[67drake]

Random question here-Just wondering if anybody here has ever gave up their job and security to downsize and make life more simple? If so-How did you do it? Did it scare the crap out of you?
Wife and I have been talking for years about moving out of the crappy area we live in, and moving out to the sticks. A few years back,we had an accepted offer on a beautiful house in a small town on the other end of the state. We were going to give it all up and live simple. We backed out of the deal at the last minute. Why? On my end-FEAR. My wife didn't think it would work out financially. I'm OCD and don't deal with change easily. I've been at the same job for over 30 years.
We've had our camper up in that town since then,and we're sure that is the area we want to move to. Problem is no or low paying jobs. I'd have to travel an hour to work,each way,just to earn 1/2 of what I make now. I think we'd have to live in a shack,as compared to what I'm in now,to make ends meet. I planned on retiring rich,but my divorce years ago pretty much shot that down.
Anyway,lots more I could post,I just what to know if anyone here has taken this route.

[goatless]

I'm thinking about it more and more these days.
Maybe it has something with my oldest heading off to college next year. Maybe it's just the stress of having so much going on all the time starting to get to me.

I've got my own construction business, flip houses and rental houses. All taking my time and attention… and causing stress in various ways at various times. Even my car hobby takes so much time and space.

We're starting to talk about maybe selling out- our house, which is bigger than we need and full of so much stuff we don't need, a couple of the rentals, maybe even a car or two. Moving up to a little place we bought last summer (needs a full renovation first!). It's only a half hour from our current house, but a world away in the feel of the area. Much less congested, a little slower pace… and the taxes are a 1/3 of our current place.

I can really see us doing it, but not until my youngest graduates HS in 2 years. Reduced costs should allow me to work a little less. Hopefully get established working for the super rich up in that area, doing high dollar work on their summer homes. Spend more time sitting on the dock than commuting.

[Judge-1969]

Well, I did not make a home move, but I did take a chance back in 2007 to a different job making about $5 an hour more than I made. Had worked the job I left since 1993. It was scary and even more scary when the new job I took ended up being terrible and I hated it. I ended up sweet talking my old boss after about 5 months into hiring me back. I couldn't have been happier. After about 9 months however, the end of 2008, the company decided to close with the down-turn of the economy. I lost my job but that was just the start of events that ended up changing my life.

You see I had realized that when I quit my long term job for the other job making more money it was not worth it to me. I worked long hours 6 days a week, sometimes 7, and I had no life and certainly no time for a family which my wife and I wanted to start. I guess for me, what I learned is money wasn't as important as my happiness. I was off work about 4 years and in the mean time I was a stay at home dad and went back to school. My focus switched to being with my family and taking care of them. I was fortunate enough my wife had a good job and we were able to make ends meet with our bills. The time I am able to spend with them is what life's all about.

I started a new job in 2013 making half of what I made at the job that I was so unhappy with. My second kid came along and I was forced to make another decision. I was gonna quit my job and find something part-time at night so I could be home with my daughter. Somehow, they really liked me at this new job that they kept me on essentially doing my job part time in the evening.

Somehow everything has worked out for me and I have been blessed beyond belief. I am also very happy with where I am in my life even though I'm not rolling in the dough. Jobs come and go and life changes all the time. In fact, the only constant in life is change.

It's up to you to decide, but just remember, you don't have to be stuck anywhere. The choice is always yours!

[bird72]

The older I get, the more important, valuable, and therapeutic is Simplicity.

[GTOWAGON]

I did that in 2001 when I moved from long island to upstate NY and have regretted it ever since

[geeteeohguy]

I'm about to hit 56 and getting ready to retire. Where I am right now and what I have is as big as I want to be. The more stuff you have, the more time it takes from you. I am planning to downsize a bunch as I age, and see it as a positive, not a negative. Less really is more. But the key for me is that I can retire comfortably right now, and not worry about employment. My main concern moving would be quality of life (area, climate, crime rate, etc. ) After 30 years at the same job, you should be all set to retire....but a divorce nixes that one. I watched my dad get taken to the cleaners on two divorces, and never got married myself. Everything's a trade off.

[lfdsteve]

"Simple" is only simple if you can afford to live. Not really a world where you can "go off the grid " anymore, at least in this country. You will always need coin and it's virtually impossible, if not probably illegal to live completely off the land. There will always be costs such as taxes and licensing jut to farm hunt and fish your own land and I believe hunting still must be in season.
Good luck with whatever you choose.

[getmygoat]

The trick is to find a way to accomplish your objectives without too much sacrifice. For example, is there another location (and/or plan) that gives you 80% of what you are looking for, but allows you to preserve your current income/lifestyle? Also, it's important to try it out first before jumping, plenty of examples of people jumping and then later discovering the grass isn't greener. How about buying a weekend / summer house in the area or similar area and seeing how much you enjoy. You could also start networking in the community to see if there might be some hidden opportunities to apply your skills. This could allow a more evolutionary transition instead of a Hail Mary.

