Was thinking that if I quit buying guns.....

[Timber Wolf]

I should be able to save enough up to pay cash for a new truck and trailer when I retire. My current plan is to hit the road and "see the USA" (and maybe even North of the border) when I no longer have to clock in everyday. My middle brother passed at 62, never got to retire. Same with a coworker a few weeks back at age 63. I have worked hard all my life since my teens, I think I deserve some real down time for my efforts. To do due it right I need a new(er) truck and want a little larger (19') camper.

I am no Paco or even Huey, but I have enough guns and ammo (that I am not shooting) already that it is really hard to justify buying anything else. Matter of fact, in thinking about this very topic (not buying) I realized I could easily SELL enough guns to buy a new truck and trailer!

So, maybe a two pronged approach to making this a reality, save money AND sell guns. Should be enough to buy a new rig AND have a couple years living expenses! Oh yeah, retirement IS possible.

[Bawana jim]

I won't boar you with my life but traveling the right way is one of the best things about living. Do it and know you will enjoy it.

[Surly]

I've been selling off all of the guns to pay down the house. Yeah, I'm crazy. I figured out that keeping them and continuing to pay the interest for the next two decades would yield a net loss of $250K in interest. I started selling everything I can and have managed to get it paid over half way down since starting JAN 2018. I've saved well over $100K on interest payments thus far.

The best part...when I no longer have a house payment, I can buy it all back regardless of what the market is bearing. How does this apply to you? If you have a mortgage, pay it down or off. When you decide to retire and hit the road, sell your house and buy whatever you want. The bank will give you a check for it or the equity AND it's likely to appreciate a little more in value.

Think of it this way, if you had the truck and trailer of your dreams, would you take out a loan on them to buy everything you own now? If you wouldn't, you are doing it every day you choose to keep it all.

[toys]

im downsizing my stuff now.

my mom passed when she was in her 50s and im almost in my 60s now so i see as being on borrowed time.

I think if you downsize a bit you may feel better about the lacks of stuff weighing you down and being able to pickup and move faster.

im not going to get rid of all of my toys, but i will get to a manageable level and quantity. i will stiil buy some there and there, but for the most part sell most.

i dont care to drive so the last thing i will buy is a truck/trailer. So im doing my travels around the world. I find that its not as easy to move about if you are handicapped outside of the USA. Once i need a walker or something, then i will concentrate on the USA.

have fun with your travels.

[VALMET]

Originally Posted by Timber Wolf

I should be able to save enough up to pay cash for a new truck and trailer when I retire. My current plan is to hit the road and "see the USA" (and maybe even North of the border) when I no longer have to clock in everyday. My middle brother passed at 62, never got to retire. Same with a coworker a few weeks back at age 63. I have worked hard all my life since my teens, I think I deserve some real down time for my efforts. To do due it right I need a new(er) truck and want a little larger (19') camper.

I am no Paco or even Huey, but I have enough guns and ammo (that I am not shooting) already that it is really hard to justify buying anything else. Matter of fact, in thinking about this very topic (not buying) I realized I could easily SELL enough guns to buy a new truck and trailer!

So, maybe a two pronged approach to making this a reality, save money AND sell guns. Should be enough to buy a new rig AND have a couple years living expenses! Oh yeah, retirement IS possible.

Got any Type 2s???

[meltblown]

I've always looked as guns as a hedge for a hobby. They don't depreciate unless you bought in an AR bubble. What I like about FALs is if you paid too much, you can part it out and break even.

[W.E.G.]

I sold a bunch of guns and bought a fast car.

I still have a bunch of guns.

It never stops raining. So not driving the fast car much.

[paco]

Wait, there is a better plan!

a) sell everthing
b) see the world and travel to Belgium
c) Buy 2x the guns you had before in Belgium (since they seems to cost 10% compared to the USA
d) Beer, real beer, lots of beer in Belgium, not that limonade like Budwiser or Heineken...
e) visit your buddy Paco, guns, BBQ, and even more beer.
f) If a wife in on the scene, chocolates, champagne, truffels, excellent food, castles, culture. PAris is 4hrs drive, london 4hrs, Amsterdam 3hrs...

g) Follow the GI WW2 from Normandy to Berlin...

