Originally Posted by
Gilligan13
You make it sound like retiring you’re sitting home and rotting. I know 80 year olds who surf and bike everyday. Of course you can’t do that in Memphis. I just met a guy who retired at 36 and skis everyday. That doesn’t sound like whittling away. There is definitely more to life then work. Living in a state that promotes more than eating helps. California has its issues but if you can afford it there are plenty of healthy lifestyle options. Retiring in your 40’s doesn’t have to be dreadful it can be a wet dream.
As someone who retired from the AF in SoCal (then left), I have to call BS on this. If you are willing to rent a very small home, eat frugally, and give up vacations you might be able to make the budget work. However, there is no leftover for skiing (very expensive in California even relative to Colorado), surfing (parking alone would eat you alive), and a good mountain bike will cost you a month’s income. Bring your family along and these expenses explode. You could work part time at a ski resort to cover skiing, a surf shop to cover surfing, or a bike shop to for mountain biking, but you’d be working more hours than If you just took the airline gig.