Retirement Choices

[Matt Cassels]

Retirement Choices

You can live in Phoenix , Arizona where.....
1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.
2. You've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl.
3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.
4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.
5. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.
6. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

OR

You can Live in California where...
1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.
2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
3. You know how to eat an artichoke.
4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.
5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.

OR

You can Live in New York City where...
1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan .
2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.
3. You think Central Park is "nature,"
4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multilingual.
5. You've worn out a car horn.
6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

OR

You can Live in Maine where...
1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco .
2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas.
3. You have more than one recipe for moose.
4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.

OR

You can Live in Texas where...
1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
2. "y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
3. "He needed killin' " is a valid defense.
5. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, MARY BETH, etc.

OR

You can live in Colorado where...
1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and he stops at the day care center.
3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.
4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.

OR

You can live in the Midwest where...
1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.
3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"
5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"


OR

Or you can live in Florida where.....
1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.
2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.
3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.
4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.
5. Cars in front of you are often driven by headless people.
6 Want a thrill....stick around for hurricane season!!!

[Matt Cassels]

Retirement Choices

You can live in Phoenix , Arizona where.....
1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.
2. You've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl.
3. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.
4. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.
5. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.
6. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

OR

You can Live in California where...
1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.
2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
3. You know how to eat an artichoke.
4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.
5. When someone asks you how far something is, you tell them how long it will take to get there rather than how many miles away it is.

OR

You can Live in New York City where...
1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan .
2. You can get into a four-hour argument about how to get from Columbus Circle to Battery Park, but can't find Wisconsin on a map.
3. You think Central Park is "nature,"
4. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multilingual.
5. You've worn out a car horn.
6. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

OR

You can Live in Maine where...
1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco .
2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas.
3. You have more than one recipe for moose.
4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.

OR

You can Live in Texas where...
1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
2. "y'all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
3. "He needed killin' " is a valid defense.
5. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Sue, Betty Jean, MARY BETH, etc.

OR

You can live in Colorado where...
1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and he stops at the day care center.
3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.
4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.

OR

You can live in the Midwest where...
1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.
3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"
5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"


OR

Or you can live in Florida where.....
1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.
2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.
3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.
4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.
5. Cars in front of you are often driven by headless people.
6 Want a thrill....stick around for hurricane season!!!

[bsavage]

LOL!

[Ken Roberts]

When you speak of "dry heat" in Phoenix you must remember it still produces "wet sweat", Ken,'04DSDP...

[bsavage]

Indeed, Ken, but it evaporates almost instantly when it's 110!!! (This is the voice of experience...). We love Arizona, but truly, days like today that are 110 degrees and windy, it's like walking straight into a giant blow dryer! Frankly, I prefer the blow dryer to blinding snowstorms, heavy fog, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, an amazing array of tropical bugs, and tsunamis. I'll happily take Arizona any day (except when we're gettin' out of town to escape the heat, LOL!)And even then, we're always happy to come home!

Brenda

[Kent & Peggy]

I ABSOLUTELY agree with Brends. I have lived in Phoenix for 35 years, and can't imagine a better place to live.

[Dave O]

We love AZ from Sierra Vista to Flagstaff, but do not want to have it as our residence. Expenses for the RV registration are astronomical. We paid $1200 for a license in 1989 on a MH and when we moved to TX it became $120.

We do enjoy our winters in AZ and are happy to spread some $$ around the economy, but not permanent residence.

Dave O

[Ken Roberts]

When I spoke of "wet sweat" I was not downgrading AZ in any way. We too love to winter there and get our grandkid fix as our daughter and family live in Queen Creek. I agree with Dave O re not choosing it as a residence. We are "thinking" full time and probably will claim either NH or TN. If NH that in itself would be a good reason to hang up in AZ during the winter, Ken '04 DSDP...

[Dave O]

Hi Ken

Many full timers have done a lot or research and chose Texas, Nevada or South Dakota. Have not heard of any choosing NH or TN.

What appeals about them over the others I mentioned?

Dave O

[Ken Roberts]

Dave O, NH has neither a sales tax nor an income tax. State revenues via hefty property taxes and personal property taxes.

Tn, where we currently live, does not have an income tax; but, does have a healthy sales tax that can max. out at 9.75% depending on county which our county happens to go for the max. The sales tax is tempered when purchasing vehicles, including RVs at 7%. Property taxes are extremely low for those who choose to have a physical base vs. a mailing address. Utilities and insurance are generally lower than other places I have checked. Vehicle registrations are $24 per year for cars, motor homes, fivers, etc. and there are no inspections nor personal property taxes.

Our only reason for even considering NH would be to be near our son who lives in MA, aka Taxachusetts.

I too have often wondered why NH and TN do not seem to be choices for fulltimers. TN at least has a reasonable year round climate vs. some extremes in the states for home basing that you mentioned, i.e. I would not like to be called for jury duty in SD between Nov. and Mar. nor in NV in the heat of summer, Ken....

[Dave O]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I would not like to be called for jury duty in SD between Nov. and Mar. nor in NV in the heat of summer, Ken.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We are fulltimers with Livingston TX as our legal residence. We (each) have been notified for jury duty a couple of times. Takes a phone call to the court clerk and explanation that we are out of state. She just says, thanx for the call and when you are in Livingston, please volunteer for duty time permitting.

We were sitting around in a group talking and one of the members recounted and experience with a court in South Dakota (I don't remember which one). He was summoned, called them and told them he was over 1000 miles away. They said not their problem and either show up or have a bench warrant issued for their arrest.

I really hate warrants, so SD is not in our plans.

Dave O