Destination: Sarasota

Sarasota2014 030I spent a wonderful summer in Michigan, getting some quality time in with family. It was a very interesting time for me, to say the least.

I suppose I’ve felt guilty about the fact that I had to basically move far away from home and family in order to succeed, and I’ve missed out on a lot of memories in the interim. When I found out that one of my younger sisters was expecting a daughter, my first niece, I started to question whether living 1,200 miles away from my family was where I wanted to be.

But my focus was incorrectly placed. I already had a family in Florida; I met a wonderful woman my very first weekend in Sarasota back in 2009, and we started dating not long after that. We’ve been together ever since, living as a family with her young son. I may have extended family in Michigan, and I grew up there, but Florida is home now.

I’m incredibly lucky in that I have a very understanding and supportive partner, and Claudia understands my reasons for exploring a move up there. We’ve been in close contact ever since I journeyed back to my old stomping grounds. While reluctant, she stayed open-minded about the possibility of joining me in Michigan. So I started documenting possible places for us to live, visiting Grand Rapids at the beginning of August and then Ann Arbor just a couple of weeks later.

But over time, it became apparent that a move back to Michigan just wasn’t meant to be. I faced some resentment from certain family members, and, more importantly, I’ve changed quite a bit over the last few years. I felt like a round peg trying to fit in a square hole, and the more time I spent up there, the more I felt out of place. Claudia tried to tell me why it was a bad idea to move back, and was gently informing me of how different I was from everyone. She knows me better than myself, and she is most certainly my better half. It was an incredible error for me to not listen to her. Furthermore, I see now that I was creating distance between us out of my own selfish desire to try and make living in Sarasota worse than it really was.

The truth is this: I live in a veritable paradise (as I wrote about in March 2011) with the greatest partner a person could ask for. I could have moved anywhere back in early 2009, but I specifically chose Florida because of its fantastic climate, lack of state income taxes, beautiful beaches, sunshine, and plethora of free activities. Once I settled on the state, I narrowed it down to the Sarasota area by a process of elimination: The northern half of Florida is too cold in the winter for me, the Orlando area is too far from beaches, the Southeast side has language barriers and extensive traffic, the far Southwest side has a lack of activities for me along with a much older demographic, and the beaches are better on the west side of Florida, with its sunsets, soft waves, warm Gulf waters, and beautiful sand.

So Claudia and I together decided to stay in Florida, and luckily she took me back after some begging on my part!

This post is a declaration of my love for both a woman and a city. Both have been incredibly kind to me, and allowed me to grow and succeed in ways I never imagined. I’ll be sharing a lot more about Claudia and our future plans together very soon, but for now I’ll be showing why Sarasota is such a fantastic place to finish where I started, and why it offers fertile ground for anyone else out there to pursue financial independence.

I arrived in Sarasota this past Friday before 7 a.m. after driving 18 hours straight. Not fun, but it was made a lot easier because adrenaline was pumping through my system, as I was extremely excited to come back and make both my relationship and my time here in Sarasota better than ever before.

After spending our first day together reconnecting, unpacking, and running a few errands around the city, we used the rest of this past weekend as an opportunity to visit a few parts of Sarasota we had never been to before, and document the time together via a short collection of photos to finally give Sarasota its long-awaited due.

We started our Saturday morning by visiting the local farmer’s market, held every Saturday morning downtown from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s a great year-round event, where you can stock up on some vegetables, buy handcrafted trinkets, or grab some miscellaneous home goods. We never really spend much money here, but we’re both big fans of walking around and people watching. Claudia ocassionally buys poblano peppers here, which she uses to make a wonderful dish with the pepper, chicken, and rice.

Sarasota2014 008

After buying a tiny pumpkin to commemorate our 2014 fall together, we traversed to the north side of downtown, where we dined at a fantastic sandwich shop called Main Bar Sandwich Shop. It’s not much to look at, but the sandwiches are phenomenal and they’re priced right. It’s a local institution, and we had a great lunch here that didn’t break the bank. One of their best sandwiches is called “The Aztec”, which is roast beef, provolone, lettuce, tomato, onions, and this awesome jalapeno dressing. It’s served on a toasted kaiser roll.

