Living The Dream ?

>> Living the Dream

Is it just me ? My dreams are usually grim, it's my brain sorting out all the unsolved jobs of the day or re-enacting some violent movie.
I would not like to live my dreams.

"Be careful what you wish for" is more appropriate.

Dreamers are the ones to fail, fed up with the job, fed up with running a house "I know give up job, give up house, we'll have a ball".

Thinkers/planners are the ones to give it a proper go. Take Amytwowheels. All thought through. Proper financial planning which gives them security and a fall back plan. So off they go feeling good and not stressed. I think they will make it.
 
Well, having been the one responsible for re-opening this thread after 5 years, I suppose I'll chuck in my thoughts on the subject:)

My 'blog' on here somewhere will tell you how it all began for us - somewhat quickly, with heart leading head, little or no knowledge or experience, but financially secure and up for a laugh:xdoh: (I will add that as the start page of a proper www blog when I get around to it!)

I was divorced in 2008, and married Jackie in May 2011.
My 'ex' kept the house - and I kept my pension - that's forward planning for ya:xwink:

We had a small campervan, then saw a big RV, loved it, bought it, moved into it! As we were renting at the time - there was no loss - only financial gain!


For us - the worst that could happen was we'd not like the lifestyle, so we'd sell the big RV and go back to renting again.
It wasn't really a 'dream' as it happened so fast, and was pretty much unplanned, and wasn't forced through circumstances either! We are quite spontaneous people, and always up for a challenge, so it was an easy decision to give fulltiming a go.

That was over 3 years ago - and the only real change we made was downsizing to a Euro MH instead of the RV. Sacrificing a bit of space for a MH that was easier (and cheaper) to get around in.
Living the dream??? No, not really - as I'm still working.
Happy? Yup.:D
Glad we did it? Yup:D

What is the dream for me - simple really, to carry on enjoying the fulltiming lifestyle, but without the need to have to go to work, or be answerable to anyone, not to have to be in a certain place at a certain time; to have the sunshine on my back or the snow under my feet whenever or wherever I please, and to have the good health and finances to enjoy all that for as long as we both want to. And of course to have like minded friends to meet up with:hi:

All of this is achievable for us, we have no strong family or financial ties or responsibilities, and the plan is to enjoy the rest of our travels this year, and then be away by December using up a load of time owed, retire on 16th Feb 2016, pick up a decent lump sum and have a guaranteed pension which will be more than enough to live and travel with, and collect a new van shortly thereafter to embark on what will likely be the 'Big European Motorhome Pub Crawl' :party:

I guess you could say that the last 3 years have been preparing for this!

An end game? An exit strategy? Ill health? ......there's time to think about that tomorrow:cool: Carpe diem my friends.
 
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ScotJimland said:
and living in a community..
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I live fulltime in my Rapido apart from some staying with friends & relatives. Been at it 3years now and on advice from this & other forums I rented my house out rather than sell it.
For me the 1st rule of fulltiming is - A love of driving alongside childlike curiosity as to what is round the next bend.
Jim, however, is right. It is slowly but surely creeping up on me the fact I am continually on the edge. The edge of community, the edge of meaningful involvement. At present I am happy with such 'edgeness' but I am under no illusion as to how nothing is permanent or solid in this short life of ours.
I am widowed & some of my 'dream' was definitely influenced by bereavement & loss. Like Jim though, I can see a day where 'the wanderlust' will fade & some other 'different dream' will arise.
But while health & sufficient income are present I have to admit to loving the 'life of a wanderer'.

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A very interesting thread that's taken me all day to read.....besides doing one or two chores and taking the tree down! I can remember floating on my back in our pool in South Africa, under a deep blue, cloudless sky....feeling and thinking this is the life. Then my mum had a fall, my daughter a cesarean and time after time I had to go back to England to look after a family member. The timing was wrong. I was miserable being pulled all ways. So we sold up and came home. What we should have done was downsized out there and rented it out. I miss Africa. At this time of year it's where I yearn to be. At the moment it's not possible ( family again) . So we came up with an alternative adventure of Motorhoming full time. We have spent the last few months investigating the possibility. As Steve is disabled most of the lugging, checking and fixing will be down to me. Now whilst the travel appeals the responsibility of dealing with everything is quite daunting. Plus we have hit so many obstacles, re medication, transport, so on and so forth, that the appeal is somewhat diminished. Steve has had a terrible hacking cough for the last month. That, in a Motorhome, would have driven us both mad. He has been getting up at 4 am and going into the conservatory to watch telly. Mainly so he didn't wake us with the coughing and hacking. Couldn't do that in a Motorhome. I think we have come to the conclusion, for us full timing is not possible. Holidaying, however, is. So we will be looking to go more down that route now. Eventually we may sell up and go out to SA to live. But that's at least 3.5 years in the future. Our grandson has to get to and then finish uni first!
 
