How do you see yourself retiring?

So DH and I were talking, and we have decided that maybe instead of buying a house, we would just save the money and when we retire, we can be like those cool old couples that travels around the national parks in a caravan for a few years, then go from there. 

 
Not sure we will really do this, but it does sound like fun.... I envy those old vagabond types! Does anyone else have special plans or dreams for retirement? 

To move to Zanzibar and live the rest of my days in sun and good food   Not to mention spectacular views of the Indian Ocean outside of my beach bungalow 

How will I be retiring...disgracefully!  Living a nomad life with no bills, responsibilities or cares...well, you can dream!

My two c/pents,

We have a house and pay a mortgage, I'm glad. You don't really save any money by renting, infact it's just thowing away money (according to my accountant dh) He made me realise that putting money into a house is smart, and will help us if we fall in financial dispair or could make us money when we sell depending on the market. You'll always will have that and usually it's not much more a month than paying rent. For our house now we are paying less than I did rent wise in the last place I lived!!

As for our retirement plans etc we plan on getting out of the bit of debt we owe, saving at least six months of both our salaries in a bank or isa, keep on saving for our old age, paying off the house or whatever house we're in, selling it, prob downsizing to another house and pay for it so there's no mortgage, travel as much as we can and take up hobbies that we haven't gotten to because of work! My retirement consists of a lot of warm sunny places to visit and read on the beach! But at this rate we'll all be 80 by the time we can retire, thanks government.

So DH and I were talking, and we have decided that maybe instead of buying a house, we would just save the money and when we retire, we can be like those cool old couples that travels around the national parks in a caravan for a few years, then go from there. 

When DS was camping with GF in New Hampshire last summer they were next to your proverbial old couple in RV who had no fixed abode but travelled around all over the country.  The also had a pet skunk (de-odorized)!

As for me, don't think I'll be able to retire!  DH and I thought we'd end up in the US but he has health issues and wouldn't be eligible for Medicare so safest to stay with NHS.  (But then my Medicare will be useless in UK!  )  I could retire on full social security next year but if I can work one more year I will have enough years of service to qualify for the retiree health benefits.  But with the economy going down the tubes ...
I used to dream of retiring to a cottage in Maine with a view of the ocean (sigh)

Jewlz, I have a friend whose parents are doing just that - and having the time of their lives.

http://wereontheroad.livejournal.com/

Honestly, at the moment, I can't imagine ever being able to afford to retire. 

We're not far off the age, and it's obvious we'll never be able to retire completely. On the other hand, we've whittled work down to a bearable dull roar.

I'm there already.

I once heard a comedian say we should pay a pension to people until they are 65 and then they are old  so they may as well work.

House is paid for. (except $20K)
Plenty of CC debt (part of citizenship qualification test)
Fair amount of discretionary income. (no money in my wallet but I have a American Express card)
Social Security went up an additional $90 starting January.
Travel. Glacial National Park, Montana and Alberta this year. Several trips to California.
2009. 2 nights Christmas hotel gift certificate for Monterey from my rich daughter.
Petrol is down to £.26 per litre (oh shut up) (I heard that  )
Food is my gripe. I love most food but the doctor says I have to loose weigh so I can't eat hardly anything except bland food even at Christmas. My BFI is good.

You have to have something to compensate for not being able to live in Britain.

How will I be retiring...disgracefully!  Living a nomad life with no bills, responsibilities or cares...well, you can dream!

I'm going to pinch my former boss's stance on retirement:  'I'm going to become an old soak.' 

No, I'm never going to have enough money to 'retire'.  I'm going to have to work till I drop.

But then, I highly doubt I'll lack for company in that by the time I'm 65 or 70.

You don't really save any money by renting, infact it's just thowing away money (according to my accountant dh)

Some of us have no choice but to rent.

I will probably die before i retire.

  I'm not sure I see myself retiring like how I imagine retirement to be. Maybe take less hours of work but I think I'll work up until I cant any longer...seems to be the way my grandparents have done it and the path all their kids have taken but who knows...it's so far off

Some of us have no choice but to rent.

I will probably die before i retire.

Well put. 

Some of us have no choice but to rent.

I will probably die before i retire.

Exactly!

Some of us have no choice but to rent.

Aye. And lately, given the stress I've seen with people who own their homes, I quite like the freedom of renting. After 6 months I can move, I'm not responsible for the big expenses like repairs, and as long as your landlord/estate agency doesn't suck, it can be quite nice. In a down market you don't have to worry about selling and losing money, in an upmarket you don't have to worry about whether you can make mortgage payments on a house you can't afford. My money isn't being thrown away- I have a place to live and I don't have to pay plumbers, builders, electricians, etc. to keep it running. Yay!

As for the actual topic, spending the summers in Scotland and the winters in Burgundy sounds just about ideal to me! That way we avoid the heat of summer in France, arrive in time for the grape harvest and get the snowy hills and wine festivals of the Cote d'Or! Perfection

Some of us have no choice but to rent.

I will probably die before i retire.

Me too.  :\\\'(

Though I dream of running a scuba school off the Bay of Islands, New Zealand....

Vicky