California.

This is the time of year when I begin dreaming of retiring and moving to California.  

My company moved our 401(k) vendor last July and we’ll be moving again this July.  I cannot look at my savings plan and not think about retirement since that is what this money is for.  The sad part is that I have 31 years until I reach SSNRA (Social Security Normal Retirement Age for those of you who don’t know the geeky acronyms).  So, assuming there still is Social Security as we know it today, I can’t access it for 31 years.  That means that if I am to retire early, not only do I have to save what I need to retire at 67, but also even more per year for every year I don’t want to work.
In other words, this is a highly unrealistic goal.  I mean, sure, we could live like paupers and work our asses off and then have a fabulous retirement, but a happy medium would be nicer, I think.
The other wrinkle in my fantasy plan is that I want to move to California, particularly the Carlsbad area slightly north of San Diego.  I’m not exactly looking to retire in an inexpensive area of the country.  On the plus side, I live in one of the other most expensive areas of the country.  I read last year that San Diego County’s cost of living is only .7% higher than Bergen County, NJ, which is the county adjacent to the one I currently reside in.  And while it is cheaper here than there, it’s not by much.  It is this fact that makes my retirement within the realm of possibility.  Sure, it’s on the edge of that realm, but I’ll take what I can get.  
If the next 36 years could go off without a hitch, that would be great.  
For now, I’m going to have to settle for my vacation.  In less than 2 weeks, I’ll be in the most wonderful place I’ve ever visited.  Nathan and I will spend some time in San Diego near the marina while my husband works, then we’ll head up to Carlsbad.  The place we stay is so wonderful – all of the amenities you want in a hotel.  We are close to the beach, close to good food and close to It’s A Grind which is my most happiest coffee place on Earth.  I shall eat Mexican food, I shall relax.  I shall play on the beach.  We may visit Legoland and SeaWorld.  Quite frankly I don’t care what we do so long as the humidity level is nowhere near what it is here on the East Coast right now.
While I’m there, we may drive around and think of how nice it would be to live there.  
Some day I will.  I don’t know how or when or where, but someday I will live there and it will be wonderful.

2 thoughts on “California.

  1. Amanda

    If you want to go, you shouldn’t be planning for retirement, you should be planning for soon. 30 years from now only sounds easier because it isn’t now, not because it will be easy. It won’t be any easier after retirement, it could be harder, and you could get hit by a bus before then.

    Everything is possible if you are willing to give up the things it would take to get it, it’s just the more you want, the more you have to give up to get it. You only get one life though, so make sure to do as much of what you want as you can, as soon as you can.

  2. Michelle Longo

    Sometimes I wish I could just pack up and go. It’s not so easy, which I’m sure you know. Hopefully we do get out there sooner or later and if the opportunity presents it self I’m sure we’ll go.

    But doing what I can, as soon as I can, excellent point.

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