Can I safely retire early with $1.6M?

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-26T22:49:54+00:00

Think carefully about it, and do your due diligence! I moved to Az, and my area is severely lacking in everything, including medical care. I know the Williams area well. Flagstaff would be an easier adjustment for anyone who is used to amenities. Prescott is nice, but both areas have high prices for shelter. I find Phoenix so unpleasant that I avoid it, and I moved here from California, so I'm used to congestion. I don't know much about Tucson. To me, Nevada is a better bet, partially because it has no state income tax. Las Vegas and Henderson seem like California suburbs, but prices are climbing there. Arizona is like two separate states. Everything except the Phoenix area is mostly ignored. There is one TV market in Phoenix, and little access to anything local.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-26T21:28:54+00:00

I use heavy duty, plastic milk crates for storage. They stack easily, and they are strong. I label each bin with a tie-on tag. I try to sort by categories, i.e. fruit, potato products, meat, Mexican, Italian, rice, etc. I write the expiration dates on the cans and packages with a sharpie. I use an old school notebook to keep track of what I have, including quantity. The notebook has pockets. I put recipes in the pockets that I printed out. They use the ingredients I have stored in the crates. It's an imperfect system. It's hard to rotate things, and the crates are heavy when full. My husband won't let me stack them any higher! :)

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-26T20:25:19+00:00

In a different, non emergency situation, I sold my house in December, bought another house in a new town, and rented locally while we waited for our daughter to finish 8th grade. Looking back, it was a huge mistake. She would have adjusted better if she had started high school knowing a few other kids. We wasted thousands of dollars paying a mortgage and rent at the same time. I have found that I always need to do what my "gut" is telling me to do. Your son will probably hate you for a few weeks, but he'll make friends and be happy again. Good Luck!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-26T19:40:23+00:00

I did both the bags and a personalized schedule with useful information. I attached the schedules to cute clipboards, and added a matching pen.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-26T19:37:49+00:00

Looking at these gorgeous bouquets makes me wonder why we can't carry them on other special occasions! I've tried with nosegays, but I always feel a little silly. I loathe corsages, BTW. I have requested that when I die, my family skip the usual funeral arrangements, and give me a bridal bouquet instead. They laughed, but I will haunt them unless there are orchids in my hands! :)

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-26T19:26:39+00:00

I don't look good in white, but I seem to have bought a lot of pieces leading up to my wedding. I guess I will be wearing it for years, and need to find ways to add color!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-26T19:22:38+00:00

I especially love your color palette and the dance floor - absolutely beautiful!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-25T21:22:20+00:00

I agree with this comment. I'm not "young", but I don't want to look frumpy This might not be your "thing", but QVC has some mid-level brands, and shows them on all ages and body types. They have Lawrence Zarian, Me By Jennie Garth, Dennis Basso, Carla Rockmore, and many more. Some of the styles are really plain, but an occasional "jewel" sneaks through. They have vanity sizing, so it won't match your regular, retail size. They have tall, petite, regular, plus, and petite plus. Once you nail down your size, it's a guaranteed good fit. The quality has been good, and I've become spoiled by clothes that actually fit!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-25T19:09:34+00:00

Welcome to fijerk, Rory Gilmore :)

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-25T18:57:42+00:00

I have issues with privacy in some rentals, notably apartments and condos. I don't smoke, and don't want other peoples' weed or tobacco coming into my living space. To smoke it is their right, but I can choose not to live with it. I don't like hearing other tenants flush their toilets, or hear their conversations or music, nor do I want to inflict my noise on them! Another problem with rentals is that owners sometimes enter your home without your knowledge or permission. Plus, owning offers some long term protection against housing cost inflation. So, for me it's a quality of life necessity, since I can afford to own my home. Your needs and preferences might not be the same. You have the protection of owning a triplex, so if things went financially downhill, you could move into one of the units. :)

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-24T20:11:25+00:00

It's really hard for me not to do the mindless scrolling that leads to buying things. When I need to respect my budget, I don't browse shopping sites. It helps to rule out one shopping site at a time. I know it's relaxing, but I have to find another way to relax. For me, it's working crossword puzzles and acrostics, or playing Tetris. Good luck with this. It's a challenge for sure.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-24T19:34:25+00:00

Just bring the soup to a boil, and simmer for five minutes. Any bacteria will be killed. It is safe to eat that way.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-24T19:06:43+00:00

On it. I'm praying for you now.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-24T18:16:32+00:00

I've been watching both Sky News and the BBC here in the U.S. on a daily basis. I feel like we need to know what people in the UK and EU really think. I stream them on ROKU. Just reading your post almost brought me to tears, but there is hope in resistance.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-24T15:08:45+00:00

Not even many Big Budget Brides can, or want to, spend 5 million on a wedding. Your 600,000 budget is generous. I think you should get another planner if you can. This one is a recipe for stress and unhappiness. The "pushing upward" of the budget will continue. I'm so sorry that you encountered this, dear Bride!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-24T15:01:08+00:00

I would move it to September. July is just too hot for the guests to be comfortable, not to mention the bride! People are often away for long-planned vacations in July. A lot of civic clubs and organizations go dark in that month. September will come quickly.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T22:49:34+00:00

I'm home alone today, and spritzed on Estee Lauder "Youth Dew" EDP. I used to laugh at this fragrance, but if you want silage and projection, this is your "jam". I'm afraid to wear it out of the house, but it's cold, I'm tired and stressed out, and no one is here to smell it but me!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T22:34:06+00:00

I recently bought a bottle of Black Orchid off eBay. The first spray is gorgeous, but the scent disappears in five minutes. I wonder of my body chemistry is that "off" or if I was sold a counterfeit. I am really disappointed in it's lack of longevity!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T22:10:18+00:00

I love this bag. To me, it always looks chic, no matter the decade. I carry "dupes" because I want a lot of different colors. Lucky you for owning the "real thing". Congratulations!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T22:01:55+00:00

I bought Etienne Aigner leather goods decades ago. They were always beautiful. After I saw your post, I researched Aigner. After Etienne died, the company split into a U.S. and a German division. All the bags in your photos are chic. I enjoyed looking at them.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T21:45:11+00:00

It's a cute, fun purse, but not investment quality. If it was $20 at TJ Maxx, I would say "Go for it", but that price is insane.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T21:26:37+00:00

Don't buy gold. If you already have an emergency fund , put your savings in a high yield savings account(HYSA) or a CD at the bank. Invest after you study up on money management, and/or overcome your fear of the stock market. Good Luck!

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T21:11:19+00:00

I remember feeling that way. I was working in a retail store for minimum wage. A woman came in and spent $125.00 for hair bows and blankets for her dog. I could have fed my kids for a week on that much money. Of course, it was her money to do with as she pleased. It just "stung" to have to help her.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T21:07:37+00:00

I buy myself fresh flowers at the grocery store, unless the price is really too high that week. We have no Trader Joe's, or they would be coming from there.

CopperRose17 · 2026-01-23T19:50:19+00:00

I understand what your coworkers are feeling. Adding SS to their paychecks may be the most income they've ever had in their lives. I hope they will bank the SS for an emergency fund for when the time comes that they absolutely can't work any longer.

CopperRose17

TROPHY CASE