Sarasota2014 015

Stomachs filled, but wallets slightly emptier, we then hit up The Ringling. This is a compound that houses a number of museums, largely related to John and Mable Ringling, and the circus. We’d never been, but this past Saturday was Museum Day Live, where a number of museums across the country open their doors for free.

We toured Ca’ d’Zan, which was the Ringlings’s 36,000 square foot winter getaway home, designed after a number of Venetian palazzi. It was a palace, and the history was very interesting. Also on the compound is the FSU Center for the Performing Arts, where the Asolo Repertory Theater performs. We’re anxious at some point this year to go to a performance for the first time.

Sarasota2014 017

We really wanted to tour the The Ringling Museum of Art, but didn’t get a chance due to weather. A massive thunderstorm came through the area just as we wanted to tour the grounds around the museum and the museum itself, and so we decided to save our visit for another day. I just barely got the shot below in before it started pouring.

Sarasota2014 023

We called it a day after the storm rolled into town. It lasted pretty much the rest of the night, which is a bit unusual for this time of year down here. Generally, we get afternoon thunderstorms that last for a couple of hours and then it’s right back to sunshine. But the last week has been extremely wet, and heavy on thunder and lightning. We finished the night with some pizza and a movie, which is always a great Saturday night for us.

Sunday saw us taking some shots of the downtown area, which is featured at the top of the article. It’s tough to really display the full beauty of the area in this post, as I’m highlighting just a few points of interest. But the city is truly gorgeous.

One particular point of interest downtown is the main bus station. I used the bus as my main method of transportation for more than two years down here, and the central hub is located downtown. I really can’t say enough good things about our local bus system. It can take you almost anywhere in the city, it’s extremely cheap ($1.25 per ride), and I’ve never felt unsafe riding, even late at night. The only issue I could think of is that it doesn’t run real late – the last runs usually occur before 11 p.m. But it’s a pretty solid system for a fairly small town in Florida where most people get by via car.

Sarasota2014 010

After spending about an hour looking for good vantage points for photos of downtown, we saved the best for last. Driving south from downtown, and then selecting your choice of two bridges takes you to Siesta Key, home of the great Siesta Beach. Designated as the No. 1 beach in America back in 2011 by “Dr. Beach”, it’s really a stunner. The sand is composed of 99% pure quartz, and it’s literally like walking on baby powder. It stays cool in the hot sun, and it’s very soft on the feet. Couple that with the year-round warm Gulf waters that offer gentle waves, and it’s easy to see why this is such a great spot to spend a lazy afternoon. Best of all, it’s completely free!

Sarasota2014 039

So I finally gave Sarasota its due. I’m going to finish my journey to financial independence where it all began, as this town (and my lovely, lovely partner) has been very kind to me. It’s afforded me a lot of opportunities that I lacked up in Michigan, and I’ll remain eternally grateful.

Some vital stats: 

  • Population: 51,917
  • Size: 25.93 square miles
  • Average high in January: 72 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Average high in July: 91 degrees Fahrenheit

I’m going to keep the theme going, and list pros and cons to living here. This won’t be for me to decide whether or not to live here (as I’ve already decided to live here), but this may prove informational and/or helpful to others out there potentially interested in living in this city, or perhaps to visit for a vacation.

Pros: 

