| All too often, I hear about people who
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| | necessary. I am willing to tell you what
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| retired and then returned to work because
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| | I did and why, but everyone has to make
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| they had to in order to meet their living
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| | their own choices. I am saying that
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| expenses or because they could not stand
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| | anyone can make choices that will allow
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| not having any purpose in their lives.To
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| | them to live comfortably in retirement if
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| both those reasons, I say nonsense, you
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| | that is what they want and they are
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| can retire, make ends meet and live with
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| | willing to make changes in their life and
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| purpose If you really want too. I know,
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| | lifestyles.I do need to tell you that if
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| because I'm doing it. To be certain, in
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| | you want to retire on a budget, you must
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| order to retire successfully, you must
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| | downsize the house you live in. Do you
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| lay some ground work prior to doing it.
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| | really need a 2,000 plus, square foot
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| In the following steps, I will tell you
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| | home with four bedrooms? My house is a
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| what I did and show you how I did it and
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| | small two bedroom bungalow with one
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| finally, make some suggestions to tell
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| | bathroom. This is the size of the houses
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| you how you can do it too.1. You must
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| | most of us grew up in during the 50's,
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| decide if you really want to retire.
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| | 60's and even the early '70's. It has a
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| Ever since we were young, just setting
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| | large eat-in kitchen with a walk-in
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| off in life, we've been thinking about a
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| | pantry, an enclosed porch, and a small
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| time when we would have nothing to do but
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| | living room. I use one of the bedrooms
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| just live as we had done when we were
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| | as an office and work area for my various
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| children. That is, we would not worry
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| | crafts. Obviously when I have company it
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| about where our next meal was coming
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| | serves as a guest bedroom too. It is
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| from, we would not worry about keeping a
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| | easy to maintain and it is easy to heat.
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| roof over our heads, we would not worry
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| | The taxes are low.You should know that
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| about taking care of others, we would not
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| | you can live without a mortgage and
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| worry about bills, we would not worry
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| | whether you retire or not, you should pay
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| about what others thought of what we said
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| | off your mortgage as soon as you can and
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| or did (within reason, of course) and we
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| | avoid those constant notices that come in
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| would not worry about not having fun.
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| | the mail advising you that you can get a
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| Once we settled into the 9 to 5 routine,
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| | low cost equity loan on your house. You
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| no holidays except those carefully
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| | pay for what you borrow, and you could,
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| prescribed by law, no summer vacations,
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| | if you come on hard times, lose your
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| the facts of life set in and most of us
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| | house because you do not really own it
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| really did not like being put in harness.
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| | until the mortgage debt is retired. I
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| But, for the most part, we wore that
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| | remember a time when Americans expected
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| harness and did what was expected of us
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| | to pay off their mortgages and that it
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| and talked about retirement. That's what
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| | was considered a good thing to do so. It
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| most of us did, including me, we just
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| | is still a good thing and don't let
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| talked about it. We did not think the
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| | lending institutions tell you
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| day would ever come and for the most
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| | differently. Likewise, I remember a time
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| part, we did nothing to plan for it.
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| | when it was a good thing for Americans
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| Consequently, for many of us, retirement
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| | not to be in debt to anyone. Once again,
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| seems impossible. Especially for woman
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| | that is still a good thing and don't let
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| of retirement age now, we expected to be
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| | anyone tell you differently.Although I
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| taken care of from cradle to grave. This
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| | live in Canada and do not have health
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| is particularly true if we did not have
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| | insurance worries, I believe that with
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| husbands to make retirement plans for
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| | planning, retirees can have affordable
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| us.Think about the question: do you
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| | health insurance in the United States.
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| really want to retire? Think about what
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| | Combining Medicare and Medicaid with a
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| you would REALLY do, it you did not have
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| | supplemental policy (see AARP), it is
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| to go to work. Each of us has to answer
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| | possible. If I were living in the
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| these questions for ourselves. I left a
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| | States, I would take a supplemental
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| good paying consulting job in order to
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| | policy with the largest deductible I
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| retire. I was not forced out of work by
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| | could get. In that way, you will
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| younger workers nipping at my heels or by
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| | minimize your payments and you will
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| downsizing. I left because of the things
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| | assure yourself of treatment. After you
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| I still wanted to do while I still could
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| | are on your feet you can negotiate an
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| do them. Looking back into the past, I
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| | payment plan affordable for you, out of
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| remembered the things that I did or
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| | your available funds, to pay whatever is
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| wanted to do before the realities of my
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| | owed on the deductible. In addition, if
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| life took over. I wanted to travel and I
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| | I were living in the States, I would stay
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| wanted to write. You also have to
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| | on top of health care issues and make
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| consider what you want to do now if you
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| | certain that the Congress becomes
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| had the time to do it. For me, I want to
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| | responsible for enacting laws that make
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| be able to spend time with my family and
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| | health insurance available and affordable
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| especially my young grandchildren. I
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| | for all Americans.Other than health
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| want to learn how to draw. I still want
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| | insurance, home owners insurance and car
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| to travel and I still want to write. As
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| | insurance no one should pay for more.
