Panic over retirement decisions

[maycin19]

I just wondered if anyone had any advice on dealing with the emotions surrounding decisions made upon retirement. My husband and I thought we wanted to retire to a small beach town. We have a small townhome that we own and have visited there for years. We really have to live there because we are selling our larger home and this is all we can afford.
Initially, we had always planned to move to a city an hour away where our church and grandchildren were located. But the finances only allow for us to live at the beach townhome. Reality is setting in and I'm feeling panic. I try to remind myself that God knows all and is directing our paths. But I have health limitations and know I won't be able to establish alot of new connections. Any advice?

 

[jacks]

I would advise getting into a home (style, size and location) that you would feel comfortable in when you are in your 80's and 90's. For me this would be a fairly small single story with easy access, located in a community with decent medical care. Ideally find a place like this that is relatively close to your church and family. Perhaps you could meet this criteria from the sale of the townhouse?

Of course this is all worldly advice from someone who doesn't know your circumstances. The best advice is to trust in the Lord, he will take care of you no matter what you decide to do. Praying that it all comes together for you in the best possible way.

 

[SharonL]

We retired and moved to a coastal town that we always visited on vacation for years. Moved 8 hours away from our daughter - It was fine for awhile, but we really didn't have a life there and grew discontent. We had a chance to sell te house and move within 3 hours of our daughter and our son moved down from Colorado and we feel we have family around us and like it much better. When you are younger - being far away from family does not seem bad - but as we grew older - we really felt alone. But you do what finances will allow you to do. Staying with a church is important - that is our problem - we have not gotten connected to a church again.

 

[davedajobauk]

I just wondered if anyone had any advice on dealing with the emotions surrounding decisions made upon retirement. My husband and I thought we wanted to retire to a small beach town. We have a small townhome that we own and have visited there for years. We really have to live there because we are selling our larger home and this is all we can afford.
Initially, we had always planned to move to a city an hour away where our church and grandchildren were located. But the finances only allow for us to live at the beach townhome. Reality is setting in and I'm feeling panic. I try to remind myself that God knows all and is directing our paths. But I have health limitations and know I won't be able to establish alot of new connections. Any advice?

Couldn't you use the equity to extend the home of a family member
to create a Granny Apartment...?
This would fulfill your initial hopes ?
and maybe also leave a little 'over' for holiday spends / or further investment

Just a thought....

They say, that there is usually an answer within every question



dave

 

[Grannie Annie]

I think you're lucky you have one home you own and another larger one that you can sell. So many people have no home at all....let alone two. I'm sure something will work out for you...

 

[DIANAC]

Hi, at our advancing age, living in a close proximity to family, grandchildren and church is very important. That should be one of the primary factors. As Dave said, could something be worked out in the city that is close to your grandchildren?

 

[maycin19]

Thank you all for your responses. I think it will just take some time to figure out what we want to do. And I will have to pray and wait and see how the Lord leads my husband. As of now, he does not want to move to the city with our church and grandchildren. He's not comfortable with the size of the city. But we have considered moving to another city where our daughter and grandson are located. So I will have to pray for patience. In the meantime, I need to pray to realize that for right now God has us here for a reason.

 

[servant of Merciful Love]

We have had the same discussions, but don't need to act just yet.
Our kids are 30-90 minutes away from us (in the next State) also.
The Lord will direct our path and provide ~ for us all!

Praying for your direction, blessing, and peace

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

 

[DIANAC]

Thank you all for your responses. I think it will just take some time to figure out what we want to do. And I will have to pray and wait and see how the Lord leads my husband. As of now, he does not want to move to the city with our church and grandchildren. He's not comfortable with the size of the city. But we have considered moving to another city where our daughter and grandson are located. So I will have to pray for patience. In the meantime, I need to pray to realize that for right now God has us here for a reason.

It's good that you are keeping this matter before the Lord in prayer. I always thought that DH will retire first due to his health considerations. But somehow in 2008 I started praying for me to finish well. At the end of 2008 I suddenly lost my job after 32 years of employment at a major Television network due to the economic downturn. After my severance package came to an end I chose retirement. I had no time to prepare, so to speak. But now a few years later I see how wonderfully the Lord himself "prepared" it for me to the smallest detail. Sad events at the end of 2008 resulted in so many blessings that I am still counting them.

 

[servant of Merciful Love]

It's good that you are keeping this matter before the Lord in prayer. I always thought that DH will retire first due to his health considerations. But somehow in 2008 I started praying for me to finish well. At the end of 2008 I suddenly lost my job after 32 years of employment at a major Television network due to the economic downturn. After my severance package came to an end I chose retirement. I had no time to prepare, so to speak. But now a few years later I see how wonderfully the Lord himself "prepared" it for me to the smallest detail. Sad events at the end of 2008 resulted in so many blessings that I am still counting them.

We are just seeing that now ~
I had to give up nursing 5 years ago, and will officially retire my license in December when it is up for renewal; it was a gradual process for me,a nd I am now at peace.

Hubby is having a harder time surrendering to retirement,
He is enjoying it, but I sense he has not let go of his career yet....and still looks for jobs....though most leads just fall through when you are 61!
He lost his job of 28 years, 5 years ago.....then a year ago lost then next job .
Last year he got a contract job which dried up 3 months ago.

We can't collect social security for another year, so a part time job would help us save, but the Lord has provided for us through savings until then, and our mortgage can be paid off (we own our cars and will cut back to one).

Like you, we have been blessed and I can see HIS Hand in it all.

Our housing situation may be a concern down the road (location,size,and maintenance) but we trust He WILL guide and provide for us,
as He has all our lives

 

[Grannie Annie]

About 21 yrs ago we both lost our jobs, Brian was in his mid 50s, we had a house half built and he was never able to get another job. Considered ... too old !! We had to beg the bank not to repossess the "half built" house. We lived in a caravan park for a year, we were devastated. We prayed and prayed and prayed. 2 yrs later Brian's dad died and left us enough money to finish the house and completely pay the mortgage. That was the answer to our prayers. If we'd been able to keep working we'd have been a lot better off financially, but we have had to accept the humble life we have, we live on the basic pension and have learned to love this different life, but we have love and that's much more precious than material things.....though I sometimes wonder what it would have been like....