  • The weather is phenomenal. Palm trees, plenty of sunshine, and frequent 70+ degree weather in the wintertime makes life wonderful. If you crave shivering and ice in January, you won’t like it here. But if you dream of pulling up a cooler beside you and watching the waves crash against the sand when everyone else is digging themselves out of whatever snow storm just hit, then you will probably dig Sarasota. People complain about the heat in the summer, but I don’t find it all that bad. Some days are hotter than others, but the overall temperatures aren’t really all that different from what I would experience up North. The main difference, in my experience, is that the heat lasts longer. However, there is a substantial difference in the winter.
  • No state income taxes!
  • It’s easy to get by without a car. I had some ideas in my head about living car-free years before I decided to make that a reality, but doing so in Michigan is extremely difficult, as I’ve discussed. Waiting for a bus or riding a bicycle when it’s 10 degrees outside and there’s a foot of snow on the road isn’t fun. I found living without a car in this area fairly straightforward and easy, which allowed me to shave a considerable expense from my budget for years.
  • Some of the best beaches in America. The beach isn’t just a pretty place to look at, but it’s an awesome free activity. You can grab a frisbee, a cooler, and a chair and quite literally spend the entire day having fun for basically no cost at all. Furthermore, there are countless parks around the area that are also free, which offers a frugalist like myself some great options for free activities.
  • The cost of living is reasonable, especially considering the weather and amenities. When I was looking around Ann Arbor for rentals similar to what we have in Sarasota – a two bedroom condo, with washer and dryer inside, located in a great, safe section of the city – I found that the rentals were 20-30% more.
  • Tons of entertainment. We have a comedy club, live theater, museums, the parks and beaches, spring training, multiple zoos, the Sarasota Film Festival, St. Armand’s Circle, and multiple performing arts venues.
  • Great dining options. One of my favorite restaurants in the world – Mattison’s City Grille – is located right downtown. They offer a great happy hour with $5 appetizers. Really fantastic stuff.

Cons:

  • It’s far from my extended family. I’m 1,200  miles away from my parents, sisters, and best friend. But I’ve changed a lot in the last few years and they all have their own lives, so this is really less of a con than I thought it was. Furthermore, they all have a great vacation spot to visit in the winter!
  • It can get pretty crowded in “season”. Snowbirds like to move down here around November and generally stay until around late April. This can easily double our population or more during the winter, which means the beaches can be busy, traffic can be congested, and life just becomes more difficult. A small price to pay, however.
  • Crime is surprisingly bad. According to Neighborhood Scout, the city is almost twice as dangerous in regards to violent crime than the entire state of Florida. Stats can sometimes be misleading, and I find this to be the case here. I’ve lived here for years and never felt threatened. Most of the crime, as I’m aware, is located in one particular area on the north side of the city, where Sarasota borders Bradenton.
  • It doesn’t offer some of the amenities you might see in a major city, like pro sports, national concerts, etc. This doesn’t really bother me too much as these activities aren’t particularly frugal, and I quite enjoy watching a good football game at home where I can cook up a meal and use the restroom without having to wait for 15 minutes. But if we’re ever in the mood for something like this Tampa is only an hour away.

I personally believe Sarasota is a fantastic place to live and pursue financial independence, notwithstanding my recent indiscretions. I kind of feel like I cheated on the city by exploring some areas up in Michigan, but I think she knows I love her. I’m greatly looking forward to finishing my journey to financial freedom right here where it all began, and enjoying the sunshine and beautiful weather along the way. If the path to financial independence is a yellow brick road, living here means it’s lined with palm trees. Not too shabby.

In the end, there’s no state income tax. Plenty of sunshine. Beautiful beaches. Great weather. Activities (many of which are free) galore. An international airport within the city. Fantastic, cheap dining options. And of course my family is here. I’ll expound on what’s going on with Claudia and I (and her plans for financial independence) in future posts, but in the meanwhile I’m extremely glad to be back home where I belong!

What do you think of Sarasota? Does it seem like a great place to live? Interested in great weather and no state income tax? 

Thanks for reading.

Photo Credits: Moi

Similar Posts

163 Comments

  1. Congrats on your move back to Florida. I was expecting you to move and then write the post after when you said you are moving back, lol. It is going to get better for you even more now that you are back with your girl friend.

    Curious, are you back in the same apartment or is it new surroundings.

  2. IP,

    I’m really glad to be back. I love it down here. The weather is awesome, and there’s just so many great activities that are either free or low-cost.

    We’re living in the same apartment. Nothing changed at all there. And I didn’t really inconvenience Claudia too much during this time period as I paid all of August’s rent by myself, so she just had to then cover September. Of course, she could have told me to hit the road, but we were in close contact the whole time, and she was just glad (but not as much as me) to have me back home. She figured all along I would find out that I didn’t really belong up there. I’m really lucky. 🙂

    Thanks for dropping by!