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| long as I kept a full time job, I saw no
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| | And I believe that it is in your best
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| way to do these things as I wanted to do
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| | interest to chose a high deductible on
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| them: with all my heart and full time.2.
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| | your policies to lower your costs and to
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| Once the decision is made, you must
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| | keep the money in your hands. If you
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| carefully figure out how you will do it.
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| | want, put a few thousand dollars into a
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| I believed that it was essential that I
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| | bank account and keep it there as a
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| keep myself under my own roof and that I,
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| | buffer against any problem where you may
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| and I, alone owned that roof; not the
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| | have to pay the full deductible on any of
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| bank, not a mortgage company, not any
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| | your policies (do this while you are
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| one...just me. I knew that I needed to
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| | still getting a pay check).At my death, I
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| make certain that I had health insurance
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| | will not leave my family any large
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| and that I could keep some type of health
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| | inheritance, but I won't be leaving any
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| insurance until I died. I also knew that
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| | debts that they would feel honor bound to
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| I had to be certain that my family would
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| | pay. They will have the proceeds from
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| not be saddled with any debt for my
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| | the sale of my home and possessions to do
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| burial. I knew that I needed enough to
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| | as they please. They know that I wish to
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| keep myself fed and clothed. I knew that
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| | be cremated in a cheap wooden box (the
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| I would have to make certain that I could
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| | box is required by law) and I want my
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| pay my utilities. I also knew that I had
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| | ashes scattered in the ocean near where I
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| no retirement except for social security.
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| | live (remember, I wanted to live near
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| Remember what I said above about women my
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| | water when I retired, and I do).5.
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| age, and this is especially true of those
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| | Finally, I want any one considering a
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| us who were single mothers and solely
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| | successful retirement to make certain
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| responsible for ourselves and our
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| | that they have a good car that is fully
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| children. And there are millions of us
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| | paid. Plan to take care of the car, and
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| who fit this description. I knew that I
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| | if you must ever buy another vehicle,
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| had credit card debt. I also knew that
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| | face the fact that you will be looking at
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| the bank, and I, owned a home that had
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| | older model cars that you can afford to
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| accrued some equity (I did do something
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| | pay for in cash. In that same vein,
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| right to prepare for retirement) and that
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| | since this is the 21st century, there are
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| the house was too big for my needs and
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| | occasions when you need a credit card or
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| was a huge drain on my finances.3. Once
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| | a reasonable facsimile. A debit card can
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| I had made up my mind that I did want to
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| | be used to purchase travel tickets and to
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| retire and I had looked at what my needs
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| | secure hotel, motel and car reservations
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| in retirement would be, I set out to make
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| | for the times you may want to travel.
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| it possible. I gave myself a dead line
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| | Yes, they do take debit cards. In this
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| that within two years of all this
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| | way, you become your own lending
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| thinking, I would be retired. To start,
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| | authority.Now all good plans hit snags
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| I looked at where I would retire. There
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| | and you must be ready for them. In my
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| are some places where I believe retiring,
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| | case, the American dollar has lost value
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| on a modest retirement income, would be
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| | and now it is almost at parity with the
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| almost impossible, but then, anything is
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| | Canadian dollar. Therefore, I have lost
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| possible if you want it badly enough and
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| | some spending money. But these things go
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| if you are willing to make trade-offs to
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| | up and down and I can weather this storm
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| made it so. I do not believe, for
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| | since I own my home and I have no debts.
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| example, that you could find affordable
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| | I call my friends and relatives in the
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| housing, on a very limited budget, in New
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| | States frequently but I always use a
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| York or Beverly Hills. You could decide
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| | pre-paid card for this. In this way, I
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| to live near these cities, but not in
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| | keep control of my telephone bill and pay
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| these cities. I needed to make certain
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| | the phone company only for their basic
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| that all my credit card debt has been
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| | service and for the Internet connection.
