Snowbird Advocacy

[glendale]

Tell me how:
I'm in the dream stage of be coming a snowbird, I have my lake front winni property, & lovey and I are currently working full time in the area.
MY QUESTION IS: how do I follow the sun?
with medical insurance on my mind & finding $(seasonal employment) to keep up life?(there is no golden "Parachute" for me), Any advocacy on this subject you can offer for a "SENESCENT" couple that wants to follow the sun would greatly be helpful.

[Descant]

The tough question for us is where to go? My folks went to the east (Pompano), and my other half's parents went to Sanibel. Now, I want to go to Sanibel, and spouse wants SC. We both like Costa Rica, but it's a long trip for a weekend.

Friends have bought a place with a rental program, and over time, extend their southern time a little bit each year. Probably a good plan if you know where you want to be.

[dpg]

306 views and (now) 2 responses first thing I think is what the heck are you looking for? There's no "magic" answer to allow the life your looking for money, money, money that's the final answer!! Also, are you 65 and ready to "pull the trigger" or 56 and just at the dreaming stage?? Unless you both have a decent pension or a very tidy IRA/401K I'm thinking "keep dreaming" :D

[Descant]

I re-read the original query about employment.

Over the years I have known people who work seasonally north and south.
Specifically, marine mechanics, chefs, and golf pros. Those seasonal jobs won't get you any insurance, but you can work for years for the same employer at each end. Resorts often hire couples, and may provide limited housing. This is probably less common than it used to be, because, as you mention, people are looking for insurance and other benefits. I doubt you'll save much money this way for "real" retirement. It may work for awhile so you don't dig into your present savings and can still follow the sun.

I have a friend I ran into in Cody, WY. He sold a small business in NH, and his house and bought an RV. Both he and his wife were working in the same souvenir shop where I stumbled on them. Basically, they traveled and found employment for 6-7 months at a time as the tourist season shifted.

[Cal-to-NH]

It's not very clear what exactly your question is, but I think (maybe errantly?) that you're asking how to keep your insurance coverage and still live in two different locations within the United States seasonally? This is not that hard. If you insure yourself with any national carrier like Aetna, Cigna, Blue Cross or Blue Shield, etc.... any member Doctor or Facility nationwide will cover you. For example, I currently live in San Diego but my College Student kid goes to Boston University and although I have blue Shield of California as my healthcare insurance there is a very easy single-click function on the web site to search all carriers in the "Blue network" by zip code. She can easily find urgent care, hospitals, an many doctors that will take the insurance. This would be the best way to go. I would guess if you go with a regional carrier like Harvard/Pilgrim or something like that it would be far more difficult to arrange the same kind of secure healthcare services if you're spending months away from your NH home and you require any type of routine healthcare services.

Again, maybe I'm not answering the question, but it's not easy to understand the ASK in this thread...

[Bluesman]

Check out the Fixed income early retirement forum FIRE. Very informitive