    Cheers.

  3. FF,

    Florida has definitely earned that nickname. Love the seemingly endless sunshine, though it’s been a bit cloudier and wetter than usual since I’ve been back. I’m sure I won’t be complaining come January. 🙂

    Take care!

  4. I was in Sarasota a few years ago, and went to the Ringling Museum of Art. Looks like every famous artist sold the musem their worst pieces.

  5. I’m happy that you have found some good convergence between where you want to live and your relationship to Claudia. It’s true that people change over time, so perhaps Florida is where you belong for the foreseeable future.

    Admit it, you miss the humidity and heat! ;-). Seriously though, the weather in Florida is great. The last time I was there (a month ago) we got rained on when we went to the beach, it was very interesting. We haven’t gotten rain like that in California in many months.

    I wish you the best of luck in Sarasota. But whatever you end up doing, DO NOT go back to that awful car dealership!

  6. It really is true what they say about how you can never really go back home. For the longest time I just didn’t get that adage. Then, I tried going back home after having spent several years away and I finally got it. Once you leave home, both you and your home keep growing and changing, each independent of the other. After a long enough period of time, you grow far enough apart that the gradual changes have become too big to ignore. Congrats on the realization that home is where your current family is. Claudia and her son are lucky to have you and I know you’ll enjoy your future together. Your “old” home in Michigan will always be there for visits and reunions, but, as you’ve found, that’s about the extent of it. My current career has my wife, children, and me traveling to a new international location every few years. But as long as I get to take my family with me, I always feel like I’m home.

    Side note: We spent some time living in Florida a few years ago and absolutely loved it. Beautiful place with a great climate and lots to do.

  7. DM,

    Wow! You keep throwing different curveball at us and let me tell you – they are all hits for you. If makes me incredibly happy seeing all of this unfold and come together. You are happy. Thats what it is all about. What you are able to do in Florida with a perfect partner is a no brainer. You’re life just grew more than any dividend paying stock could. Congratulations Jason, you are my friend – living the dream. Welcome back home.

    Lanny

  8. local Joe,

    That’s unfortunate. I can’t agree or disagree because I haven’t been through there, but art is of course extremely subjective. Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy what you saw.

    Cheers.

  9. Spoonman,

    Never say never, right? Well I’m NEVER going back to the auto industry. Period. You heard it here first. 🙂

    It’s been unusually wet here this summer/fall. We don’t usually get this much consistent rain this late in the season, but apparently there is some system overhead that is going to last through the week. I actually don’t generally mind the rain here because it’s usually a quick rain, which cools things down for a bit. Then it’s right back to sunshine.

    Appreciate all the support. It’s been an interesting sojourn over the last few months, but I am truly where I belong. And I have a wonderful partner. Looking forward to introducing her at some point here and discussing some of our plans. 🙂

    Hope all remains well!

    Best wishes.

  10. Tyler,

    Home is where the heart is, right? I told Claudia I was following an idea to Michigan, but not my heart. My heart is here, and it led me back to where my true home is. I grew up in Michigan, and I’ll always have holidays and visits…but my home is no longer there. I left as a kid, and so you don’t realize how much things change over time. But you’re absolutely right. You and your old home both change over time independently of one another, which isn’t obvious at first. Over time, however, it becomes very, very apparent. And it was different to spend so much time up there recently versus my usual holiday visits. I didn’t understand how much I had changed relative to my old home and everyone else that still lives up there until I was there all the time.

    But it was actually really wonderful that all of this occurred. It truly brought Claudia and I closer together. We have a newfound respect and appreciation for each other, and we’re now completely on the same page in regards to finances, saving, and financial independence. I’m excited to discuss that more in the near future.

    You have obviously already figured out exactly where home is, which is wonderful. I can gladly say I have figured it out as well. 🙂

    Thanks for sharing that!

    Best regards.

