Relocating, Retirement Journey

We’ve changed our plans. Retirement: On Hold.

Sharon

Sometimes plans change. Here’s the update.

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One requirement for retirement I thought I had to make was to sell our home and buy a smaller one, so that we could be ‘mortgage free’ during our retirement. However, last July, we decided to pay off this house with all of our cash savings. I was not expecting to feel so amazing after doing so and was blown away by my immediate mind shift. I no longer felt the need or desire to move.

Then, in early Fall, my son left full-time Navy life and moved back to the east coast to pursue a different career. We now had all four of our adult kids, as well as our grandkids living within a 15 mile radius – why would we move?

So, we have decided to keep our retirement date and plans fluid. If my husband decides he no longer wants to work, he can call it quits at any time. BUT in the meantime, with the continued income and healthcare coverage, we can take bucket list trips and do some much wanted upgrades to the house without touching our retirement funds.

So there’s the update. I know I’ve said this before, but I really do hope to become more consistent in this space. I hope you’ll stick around. 🙂

Pain & Suffering

911. Let us NEVER forget.

Sharon

It was a sad, tragic day but somehow I remember being comforted by how we all came together as a nation. Twenty-two years later, our country is anything but connected. In fact, it’s almost unrecognizable. And that’s an even bigger tragedy.

For all those who lost a loved one that day, I want to personally extend my deepest sympathy and prayers. I will never forget.

Bad service, Cleaning, Home Care

Is it just me? A Cleaning Service Update.

Sharon

Spoiler alert: The cleaning service was bad. Really bad.

If you hire a company to ‘deep clean‘ your home, you should expect that they will deep clean, i.e. clean baseboards, scrub bathrooms including grout, vacuum furniture, HAND dust light fixtures and mop floors.

What actually happened? An inexperienced group of young ladies, dirty equipment and the perception that my house was ‘already clean” caused a disaster of a job.

NONE of the above-referenced items were done, and what they did do, is still a mystery. When I did the walk through with one of the girls (and I say girl because I don’t think she was barely 18), she ‘forgot’ to wipe the mirror in the powder room as well as numerous other spots that were missed. I just had no words, and told her I would handle it with the office. Below is a picture of what my vacuum picked up in my family room alone AFTER they cleaned.

It is obvious that either their vacuums didn’t work, or they just didn’t do anything. The blinds still had dust on them, the baseboards weren’t touched.

The company immediately sent me an invoice in the amount of $654 – and of course I didn’t pay it. Instead, I had a 30 minute conversation with the office manager. I had already paid a NONREFUNDABLE deposit 3 days before of $156.00 (don’t get me started on that one), which I thought was more than enough for the job that was done. I was then ‘threatened with a lawsuit’ if I didn’t cough up another $100. I reluctantly agreed to pay the other $100 (because I just didn’t want to deal with them anymore). Then, the office manager, after threatening me, said she hopes I give them another chance and she would make the next cleaning free and send experienced cleaners. WTF????

I’m still reeling from this experience, and have decided perhaps a cleaning service is not in the cards for me. I did make sure to leave a detailed review, but I’m sure it will get lost behind all the ‘positive’ ones.

I will admit I’m picky when it comes to cleaning, but I can honestly say this time it wasn’t ME.

$256 stupid tax. Ugh.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE BAD SERVICE?

Cleaning, Gratitude, Health

I hired a cleaning service.

Sharon

Am I getting cocky with all that extra cash I have since paying off my mortgage?

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Absolutely not. I live in a large home and it’s getting harder and harder for me to clean. I can do the ‘every day’ cleaning, but getting on my hands and knees scrubbing floors is no longer my preference. I’ve been very picky with in the past, but I’ve decided it’s time to let someone help me. I hired a cleaning service to do an initial deep cleaning and if I like what they do, I’ll hire them to come out monthly. The reviews were very favorable, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed they do a good job.

It will be money well-spent, and my aching bones will thank me. 😉

Do you use a cleaning service?

Mortgage Free, Retirement Journey, Retirement Readiness, SAVINGS

We just reached a HUGE retirement milestone!

Sharon

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I never thought we would get here, but here we are. Today, July 18, 2023, 24 years and 10 months after we purchased our home, we now truly own it. Those of you who have paid off your mortgages probably know the elation I am feeling right now. It’s actually a bit surreal.

In those 24 years and 10 months of paying off our home, we also:

  • refinanced the mortgage 4 times;
  • paid for 16 years of college (amongst 4 kiddos);
  • contributed to 2 weddings;
  • made extensive improvements to the home; and
  • took numerous vacations.

Could we have paid the mortgage off sooner? Absolutely.

But we chose an alternate route. Although we refinanced the original mortgage numerous times, our rates always went down. We pulled out extra money three of those four times to help pay for all the above-listed life events and we don’t regret a moment of that.

So, here we are. Poised and ready to retire with:

  1. A paid-off mortgage;
  2. 12 months of living expenses in cash; and
  3. Retirement accounts equalling more than 9x my husband’s annual salary (guideline via T. Rowe Price’s recommendation)

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We do plan on moving, but just for now, I’m going to savor having full ownership of the home that has brought us so much joy over the last 24 years. 🙂