I am somewhat of a photography buff. All of the intro photos on Easy Personal Budget were taken by me. The above photo is of a 13,100 ft. elevation Buffalo Peak we see from our deck. We are able to view three peaks over 14,000 feet above sea level from our deck here in Colorado.

I began working at the age of nine selling newspapers to troop trains passing through Grand Junction, Colorado in 1946. That was followed by a newspaper route for the Denver Post , then with the Daily Sentinel. At age 14 , I began working in the mail room for the Daily Sentinel. My responsibilities included doing fire insurance inspections punching the times for the insurance companies, checking out carriers, preparing bundles for papers for vans distributing the newspaper to many nearby towns, and even some reporting on the weekends when the reporters were off. I have been eternally grateful for those experiences. I paid Social Security Tax for all of my earnings and surprisingly that was the reason I was able to receive the full amount of Social Security benefits due to me. I had worked for colleges in Colorado for twelve years and was eligible for a partial retirement from the Public Employees Retirement Assn. The requirement for receiving full Social Security is that the applicant must have paid Social Security Tax for a period of thirty years on significant earnings. With the five years I worked in at the newspaper that gave me thirty two years , therefore I could receive the full Social Security and also receive the amount due to me from the Public Employees Retirement Assn. If I had not had the thirty years plus , then my Social Security benefit would have been reduced significantly based on the amount received from other retirement benefit plans. My retirement benefits are not very much but surprisingly my wife and I are able to live on them with the life style we have chosen.

OUR SUMMER HOME-Last year we sold our home that we had owned for ten years for slightly more than we paid for it, which was surprising. Two years ago we purchased a 2004 Model Everest Fifth Wheel that was just like new since the owner had only lived in it for six weeks in eight years. The fifth wheel is located on a quarter acre of pine tree covered land at 9,950 ft. elevation with a view of three 14,000 feet above sea level peaks. We bought the land and the trailer and added a deck that goes around half of the outside of the home at a cost of $6,500. We had two sheds, with metal roofs and porches, built and delivered for $2,500 each. We have two signs on them “Hers” and the “Dog House” for mine. Then we bought a used year 2000 model Rockwood popup trailer in great condition with air, heat, kitchen , which sleeps seven. The popup trailer is for our guests. The total cost for all of these items was approximately $58,000. The annual dues to the campground association for the use of the restrooms , water, electric, swimming pool, and clubhouse, is less than $600. The property taxes and insurance total approximately $600. Since we sold our home everything is paid for from the proceeds we received. Our home still had a $110,000 loan on it that we paid $550 a month on. Now our only expenses concerning the property is the $600 annual dues , insurance , and property taxes. That is a great change from $550 a month house payment, $600 for insurance , and a lot more maintenance expenses. THERE ARE A LOT OF PROPERTIES IN THE MOUNTAIN COUNTRY OF COLORADO THAT ARE AVAILABLE BECAUSE SPOUSES HAVE DIED AND THE OTHER PARTY WANTS TO GET RID OF THEM, OR THE KIDS INHERITED THESE MOUNTAIN PROPERTIES AND WANT TO SELL THEM TO GET THE MONEY, OR SOME PROPERTIES THAT ARE SELDOM USED. MANY ARE FOR SALE BY OWNER WHICH MAY PROVIDE A BETTER BARGAINING SITUATION. IN THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION AREA WHERE I LIVE, THERE ARE ABOUT FORTY PROPERTIES OUT OF EIGHT HUNDRED FOR SALE. We only plan on living here five to six months out of the year depending on the weather.

OUR WINTER HOME-We bought an older trailer in a 55 and over Mobile Home and RV park in Apache Junction AZ. The cost of the trailer was less then $5000, it came furnished with a new TV , furniture, stove, refrigerator, shed , carport , covered patio. The land is owned by the park so $375 lot rent has to be paid year round.When we moved in this unit last October , we considered two alternatives , junking the trailer , and moving in a better one or remodeling the existing 55 ft. single wide trailer. We decided to remodel. We put new plumbing, siding on the whole trailer, new stove, new refrigerator, complete bathroom replacement, new water heater, painted the interior white over dark brown paneling, new 10 X 12 ft shed , an low level fence made with skirting , and a gate so our dogs could be outside. All of this at a cost of less then $25,000. We have access to a beautiful swimming pool, hot tub, club house , restrooms and shower, and various game facilities. The monthly cost is about $550 a month for rent electric and water, when we are there , and $400 a month when we are in Colorado. We pay property taxes and insurance of about $500 a year. You might ask why did we not buy a lot? In the area surrounding Phoenix , AZ , Mesa, Apache Junction, Tempe, Scottsdale, it is difficult to buy land , it is too expensive. We plan on living in Arizona from mid-October to about the first of June when it is warm enough to return to Colorado.

USING THE ABOVE TWO CASES AS AN EXAMPLE , IT IS EVIDENT THAT A PERSON CAN HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS DURING RETIREMENT LIVING AS A SNOWBIRD WITH A LIMITED INCOME.

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I will be taking different scenarios for future blogs dealing with budgets for people at different stages in their working and retirement status. I was a CPA for many years working for Universities , Colleges, manufacturing facilities, and a CPA firm.