  11. Lanny,

    Thanks for the very kind words!

    I’m incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful significant other. She knows me better than I know myself, and she knew what I’d find up there. I now realize she was reluctant to move not because she wasn’t being supportive or didn’t love my family, but because it wasn’t right for us. She knew that I was far different from everyone else, and we’ve all changed so much over the years. So she let me go and discover it for myself only to have a big fat “told ya so!” waiting for me when I came back. She’s a great, great woman.

    These past few months have been full of drama, which I’m honestly not used to. I’ve kind of had this slow, steady march toward freedom over the past few years, mostly drama-free. Of course, some of this drama was self-imposed. Either way, I’m glad to get back to the quiet life that Claudia and I both enjoy very much. 🙂

    Appreciate you stopping by!

    Cheers.

  12. Hi DM,

    Congratulations on your move ‘Back Home’. I think you were bold and brave to attempt moving back to Michigan. Most people would have just thought about it and not took any action. Now you know what life is like back in Michigan, and when you feel home sick in Florida (perhaps not for a while!), you can reassure yourself that you made the right call. Previously, when you had those feelings it was likely to be more challenging. (My fiance moved from Sweden to the UK, so I know how challenging it was for her, and still is)

    You Girlfriend sounds fantastic. She’s clearly very understanding, and patient. You’ve got a good one there!

    Thank you for sharing your story. It’s been very interesting to read. A lot of people consider what life would be like in a different part of the country or a different country. First of all your story shows that it can be done with the right motive. I also like the fact that it acts as a reminder that your current home offers a lot, and we can all forget that. ‘The grass isn’t always greener on the other side’. Appreciate what you have in your current home/life. If you really want to move away, take some action and make it happen.

    I wish you all the very best, and I look forward to hearing about Florida 2.0.

    Cheers
    Huw

    PS. Sarasota sounds a lovely place to live!

  13. Once I near retirement, I’m planning on moving to Florida so I don’t have to pay state income taxes. It’ll be a nice change from the high taxes I have to pay in California. I’m looking forward to more beaches and more sunshine.

    Also, that roll looks absolutely scrumptious.

    Quick question – I thought Claudia was planning on flying up to Michigan? I remember reading somewhere that you purchased a plane ticket for her. Or am I just making things up?

    Anyways, congrats and welcome back home!

  14. Hey DM,

    I’m very happy that you and Claudia are back together. Congratulations on moving back home :). Sarasota looks like a wonderful place to live and also sounds like the perfect place to be frugal. Outdoors, beaches and good weather are extremely enjoyable and are free. Apparently, Florida also has no state tax, which makes it really perfect for a frugal person.

    It’s wonderful to watch, how twist after twist your life seems to fall in place so wonderfully. It looks like you really made it, and just picturing a life in Florida funded by passive income (and writing) definitely motivates me to keep going, so that one day, I’ll also be able to “live the dream” :).

    Best Wishes and keep the updates coming,
    DividendVenture

  15. Welcome back Jason. I’m glad your journey came full circle….and then some. Don’t worry about the Ringling Art museum….the mansion itself is far more interesting…..and I don’t even like Baroque (sp?) architecture. Speaking of Siesta Key. It has a great night life. You might want to check that out sometime. I used to go down there fairly often.
    -Bryan

  16. Jason,

    Florida > Michigan

    Having lived in Michigan 30 years I would never go back to live. I only lived in Florida less then a year before I moved overseas for work but it was great. It was like being on vacation 24/7, I lived in a cheap(retirement style) rv park, grilled all my food, enjoyed the beaches and the pool. The cost of living was very low and quality of life was great. Where else can you find a 90k year job and have monthly expenses of $500 rent included? I intend to return to Florida when my overseas work is finished.

    Not to mention Florida doesn’t tax your income or your dividends like greedy, poorly managed Michigan.

    Make a new family, call or visit your old family from time to time, life goes on.

  17. “crime is surprisingly bad.”
    The good news is Florida has very fair self defense laws. Just a portion of only one month’s dividends can buy you a very reliable firearm. A person’s personal and family safety cannot be taken lightly.
    Be safe and dont make us readers worry about you!!