Life can be fun

[Abominog]

I sell a fair number of guns and parts, and then buy more. MG kits and parts are going up 30% each year. It’s so crazy that I wish I could buy back stuff I sold last year. So I suppose it’s the type of guns and parts.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by paco

Wait, there is a better plan!

a) sell everthing
b) see the world and travel to Belgium
c) Buy 2x the guns you had before in Belgium (since they seems to cost 10% compared to the USA
d) Beer, real beer, lots of beer in Belgium, not that limonade like Budwiser or Heineken...
e) visit your buddy Paco, guns, BBQ, and even more beer.
f) If a wife in on the scene, chocolates, champagne, truffels, excellent food, castles, culture. PAris is 4hrs drive, london 4hrs, Amsterdam 3hrs...

g) Follow the GI WW2 from Normandy to Berlin...

Life can be fun

FTW right there. That would be a dream trip.

[medicmike]

We are looking at hitting the road soon ourselves. Wife is an ER nurse/educator/admin and we plan on getting a motorhome, towing the Jeep and seeing where the contracts take us. Travelers usually work a 13 week contract with renewal options so we can "snowbird" it if we like.

Current plan is to sell of most of our stuff, put the rest in storage. A few months of diligent saving plus what we sell will give us enough to pay cash for a decent coach. Working on some ideas for the ability to carry a few guns with us (securly) and it looks like the Idaho Enhanced CHL is the way to go for packing while traveling.

Part of this is the fact that we are done with Oregon's progressive BS. Taxes are going as insane as the gun laws and would like to find somewhere friendlier to settle down in 2 or 3 years. Our travel plans will be taking us to red states primarily.

[Surly]

Originally Posted by medicmike

Part of this is the fact that we are done with Oregon's progressive BS. Taxes are going as insane as the gun laws and would like to find somewhere friendlier to settle down in 2 or 3 years. Our travel plans will be taking us to red states primarily.

But but but...what about all of the family, friends, income, property and the nobility of staying behind enemy lines to fight the good fight?

Good on y'all! Getting rid of it all and breaking the shackles of the political slave masters will never be a regret either of you will have. With your incomes and the money you save not financing lefty retardation that enslaves you with your taxes, it all can be replaced quickly.

[Uriah Lee]

Growing older seems to make traveling light a virtue. Less to worry about being stolen of inherited by ingrates that would sell all your precious toys for pennies on the dollar.

A couple of good handguns, one major caliber rifle (FAL) along with a decent mouse gun or 22 will suffice. Anything more is superfluous and only serves to complicate a man's golden years. Years spent amassing collectables have gone by and been replaced by the reality of the onset of senior life.

Large collections are like living on large tracts of land in a big home. They all become unsustainable for the elderly. Smaller homes or condos become a more sensible solution for some who have wear and tear showing up in their bodies. It's that which makes maintaining such things difficult.

My transformation to traveling light has begun this last year. It's hard to let go of so many things I have enjoyed for so long. It's something that needs to be done, though. The anguish of thinking of my most prized possessions being sold on Craig's list is way more powerful than parting ways now. I'll still have my memories of having been there, done that!

[medicmike]

Originally Posted by Surly

But but but...what about all of the family, friends, income, property and the nobility of staying behind enemy lines to fight the good fight?

Good on y'all! Getting rid of it all and breaking the shackles of the political slave masters will never be a regret either of you will have. With your incomes and the money you save not financing lefty retardation that enslaves you with your taxes, it all can be replaced quickly.

We are certainly looking forward to it!

Probably going to sell the last FAL and few other guns, most of my tools, most of the household crap. Keep a few things that we want to keep and can't be replaced in storage. Once we find a place we like and settle down all the rest can be replaced. And the money for a traveling nurse is most often more than double what she is making now so we should be able to squirrel away some cash as we enjoy seeing the country.

[Bawana jim]

Originally Posted by medicmike

We are certainly looking forward to it!

Probably going to sell the last FAL and few other guns, most of my tools, most of the household crap. Keep a few things that we want to keep and can't be replaced in storage. Once we find a place we like and settle down all the rest can be replaced. And the money for a traveling nurse is most often more than double what she is making now so we should be able to squirrel away some cash as we enjoy seeing the country.

My wife and I started out life following the work. At that time she couldn't have kids so no use doing the home and family routine. Boomers, bought a new Dodge truck and new Prowler 24 foot trailer for $10,000. Decided the trailer was too small so bought a 32 foot Travel Eaze. With the right layout it's very comfortable.

Truck and trailer is better than a motor home in my mind because most of the motor homes fall apart if you don't buy a really good one.

Life is kinda funny, I start out life traveling and having fun while most guys don't get to do it until they are old.

[medicmike]

Originally Posted by Bawana jim

Truck and trailer is better than a motor home in my mind because most of the motor homes fall apart if you don't buy a really good one.