Certainly a lot has happened for many since this thread was started and since I first posted on it. I never had the "dream" to fulltime as there were to many hurdles in the way. Apart from that, I fulltimed in a truck for most of my working life, but for most of the time, there was someone at home answering the mail. I personally cannot manage without a letterbox. I need to know that everything is above board and legal.
I have always "long termed", but the long terming has become longer and longer in recent years. As long as my health holds out we will only be home for around 3 or 4 weeks this year through choice. I still stand by what I posted several years ago on this thread. Fulltiming is not a case of following a dream, its just a lifestyle choice. Some are thrown into that lifestyle choice by necessity, and others by choice. I know which group I would prefer to be in.
Anyone thinking that living fulltime in a motorhome would be a cheaper option than living in a 2 up 2 down terrace on a long term basis is either a good dealer in motorhomes or a dreamer as the 2 up 2 down will gain in value over the years and the motorhome will plummet.
 
I took early retirement at sixty and we had always wanted to get out there in a MH which we did and we tend to get out in it as much as possible we love over wintering in Spain and getting away from the cold weather but it's always nice to return home to our little village even for just a few weeks to catch your breath,then off again for a tour in the UK we would always keep our home as we need it for a break,perhaps we are more fortunate than most in that we do not have to worry about funding but our aim is to enjoy it whilst we can.
 
From my perspective, life is too short for regrets and is not a dress rehearsal; we don't know what the future will bring but want to be able to spend time travelling - possibly on year long trips but we are still practising and haven't decided where or when to go.

We just don't want get to the stage when we can't do what we dream of and look back and say, "if only".

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We plan to retire in the next year or two. We think we'll sell our current house and buy an apartment which we will rent for 6 or 12 months and then travel around Europe going wherever the fancy takes us. We then plan to return to our apartment and then we'll travel for short holidays, over winter in warmer climates, etc. I love the idea of full timing but would miss my friends and family back home.
 
I am not living the "dream", although I would like to be. To me the dream is being able to live your life by doing the things you choose to do, and not the things you have to do. Not to have the constraints of having to go to work each day for forty eight weeks of the year. Not to have to listen to the noise from the neighbours. Seeing new places, being busy or being lazy, feeling relaxed, feeling happy, living life, that's my idea of the dream. Hopefully financed by temporary jobs on the move when the need arises. For now, we still have to put up with the shackles of the workplace.
 
I know it's easy for me to say but try not to leave it to late and retire as early as you possibly can,my first two years have been great and I wonder how I found time to work now We don't have to and are making the most of it,good luck in your endeavours.:cheers:
Chdandme said:
I am not living the "dream", although I would like to be. To me the dream is being able to live your life by doing the things you choose to do, and not the things you have to do. Not to have the constraints of having to go to work each day for forty eight weeks of the year. Not to have to listen to the noise from the neighbours. Seeing new places, being busy or being lazy, feeling relaxed, feeling happy, living life, that's my idea of the dream. Hopefully financed by temporary jobs on the move when the need arises. For now, we still have to put up with the shackles of the workplace.
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Speve said:
I know it's easy for me to say but try not to leave it to late and retire as early as you possibly can,my first two years have been great and I wonder how I found time to work now We don't have to and are making the most of it,good luck in your endeavours.:cheers:
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Great advice Speve 65 is no time to retire, just 5 short years and you are 70 then another 5 short years and you will be 75 and already loosing the desire to enjoy life. Think back just how quick this year has flown, five of those and you are 80 years old.:(
I hear this all the time "when I retire I am going to live my life".:cool: Life aint like that, you should be enjoying life in your youth and beyond, not when you are in your 70s. Saving living your life until you reach your seventies is a pipe dream. Enjoy what you have now not when you retire.(y)
 
must admit I do wonder why some wait till retirement to start enjoying the lifestyle....