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| retired and I needed to learn to live
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| | Needless to say, much of my
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| without those cards. In other words, and
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| | correspondence with those back home is by
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| to the horror of the banks and credit
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| | email. I buy fewer clothes, and
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| lending institutions, I had to learn to
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| | frequently buy from local consignment
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| live on a "cash only" basis. And to the
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| | shops since I no longer need to "invest"
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| horror of those same institutions, I
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| | in high price business suits, shoes or
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| decided that when I retired, I would live
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| | hosiery. I shop sales in the markets and
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| in my own home, mortgage free. And
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| | buy fruits and vegetables in season. I
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| finally, and this was a shock, I looked
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| | do more home baking which I have always
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| at all those notices that I had been
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| | loved to do and now have the time to do
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| getting in the mail from social security
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| | it. I go to lower priced movie matinees
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| and found out what I would be living on
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| | and I eat out during the afternoon for
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| from my social security account.4. My
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| | the lower priced lunch specials.
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| plan called for selling my home, selling
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| | Actually, I don't eat out as much as I
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| whatever over-sized furniture I owed and
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| | did since I have the time to cook at home
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| for which I did not have some overly
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| | for my family and friends. I pay only
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| sentimental attachment. My plan called
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| | for basic cable and no movie channels;
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| for finding a place to live where I could
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| | after all how many times in a month can
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| be happy. I needed to live close to a
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| | you see the same movie?Am I happy? You
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| city, but not necessarily in one. I
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| | bet I'm happy. Am I busy? You bet I'm
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| needed to live near water. I needed to
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| | busy. I'm happy because I am living
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| live in a temperate climate with all four
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| | well, but not high, and I am doing what I
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| seasons. I needed to be able to buy my
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| | want. I am playing with my grand kids
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| house outright and to put whatever I made
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| | when I want. I am beginning to make some
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| from the sale of my older home, over and
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| | small profit on my writing which I do
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| above the price of the new house, into
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| | when I want. This extra income will be
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| savings. I wanted to be close to, if not
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| | put aside this year to cover the
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| my entire family, at least some part of
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| | increased costs of gasoline and heating
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| my family.Now here is what I did that
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| | fuel. Do I need this extra money? Not
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| many would consider shocking. At the age
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| | really because I could, with little
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| of 63, I bought a home in Canada close to
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| | changes, tighten my belt and still live
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| my youngest son and his family. I
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| | comfortably. I am learning to speak
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| reasoned that the American dollar would
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| | French, which was something I always
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| always be stronger than the Canadian so
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| | wanted to do and I am drawing and my
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| my retirement dollars would farther. Land
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| | house is full of my own art work. My
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| and housing prices in Canada are much
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| | art, which is reminiscent of Grandma
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| more reasonable than they are in the
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| | Moses, may not be saleable, but I like it
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| United States. This is particularly true
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| | and hopefully my family and friends do
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| of the Province that I chose to live.
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| | too since they get it at Christmas. I
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| The house took only a little of the
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| | travel taking advantage of the price
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| proceeds I recognized from the sale of my
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| | savings from making my reservations on
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| old home and that money is now in the
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| | off seasons and far in advance of my
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| bank and is only used for special needs
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| | planned trips.Am I glad I've retired?
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| and occasions. I know that some of you
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| | Absolutely and if you really want to
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| are thinking "why doesn't she invest
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| | retire, you can do it too and be glad of
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| that". Well, I would if I knew anything
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| | it.Maureen R. Sinclair is an American
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| about investments, which I don't. I do
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| | (via N.Y.C. and Lexington, KY). currently
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| know that it is safe in the bank and will
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| | residing in Nova Scotia, Canada.
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| be there when I need it.Now, not
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| | Educated as a Registered Nurse, she holds
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| everyone, or possibly anyone reading
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| | an M.S. in Psychology. Ms. Sinclair has
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| this, would do what I have done with
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| | traveled widely and has many interests.
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| respect to leaving the United States.
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| | She is an accomplished artist and writer
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| They also would not consider leaving the
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| | currently writing for onlinecooking.net.
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| part of the country where they have lived
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| | Ms. Sinclair can be reached at: or .
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| all their lives and that is not
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| |
|
