I like to learn stuff too. I grew up with the idea that education and dregrees and stuff would really help you get ahead in this world. Just look at me now, I’ve got a MA, a BS, two AAs and I’m still a low life who couldn’t get a job in the USA if it didn’t involve french fries. Maybe it’s just me.
Well, I hope this thread can get others thinking about what they want in the far and distant future. Money is easy enough to save, and invest (see investment threads in the Business forum) but the next step, what to do with it? Some stay here and retire, which is cool. I just don’t think I’m one of them. I could do the here and there thing, and probably will, but the next step will be the “there” part. I’m only been saving for 5 or 6 years, but once the money starts growing, believe me, investing gets addictive.
It’s funny, the more money I have, the smaller the house gets and the quieter the community.
I want semi-retirement status when I return to the States. Going back and working just as hard as I do now would be a real buzzkill. :s
[quote=“Durins Bane”][quote=“Tigerman”]Look at this place… 10 acres with a barn (no house)… about 1 hour outside of Pittsburgh… US$ 145,000
[/quote]
Beautiful piece of land but is $145,000 a bit steep for just land in your neck of the woods?[/quote]
There is a barn. You know how much it would cost to buy a barn somewhere else and have it moved and raised on property? Lots.
I suppose the price, however, depends also on location… I was looking at 8 acres real close to my folks’ place… it too had a nice barn, and a crappy little house… the price tag was US$ 190,000. Those 8 acres are not nearly as nice as the 10 acres in the place I referred to above…
But, I think I’d still like a few more acres, just to make certain the neighbors don’t get too close. The last thing I want in my later years is some asshole neigbor yelling at me to turn down the Grateful Dead…
Great thread.
Dreams are what keep me going.
I have some crap days here, I know we all do. But it’s the looking forward and giving yourself some reasoning and purpose in all this madness that makes it all worth while.
Almost 2 years ago we bought this piece of dirt:
12 acres of mostly native NZ trees, with a nice building site up on the hill in a clearing. Out in the country, 5 mins to the sea, 25 mins to the central city. No neighbors. We own it, not the bank.
I have no idea if this is will be home forever, or ever for that matter, but in the meantime it’s nice to know that it’s there waiting.
I’d like to use solar, wind generators and ground heat exchangers to (try) make a modern home that is eco and self sufficient.
Grow as much organic food as possible, and focus on spending time with family and friends, not paying a mortgage.
I believe if you can do it, to go back and not need a bank loan is a great thing. If you think about it, if you haven’t got rent or a mortgage to pay, it doesn’t really matter what the hell you do for work, you should be able to live a comfortable life.
Call it a pessimistic view, but we live in uncertain times. Property is soaring globally, Oil is high, pandemics are threathing to break out every year or two - who knows what the future holds. Who knows when it will be 1930 again and stocks/bonds mean shit, and the banks suddenly own everything.
In this part of the world we are surrounded by people that live day by day, week by week.
We are the lucky ones who can do something now about realising a dream for the future.
So live the dream.
Life is what happens while you’re trying to figure out how to escape from Taiwan.
Nice pic Truant, sounds ideal.
Sadly, lacking savings, if I do get a nice little parcel of land I may have to plant a cash crop or twenty . . . erh, man.
HG
I said organic food didn’t I? 
I like what you guys are talking about. A piece of dirt you can call your own is important. Even if you stick a tent on it.
I built a house once. I had no idea how to do it until I got to the finish. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
I plan on building at least one more and possibly a few more in various spots such as back in Australia again and possibly another in Winslow, Arizona because I like the song. Apparently Winslow is a shithole though.
On that subject I’m probably stuck coming and going from Taiwan for many years to come but the urge to build here is non existant. My SO owns a tiny spot on the Island where we live and that is enough.
truant wrote:
[quote]I’d like to use solar, wind generators and ground heat exchangers to (try) make a modern home that is eco and self sufficient.
Grow as much organic food as possible, and focus on spending time with family and friends, not paying a mortgage.
[/quote]
I like this too. No slave to the home.
I like to learn stuff too. I grew up with the idea that education and dregrees and stuff would really help you get ahead in this world. Just look at me now, I’ve got a MA, a BS, two AAs and I’m still a low life who couldn’t get a job in the USA if it didn’t involve french fries. Maybe it’s just me.[/quote]
I was thinking more along the lines of picking up skills.
[quote=“Tigerman”][quote=“Durins Bane”][quote=“Tigerman”]Look at this place… 10 acres with a barn (no house)… about 1 hour outside of Pittsburgh… US$ 145,000
[/quote]
Beautiful piece of land but is $145,000 a bit steep for just land in your neck of the woods?[/quote]
There is a barn. You know how much it would cost to buy a barn somewhere else and have it moved and raised on property? Lots.