I would happily spend longer periods abroad but health gets in the way, last year was not good with two ops, and spring/autumn trips to Spain not possible. managed a month in Italy during summer so that kept me sane.

That my wife younger and still working means we are out of kilter with each in some respect..but hey ho, at least she is happy with van based holidays when we do get away, she works in education so at least gets good holidays....... Am finding my feet in some respect as a solo traveller, have been down to Benidorm twice now and wife jets over during term breaks, this works well enough, but do find the evenings a bit boring going out alone, daytime fine as out and about and probably talk to more people than at home. but its not quite the same without your partner is it......

Aim is, if things go my way healthwise is to downsize house and move to south coast, and spend longer periods travelling.....thought about upsizing back to CB but as a diabetic restricted to 3500 its a bit pointless.

Please, don't leave it to long:)

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Judgemental said:
must admit I do wonder why some wait till retirement to start enjoying the lifestyle....

I would happily spend longer periods abroad but health gets in the way, last year was not good with two ops, and spring/autumn trips to Spain not possible. managed a month in Italy during summer so that kept me sane.

That my wife younger and still working means we are out of kilter with each in some respect..but hey ho, at least she is happy with van based holidays when we do get away, she works in education so at least gets good holidays....... Am finding my feet in some respect as a solo traveller, have been down to Benidorm twice now and wife jets over during term breaks, this works well enough, but do find the evenings a bit boring going out alone, daytime fine as out and about and probably talk to more people than at home. but its not quite the same without your partner is it......

Aim is, if things go my way healthwise is to downsize house and move to south coast, and spend longer periods travelling.....thought about upsizing back to CB but as a diabetic restricted to 3500 its a bit pointless.

Please, don't leave it to long:)
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Snap I have a younger model too which has its benefits, after my separation I did the single thing for a while but not usually alone. Retirement is I find fantastic I have been doing it for a while now and have no plans to go back to work any time soon. We dont have too long on the planet so best make the most of it in one way or another.

Hope you soon get over the health issues it is a real pain when it gets in the way of plans.(y)
 
WillH said:
good questions Jim.

I retired six years ago aged 51, because the opportunity presented itself and I knew my health would deteriorate if I continued to work. We live on my pension, no benefits or supplementary income ( not since the interest rates crashed anyway).

I could not imagine fulltiming having spent a large part of my career travelling, a home base is something I need. That said, if we aren't away, we are in planning to go somewhere. Our life is full and now I cannot imagine how I worked and stayed happy.

Each to his own I say. Perhaps we are more fortunate than some, our needs are quite simple and we are very content with our lot.

It will be interesting to see what others on the forum say.

Rgds
Bill
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My slant is different in that as I have been thinking about going full time for years. My decision to do go full time was made some weeks ago I was shopping with my wife in Glasgow when I witnessed the Bin lorry tragedy and the images will haunt me until I die to go full time is not a dream do it because believe me me you don't know what's round the corner you don't need Bricks all you need is your Family and friends so I fully intend to grasp the experience what's the worst that can Happen
 
Don't think that fulltiming is for us as love to go way but also pleased to be home again! Our ideal is a small motorhome friendly ultra low maintenance property as base camp which can be locked up & left while we go off travelling every few weeks in the summer in the UK then a few months at a time following the sun during the rest of the year. Want to be able to say "remember when we did that" rather than regretting all the things we never did when we no longer can do them :) If small & low cost enough to downsize to then wouldn't need to rent it out. Considered statics but they depreciate hugely, bungalows with enough parking aren't cheap so there must be a third way?!
Having self built our current home set us thinking about design options for the ideal cheap small single storey home with motorhome storage either in it's own garage or under a high roof car port structure with removeable side panels to keep the sun of it. Got to find the land first with enough space for a few such homes - would need very little garden but a good outlook...
 
This thread is long and evolving and to be honest I can't remember if I have already replied before!

My own experience regarding this subject is limited to two attempts at 'fulltiming', one in a boat for three years and one in in our MH for one year (recent).

In each case we reached a point in time when we felt we just wanted to 'go home' for a while. On the last run (last year) we thoroughly enjoyed our adventures but at the end of a year it was so lovely to return 'home' to our house which had been rented out all that time.

Our current view is that we wish to have more adventures in the van, but also wish to keep a foothold in everyday 'normal' life.

We have decided that no matter what we will always keep a house so that we can return at any time (then after a few weeks we will probably get itchy feet and set off again!). I agree fully with what Wombles and Cobweb have already said.