Life is kinda funny, I start out life traveling and having fun while most guys don't get to do it until they are old.

Trailers are definitely more roomy and comfortable than a motorhome but require a big truck to pull them. we discussed this and wifey hates driving big trucks around, she will be the one doing most of the commuting. We are looking at 15 year old or so diesel pushers...old enough to have the bugs worked out but not so old to be falling apart and still have a slide out or two. I worked as an RV tech for a while so I know what I like in manufacturers, construction and what to look out for

[Bawana jim]

Originally Posted by medicmike

Trailers are definitely more roomy and comfortable than a motorhome but require a big truck to pull them. we discussed this and wifey hates driving big trucks around, she will be the one doing most of the commuting. We are looking at 15 year old or so diesel pushers...old enough to have the bugs worked out but not so old to be falling apart and still have a slide out or two. I worked as an RV tech for a while so I know what I like in manufacturers, construction and what to look out for

First 12 years of being married we lived in travel trailers. Great fun and booming kept us in good money for the times. I dragged my home around to new places constantly and spent time enough to really get to know an area... then moved to the next job.

Had a $80 million dollar job on the Oregon Coast rebuilding a saw mill working five days a week and the rest was play time. Lived in Winchester bay and the court was right near the beach. It was during the time they put in the new south jetty. Back when the fishing was great and life was grand.

Edited to add, I doubt the wife will like driving a motor home and when she goes to work what will you drive? I used a gas burner to tow the trailer and bought the wife a little Honda Prelude to drive around. How long will a truck have to last you?

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by paco

Wait, there is a better plan!

a) sell everthing
b) see the world and travel to Belgium
c) Buy 2x the guns you had before in Belgium (since they seems to cost 10% compared to the USA
d) Beer, real beer, lots of beer in Belgium, not that limonade like Budwiser or Heineken...
e) visit your buddy Paco, guns, BBQ, and even more beer.
f) If a wife in on the scene, chocolates, champagne, truffels, excellent food, castles, culture. PAris is 4hrs drive, london 4hrs, Amsterdam 3hrs...

g) Follow the GI WW2 from Normandy to Berlin...

Life can be fun

Plan "B" looks pretty good too!

[medicmike]

Originally Posted by Bawana jim

Lived in Winchester bay and the court was right near the beach. It was during the time they put in the new south jetty. Back when the fishing was great and life was grand.

Edited to add, I doubt the wife will like driving a motor home and when she goes to work what will you drive? I used a gas burner to tow the trailer and bought the wife a little Honda Prelude to drive around. How long will a truck have to last you?

It's hard to believe how blue parts of the coast have gotten the last few years. Florence is getting real bad, don't know what it's like up in Winchester but it's driving me nuts here with all of the dykish manhaters. I have had more of these types get in my face over absolutely nothing in the last couple years here than the rest of my life combined. Had one poke me in the chest at the Post Office over "driving a big gas hog" (it's a Ram 1500) told her that the next time she did that I would dislocate her finger. Parts of Oregon are certainly beginning to suck.

I am thinking for personal transport that I may get a motorbike that I can carry on a hitch ramp. Yes the wife is scared to death of driving a motorhome...or pulling a trailer...so I'll be doing the driving of the big stuff and will get her trained up and somewhat comfortable so she can handle it if something happens to me.

Still have a lot of details to iron out, one thing we were going to wait for was the passing of our Mastiff. He was getting old (almost 11) and we had to put him down last week. I was going to post it here but was too broken hearted to.

[hagar]

Trading guns for a NEW car is not a good philosophy. Maybe look for a good used one 4-5 years old at 1/2 the price.

[Bawana jim]

Originally Posted by medicmike

It's hard to believe how blue parts of the coast have gotten the last few years. Florence is getting real bad, don't know what it's like up in Winchester but it's driving me nuts here with all of the dykish manhaters. I have had more of these types get in my face over absolutely nothing in the last couple years here than the rest of my life combined. Had one poke me in the chest at the Post Office over "driving a big gas hog" (it's a Ram 1500) told her that the next time she did that I would dislocate her finger. Parts of Oregon are certainly beginning to suck.

I am thinking for personal transport that I may get a motorbike that I can carry on a hitch ramp. Yes the wife is scared to death of driving a motorhome...or pulling a trailer...so I'll be doing the driving of the big stuff and will get her trained up and somewhat comfortable so she can handle it if something happens to me.

