Posted on 01/18/2026 8:02:57 AM PST by zeestephen
The analysis is based on the average living costs for retirees 65 or older in each state, drawn from the latest data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. From there, GOBankingRates subtracted average Social Security payments and estimated the savings needed to cover the remaining expenses, using an annual 4% withdrawal rate.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Great planning!
That’s the big key to success. Discipline, understanding your finances, achieving debt-free, foregoing immediate gratification, saving for the future, wise investments.
We’ve got two houses, one in the SF Bay Area where we raised the family and a vacation home in North Idaho on a lake. When COVID hit, my wife’s school district employer shut down and Newsom was threatening to arrest people driving on the interstate, so she said “screw this place,” (i.e., CA), grabbed the dog and drove to Idaho. She has no desire to go back to CA.
We keep CA because I like the neighbors, the town, the weather, and the natural beauty. We don’t have rental properties, but the house in the heart of Silicon Valley keeps appreciating. Now we are in the midst of the Nvidia/AI appreciation boom (previous similar booms were PCs, networking, Internet, social media, optical communications). Every boom has seen our area become more valuable. At some point I’ll tire of having two places and sell CA, but no need to do so now.
Idaho is paid-for but we still have a mortgage on CA. The annual capital appreciation rate there far exceeds our 2.5% mortgage rate.
McCain, huh? Figures
bfl
Right. Retirement doesn’t mean doing nothing. Its hobby time, its hobby/work time, at your own pace. Doing work you want to do, honing skills and abilities, not in a rushed way.
Been retired in Hawaii 10 years or so now.
Been living here 25 years. Own 5 acres. Have cattle.
Have good neighbors. Biggest problem we have is mainland Democrats thinking they know what is best for us.
3X
I paid cash all along from obtaining my land (dead end off of a dead end!) Never had a mortgage ....it can be done .
“But once you go down that road you no longer really own your home, you become a co-owner with a bank.”
The bank is not a co-owner. They will not share in the home appreciation.
“Go for what you want. You only live once.”
Test drove a 2019 Z06. Too low and scary for my wife.
She is ok with my 750 hp Roush as long as I use the normal mode, keep the cutouts closed and leave my lead foot at home.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.