RV Home Yet?

No retirement- the new model of retirement?

Lots is being written about the changing face of retirement. My Budget 360 states that many people will never retire. Others say the new 65 retirement age is 80.

According to MyBudget360:

We are left with over 75,000,000 baby boomers entering into retirement with very little saved. One out of three Americans has absolutely no money saved to their name. In 1983 over 60 percent of working Americans had some sort of defined-benefit pension plan. Today that number is below 20 percent. With the average worker making $25,000 a year the media designed idea of retirement is largely just another fantasy.

That's a lot of people that have no money saved. And, according to FrugalDad.com, most people are just throwing money at a number, with no idea of what it will take to live on in retirement. He references the ING commercial below.

Frugal Dad says a big problem is determining that number. And, then is it accurate? You may be able to live more simply than the retirement calculators suggest. (One retirement calculator is at ING. You can find others by googling "retirement calculator.")

At the ING calculator, one option is Domestic Traveler, with an estimate monthly spending of $5,600. That is assuming traveling part time in an RV and keeping a dwelling. Full-time RVing can be much less than that, many living on $2K/month or even less. When you add in working or volunteering on the RV road, that can lower your expenses even further.

Yes, articles paint a dreary picture about the future of retirement. I did come across another article in the New York Times money section that has some creative solutions for funds if you are laid off just before you retire and need some money to fill in. Again, RV retirement along with working or volunteering can be a good solution.

Many of us are where we are with not a lot of time to add to funds for the future. Save what you can and remember, we always have choices. There are tons of things to do- to enjoy life and be productive - that don't cost a cent. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Retirement? Make believe?

Robert Laura, contributor to Forbes, has a piece entitled, "Santa Claus And Retirement - It's All Make-Believe." In it he says that just like little children totally believe in Santa, he meets "many people who walk into my office with visions of retirement dancing in their heads." That is a fantasy, just like Santa Claus.

In the article he traces the history of retirement. Did you know that 65 as the retirement age was established over 125 years ago by German Chancellor Otto Von - mainly because hardly anyone lived past 50. At one time companies offered pensions, but that has been disappearing since the 1980s. He states in the article,

Baby boomers are the first group to face this new retirement era and its many challenges, including the burden of saving and investing for up to 70% of their retirement, making those savings last for 20-30 years, and dealing with two of the worst investment bubbles (Internet & Housing) during their most critical years of saving and investing.

Baby boomers who are also RVers may also have been affected by the economy and found their retirement dollars gone or shrunk. However, with the RV lifestyle, they have some advantages over the stix 'n brix dweller. The RV lifestyle is generally less expensive (though that does depend on your choices, of course). You have much more flexibility and control over your expenses. You can trade work for a free RV site or even make money as you travel. You can see the U.S., Canada and even Mexico on what many would spend just to live day-to-day.

Our two books can help you find out more about how to live this lifestyle. Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road and Retire to an RV: Roadmap to Affordable Retirement will get you started.

There may be no Santa Claus, but that doesn't mean your retirement can't be full of jolly good times. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Andy Rooney - was he right about retirement?

"Andy Rooney was the oldest man on TV. He had no use for retirement. The prospect horrified him. He vowed he would work until he died, and so he did." So starts an essay in the Globe and Mail by Margaret Wente. She goes on to say that "the retirement fantasies we've been peddled are a crock."

Ms Wente makes a good case for keeping involved in work like Rooney did. Just as interesting are the more than 100 comments. Some agree but others point out that some people have menial jobs they hate. For them continuing to work is not meaningful. Health can be a limiting factor too; some aren't capable of continuing to work. Still others point out that you can get involved in volunteering or other meaningful activity without having a job or work.

Many RVers have found that working and volunteering on the road is a way to lead a purposeful life and add to income. And, others choose not to but may be involved with clubs, hobbies like beading or family. RVers are also split between the two camps!

So how about you? What is your vision for your RV retirement? Are you (or did you) waiting for the day you could retire as a huge relief? Is relaxing, golf, TV and other recreation your idea of the perfect way to spend the next 20 to 30 years? Traveling the country? Or do you have a plan for staying involved, whether that be work, volunteering or other pursuits? I'd be interested in hearing from you! Me? I'll be one of the actively involved, writing or some other meaningful and income-producing pursuit! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Fix your retirement- weird ways!

CBS Money Watch's Kathy Kristof's column highlights Ralph Warner, author of Get a Life: You Don’t Need $1 Million to Retire Well. Her column is titled, "Five Weird Ways to Fix Your Retirement!" The five ways she picks from Warner's book are different. One is to fall in love. Two people living together spend less than two people living apart.

Another one is to take more vacations while working part time or longer. RVers can do this one easily. Workamping opportunities abound. Not only can you bring in some income, but often you reduce expenses because you get a free or discounted RV site or tickets to local attractions.With RVing you get to see many different places. Since you are in one area, you have time to explore the whole area. Often recreation is right out your door.

The last one, volunteering, fits right into Workamping. It can be a fun way to do activities you like, meet people and give back - all at the same time. Three suggestions from Warner are being a volunteer golf marshal, with golfing benefits, be a docent, and usher at plays so you get to see them too.

