The freedom of not having to work.

Live small, save big first 10 years of professional life.

My household income is about $30k for two adults and two stupid furry children (dog and cat). We live quite nicely because we aren't trying to keep up with the Jonses. We even go on international vacations almost yearly. It's really not that hard.

I should retire too since I can't get a new job.

Newt,

You've mentioned living in Humbolt County -- how is the cost of living there? Arcata is on my retirement short-list.

Arcata, being our college town, is the most expensive town here. I would consider other nearby towns if being cheap is important. Try Blue Lake, where I am (I'm outside town), it's more rural but under 10 miles from Arcata.
We moved here 25 years ago....back then, a 1000 square ft house with an acre cost us $800a month. I've owned my home since then, so I'm out of the rent loop, but poking on craigslist looks like around $1500-$2000 for a decent house, with some more, some less depending on what you get. Nice 2-3 bedroom homes seem to be about $500000 now with some property.

Our gas is the most expensive in the country consistently, over $4.

Beyond that, it's pretty cheap. Property tax is 1%, food is reasonable, entertainment is mostly nature and community, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, surfing, diving, even back country skiing 1/2 hour up hill, so free, although there are paid events too, we even had GWAR play a few times in Eureka, but no opera or ballet.

My wife and I live on $30k....we have 4 cars, pets, vacations, a large pond, hot tub, etc. Because I have room, I grow a lot of our produce and we have around 40 fruit trees. We aren't putting any extra in the bank, but aren't depleting our savings either.

We are the marijuana capital of America, if you know the right people, it's maybe $100 an oz for A grade, $10-20 a gram for wax/oil.

All in all, it depends on your lifestyle. It would be easy to spend all you save living here on gas, or easy to not have a car at all if you're in town and will ride a bike in the rain. While there are certainly cheaper places to live, I'm not sure there's better. Our forests are gorgeous with skyscraper redwoods, the ocean is cold but clean here, the rivers unspoilt and full of fish, our air is some of the cleanest in the lower 48, water is too, and our summer daytime temperature is mostly 70-75 F, winter is low 50's- freezing, but we have very few freezing days.

Mckinleyville, just above Arcata, was (still is?) the largest town in California with no police, only highway patrol. They got a multiplex before police!

We have a ton of immigration from the bay area, but more often than not they move back because they miss the fast pace and abundant services and entertainment....I didn't.

Hope that helps. We love it here, but we're slow paced and super cheap bastards. If you are too, come check it out.

Newt,

Thanks, man! It sounds like paradise!

Long time lurker, first time commenter. I just wanted to say newtboy is spot on with my experiences in Humboldt County.

My Wife went to College at Humboldt State and we spent a week there back in May. We rented an Airbnb in Trinidad and it was incredible. Every day we were out on the beach or hiking through the towering redwoods. Not to mention eating insanely fresh food!

Everything was incredibly clean and fresh, from the air and oceans to the forests and rivers.

These comments are why I love the 'Sift.