Thread: From the OH SH*T dept.

Retirement.... what a blast! I just had to sign up for an additional $30.000.00 on top of my $50.000.00 mortgage that was originally paid off years ago, but re-appeared a while back, when I had to make repairs I couldn't afford.

Garage roof structure needed replacing (rafters and all, done), Roofing shingles on the house (done), Washer and dryer needed replacing (done), hit and run on my car in the grocery store parking lot x 3, and in the past 3 months no less, so there goes another $600 (done).... minor basement leaks..... house needs re-grading of the landscape, driveway needs re-levelling the uni-stone bricks... ditto for the patio, turns out we need close to 100 cubic yards of soil (about 400 wheel barrows worth... I ain't gonna do it!)... there goes $14.000.00 more (pending).... and I'm not done yet. Windows need replacing.. house was built in 1964, so the windows are leaking like a sieve, there goes $10.000.00 (pending). Did I mention the furnace barfed this spring... $300 to get it going, but the heat exchangers were cracked so I had to replace the furnace to the tune of $4600 (done, but still paying). Why wait for the air conditioner to die... it's the same age.... another $2000 Canadian dollarettes.....gah..... I'm starting to think carbon monoxide poisoning might have been a less painful way to go!

So... I'm up to my eyeballs in debt, no wages to pay for it other than my tiny pension. I'll have some more elbowroom in 3 years when I qualify for Old Age Security (the Mrs. too), but in the meantime... it's gonna be tight. I guess I'll have to unload a bunch of my stuff that I don't want to part with, but whatchya gonna do?

So anything you see in the classifieds from me is what I was actually going to keep...... Times have not been kind, so I'll have to give up some of my cherished goodies. Sure, some things will have to be pried out of my cold dead hands, but the rest are luxuries I cannot afford to keep, no matter how much I like them.

Thanks for reading, sorry for venting..... it's been one heck of a year so far.... I'm sure there's more around the corner....


Regards

Christian

Hang in there Christian, things will get better. You have been around long enough to make good decisions.

Good Sir I am sorry for the misfortune. When it rains it pours, it will get easier as I am sure you know. Just doesn't seem as it will when it all comes down at once.

Very sorry to hear about the fiscal issues Christian. Your home will certainly be safer and improved in value even though it puts a strain on you now. Your razors that you cherish will still be found out there in the wild when things return to more normal for you and yours.

You have been with us on the forum for many years and you will have our best wishes for these black clouds to pass on. You should feel free to vent here where your brothers in blades will be most understanding.

Been there (retired)for 15 years...no pension... Somehow the things always work out! You will get a much higher SS benefit than I get. Even with no income, you both will survive!
Give thanks for what you have and more comes your way. Not preaching; just good self programming to become aware of things to help out the cause!
Be well and prosper!
Happy Easter!
~Richard
PS. Selling home and moving to an apartment this summer.

Retirement isn't something you just fall into. it takes planning and lots of it.

Many folks sell their homes and take an apartment where the expenses can be better planned. When you own your own home you have unlimited liability and the older it gets the worse it gets. I retired 13 years ago so I know.

I hope things work out for you.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Retirement isn't something you just fall into. it takes planning and lots of it.

You are of course right, except these headaches were not part of my master plan.....(sigh)


Regards

Kaptain "I also appear to be allergic to taking photos and selling stuff...." Zero

Just when you think it can't get any worse... it does. Water on the floor in the basement... Just enough to wet the floor along a small portion of a long wall. In the great scheme of things, not that big a deal, but it's the reason for it that worries me. The other two leaks I've had, were clearly a spring melt issue... The ground is still frozen and the water is running down the outside of the basement wall, but runs into frozen ground and there happens to be a hole or crack in the foundation... As soon as the ground thaws, the water stops. This one, after some rain, on the other hand, occurred on the side of the house where drainage doesn't seem to be much of a problem... I do need to landscape a little bit, but there were no pools of water outside, and yet there is a tiny amount of water on the floor. The basement walls are finished ,so there is no easy way to check for holes/cracks.... Looks like I'll have to open the wall up and see if it's the wall or the weeping tiles...

At least I have not gone ahead yet with the other renovations we were going to do. I may have to live with the old windows for a few more years and get this fixed instead.

Urghle.....


Regards

Kaptain "Where did I put that camera?" Zero

Sorry to hear about the housing issues, I'm sure once you get over this hiccup, things will look up.

As long as I'm not looking up out of a pine box, I guess I'm doing OK.

Christian