  18. Wow. Though I did get the impression you were unhappy with Michigan (hence the aborted trip back a while ago), I wasn’t expecting you to actually do it! It sounds that although your body was in Michigan, your heart never really left Florida. I’m glad you’re back in the place you love. And another positive – you will never need to wonder ‘what if’ about Michigan again; you tried it, and it was no longer for you. I wish you all the best as you (re)start your life in Sarasota!

  19. Congratulations Jason. The oft used cliche of “Home is where the heart is,” couldn’t be truer in this case. Finding a place to settle in and find happiness is really a big part of what this journey entails. As others have touched on, and as I’ve said before, you would have always regretted not going back, so to do so was one of the best decisions of your life. It without a doubt reaffirmed who you are, what you stand for, and the impact and importance of those in your life.

    I wish you and Claudia the best!

  20. Hi Jason –

    Congrats on the return! Being in Minnesota I will think of you this coming winter! Haha…

    We plan to retire in FL, most likely the Tampa St. Pete area in a couple of years.

    Enjoy the sun!

    Ray

  21. Congrats on the return, Jason. Im sure it wasnt an easy decision – but you explored your options and things eventually worked out. Thanks for sharing your personal story.

    cheers

  22. There was also a time in my life where I made a conscious decision on where to live. It was after a boyfriend and I broke up which was one year after grad school. I used to move a lot as a kid (around the US) so I did already have a clue about what was available and what I liked.

    I specifically wanted to live somewhere warm that was a college town (or other place full of smart people like Silicon Valley). So I ended up going back to the city where my grad school was (Austin, TX) because of the added bonus that about half my friends from grad school were still there.

    So it gets way too hot here, the City Council seems corrupt, the rest of the state (and, in fact, the suburbs of Austin) are culturally different from me, but it rarely gets cold. Whenever it snows (once every year or two), they close most of the town down, so most people don’t have to go to work–it’s a great time to go for a beautiful hike.

    We also have no income tax, though we do have pretty high property taxes. (I hear Florida residents get cheap property taxes because the snowbirds pay high property taxes). We have a quite mediocre mass transit system, but I’ve been able to use the bus to get work and a few other places. And I found an affordable place close to the center of town (though now the area is getting gentrified, so my property taxes are skyrocketing–still, with the house paid off, it’s affordable). And I don’t worry about my car rusting. And I never shovel snow (it always melts by noon). I would have to scrape ice off my car sometimes except that I take a bus to work. Most of my family is 3.5 hours away (just north of Dallas), which isn’t too bad.

    And this is a college town (with four four-year colleges plus a large community college). I have access to a great college library plus the city library. We have the best theatres (Alamo Drafthouse shows cuts from related movies, interviews, etc. instead of commercials as the pre-show–and they serve read food). We have loads of Tex-Mex (my favorite food, which I really, really missed when I lived in Boston). And we’re big enough to have many kinds of food, too (though if you love seafood, this place is not ideal, and I still haven’t found a Chinese food place I really like). There are hike and bike trails, including one that is close to my house. There’s a great food coop which just opened a second branch, plus they have my favorite chain grocery store (HEB) in walking distance and second-favorite chain grocery store (Trader Joe’s) fairly convenient. And our town tries to be bike friendly, though it’s not very good at it yet. And we have the internet of course and are about to get good internet (Google). We also have a good Amtrak route straight to Chicago. It’s a more annoying to get anywhere else on that train, though.

    To answer your questions–Sarasota sounds like a fine place to live, though I’m not really into beaches and my closest friend would be in Orlando. My workplace (University of Texas at Austin) has 50,000 students and 10,000 faculty and staff, so it’s bigger than your whole town, or at least my workplace in fall/spring is bigger than your town in summer! I like small towns if I fit in–and I like cities because there are always pockets where I can fit in. Nerd pockets, hippie pockets, frugalista pockets, no-kids pockets, etc.

    I would be sorry that things didn’t work out for you the way you hoped, except that it sounds like they worked out for you way better than you hoped! Glad you got to meet your niece, though.