Retirement isn't all about the money, though, of course a certain amount helps. You might find some ideas you are already using or want to add to your RV lifestyle in this article. Most fit the RV retirement lifestyle. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Niche retirement communities- for you?

An interesting article at SmartMoney.com, "A Retirement Made for You (and People Just Like You)," mentions the Escapees RV Club CARE Center in Livingston, TX. The article features five retirement communities that cater to specific groups and discusses the pros and cons.These also include one for Asian Americans, for artists, for the gay-lesbian community, and for intellectuals.

I'm not sure I'd classify CARE the same way as the others, but it is certainly the least expensive option. Care is more for Escapee members who have health issues and need extra care. The others focus on providing activities compatible with the interests of its residents.

In any case, nice to know there are options if you decide to give up full-time (or part-time) RVing! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Stop saving so much for retirement?

I came across an article that mentioned that the T. Rowe Price financial planning director advised that people did not need to save so much money for retirement. Instead spend it on cruises and other fun things you've been wanting to do.

There is a catch, however. You need to keep working until age 70. That way your social security payments will be much higher and your other savings will have 5 to 8 more years to grow. Plus you 5 to 8 fewer years to stretch your retirement dollars.

Eric Schurenberg, who writes for CBS MoneyWatch.com, finds flaws in this theory. One is that you may not be able to work that long. Your job could end or your health not permit you to work until 70. And, how many of us want to work that long? Since we don't know what the performance of the market will be, it is a gamble.

So how does that affect RVers? You can live on less money in an RV. If you volunteer or Workamp, you can reduce your expenses and possibly avoid talking money out of retirement for a few more years. You won't be putting as much into social security, but you may avoid taping into your nest egg for several more years.

Shurenberg concludes that

"The best retirement strategy is a balance between three sound but contradictory pieces of advice. Work as long as you can. Save like you’ll be on your own tomorrow. Live each day like it could be your last."

Sounds like good advice for RVers. Working or volunteering on the road can make be fun and take you on new adventures. It can help you live that three-point strategy. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Today is the last day to purchase the 3rd edition with CD at a special price. Sale ends today!

 

Retirement - only for the rich?

"Retirement, it appears, is only for the few, the rich or the benefit endowed," says a Bloomberg BusinessWeek article. If you are relying on retirement funds from a pension, expect benefits to be less.

Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst, sees retirement being postponed for most people. The retirement many people have envisioned will not exist. It will mean a change in lifestyle, probably continued working for lots of people because the funds won't be there.

That could make the RV lifestyle and Workamping even more appealing. Getting a free or low-cost RV site when working or volunteering is a major help to the budget. There are so many ways RVers can reduce and control expenses yet still live very well. Plus, for many, it's the fulfillment of their travel dreams.

For more information about the RV lifestyle see our ebook, Retire to an RV: The Roadmap to Affordable Retirement. Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, a print book, will help you get started working and volunteering as you travel.

Hope to see you out there! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Home study course: RV Volunteers Make a Difference

RV volunteers can do much more than be a camphost. Take this new home study course and find out the many possibilities. Here's the press release from Workamper University:

Workamper News and Workamper University are excited to offer another home study course on CD from Workamping expert Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak with RVLifestyleExperts.com. This new course is called RV Volunteers Make a Difference, and will spell out why RVers volunteer and what they gain from it.

Have you thought about volunteering on the road? An AARP study found that helping out others in some form or other is something 80 percent of Americans age 45 and older do. They are an important force in our economy, volunteering 8.2 billion hours a year, which is worth more than $147 billion. RVing broadens the horizons and opens up many new possibilities. In addition to volunteering in communities, RVers volunteer at national parks, state parks, wildlife refuges, and for Habitat for Humanity, among others. They help out during natural disasters. If you thought of volunteering as being a camphost, you were right—AND, it can be much more than that.

Volunteering has many rewards and can have a positive impact on the budget too. The 60-minute course shows you where to find these opportunities and how to go about getting them. Even more important, it helps you ask essential questions before accepting a position. This CD is available in the Workamper News Store online for $29.95.  Visit the Workamper News Store for more information and to purchase.

Instructor Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak is a seasoned RV Workamper and volunteer and the author of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider’s Guide to Working on the Road and other RV books.  Along with the audio visual classes you will receive a PDF file with a complete list of resources to get you started finding the right volunteer position for you.

If you are interested in purchasing this class or other courses on CD, visit https://store.workamper.com and click on the Training link. You can also call the Workamper News office to obtain information, 800-446-5627, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT, M-F.

Tax considerations in choosing a domicile

RVers are unique in that it is very easy for them to choose a new domicile when they begin full-time RVing. Many pick a no-state-income tax state: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, Wyoming. A few pick Oregon because it has no sales tax, a bonus when you purchase a new RV.

Smart RVers look at the whole tax burden and not just one aspect. An article in the Chicago Tribune is worth reading if you are in the process of choosing your domicile or rethinking your choice. The article asks: "Would relocate in retirement for better tax laws?" Most people would say no. RVers can easily do so. The article referred to CCH, a tax information provider. Its article, "CCH Outlines Tax Considerations for Retirees Searching for Tax-friendly States," has excellent information for retirees plus a chart that details how each state taxes social security and pension income.