[Jack Ferris]

Originally Posted by bird72

The older I get, the more important, valuable, and therapeutic is Simplicity.

You said it all.

[hurryinhoosier62]

My wife just did it. She got the $#%& scared out of her in December, 2015 when she found herself in the hospital in Providence, RI with a sodium bicarb level that was half of what is considered "critical". The doc told her IF she had gone back to the hotel instead of passing out in her facility, she probably would have died of heart failure. That did it! The nearly300K salary no longer matter to either of us: Her life DID. Her old company dissolved her postion, so she took a job with a 100K smaller salary. She loves the new company and its ethics. She looks better than she has in 4 years. We have cut expenses and have realized that most of her old salary went to taxes (even in a no income tax like FL). Life is better...

[694.1]

"I'm OCD "
If you can let go of some little stuff that really might not matter & add in a little ability to manage stress well, it could smooth out the bumps until the big plan is ready to implement. Focus on the prize!

[lfdsteve]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

My wife just did it. She got the $#%& scared out of her in December, 2015 when she found herself in the hospital in Providence, RI with a sodium bicarb level that was half of what is considered "critical". The doc told her IF she had gone back to the hotel instead of passing out in her facility, she probably would have died of heart failure. That did it! The nearly300K salary no longer matter to either of us: Her life DID. Her old company dissolved her postion, so she took a job with a 100K smaller salary. She loves the new company and its ethics. She looks better than she has in 4 years. We have cut expenses and have realized that most of her old salary went to taxes (even in a no income tax like FL). Life is better...

Scratchin by on 200k a year. Wow, what a sacrifice. Now that's roughing it.
Glad your wife is fine though!

[poncho-mike]

I'm pushing 60, and I've been a design engineer all my life. My current company has cut many people in support roles in the US, off-shoring much of that work to India and China. I now do a lot more administrative work than actual design work, and I really dislike it. If all goes well, I hope to wrap my career in the corporate world in about two and a half years.

There is currently a pretty good demand for contract design engineers for short term projects. After I retire from my corporate job, I will probably sign up for a contract gig and look for a 6 - 9 month contracting jobs to carry me until I reach my full retirement age for social security.

I'm hoping to downsize and buy a cabin or second house in the mountains. I think my wife will want to stay in the Raleigh area. My oldest son lives less than ten miles away, and we're hoping for grandkids soon.

I've been selling off a few of my cars over the last few years. I'd like to get down to four cars, maybe even fewer than that. I also plan to sell my rental house, it's been a real pain dealing with tenants. Overall, I want to simplify my life so I can have more free time.

[carcrazy]

My first step was at the age of 45 when I moved from a "yuppie" burb in Cary to 6 acres at the far northern reaches of the county. A few years later I sold my engineering company. For 10 years I had spent 75-85 hours every week with no time for myself...or my wife. Changed careers and now work as much or little as I like. Life is far too short not to smell the roses! I lost my wife very suddenly which totally changed my perspective on life!

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by lfdsteve

Scratchin by on 200k a year. Wow, what a sacrifice. Now that's roughing it.
Glad your wife is fine though!

You should see our tax bill.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by lfdsteve

Scratchin by on 200k a year. Wow, what a sacrifice. Now that's roughing it.
Glad your wife is fine though!

You should see our tax bill. Actually, it's less than 200K.

[lfdsteve]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

You should see our tax bill.

I should just shut up. The most important thing is the health of you and your wife. Economics is a very distant second. Just take it slow and you'll find your sweet spot.
Good luck.

[poncho-mike]

In the past 5 years, my parents, my grandmother, and my wife's brother passed away. In the 5 years prior to that, we lost my wife's parents. I'm the most senior member of my wife's family, and my wife's remaining brother is a year older. We're now the old folks. It certainly puts a different perspective on everything.

[Deadhead]

I just moved to a smaller place. Not simpler or cheaper, but smaller. BUT, the LOCATION is much simpler. I lived further in the sticks than I do now. That is NOT simplicity. Maybe the type of living, but you have more to coordinate, and the driving creates time and logistics issues that do not contribute to the simple life. I lived there for about 25 years. Was basically 40 Min. to anywhere. Had a grocery store that was only about 10 miles away, but that was it. When I moved to a place where I could have privacy but get anywhere in 5-15 minutes THAT was simple and very pleasant.

The best way to simplify everything is to have no debt. If you can accomplish that, then you will be on your way. It is worth getting a lot smaller for that.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Yeap:

big home down to doublewide (by choice), and back up a little to a small home. God-willing we will have sold the doublewide soon.

Rare and valuable PMD cars and parts ( convertibles GTO, Hardtop Judges, a fancy 69 Sprint Firebird, a solid 69 Firebird, a race 68 Firebird, now only a 68 GTO with who-cares stampings, except for the RA II heads.

401k to nope, nada, no stocks, bonds, etc.

Big career with big company, down to working in a warehouse environment, back to a medium-size company, with an office with door and wall-sized window. Now i can see me car in the lot while i work.