    Have you checked bus and train routes to Michigan from Sarasota? When I was carless, I would rent a car to visit family. If you do that, I recommend the places that are set up for people whose cars are in the shop rather than those that are set up for travelers–they just work better for the carless.

    Welcome home!

  23. Jason,

    I think you made the right decision. You won’t regret the detour to Michigan, but it should completely confirm you are in the right place.

    Congrats! You won’t miss the winter up in Michigan. I’m not looking forward to a long ND winter.

    Thanks for the update.

    Wade

  24. Wow DM,

    Congrats on the move! It’s quite the adventure.

    Now, I know you said you won’t be returning to the dealership. Do you plan on looking for “regular” employment that you would enjoy more, or all you going to stay all-in on this site and other web writing?

  25. Huw,

    Thanks for stopping by!

    You’re right. Without trying to live up there and see what I was missing, those feelings of homesickness would have continued to weigh on me. But I now know that I’m already truly where I belong. 🙂

    And I definitely have a great partner. She’s really lovely, and I’m very lucky. I can imagine it’s difficult for your partner over there also living so far from home. But, as you state, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. The grass is greenest wherever we’re happiest.

    Maybe I have a curious nature to me, where I wonder about a lot of possibilities. But this whole adventure has taught me a lot about contentment and being present. I’ll use these lessons wisely. 🙂

    Appreciate the support. I hope all remains well over there for you guys!

    Best regards.

  26. Seraph,

    Florida definitely offers a pretty big bang for the buck, and the lack of state income taxes goes pretty far to that end. I hope you’re able to land a great move in a city that’ll make you very happy once you decide to pull the trigger way down the road. 🙂

    You are right about the flight. I booked that flight when there was still an idea that she might want to move up there, and we both might still want to live there together. She was going to stay for a long weekend and I was going to show her around. But as time went on it became increasingly clear that our home together was back in Florida. So there was no point in me staying up there waiting for her, and us living 1,200 miles apart. I lost a good chunk of the money I paid for the flight due to change fees, but we have a credit we can use for future purchases. In the end, we were okay losing some of the money if it meant we could just get on with our life and see each other.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Cheers.

  27. DV,

    Thanks so much! I’m definitely currently “living the dream”. Good fortune continues to find its way to me. 🙂

    Florida is definitely a great spot to live frugally. I drive A LOT LESS down here; it’s not even comparable to life in Michigan. Outside of just a few major cities in Michigan, everything is spread out and makes driving great distances almost necessary. Furthermore, it’s a lot easier to walk to places, ride your bike, or take a bus around town when the weather is sunny and warm year-round versus up there where it’s cold, dark, and wet for 5-6 months per year. And the lack of state income tax is just icing on the cake.

    Appreciate the support. There’s been a lot of drama in my life lately, which is unusual. I’m not used to that, so I’m very, very glad to be back home where we live a quiet, easy life.

    Keep on saving and investing and I have no doubt you’ll be living your own dream come true very soon. 🙂

    Best regards.

  28. Congrats on the move, sounds like an excellent choice. Home is an odd thing in that we have the memory of what we remember, but we also have the one we’ve built for ourselves since then. Since people grow at different rates, it is sometimes a cruel shock to go back home only to realize you have little in common with those you held so dear. I have had this experience and it is a bit of paradigm shift. Makes you sort of realize where home really is. I liken this feeling to when you feel uncomfortable somewhere and long for home. That place we picture, that is home, not the memory of where we grew up.

    I wish you and your family, much happiness!

    – HMB

  29. Bryan,

    Sounds like we made the right call with visiting the house then. Would like to revisit the grounds at some point to check out the circus museum. Maybe next year when it’s free again. 🙂

    Yeah, Siesta Key has a pretty decent nightlife. We’ve been there a few times at night. However, I think Lido Key has more nightlife by far, with St. Armand’s Circle really coming alive after 10 p.m. You wouldn’t think that was the case whatsoever, and I was really shocked the first time we went there at night. I figured it was just a little shopping area that closes down at night. But we like the drum circle out there on Siesta on Sunday evenings, before sunset. It’s a little “out there”, but it’s fun.