Another good resource for looking at the overall tax burden of all 50 states is Retirement Living Information Center's "Taxes by state."

And, finally, download the free booklet, "How to be a real Texan," available at the Escapees RV Club Web site. While it is specific to Texas, most of the information on establishing a domicile will apply to anyone. RVers can easily be tempted to have legal documents in several states - a will here, driver's licenses in another, vehicles registered in a 3rd. This can cause major financial repercussions down the road. You can access the download by going to the Web site, clicking on Members, then Resources/Links and then on Booklets. Having known and heard of a couple of RVers who have gotten socked by assessments in a state they did not consider their domicile, it's worth a read and lining everything up in your chosen state.

I initially chose Texas and used the Escapees mail service. Escapees RV Club has fought for RVers' voting rights and Polk County is very RV friendly. Since George is a South Dakota resident, I transferred everything up there after we married. We spent time in Sioux Falls getting my driver's license and having wills written.

What is the best domicile for one RVer is not necessarily the best for another so do your research and find out what works for you. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Life in an RV resort

 When we were in Tucson, we stayed at Voyager RV Resort. RVers come for one-night stays or short stays, but many come each winter. Some have leased a lot for their RV; quite a few have purchased a small park model and lease the lot. Another option at Voyager is to purchase a house in the adjoining community.

We talked to several people who had come once, liked all the people and activities and have been coming back for years ever since. It is a whole different way of life than the one I’ve experienced RVing. We would call this group “snowbirds,” people who live somewhere north in the summer and spend winters in a warmer climate in a southern state like Arizona.

What appeals to them about Voyager and resort living? The short version is: facilities and activities. Voyager provides active adult living like many retirement communities. Compared to purchasing a house in a place like Sun City, an RV resort is less expensive and more compact. You can stay all year round, but the lower price makes it affordable for some people to have a summer and a winter location. They can create a permanent RV lot (see below) or buy a park model.

We were drawn to Voyager for a short stay because of location and their two hot tubs or spas! For winter residents, the resort has tennis, pickleball and bocce courts plus shuffleboard and exercise room. Each morning there was at least one exercise class in one of the three pools. Winter residents can do all sorts of arts and crafts in designated shops and scheduled classes.Games and entertainment load the calendar.

Voyager has a restaurant and store too. Don’t feel like cooking? You can ride your golf cart to dinner rather than take the car!

You could stay at Voyager (and  probably other RV resorts as well) the entire winter and only have to venture out into the city once or twice! You’d need gas for your golf cart, stock up on food now and then and perhaps see a physician if you are under treatment for a condition. (The Wellness Clinic can treat many medical problems.) Other than those, you could spend every day being as busy as you like. You might want to leave now and then just so you don’t feel obligated to participate!

While we talked to people enthusiastic about this way of life, we also met two couples who have been coming for several years and are selling their park models. One will be going on the road full-time; the other is now running a business in Phoenix. Neither couple could justify spending so much money leasing a lot when they were only here for a short time in the winter. Perhaps it is the current economy; perhaps that happens to a percentage of residents each year. Some turnover would be natural.

For us, Voyager was an excellent choice for a week’s stay, even if a bit on the expensive side compared to other RV parks. We wouldn't become winter residents, though. It’s most likely our stage of life. We're not ready to settle down in a retirement community, though I can see how easy that would be. Tucson itself has so much to offer. The cultural and recreational opportunities are plentiful and unique to the city. Sorry Voyager, but most activities at a resort you could do anywhere. In Tucson, for seeing native species, there are the Desert Museum and Saguaro National Park; you can hike in Sabino Canyon or up on Mount Lemmon. Numerous museums and galleries are downtown. And there is so much to explore within easy drives: Kitt Peak Observatory, Tubac and Tumacacori, Madera Canyon and many historical sites. You could spend years and not see it all of Tucson's special features.

It’s nice knowing that options like Voyager Resort exist for people. If you are done with driving and seeing sights, resort living could be for you. Certainly you can live a productive, active life.

If you do want to explore this option, I recommend:

• Stay in the resort for a winter or even two in your RV before purchasing a park model. Make sure you like it. You will lose money if you try to sell a park model and may have difficulty finding a buyer.
• During stays, talk to lots of residents to find out what they like and dislike. Others may have lived elsewhere, giving you information on additional resorts.
• All resorts are not equal. Compare prices, facilities and activities. Large numbers of activities are fine, but you may need to only find a resort that offers the things you like and not need to pay for such extensive facilities.
• If you want to also participate in community activities, see if the resort provides transportation and at what cost.
• Check out community offerings and activities too. Will there be enough of the kinds of things you like to do if you do want to do something in town?
• Besides basic prices for living there, what activity fees or extras that you pay for? Include these in your comparison between resorts as well as budgeting.

So there you have it. This is another aspect of RVing. It is one answer to a question you might have: Where will I live when I can't travel any more or want to get off the road and will I be able to afford it? A resort like Voyager could fit the bill for you. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Photos by George and Jaimie Bruzenak