What does it look like for you?

I've got a few years to go (5-10), but have been thinking about it a bit lately. I have in mind a few competing thoughts in no particular order;

Plan A - Cabin at the lake in the summers, winter over in Florida.

Plan B - Multiple vacation type properties (lake cabin, ski condo, golf course, cities condo, florida condo, hunting cabin) shared across a pool of owners, properties and assets are shared in a coop, llc type of thing. Conceptually, i've got a two others on board.

Plan C - Slightly larger home on acreage with river or lake frontage around Ely or Grand Marais.

I'm not saying any of these will be possible...maybe, I mean finances would need to all come together, but it's fun to think about.

Plan C

That is my plan in 10/12 years. Probably start looking for the right home/property a few years b4 retirement. Except I'll retire to north central Wisconsin.

With the Good Lords blessing of course.

I'd go with Plan C too. Plan B muddles your money with other people's money. Plan A is a two-home deal. You open a home. Then you close it. Then you open another home. Then you close it. And on and on and on. Plus, the older I grow, the more I question the rightness of owning two homes when so many Americans have none.

Was all about the cabin on a lake. From the time I put a shovel in the ground my body has fought me the whole way. You think I could hire someone to finish? Nope! So I’m selling to my son and going to live more in like a rv... I can go there in the summer plus camp around the Arrowhead... spend time at kids out west. And play in the desert as I am now. Soon as I get home I’m going to start my official retirement strategy. I’m ready!

We retired in western NC, where we can play year-round. (Just came in from our annual New Years Day hike up Looking Glass Rock; it's 70*F outside!). Don't want a lake house or second house, but enjoy taking the RV to new places around the country, and can use the money we'd have in a second place to travel. Each of the plans you listed will work for someone--pick the plan that works for YOU! And when you do retire, I hope you have a long, healthy, and active retirement.

TZ

I’m way past the dreaming stage and into the doing stage. It will be 4 years retired in April. We chose a plan variation to “C”, lake home in central Minnesota.

Two and a half years into retirement from teaching. We used to live in downtown Toronto, in a fabulously alive and thriving neighbourhood, but the house was going to fetch far more than we knew it was worth (15X100 lot with a 900 sq ft home), so instead of serving the house, we sold and let the proceeds serve us.

We moved to rural Nova Scotia at the far south end of the Annapolis Valley. We're 10 minutes from town (pop.450 , more in the summer), surrounded by trees, the mountain out back, the Annapolis Basin 200 feet out the front door and the Bay of Fundy 10 minutes away over the mountain. There's plenty to do in the community, both locally and in town, and the surrounding area.

We got a terrific 200 year old farmhouse on the oldest road in Canada, five acres, three wooded, for about a quarter of what we got for the hovel in Toronto. It took me five years to sell my wife on coming here, and frankly I had no idea what it would really be like (we did a one week recon trip in 2019) , but she loves it. I have my first wood stove, my first woodpile, my first chainsaw and my first riding mower and I keep as busy as I want to. Retirement was the best career move I ever made.

Plan C for me, I like the Marcel, Talmoon , Big Fork area. Effie area is nice also, but my wife says that’s to far away from family.

Speckled: "What does it look like for you?

I've got a few years to go (5-10), but have been thinking about it a bit lately. I have in mind a few competing thoughts in no particular order;

Plan A - Cabin at the lake in the summers, winter over in Florida.

Plan B - Multiple vacation type properties (lake cabin, ski condo, golf course, cities condo, florida condo, hunting cabin) shared across a pool of owners, properties and assets are shared in a coop, llc type of thing. Conceptually, i've got a two others on board.

Plan C - Slightly larger home on acreage with river or lake frontage around Ely or Grand Marais.

I'm not saying any of these will be possible...maybe, I mean finances would need to all come together, but it's fun to think about."

You shouldn't rule out a plan D, E, & F. Life has a way of throwing curveballs at you. Spent 3 years semi-retired, 2 years completely out, and now back in on another tangent semi-retired again. When people learn your talents, you may find yourself in demand again. (No matter where you end up.)

Retired 4 years ago from newspaper throwing and bus driving. We have always lived within our means and saved for traveling along the way. Since we did not die, we are living the plan. Thanks to God.

I'm 25 years or so away. My hope is to retire to 20 to 40 acres near bodies of water with no or minimal development. If I were by myself I would be searching for a 100% work from home job and be living there right now.

I retired Labor Day and have spent the last four months living at my two room cabin... adding a third room. No running water and wood heat. Hunting, fishing, trapping and all the chores that go with that.

Back home now, getting caught up on a whole list of projects that have been on hold. My wife has a few more years to go so no firm plans, but looking to build a home we can spend the rest of our lives in... just not sure where yet in this crazy real estate market. But, one day at a time, counting our blessings and enjoying everything life brings our way. Life is good.

Plan B sounds the most fun but definitely seems to be the high risk high reward option.
My current thoughts - I like the idea of having a small centrally located "home" say Nebraska for low cost of living. More or less a place to store the stuff we want while we spend a few years doing the RV thing but centrally located to be able to get back within a day or so when we need some time off the road. This will all be after we hike the AT in year 1 of retirement.
Hoping to retire young-ish, 50?? Probably before it's a great idea financially...but I've got things to do before I'm too old to do them. Daughters only 8 so at least another 10 years. When she's off to college who knows! Gotta get there first.

If we ever get to retire (which is unlikely with the way inflation is going and ss won't be around) we will be fishing as much as well can every day if we can.

I can't retire! Who is going to pay for all my trips and gear?!

While A, B, & C, are good options we choose Option D. My wife is still working so we have a 42 ft 5th wheel that we travel and camp in. Now that we have 6 grandkids, we take some of them on trips they might never get to go on otherwise. Age of kids prevent us taking all of them at once, about three is all we can handle on a trip! At this time, we alternate between Mountains and the Beach. We want to take them to all the great National Parks out west eventually. I also want to bring them, (the boys at least) to the BWCA. So, our Option D, is mobility offered by the 5th wheel to see the US.

Bruce

Retired at 62 with my wife and chose the plan C choice. Traveled with the camper the first 2 years then started looking for our lake home. Thankful for the health and blessings we have been given, every day is a gift, enjoy :)

More and more I’m thinking CANADA if they’ll have me.

Wayouttroy: "Plan C for me, I like the Marcel, Talmoon , Big Fork area. Effie area is nice also, but my wife says that’s to far away from family."

I agree and the plan fails for the same reason.
I've spent some time in all of those places.

BTW, keep in mind that retiring or quitting work and filing for SS do not necessarily have to coincide, depending on your financial situation.