[TrudyM]

[QUOTE=ivanhoe;270300].

My wife would like to access things via golf cart as she is a non-driver so that will be a factor, however, we have learned that you can virtually get everywhere with only a short interval in traffic.
As I’ve said we haven’t gotten the complete layout of TV so we're in the blind just now.

so it will only be health insurance that could crimp the budget.

QUOTE]

A couple of thoughts. And they are worth what I am charging ie maybe nothing.

Driving a golf cart although easier than a car is driving. I went around in one when we were in TV and it was fun but I drive. So you will probably want to be pretty close to a market and whatever activity your wife likes. When I went on the villages web site and filled out the info link they sent me a big packet of stuff that included an overall map.
We have also only physically visited once, we are trying to fit in another visit between now and when we retire however even with that, we plan to put our stuff in moving cubes and store it, and rent for the first 6 months, that way we can get the lay of the land. A furnished rental will include utilities and I figured a six month stay would help me refine my buget. (especially if I could get what was acctually spent info from the landlord or utilities for a place I am actually in)
(6 month rentals don't have to pay the FLA tax. When checking rentals alot include the tax in the monthly rent be sure to adjust before signing a lease)

My husbands unions retirement counselors have told me to figure $500 a month for medical insurance for myself during the gap between when I am covered under his pension and when I hit medicare eligible. I have no idea if this is correct and with the new legislation still being amended I don't think anyone knows.

Comparitive cost of living estimators I have used as an overall guide in our past moves are at.
http://www.bestplaces.net/COL/?salar...city2=51250750
Compares Manhattan with Ocala as follows:
A salary of $60,000 in New York, New York could decrease to $31,967 in Ocala, Florida There is a breakdown by catagory on the site.

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/...alculator.aspx Only compares to Orlando but has NYC broken out by bourghs.

I also find good misc info and calculators on the AARP website.

Hope this helps.

Trudy the number cruncher.

[ivanhoe]

Thanks for the suggestions.

My concern is with draw-down of assets. All things being equal without big curve-balls (health care? taxes? illness?) we can achieve the 60k, however 50k would be more comfortable given that I have some longevity.

My father who just passed away this December was 101 years old and rather spry.
He was still swimming and walking around etc just before the stroke that brought him down. He only had to keep that up a few more years and he would have been broke.

We do not have health issues. My wife and I take better care of ourselves then our parents did i.e. no smoking, exercise, less stressful live choices, so I expect we will be in good health and active for a solid 20-25 years. (Or maybe I just put the whammy on it right there!)
Personally, a good book and a dip in the pool are all I need.

We’ll be fine on the executive courses and do not expect to dine out more than once or twice a week. Believe it or not I plan on taking up cooking (hear that laughing sound...my wife).

It’s my belief that people of our generation must be a bit more exposed in the financial market however what I’m learning here is that we can perhaps reduce that exposure and still expect a good lifestyle.
I’d like to finance just to establish a credit line with a bank and perhaps an equity line of credit on the unit we purchase (if that’s the case with these homes). That was going to be my next question but I should be doing my own homework over at Nuts $ Bolts, so I appreciate your patients.

[ivanhoe]

Trudy,

The sites are very good, in fact I'm feeling more confident now.

Thanks

[TrudyM]

Originally Posted by ivanhoe

Thanks for the suggestions.

My concern is with draw-down of assets. All things being equal without big curve-balls (health care? taxes? illness?) we can achieve the 60k, however 50k would be more comfortable given that I have some longevity.

My father who just passed away this December was 101 years old and rather spry.
He was still swimming and walking around etc just before the stroke that brought him down. He only had to keep that up a few more years and he would have been broke.

I’d like to finance just to establish a credit line with a bank and perhaps an equity line of credit on the unit we purchase (if that’s the case with these homes). That was going to be my next question but I should be doing my own homework over at Nuts $ Bolts, so I appreciate your patients.

I was told that if you currently have decent credit, that if you put allot on your credit card (all our utilities go on it so we get miles) and then pay it off in total every month before the due date that your credit score goes way up, and guess what they were right. When we rented for awhile in Atlanta and deposited 10K in a Cd with the bank they offered us a line of credit. When we then bought for cash they offered us a larger home equity line of credit. We never used either but we had them for emergencies. This may have changed since the bank failure mess but I would check with the banks first before I start paying interest I don't have to. That said if I couldn't buy without leaving my self a nice heafty cash cushion for emergencies I would get a Mortgage, just me and my parinoid thinking. By the way banks usually have the worst interest rates on mortgages, someone on this site suggested I check bankrate.com for rates and I saved a bundle.

[ivanhoe]

Originally Posted by TrudyM

This may have changed since the bank failure mess but I would check with the banks first

Yes indeed things have changed. I thank you for you information but I will say this...banks today see moving things like your utilities to your credit card as the road to insolvency, so I'd be hesitant to use that to boost your credit score.

Really appreciate your help.

