retiring on the cheap questions

[CHenry]

You might call it that. More like planning though. I'll call it quits before long. We use to dream of Mexico but it has changed so much over the years. Now that were getting older (53) it seems needs change. Insurance, Medicare (at 65), access to medical etc. We still have 3 parents that we can't leave. We're both only children. We're ready in about 3 years and will see how it goes. Been talking about Florida alot lately. I've spent the last 10 or so years researching (dreaming) many places, visited plenty, made friends in some that say "come on down". I am sick of my job but it pays too well to leave at 53. I'll hit my magic number in 3 years or so depending on the markets. Dream on!

Coz

I hit my magic number in 4 years, 6 months and 9 days...but who is counting? lol. I hate my job the last 6 years or so and I am done at 50. Wife will be 47. Our nest egg at that early age will only work in a less expensive place. So yeah, Im lookin.
To be honest the fact that out Gov. is sucking the life out of everything monetarily has me totally turned off.
I almost feel anti american but I also have to survive.
Im gone.
If Hillary gets in office, that will be the last straw.

 

[LightningCrash]

Currently, I don't do it. We live on somewhere around $2500 per month for a family of 3. By that I mean we have 1 account that we live off of and it receives right at $2500 per month from direct deposit. Bills, food, fuel, spending cash some from that account. It's always under $100 on payday. It's setup like that for budgeting purposes. We change the direct deposit based on the budget. It's been there for about 19 months now..

It's interesting. I just wonder how it would run down.

When I lived by myself in BFE, one month was broken down like this:

Rent			330
Electric		75
Fuel			100
Car Insurance		50
Phone			80
Internet		50
Renters Insurance	32
Food/Grocery Store	300
Oil Change		20

Of course I lived a mile from work and that budget was before I had any fun money. If it wasn't an oil change it was some other car maintenance, or something else such as a haircut.
I didn't have health insurance, vision ins, dental, or a car payment and that was 15 years ago. I had a full set of reasonably good home furnishings given to me, or that would have been another 100-200 a month too. I spent $1000 just filling in the gaps on stuff I needed. CPI for inflation says everything is about 37% more expensive now.

 

[FullAuto]

It's interesting. I just wonder how it would run down.

When I lived by myself in BFE, one month was broken down like this:

Rent			330
Electric		75
Fuel			100
Car Insurance		50
Phone			80
Internet		50
Renters Insurance	32
Food/Grocery Store	300
Oil Change		20

Of course I lived a mile from work and that budget was before I had any fun money. If it wasn't an oil change it was some other car maintenance, or something else such as a haircut.
I didn't have health insurance, vision ins, dental, or a car payment and that was 15 years ago. I had a full set of reasonably good home furnishings given to me, or that would have been another 100-200 a month too. I spent $1000 just filling in the gaps on stuff I needed. CPI for inflation says everything is about 37% more expensive now.

For me, I'd probably change that $330 for rent + $32 for insurance to $230 for home owners insurance and property tax, and raise my electric a little then offset the increase by lowering the phone and car insurance, double the internet bill by adding cable TV to it. The food still seems reasonable. The fuel is more than my current monthly bill, but I'd probably drive more if I wasn't working.