Thinking of a Snow Bird Lifestyle?

A golfing partner and a good friend
in Green Valley AZ.

I was clothes shopping this morning and ran into a woman at JJills. As I dug through the sale racks, we began to visit about this and that. As it turned out, she and her husband live in a neighborhood my husband and I lived in for 10 years. She came here from Ohio to be near to children.

Other than the fact that I am a native Oregonian, we could be lifestyle twins. She taught 2nd grade for 22 years and I taught in the elementary level off and on for over 30. We both live in the PDX area because we want to be close to our families.

After we had talked for a while she revealed that she and her husband were going to vacation in Phoenix for 2 month this winter. They found a place in Sun City. It was the first time they had considered being snowbirds.

Oh my gosh, is she in for a fun time or what! I could not contain my enthusiasm for her and the experience that is opening up for her.

Although I am somewhat of an expert on the snowbird lifestyle and know in detail about practical ins and outs, the first thing that always comes out of my mouth when I meet someone new to my world is how much they are going to enjoy the people! There is nothing quite like spending time with age mates. It is freeing like nothing else.

The inside of our park model doll house!

Then we began talking about the cost. She said she couldn't imagine doing it for six month like my husband and me. The cost just blew her mind. They are paying $3000 a month for their rental.

When I explained the cost of a park model, the rent and how it worked I could see her thinking about the possibility. If they were to rent for six months at that rate it would cost them $18,000 a year! WOW!

Visiting Grandchildren

So, are you thinking about being a snowbird?

b+

Here is some information from previous posts.

Snowbird Lifestyle (a collection of all the posts with that label)

Should You Be a Snowbird
Experiencing Retirement Before You Retire
14 Links Every Smart Snowbird Should Visit
How to be a Snowbird...answers and lists! (my most visited post)

Five Little Ducks...stories played out!

The children's song about the little ducks leaving the nest to fly away has always been one of my favorites. Every mother has seen their babies fly away and rejoiced. Life comes full circle. Animals live that same cycle. Babies grow up. Birds leave the nest. Life goes on. So when the three ducks show up every year near my patio I am not surprised. But I am puzzled that it always seems to be the same three. Something just doesn't seem right. It appears the one did not fly away at all. Five little ducks Went out to play Over the hills and far away. The mommy duck went "quack, quack quack," Four little ducks came swimming back... And then Three Two and One. A drake, a female duck (a hen) and a not quite a drake but still not a hen gather here on the 5th green of the golf course. She leads and the other two follow along obediently. They eat, sleep, and guard each other. Each and every day this time of year they come. I have not named them. Jinxing them would be very pos...

How to be a Snowbird in 2024

Early years in RV resort! Our motor home is parked next to our first Park Model When it begins to cool in the evenings and the geese fly in formation, my mind turns to Arizona. Yearning for the desert air and vibrant blue sky is compel me to fly away. I do it every year and will as long as I am allowed. Townhome near Tucson's Pantano Wash and bike trail. We started this way of life when we retired. First with a fifth-wheel trailer, later with a motor home, and finally in something permanent that evolved over the years. First, it was a park model in an RV Resort, then a townhouse close to walking trails, and finally into a home on a small golf course. Congress Hotel from window of near by hotel. Each time we moved, we upscaled and increased our monetary wealth. That is the way our mind works. It is as though we couldn't just have fun without working a lot. We painted and planted flowers and haunted thrift stores to find just the right furniture. We were always hav...

How to be a 12 Month Snow Bird

Vacation Rental in Mexico I live around snowbirds 6 months of the year. I have heard those people say that they all want to live the "snowbird" lifestyle when they go home. But it just is not possible. They are isolated and cold. Social activities with friends and beautiful weather are greatly missed when they return to the realities of their "real" life. One couple I visited with lately returned to Florida this morning where they own a home. The woman is a nurse and works in the summer. They are not going home until May this year. It is too cold in Michigan in the spring so they are hoping to extend their good weather season by simply staying away. Besides that they love their Florida lifestyle a lot. Last week I visited with a woman that lives the snowbird lifestyle year around. No going home to the Midwest in the spring. They essentially vacation 12 month out of the year. And I thought their solution for avoiding unpleasant weather and keeping their lifestyle in...

Retire In Style Blog Too

Search This Blog