Regardless of the title, 'living the dream' 'just go for it' life is too short' these are all emotive words often spoken by those who have no experience of doing it or have nothing to lose.

I am certainly of the opinion that there is a lot of life to be had and a lot of experiences to be enjoyed. I also believe in 'don't throw the baby out with the bath water'.

What ever you do, have an exit plan. Then if you don't like it you can change it :)
 
Very interesting thread, just joined the forum and we have discussed going full time many times, only got our first pvc last June, but already addicted to it.
But having read through this thread, much food for thought.
We are retired in early 40s though Nige keeps telling me it's a career break, but we have a guaranteed pension we are able to live off (Nige's army pension) and are doing just that since last June, we have an apartment in Scarborough and can just about to manage to pay the small mortgage and be away too. It's up for sale and I'm trying to convince Nige if we can sell, to buy something maybe in Tenerife and continue exploring in the van. Now I'm not so sure, will need to give a lot more thought to the future. Thank you all for the info on the thread :)

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Crikey, what a thread! I read this somewhere at the start:

"For every elderly couple trapped in a static in Spain I reckon you could find 100 living in council flats in the UK surrounded by and terrified by youngsters fighting and doing drugs. These UK elderly couples took the easiest route and resisted taking a chance."​

Some years ago I visited the scene of a burglary way up high in a grotty block of flats in a large 'sink estate' in Birmingham. You know the sort of thing, well perhaps you don't so I'll explain. An overriding smell of urine in the lifts and corridors, smashed windows, security cameras hidden behind thick grilles, abandoned cars dotted around the estate. Gangs of youths with faces hidden by hoodies roaming the streets. Piles of rubbish, broken street lamps, graffiti, stray dogs, no shops apart from a news-agent and a fish & chip shop, these being covered in metal grilles and even more security cameras. Well, you get the picture.

Anyway the occupant of the flat was an elderly lady (a widow), in her 80's if I remember correctly. Her flat had been burgled several times previously and she was terrified. She lived in constant fear with her door locked and bolted and dreaded the darkness when the sounds of shouting, cars with screaming tyres and police sirens would drift upwards before the sounds of running and shouting moved into the corridors of the block with banging on the doors. Any foray out of the flat the next day would show the evidence of the detritus of drug taking and smears of blood from the fighting.

It was the sort of estate that when my colleagues and I visited we did so in daylight and we were very careful where we parked. We even had to be careful going in and out of the blocks as we would often be targeted with heavy items being dropped from the upper floors!

Anyway, back to the old lady.

She reminisced with me about when she and her husband first moved into the block. It had been clean and tidy and the residents all took pride in their surroundings. They even put carpets and pot plants in the communal areas and swept the landings. It was a good place to live back then. The grass was cut in the play areas and children were able to play out in safety.

Then the decline started. They were all made to move the carpets and pot plants from the communal areas as a council worker somewhere in the city had tripped on a carpet on the landing of a tower block. Then bit by bit people took less pride in their estate and the environment got worse and worse.

When the lady and her husband were in their 60’s and facing retirement they thought of moving to a small village in Norfolk where they had spent many happy holidays. They enquired about a council bungalow there and were told that one was available. They could move away from a deteriorating neighbourhood and take their retirement in peace and quiet at the seaside.

They could ‘live the dream’.

Arrangements were being made and the date of their move got nearer. They were close to ‘living their dream’.

Then a horrible thing happened – they began to worry. What would the new village be like? Would they make friends? Would they be happy? What if they didn’t like it?

These worries grew like a cancer consuming their dreams.

Then, a couple of days before they were due to sign for the new council bungalow, the worries won and the dream died. They decided not to take the gamble and to stay where they were.

And then it got worse.

A year later the lady’s husband died of a heart attack.

The dream had gone and from now on life became more and more of a nightmare for the old lady, a nightmare from which she could not awake and in which she lived in reality.

As I spoke to the old lady she said how she wished and wished that she and her husband had taken the gamble and had gone for the dream. Her husband may well still have died but at least she would have happy memories of them ‘living their dream’ for a while and she would not have to live the nightmare day after day with the only escape being death!
I did what I needed to do and sat and spoke to her for longer than I should, it was the very least I could do as she was not so frightened when I was there.

A sad story, but she taught me a lesson about chasing dreams.

