the time I have left to be a full time parent to my girls.  I don't want to be looking for real estate, working hard to pay for that property and devoting all of my spare time to renovations and improvements.  I want to just be their mom.

For now I'll just be making improvements to our current home and the motorhome, which looks far less daunting to me as there isn't a whole lot that needs to be done to either one.  Our house needs paint and carpet and a few minor repairs that I'll be able to do on my own, no big deal.  The motorhome needs new tires and only two of those need to be done right away.  Also a couple minor mechanical things done, a new propane tank and gas lines and I'm thinking about upgrading the transmission as old motorhomes have a tendency for tranny problems.  I also want to spruce up the exterior and add some additional storage options. Suffice it to say, by the time I hit the road, she'll be ready.

Once I'm mobile I'll be able to do pretty much whatever I choose.  Not purchasing a second home has freed me up to the point that now I can consider retiring early at 62 instead of waiting until I'm 65.  Once my daughter is on her own and settled I can sell our house and move into the motorhome which will cut my monthly living expenses dramatically.  I'll also have the option at that point to work part time, or move south in the winter and work seasonally leaving my summers open for travel.  The added bonus is that no matter where my girls end up I'll be able to go and see them for visits.

So that is where I am at right now.  And of course, we all know, plans can change and often they do.  But for now, this is the plan.  And I am really, really excited about it.