Old and dying

[Queen K]

Ohh I just meant living there is out of my price range.

Wells Grey and Banff are my two destinations that I do every year. I love it there!

Working there often means having staff accomodation provided by your employer. It is too expensive to do otherwise if businesses want serious workers. There is a whole lot of Province to be seen to restrict myself to two destinations only, there is just too much to see.

[Oxl3y]

Through savvy investing and good money management my folks earn slightly more retired then they were while both were working. I can only dream of being that good with my finances.

[Queen K]

Yes, but our folks never had the financial pressures on them like we do today. One can't even compare yesteryear with today.

[grammafreddy]

Yes, but our folks never had the financial pressures on them like we do today. One can't even compare yesteryear with today.

I think that's a bit of a cop-out.

What are these "financial pressures"? A big screen TV? The latest electronic gadget? A bigger house than anyone else? Fancier clothes? Private school for the brats?

[Smurf]

I have to agree Granny. Every generation, decade or whatever has had it's problems. A lot of hard work and planning has always been required. A couple of weeks ago we met a lady while camping locally. She was in her late 60's or more, travelling alone, in a small car and a tent. She was using campgrounds to be with people for protection and of course facilities. She had a cooler and said she ate much of her food from there. She travelled this way because she couldn't afford rooms etc. She was having a great time and said she was seeing a lot of country she had never seen before. It's amazing what you can do if you really want to.

[Smurf]

Years ago I had a friend/neighbour semi-retired real estate agent in his late 60's. Sold his own small agency and was going to university taking some courses he had always wanted to take. He was as happy as he would have been preparing to start his new career and life. There is no end to the things you can do and the time to do them. I have recently learned woodcarving and really enjoy it. We head out to a campground somewhere, hike, swim, fish, photography or just sit around and I carve while my wife paints pictures of things we have seen hiking. So much to do so little time. Knitting, painting, carving are all things we have taken up since we retired.

[Advocate]

Retiring into a simple life will make your money last longer.
Simple does not mean boring, it means not complicated, not overstocked or over supplied.
Simple means easy going, relaxed, healthy, back to nature.
Having retired early, I anticipate I may have to return to work if funds run out.
Plan to travel, and work on retirement property.
It's a good life. A very good life. No boredom here.
Indeed, we are trying to figure out when we had time to work away from home.

[Smurf]

I agree. I do not know where all our time goes. I believe part of the reason is you do, what you want and enjoy so time goes fast.

[Advocate]

DS and his GF travelled the world for two years and their cost was $20,000 each, $40K for two people for two years travelling, airfares and other transportation, cell phones, taking courses, upgrading certificates, along the way and paying for food and accommodation.

[grammafreddy]

I met a lady in her early 70s as she was filling with fuel in her Safari van at the SS gas the other day. She lives in her van, She has no porta potty (I do) but has a twin bed and containers under it to hold her worldly possessions. She has a cooler that plugs into her cig lighter and runs it while she travels. She cooks on a single burner camp stove. She seems quite happy with her life.

Good thing there wasn't a line-up that day - we yakked for over half an hour there. Maybe I can survive on just what I'll get from CPP, OAP and the BC Supp. That's all she has coming in. I'll need a laptop, though, so I can continue to drive y'all nuts here.

[Smurf]

Probably can granny if you take care of your money like you say. My mother-in-law did for years before she passed away. For probably the last 20 she didn't have a car, which saved her a fortune. She had apartments close enough to stores to walk for groceries and necessities. She had friends and family to take her to the few places that were necessary. For over 5 of those years she lived in an apartment within a block of a senior's center that she could walk to for entertainment. Off she would go with her walker and oxygen to get a few groceries or play cards at the center. It was a slow trip but she did it and enjoyed it. She did die after about 6 months in a home when she became unable to care for herself. She could no longer safely cook or remember to take medication etc.. She was about half way through her 90th year when she passed away and had actually managed to save a few dollars during her last years. From what we could see she was very happy and enjoyed herself to the very end when her health got so bad she couldn't do anything. I believe her memory loss was the worst thing that happened to her because she was always so proud of her excllent memory. Nothing wrong with 90 good years.

[fvkasm2x]

I'm with you on wanting to see Machu Picchu before I die Fvk. Got room for an overly tall guy in any of your bags, hmmm???

Bob, I just booked the flight... I'm heading down there in October. Go buy a large bag.

[Queen K]

Whaattttttttttt? You're not taking me?

Congratulations, I'm sure time will fly by for Oct., what shots do you need?

[fvkasm2x]

Whaattttttttttt? You're not taking me?

Congratulations, I'm sure time will fly by for Oct., what shots do you need?

No clue. I dont get shots.

[Glacier]

Let's say you get old and retire. Or at least you are of that age and cannot work or cannot find work. You didn't plan and you have no RRSP's. You have no savings and family.

What happens?

Half brother #1's dad is now 65. He doesn't have a cent to his name, so he lives at his son's place who just bought 20 acres so there's plenty of room. He will have his own place to stay there once things get built.

Half brother #2's dad is just about to turn 65. He owns a places (probably bought it for $5,000 30 years ago). He also doesn't have a cent to his name due to being a pretty bad alcoholic. (oops, I mean nickle since the cent is no longer a valid term). Owning a house means he has more than enough to live out his days.

In the cases above, neither person paid very much into CPP due to being self-employed most of their lives.

Sister-in-law's dad is not yet 65. He lives on his daughter's couch.

Hippies were never known for the retirement forethought. Too much weed, not enough speed, as they say.

My mom made very little money during her working years, so the OAS/CPP/GIS is more than she ever made before. She bought her place 20 years ago for $20,000, so she is living quite happily on her retirement income - the minimum than any Canadian would receive (she took early retirement).

Given our social safety net, there is always a way to retire without living on the street, provided there is a will to do so.