This old lady’s story is one event in a whole series that led my wife and me to chase our dream. By golly we are glad that we did.

Keith Hart
 
It wasn't easy to stop, take a real long hard look at our lives, think "outside the box" , sacrifice some security & make changes but our gut feeling was that it was right overwhelmed everything. We have only been retired (early) for the last few weeks & still sorting out all the paperwork & changes plus starting the task of doing a "life laundry" which has all been more stressful than we thought so can't say we are living our dream yet but we have started & hope to have the time (health allowing) to really start to live a bit. Change does feel more difficult as we age but think if we follow our instincts then at least we will be able to say we tried rather than be scared to act in fear of it not all working out.
 
Wombles said:
It wasn't easy to stop, take a real long hard look at our lives, think "outside the box" , sacrifice some security & make changes but our gut feeling was that it was right overwhelmed everything. We have only been retired (early) for the last few weeks & still sorting out all the paperwork & changes plus starting the task of doing a "life laundry" which has all been more stressful than we thought so can't say we are living our dream yet but we have started & hope to have the time (health allowing) to really start to live a bit. Change does feel more difficult as we age but think if we follow our instincts then at least we will be able to say we tried rather than be scared to act in fear of it not all working out.
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Wombles,
Sums it up perfectly.
I think all our "dreams" are fluid, and change with time/age....but
The person who never took a risk to live have never really lived !
 
hilldweller said:
Sure as hell that's right.

Worst case, you out of dreams.
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Isn't that so true.

image.jpg
 
Jonkil said:
Wombles,
Sums it up perfectly.
I think all our "dreams" are fluid, and change with time/age....but
The person who never took a risk to live have never really lived !
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My best dreams have often been about beautiful women in their lacy skimpies but never, ever did they include living in a van with a bunch of kids.

Fulltiming doesn't have to be a dream, it can be something you just choose to do. :)
 
Milliemobile said:
Very interesting thread, just joined the forum and we have discussed going full time many times, only got our first pvc last June, but already addicted to it.
But having read through this thread, much food for thought.
We are retired in early 40s though Nige keeps telling me it's a career break, but we have a guaranteed pension we are able to live off (Nige's army pension) and are doing just that since last June, we have an apartment in Scarborough and can just about to manage to pay the small mortgage and be away too. It's up for sale and I'm trying to convince Nige if we can sell, to buy something maybe in Tenerife and continue exploring in the van. Now I'm not so sure, will need to give a lot more thought to the future. Thank you all for the info on the thread :)
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Hi

Just a thought . If you are really thinking about buying in Tenerife or anywhere abroad think about renting a place for a few months just to see if you like it . We lived and worked in Spain for a while in the 80s and at first we loved it and could not think of wanting to live anywhere else ....but as the months passed we were glad to have our home in UK to come back to when our work contracts came to an end . It is incredible how different it can be living in a place which seemed perfect when there on a holiday for a few weeks .
 
Milliemobile said:
Very interesting thread, just joined the forum and we have discussed going full time many times, only got our first pvc last June, but already addicted to it.
But having read through this thread, much food for thought.
We are retired in early 40s though Nige keeps telling me it's a career break, but we have a guaranteed pension we are able to live off (Nige's army pension) and are doing just that since last June, we have an apartment in Scarborough and can just about to manage to pay the small mortgage and be away too. It's up for sale and I'm trying to convince Nige if we can sell, to buy something maybe in Tenerife and continue exploring in the van. Now I'm not so sure, will need to give a lot more thought to the future. Thank you all for the info on the thread :)
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Sorry to burst your bubble but you will struggle to live on an army pension if your husband/partner is also in their 40s. You can realistically expect to live another 40 years and the real value of your pension will slowly erode over that time. At the very least you need to keep up your NI payments so you will qualify for a UK state pension, if you can while living overseas.

I retired from the army at 55 after serving 30 years and will get my state pension next year and I can tell you I need it.

I like Tenerife, honeymooned there but too small to live there permanently for me. Might be OK for you if you want to start a business, but it is a crowded marketplace, lots of others have gone there to run a bar or club and they hassle tourists in some places. I called them the English beggars the last time I was there.

Gloomy I know but you can't be too realistic. But it really depends on what you want and the choice of course is entirely yours. Buy an olive grove, put your feet up and enjoy the sun if that appeals. Better than a grim flat on the umpteenth floor!

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