[l2ridehd]

I know a couple who live on 32K per year. They paid cash for their home, paid off the bond, and live what I would consider a frugal but comfortable life style. They have one car, one golf cart, only play on the executive courses, go out to eat only once a week (usually an early bird special) and only take one two week vacation a year to someplace else. I am not sure if they have health insurance expenses or not. They figure the total expenses of living in TV at about $1000 a month. That includes taxes, insurance on house and car, fees and utilities. That leaves them another $1500 a month for everything else and 2K each year for vacation. They own a small designer home and are careful what they spend. They also have a small emergency fund put away. No idea how big that is. So I would believe if you can not have a mortgage that 50K a year would be comfortable. A life style that is not for everyone, but works well for some.

Everyone does things differently and therefor costs are different. Do you go to the bar and have 3 drinks after a round of golf, or go back home? Do you have wine with dinner every day? Do you buy new golf clubs every year? Do you have a new car every 3 years? Do you go to the square every night and spend money? Do you buy lots of cloths or shop at the thrift store? Lots of ways to spend money if you want to look for them. Also lots of ways to save money if you need to. Look at your current life style. What do you want to continue and what can you give up. Make good decisions and you will be very surprised how far your money goes in TV.

[LisaJ]

Thank you so much for your insight. When most of the posters were saying you could live like a King for 60k I was wondering if you could live comfortably on 50k. Does anyone one know what the average couple at TV lives on?

[cybrgeezer]

[QUOTE=l2ridehd;270555]I know a couple who live on 32K per year. They paid cash for their home, paid off the bond, and live what I would consider a frugal but comfortable life style. They have one car, one golf cart, only play on the executive courses, go out to eat only once a week (usually an early bird special) and only take one two week vacation a year to someplace else. I am not sure if they have health insurance expenses or not. They figure the total expenses of living in TV at about $1000 a month. That includes taxes, insurance on house and car, fees and utilities. That leaves them another $1500 a month for everything else and 2K each year for vacation. They own a small designer home and are careful what they spend. They also have a small emergency fund put away. No idea how big that is. So I would believe if you can not have a mortgage that 50K a year would be comfortable. A life style that is not for everyone, but works well for some.[QUOTE]

Sounds like this couple should be on here, answering questions like this.

[l2ridehd]

Interesting point cybrgeezer. However one of the items that is not in their budget is internet access. Remember, that is $45 a month. That is a decent dining out cost. Like I said, they make choices and live frugal. They go to one of the free access points when they need to use the internet and I would guess TOTV is not that critical for them. For them that works great. Not for me and also not for everyone.

[Rag Bagger]

Originally Posted by ivanhoe

OK, first waist = waste...it wouldn’t be me without a misspelling.
health insurance that could crimp the budget.

I’ll be “lurking” at Nuts and Bolts; seems like someone has really done a great deal of very helpful work.

Thanks again for your time...I’d leave today if I could.

Watch your health insurance. If you presently buy your own major medical and you have pre-existing conditions you may be refused by Florida carriers.

We had BCBS in our previous state. It did not transfer here and BCBS of Florida refused us coverage.

Possible big problem.

[iandwk]

Suppose you sell your house for 25,000 less than you wanted. My wife and I are looking for a house in TV right now. We just looked at one today on Cajon in Lake County that was priced at 189,000. We looked at www.sumterpa.com and saw that the owner had bought in 2008 for 217,000. So you lose some, he loses some, and it all comes out the same. If the market were better where you are from, the odds are great that you would pay more here, also, so when all is said and done, it all equals out. The important thing is to be in TV. Take the money and runnnnn to TV.


I meant to post this in another thread. Please excuse me and my grandchildren for the mistake.

[ivanhoe]

Yes Rag ******, health care insurance is one of the “curve balls” of which I mentioned earlier. It is perhaps the biggest curve ball.

My company went chapter 11 a few years ago and my pension was turned over to the PBGC (the Pension Benefits Guaranty Corporation...I can thank God for this small gift). This act comes with a small perk. I get HCTC (health care tax credit) for two years after I hit 65 and begin Medicare (new law Jan 2010!). With it I can protect my wife (one year younger) using a participating provider...and there in lies the rub!

Who’s participating and how good are they? And how much will supplemental insurance cost after we’re out of the loop.
I keep reading about doctors dropping Medicare patients and that scares us big time.
We have to imbed some wiggle room for these unknowns. I allocate $1000 a month for supplemental healthcare insurance alone.

To move into TV only to learn that we have to leave due to increasing costs is a failure of foresight I prided myself in anticipating.
To live below your financial situation is easy; it’s an art form to look good on a budget.
Living frugal is a challenge I actually enjoy. The Internet is a necessity as it provides items to assist in this endeavor to be frugal; online bill paying saves a fortune in stamps. I plan to pdf tax preparation to my good tax guy, etc. to say nothing of coupons and much other Internet entertainment...so that is a must. I’ve calculated for that.

Thanks again for the information...it’s better than Prozac.

[sschuler1]

The only things that we have noticed to be more expensive here than in Michigan is the water bill and the cable bill. Had Comcast in Michigan also, but they had competition up there and were much cheaper. They kind of stick it to us down here! And the water bill is easily triple what we paid in Michigan! We had an acre and a half of land there, and a postage stamp here....know we aren't watering more here!

[brostholder]

I sure hope so because that is what I am budgeting.

[LisaJ]

Me too! That is why I asked if anyone knew what the average villager's budget is. Does anyone know the answer?