This is a hard one for me as I don't think we have made many yet. However the best decision we made from a family care taking perspective will probably be a poor financial decision.
The thing is we are going to end up moving twice while living independently. We moved to our current location because it is near my FIL's assisted living facility and today that is proving again that it is a good care taking decision ad Hubby was able to pop over to be with his Dad when he was taken to ER this morning. In fact he was just admitted with treatable problems.
However when he is no longer alive the plan is to move near our granddaughter (oh and her parents!). Our local son and DIL want to move there too so we will all live in the same area and be able to help each other and enjoy being on site grandparents, uncle and aunt.
That means we will be selling and buying a home again with all the associated costs as well as moving expenses. And in just the year we have been here, housing prices in the east bay area of California have skyrocketed.
So that is our biggie! How about you?
I don’t think we have made any big mistakes yet. Our move to a small village has worked out fine and w are now part of a community. However as we get older ( my husband is 12 years older than me) I think there will be one more move possibly to a bungalow. Climbing stairs is manageable now but I can see that 10-15 years down the line might be too much. I would love to stay in this community though.
ReplyDeleteMy state pension kicks in at long last this July so there will be a bit more cash which I am earmarking for travel while we are able. I retired very early because I was able to financially and I wanted to so the pension is extra money that we have managed without. I know I am very lucky to be in this position.
So glad to hear that your move and financial decisions have worked for you!
DeleteWe have lived in our apartment for over 20 years so our initial investment has quadrupled. I hope to be able to live here until one of us needs residential care and to pass it on to my daughter. Our investment mistake has been paying management fees on an inheritance of my husband's. He was making almost no interest but paying fees. He only has government pensions so this money is important to him. I'm lucky with our teacher shortage to be able to work again. I really enjoy the extra money and the opportunity to be with children.
ReplyDeleteAh, those tricky management fees will get you every time. Glad you enjoy working still.
DeleteWe're in a ranch house right now and are still keeping up with it. The only stairs are to the basement where the garage and the laundry are. When that or winters get to be too much we'll move, probably to a warmer place with a decent apartment. Will that be a smart financial decision? Right now it's not a bad one.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are thinking this through in advance which is good.
DeleteNot retired yet, but the worst financial retirement-preparation decision was probably to buy the house we are in. We could have spent less and invested the rest. But we had some family goals that made it important. We needed a house with a garage apartment as one of our children was struggling, and my husband's #1 requirement was that we live close enough to our other child so that the grandchildren could ride their bikes to our house. :) It has been WONDERFUL being this close to help out as the children were growing.
ReplyDeleteOn the flip side, maybe it will work out as the county we are in is the 2nd fastest growing in the nation (and the #1 fastest growing is an adjoining county), so maybe we will make a profit when we sell and downsize.
My dream is to be that close to our only grandchild but it will be a very expensive housing choice in the Berkeley area (or a bit north as they are between houses right now).
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