I suppose the price, however, depends also on location… I was looking at 8 acres real close to my folks’ place… it too had a nice barn, and a crappy little house… the price tag was US$ 190,000. Those 8 acres are not nearly as nice as the 10 acres in the place I referred to above…
But, I think I’d still like a few more acres, just to make certain the neighbors don’t get too close. The last thing I want in my later years is some asshole neigbor yelling at me to turn down the Grateful Dead…[/quote]
We don’t have many barns in my area and what barns we do have are used as meth labs. 
My sister and I are keeping our eyes out for property around my parents’ place.
My parents place is out in the country. Nice place and well kept but only a couple of acres. My dad owns one share in the oldest water company (this means he gets first dibs on water) and that doubles the value of his property.
These are not very good pictures but that’s what I have on-line. It is a 1913 Craftsman. It is located in the historical district of a town with a pop. of around 8,000 people.
pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/minesofmo … /my_photos
I have put some money into it, like central heating and cooling and restoring internal woodwork.
I’m envious of all you guys with acreage and barns and lots of trees, etc., or even just dreams of the same.
I don’t believe I’ll have enough money to retire the way I’d like till I’m at least 55 or so. In the meantime, I’m fortunate enough to have a good degree and experience (largely from Taiwan) that should enable me to find employment in the U.S. making very good money, so I can save up my stash as quickly as possible in order to sit on the porch with all of you.
But the catch for me is that the high-paying employment I’ll be looking for is only available in SF, LA, San Jose, etc., and the price of housing in those locations is outrageous. A modest, suburban 3 bed, 2 bath in a decent neighborhood will cost me at the very least $700,000, probably more. I know because I did some house hunting in the Bay Area and Portland last summer.
I’m hoping to escape from Taiwan in a couple of years or so, but I have mixed feelings about working like a dog in the big city to make big money to pay my big mortgage and buy the SUV my wife wants so she drive to the grocery store. Before Taiwan I never lived in a big city and I never held a high-paying big city job in the U.S. If I have the opportunity to do so, I feel I might as well give it a shot, but it seems obvious that far too many hours and energy will be spent on big, stupid, material, over-hyped crap that’s not really all that satisfying in the long run, when a simpler life in a far cheaper location would be eminently more fulfilling.
Oh well, I suppose it won’t hurt to buy the expensive house and try the expensive life for a couple of years. If my suspicions are then confirmed I can cash it all in and head for the hills.
I also have a certificate of Career Accounting from the Draughn’s School of business.
Truant,
That place you have looks lovely. Betcha Jack would like it there.
:bravo:
I think my lifestyle is what’s preventing me saving up enough money to leave Taiwan.
I have two plans for retirement.
Plan A: Somehow make lots of money and chill (chill during the process as well)
Plan B: If plan A fails figure out how to live off of the land as a hermit or something.
I’ve recently become aquainted with a plan C that involves reducing spending, maximizing income, and chilling, but I haven’t worked out all the kinks yet. I’ll be sure to write a book about it when I do (and go back to plan A with sales 
).
More seriously there’s a house waiting for me back home and I plan on getting a degree in teaching here (I have no degree.) If I made a permanent move back home I’d teach math, Chinese (it’s becoming big, Milwaukee is having talks of a Chinese immersion school) or something. Getting back into IT stuff is always there as well, but Milwaukee isn’t very big in IT. I’d probably have to commute to Chicago like a buddy of mine :P.
Figuring out a way to split time between my homes the majority of the year (Milwaukee and Taiwan now, maybe more later?) and doing a little traveling is my “dream.”
If I didn’t like it here, I’d leave. No time like the present.
It’s probably related to my age and me being a little :loco:, but I see no end to the things to do “after Taiwan.” I see no end to the things to do during Taiwan (hope that outlook never changes.)
I’m living in Tigerman’s barn. He won’t know it. I’ll just sneek out at night and root around for grubs and wild onions and then curl up under the hay and sleep like a possum in the daytime.
If you can’t save money in Taiwan, you can’t save money anywhere.
I wholeheartedly agree with the point mentioned earlier that it is important to better yourself while you are out of your intended field. You can be making progress towards larger goals while you are here.
I’m working on the Chartered Financial Analyst program (CFA). I’m able to spend a few hours in the afternoon studying the curriculum, and learning what it’s all about. I wouldn’t be able to do that if I was back home, working at an entry level position (I’d be dead tired) Having this goal to work on has made my experience here more enjoyable. I don’t have time to dwell on the unpleasantries, because I’ll start thinking of what I need to work on. I’m comfortable here now, and I made up my mind to stay for another year.
I was also thinking of living in Japan for my 3rd year, while I wrap up a portion of my program (Level III exam). I wouldn’t want to live in Taiwan for more than two years, no matter how much I’m able to save.
Home for me is the U.S. (Chicago) I decided that living here would be a character building experience. This website was instrumental in helping me understand what life is like. I had a good idea of what I was getting myself into.
Keep on Truckin’
-Mike
I’m going to get a sheet of cardboard, pretend I’m a Falkland’s veteran and beg on Princes Street for enough money to buy another tin of Tennent’s SuperBrew.
I’m going to Disneyland.