Still have a lot of details to iron out, one thing we were going to wait for was the passing of our Mastiff. He was getting old (almost 11) and we had to put him down last week. I was going to post it here but was too broken hearted to.

Just opinion but Florence changed the most when the Casino went in. Until then it was just a tourist trap but once the casino moved in with jobs it brought trash along with it. Once an area on the coast starts to grow then it goes to hell.

I suggest a pickup and travel trailer because the pickup is your get around rig and will add a great deal to the experience. So many things it will help you out with like a place to haul your outdoor chairs and bbq. You will be living outdoors a great deal. Tools and a generator, fishing gear, ya you will thank me for telling you about the extra space a truck offers.

Then get a gas saver for trips you and your wife take when you hit a new area, maybe a small truck. Small truck gives you more storage space.D

[TNAndy]

Originally Posted by paco

Wait, there is a better plan!

a) sell everthing
b) see the world and travel to Belgium
c) Buy 2x the guns you had before in Belgium (since they seems to cost 10% compared to the USA
d) Beer, real beer, lots of beer in Belgium, not that limonade like Budwiser or Heineken...
e) visit your buddy Paco, guns, BBQ, and even more beer.
f) If a wife in on the scene, chocolates, champagne, truffels, excellent food, castles, culture. PAris is 4hrs drive, london 4hrs, Amsterdam 3hrs...

g) Follow the GI WW2 from Normandy to Berlin...

Life can be fun

Paco, how many beers is the admission price to see your attic?

[paco]

Originally Posted by TNAndy

Paco, how many beers is the admission price to see your attic?

Free admission to FAL file members, just make an appointment and be kind.
Karma pays the rest...

Paco

[HelpiFALanCantGetUp]

Originally Posted by medicmike

We are looking at hitting the road soon ourselves. Wife is an ER nurse/educator/admin and we plan on getting a motorhome, towing the Jeep and seeing where the contracts take us. Travelers usually work a 13 week contract with renewal options so we can "snowbird" it if we like.

Current plan is to sell of most of our stuff, put the rest in storage. A few months of diligent saving plus what we sell will give us enough to pay cash for a decent coach. Working on some ideas for the ability to carry a few guns with us (securly) and it looks like the Idaho Enhanced CHL is the way to go for packing while traveling.

Part of this is the fact that we are done with Oregon's progressive BS. Taxes are going as insane as the gun laws and would like to find somewhere friendlier to settle down in 2 or 3 years. Our travel plans will be taking us to red states primarily.

be careful! certain states have laws against ''secret compartments'' i built out a false bottom to a dresser in my van where i kept a FAL and Yugo under folder in a locked metal case for our road trip out west. i basically rolled the dice on the legal issues. No way was i going out into the desert without something heavier than a few pistols.

[HelpiFALanCantGetUp]

Originally Posted by Timber Wolf

I should be able to save enough up to pay cash for a new truck and trailer when I retire. My current plan is to hit the road and "see the USA" (and maybe even North of the border) when I no longer have to clock in everyday. My middle brother passed at 62, never got to retire. Same with a coworker a few weeks back at age 63. I have worked hard all my life since my teens, I think I deserve some real down time for my efforts. To do due it right I need a new(er) truck and want a little larger (19') camper.

do yourself a favor and start looking into cell phone signal boosters etc etc. we spent 3 months driving around the country and it was tough to get a signal in most of the west, especially the further out into no mans land you went. Utah was impossible...

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by HelpiFALanCantGetUp

do yourself a favor and start looking into cell phone signal boosters etc etc. we spent 3 months driving around the country and it was tough to get a signal in most of the west, especially the further out into no mans land you went. Utah was impossible...

I just got back from a week, actually 10 days, camping out in the woods. No TV, Radio, or News of any kind. I did check the weather a time or two on the dumb phone. Turns out I did not miss a dog-gone thing.

[HelpiFALanCantGetUp]

Originally Posted by Timber Wolf

I just got back from a week, actually 10 days, camping out in the woods. No TV, Radio, or News of any kind. I did check the weather a time or two on the dumb phone. Turns out I did not miss a dog-gone thing.

same here but, at some point it becomes a safety issue and on top of that you want internet access to plan your trip while your on the road. we would drive 4-5 hours then park up for the night and while at camp we would go online to map out the following day. the way we planned our trip was to just get in the van and DRIVE. we had no destination other than to make it out west so an internet connection for us was vital for us to plan our days as they unfolded.

[Mebsuta]

Originally Posted by HelpiFALanCantGetUp

I like that.