As some of you know, I am throttling back the work thing, hoping to glide into an early retirement, at least from the traditional medical practice, in the near future. My daughter just started high school (my Senior son will be off to college next fall), and I am increasingly enamored of the idea to sell the house and downsize to an apartment (or rent someone's condo or townhome) in my hometown initially, perhaps to be closer to one of the kids down the road. I am 51, and my 52 year old wife plans to work at least until my daughter finishes high school but maybe not much longer.
These are some of my perceived advantages:
1. Financial--I think that if I sold my house, I could use the proceeds to live in a nice apartment for the rest of my life. With the additional money that it takes to currently maintain my house (taxes, insurance, upkeep, broken this or that, utilities, etc.), I could...
2. Travel (!)--I figure that with just the money I would spend on the upkeep of my house, I could easily spend a month in an apartment in Europe, Colorado or Utah, and Misc, every year. That is three months away, every year. Sounds wonderful!
3. Downsize of the "stuff"--I have often said that we should move out of our house, every 3-5 years, and move back in, just to get rid of the crap that we do not have the energy or motivation to discard. I detest the clutter and long for a minimalist lifestyle. I am far from it. ? I sometimes feel that I am a slave to the house and the stuff it contains. Have you ever calculated how much of your salary is spent to support your actual home?
4. Sense of Impermanence-- At one time, it was important to me to "put down some roots", become part of a physical community, own land, be locked into a job and lifestyle, etc. Now, not so much. I do not intend to live (long) out of a backpack, but I do like the idea of being more loosely attached, freewheeling, and spontaneous. This arrangement could allow my vagabond spirit to soar.
Or should I just go back to work. ?
These are some of my perceived advantages:
1. Financial--I think that if I sold my house, I could use the proceeds to live in a nice apartment for the rest of my life. With the additional money that it takes to currently maintain my house (taxes, insurance, upkeep, broken this or that, utilities, etc.), I could...
2. Travel (!)--I figure that with just the money I would spend on the upkeep of my house, I could easily spend a month in an apartment in Europe, Colorado or Utah, and Misc, every year. That is three months away, every year. Sounds wonderful!
3. Downsize of the "stuff"--I have often said that we should move out of our house, every 3-5 years, and move back in, just to get rid of the crap that we do not have the energy or motivation to discard. I detest the clutter and long for a minimalist lifestyle. I am far from it. ? I sometimes feel that I am a slave to the house and the stuff it contains. Have you ever calculated how much of your salary is spent to support your actual home?
4. Sense of Impermanence-- At one time, it was important to me to "put down some roots", become part of a physical community, own land, be locked into a job and lifestyle, etc. Now, not so much. I do not intend to live (long) out of a backpack, but I do like the idea of being more loosely attached, freewheeling, and spontaneous. This arrangement could allow my vagabond spirit to soar.
Or should I just go back to work. ?
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