My retirement plan

BTSV_Berni · Senior Member

My retirement plan

BTSV_Berni · Senior Member

Here I am again.

Now it's time to tell you a bit about my retirement plan. I'm 48 now and become 49 this year.

The plan is, to hand in my leaving notification on my 58th birthday. biggrin So I have a few years to go to make up something.

First idea was to buy a houseboat in 3-4 years, live in a marina, and save enough money to stop working on my 59th birthday. But soon I figured out that living on a boat can be a bit boring and I would lock myself out of all the nice places Australia has on offer.

So another idea was born pretty quick. A Mobilehome ! smile . Two big advantages: 1. It's nearly impossible to be alone on a campground. 2. Much cheaper than a HB. So I can drop the line from the 59th to the 58th birthday. Would buy it in about 2,5 to 3,5 years......depends on how quick I can save the money. Then I can live in it while I'm working for a few more years and that would save me heaps of money that I don't have to spend for rent any longer.

So far I've stopped smoking and I leave the beer in the bottle shop. A massive saver.

Now I'm looking around to find out what MH would fit for me best. Ended up with two brands. Winnebago and Sunliner. For me it looks, that I get the best quality for my money. Winnebago Birdsville is pretty nice and the Sunliner is having three models I would go for. Pinto 1 , Pinto 3 or the G52. I assume that these models will be in the right price range for me in 2,5 to 3,5 years as 2year old ones with low kms.

That's my plan. I'll see how far I come.

Regards, Berni

jimbo · Guru

All you need to do now is stay Healthy to enjoy this Plan.....Good Luck With it

Duh · Guru

If I was going to be working for say the next 10 years I would perhaps buy a 2nd hand but in good nick caravan to live in, working full time and living in one spot in a motorhome would not be ideal IMHO. It would give you a chance to downsize beforehand and you would still have the ability to run around in your car, take your van for a trip and even change locations easily if you have to.

I don't know your circumstances or whether you live near a city or country town etc, so that may have some bearing on whether a motorhome would suit as your daily commute in work traffic etc unless you intend having a toad (towed vehicle) or motorcycle to run around in......

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

BTSV_Berni · Senior Member

That's a very good point.
I live and work in the Brisbane area. Work on a rotating roster. What I've seen so far it would work for me to take the MH as a daily
commuter. Never been caught in traffic. And with my background I wouldn't call anything here traffic anyway.
Been stuck in traffic (60-120km lenght) for 8-12 hours in my former home country. Here is nothing that could shock me.

I've sorted out the following.

Nightshift: Here are a few very nice and quiet spots where I could stay during the day and have my sleep.
Afternoonshift: A week on a campground would do.
Dayshift: Could enter the factory car park in the evening and stay there overnight while I'm spending the afternoon at the beach or where ever.

This would keep the costs very low. But even if I decide to stay on a campground full time I would spend less than 1900A$ a month for rent/power/water.

It's good that I have a lot of time left for thinking and sorting things out. And I'm sure, this forum will be very helpful for that.

Regards, Berni

badgerhel · Veteran Member

Hi again Bernie,
I sometimes like the idea of living in a caravan park.....even if you get sick of it, you can relocate. The factory carpark idea sounds a bit "out there".......but you're young(er), can run fast etc. You definitely are planning ahead!
Cheers
Helen

BTSV_Berni · Senior Member

jimbo wrote:
All you need to do now is stay Healthy to enjoy this Plan.....Good Luck With it

Hi jimbo

Health is the most important thing. No matter where and how you live.

I rely a bit on my family history. No one with cancer. No one with heavy diabetes. No heart attacks. No strokes.

Grandma became 98. Dad (no smoker) 82. Uncle (light smoker, stopped at 58) became 78. Grandpa (heavy smoker) made it to 74.

So I think, after I've stopped smoking a few weeks ago, I should make it 78 as a minumum in a good condition. Scary ? biggrin

30 years of fun waiting for me. Not too bad.

Regards, Berni

badgerhel · Veteran Member

Ohhh now I'm not so worried.....
cheers
Helen

BTSV_Berni · Senior Member

That's right.
I'm planning ahead. I always need something to pull myself up with. Especially while I'm working.
That gives me the good feeling that I know for what I'm doing this daily nonsense for.

Regards, Berni

BTSV_Berni · Senior Member

See it pretty much in the same way. And be sure that I'll try to make it happen as early as possible. )

The last shirt doesn't have any pockets so I can't take anything with me on the last journey anyway. )

Had a bit a look around online at the motorhome market. Didn't say anyrthing about the price. A Houseboat would have cost me 150-170k new, and because there are not many good used ones on the market I would have gone for a new one.
The MH I have in mind will cost me between 90-110k. 2-3 years old, so near new.

Now I'm looking for the perfect layout and that's a challenge. There is always something that I would like to have in a different way. .

Maybe it's a good idea to buy one where the chassis, hull and motor are fine and rip out the interior completely. Keep the usefull parts and built it up new from the scratch.
What I've seen so far is, that these internal bits and pieces don't cost a fortune.
For example the drop down bed thing ..... www.northcoach.com.au/products/Happijac-Bed-Lifting-Mechanism.html ....not too bad.

So, I have to find a MH in a good mechanical condition for 50-60k which should be possible, and then add another 10-15k for the interior and off I go.
Life can be so easy )).

Regards, Berni

-- Edited by BTSV_Berni on Tuesday 30th of July 2013 11:36:02 PM

allinone · Senior Member

Welcome Berni, planning ahead. Where can I get a job that is guaranteed to be there in ten years let alone tomorrow. Palm beach CP on the gold coast was charging $165 per week plus electricity, so that may be a bit of a saver from your budget. Personally I hate the gold coast but it was cheaper that when I was renting a one bedroom house in NSW.

thomas01 · Senior Member

BTSV Berni

What can I say. The world as we know it may not exist in ten years time. Don't wish to sound pessimistic but, FIND A WAY TO GET OUT THERE SOONER. Don't know what line of work you are in or what your commitments are , but an option could be to look for work you can do while traveling.

As for your health, tomorrow may never come. We have no guarantees when it comes to lifelines.

Too many people wait until it is too late to travel. Find a way to do it sooner rather than later. My boss told me I couldn't afford to retire at 55. I told him I couldn't afford not to as I may be dead tomorrow. He laughed at me. When I look at him still slaving away in his office for 14 hours a day, I laugh at him.

You are a long time dead.

Get out while you can still enjoy it. Retirement is cheap if you do it the right way.

Best of luck.

Robert.

BTSV_Berni · Senior Member

Plans have changed a bit.

Because I would not really use a MH for what it is made for I decided to go for a Caravan for the next 7-8 years until I retire. Had a look around and Swift/Adria/Bailey/ACE are the way to go for me.

Anyone here owing one of these ?

Any experiences ?

Regards, Berni