Retirement At Home is a Blessing

by Margie
(IN)

. My current home is where I retired for so many reasons and all of them were a blessing to me.

I am a social worker and even having a home after spending 30 years in apartments was a miracle to me and my daughter. The apartment life was noisy, annoying and cramped. Then we decided to search for a home and were able to get a small, one-story siding house with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

We worked hard and moved in 9 months after the house was built. It is plain, clean, and very neat inside and out, which pleases us and keeps us happy. We cut and landscape the property, shovel snow and do all the upkeep ourselves.

We were tired of being harassed in apartments, hearing a move the neighbors made and the rent was almost as much as our mortgage. We both feel we made the right decision to buy a home at this time in our lives.

We have lived here for almost 12 years and it is an investment that we feel we can pass on in the family.

When I retired 2 years ago, I decided that I would do all I could to help my daughter make home improvements and it has been challenging, but we continue to strive. We do painting, plumbing repairs and renovation projects with the help of the internet, family and friends.

The tough financial situation that we are in makes us thrifty, resourceful, creative and physically handy with tools. This saves repair bills, allows us to do more with our discretionary funds and we are proud of our home improvements.

The financial sacrifices include cooking modest meals that stretch for 3-4 days, only eating out 1 to 2 times per month and shopping at thrift and second-hand stores.

We are in a small subdivision in Indianapolis, Indiana and this is the city that we were both born in. Our apartment prior to this home was in the suburb next to us.

Our major sacrifice has been no vacations or travel and we haven’t been able to afford any new clothes for the past 3 years.

But, we see the blessing in just having a home.