I know I left you last night with my thoughts of having a lot of questions and justifications on why I could't go full-time right now....or at least I was thinking that way. I use to be very adventurous, where location was more of a priority than a job. For some reason in the past few years I have changed to conservative, and playing things safe. I would have the chance to move but would come up with excuses not to.
Unbelievable really. My family has stated more than a few times, they are surprised I have lived in a small midwest town, instead of on the beach somewhere, or traveling somewhere.
I have a job that pays well, I guess I like my job...I don't love my job. It's almost a daily thought when I wake up "I wish I were not going in today". So I guess I am staying for the cash. I have great managers to work for, still most of my job is out of my control. I track large amounts of funding, track expenditures, develop financial plans, and provide monthly reports....on data that is out of my control. The majority of the time I am looking forward to the weekends off and the next paid holiday.
Those are HUGE signs, aren't they?
It's not that I live in a bad area, or a bad house or with bad neighbors.....I don't. I live in a small house, a few miles outside a small rural town and I have 3 neighbors in sight and none of them close. Yet when I think of some of the places I have lived in the past, I realize that even when I am debt free (very close), this is not where I want to spend the rest of my life.
I want to sit on the beach again, like I did when I lived in Carlsbad California for 10 years. Or hike the Cascade Mountains and could get back home within an hour drive back home, looking across the water from Whidbey Island to Victoria. Or the winter I spent in Breckenridge Colorado, living in a small cabin and skiing every day.
I want to wake up in the morning and have the chance of dumping my tanks, filling up with fresh water, fuel and moving my hounds and I to a new location. If that means workcamping for a while, great!! At least I am living where I really want to, meeting great people along the way and having control of what I want to do.
That sounds a lot better than waking up 5 days a week, dreading going to a job that I no longer like and really only do it for that paycheck every two weeks. Then paying off a house that will only need more maintenance in the future to keep it in good condition. Mowing the yard 1 per week, paying taxes annually, and having "a market" decide just how much my house is worth. The market doesn't know my house, so how stupid is that process?? That will take time and money. I'd rather put that money into RV maintenance while I am boondocking somewhere out in Arizona for the winter, rather than sitting here in the midwest waiting for the winter predictions to hit..."worse than normal"!! That means a lot of snow, going to a job I can't say I really like anymore.
So, I looked at my spreadsheet that I made last month showing all of my options, financially, depending on what I decided.
My eyes, my focus and my thoughts all went back to the same option on that spreadsheet. The same thing I posted here a few weeks ago. The only change to to the list is #1. I'm going to sell my house instead of renting it...with an option. That option being, when I get to the point that I am ready to leave and it has not sold, then I will rent the property. My house will NOT decide when I leave.
I have a lot of things to do between now and the time I leave. I am going to be scanning full-time and shredding the rest of my paper files, photographs etc. I am going to all electronic filing. I've been electronic for years in my banking, taxes, basic expenses, etc. I just have a lot more "stuff" to get rid of than I thought I did. Living solo I am shocked how much I have laying around that is never used.
This Friday I am heading to 3 different RV dealers within a 70 mile radius to look at A's and C's. By Monday I plan to have a For Sale sign in my front yard for my house and will sell it below market value if it means I get to RV full-time sooner.
It's sad and very disappointing when I look at myself and realize that the ONLY reason I continue to work and wait 2 years 7 months to retire, is just for a paycheck. Honestly, that is the only reason I can come up with on why I still work. I understand in today's economy, millions of people would die for a paycheck, so what I say may sound quite strange or rude?
For me, there are a lot more ways of making money using my financial and online sales experience, rather than sitting at a desk all day, spending my free time reading RV blogs, forums and looking at RV's for sale....WISHING I was on the road!
Today at work was an "eye-opener"!!
I read so many blogs like this. Its yes, no, yes and then no then yes. And I know its a normal feeling, because its a big decision to make. But I still say you will be on the road in 6mths.
ReplyDelete6 months sound good but it may be sooner :) I think you are right though, I will be on the road.
ReplyDeleteI think it's the fear of actually going on with the plan that sets us back at first. We say yes! wait, what am I doing? No! Then why no? I want this, so yes. I'll be interested in how you feel about what RV you are leaning towards once you get out there & see them in person. Good luck! And as for selling the house, I think that's a good decision too. Then you are really free of it & the responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteDang it! This story is getting really exciting. Each day I look forward to reading the nex installment. Thanks! Nice to know that I am not the only one that can over analyze.
ReplyDeleteTexCyn ... It could be fear of change, but this whole RV thing just started as a thought last spring while a co-worker explained to me what he and his wife were planning to do with their new 40' 5er. I didn't give it much thought. Again, Oct 21 when I read Glen's story on yahoo about RVing full time, that led me to more and more blogs and I was surprised just how many were RVing full-time.
ReplyDeleteI had a plan I was following to a T....then RVs took over and has been non stop thinking, analyzing every since.....including at work.
Wandrin ... This story at times makes me feel like a 'nut case'. About the time I think I have the answer on when and what to buy, I see another idea and off I go researching that idea just as hard....seems to never stop.
I think I will feel much better on Friday after I spend the day looking at different RV's in person. It should be a fun day.
Now....back to looking at whats for sale. :)
TexCyn ... It could be fear of change, but this whole RV thing just started as a thought last spring while a co-worker explained to me what he and his wife were planning to do with their new 40' 5er. I didn't give it much thought. Again, Oct 21 when I read Glen's story on yahoo about RVing full time, that led me to more and more blogs and I was surprised just how many were RVing full-time.
ReplyDeleteI had a plan I was following to a T....then RVs took over and has been non stop thinking, analyzing every since.....including at work.
Wandrin ... This story at times makes me feel like a 'nut case'. About the time I think I have the answer on when and what to buy, I see another idea and off I go researching that idea just as hard....seems to never stop.
I think I will feel much better on Friday after I spend the day looking at different RV's in person. It should be a fun day.
Now....back to looking at whats for sale. :)
bhounds I feel you. You're probably like me and scared of making any drastic changes. I also used to be adventurous and more interesting. The last decade or so, not so much. Like a lot of people, we get stuck in routines and ruts. Gettting unstuck is nearly impossible but some folks do make it "out".
ReplyDeleteI say follow your heart. If you can afford to retire now instead of in 2.7 years... go for it!
I noticed you are into old VWs. In the late 1990's my daily driver was a mint 1962 VW bus with just 70k original miles. I had a local artist paint a mural of Gerry Garcia on one side. It was pretty cool. One time 4th gear "went" in the tranny. I drove the bus from Albany NY to my Dads VW repair shop in Gorham Maine in 3rd gear on the highways! LOL! What fun that bus was! I sold it a while ago.
Hello Don and thanks for following. A few years ago I had 4 different VW's 65 and older. I didn't sell them all at once but every once in a while. I am still interested in them, in fact a few years ago I planned when I retired I would keep my house as my home base and travel in a 67 VW camper. Since I have discovered different RVs, now that seems to be my focus.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about routines and ruts.