    We’ll have to meet up sometime. We don’t find ourselves up near Clearwater very often, but I think Claudia would enjoy the beach up there. Maybe once the weather cools down a bit. 🙂

    Cheers!

  30. Don’t ever leave her again, you stupid jerk!

    And living in Sarasota is a no brainer. You can always visit Michigan.

    Best of luck to you and your partner.

  31. Mrs. FW,

    Thanks so much! We’re both incredibly happy. I advised her to pop me upside the head when I moved back down, but it’s just not in her nature. She’s too sweet. 🙂

    I hope the photos turned out okay. I’m not real happy with some of them, but it’s hard to get good shots of downtown because it sits along Sarasota Bay. The only real good shot is from this lengthy bridge that is heavy on traffic, and it was too hot to walk the length of it. So we instead found our way under the bridge, and that’s where I shot the skyline. Not the greatest, but it’s hard to give the area its due with a short collection of photos. Maybe I’ll do more in the future with it.

    Thanks for dropping by!

    Best wishes.

  32. frank,

    Good stuff there. Sunshine, beaches, and some grilled food. That’s right out of a music video for a Kenny Chesney song, right? 🙂

    Life is good down here. I’m incredibly lucky that I have someone who loves me enough to wait on me while I discovered that the place I grew up was not really the best place for me, which is why I left in the first place.

    Good luck finishing up your overseas work and then finding your way back to this cheap paradise!

    Take care.

  33. A,

    Thank you. I discovered Florida as a child when I would also come for vacation. Fell in love with it as a young boy, and it stayed with me. Now I’m on a permanent holiday. Life is good, and I’m extremely fortunate.

    Thanks for the comment!

    Cheers.

  34. lou,

    We may look into something like that. Fortunately, we live in an extremely safe and quiet part of town. The crime is mostly concentrated in the north side of town; we live in the south, in an area called Palmer Ranch. But you still never know, right?

    Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂

    Best regards.

  35. FFdividend,

    I haven’t been to Miami in years. Maybe we’ll make a trip down there sometime and check it out. Lots of entertainment options there, and you have legendary South Beach. 🙂

    Cheers!

  36. DD,

    Exactly. I followed an idea to Michigan, but my heart never left Florida. I’ve carried this guilt with me for years about leaving loved ones behind, and maybe part of that comes from this place where I have a lot of gratitude for my aunt and uncle taking me in when I was just a kid. My mom and dad basically abandoned my three sisters and I, and they adopted us and gave us a home. So there’s a lot of love there. But they want me to be happy, and I’m happiest here. I’ll always have fond memories of childhood (from 11 years old on) back in Michigan, but home is now here where my family is. It’s good to be home. 🙂

    “you will never need to wonder ‘what if’ about Michigan again; you tried it, and it was no longer for you.”

    That’s exactly it. Claudia and I have discussed that almost word for word and, though it was a tough time, it was good I went and saw for my own eyes what was waiting for me up there. She knew all along what was going to happen, but it was almost like I was sitting in two chairs after I found out I had a little niece being born up there. I’m now 100% here and very happy about it. I can move on in peace.

    Thanks for the support. Much appreciated.

    Best wishes!

  37. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way but for a person which such strong dividend investment beliefs, incredible saving fortitude and amazing frugal conviction your fickle attitude towards your place of residence surprises me. Reading your posts before you moved back to MI showed me that you were really ready to be with your family and create a life for you back home. I was very surprised when you actually wrote that you moved back to MI and congratulated the move along with many others as having the guts to do so.

    And then, your glowing reviews of GR and AA as potential spots to settle down had me totally believing that you are set in your way and ready to make this change. You seemed very happy to be closer to your family and best friend and for a while I thought you were really happy. Then you write the resentment article and how you miss your girlfriend and now I read you are back in FL. I can read your future blog posts, “Today my niece took her first steps and I missed it. Today I missed her first words. Today my best friend really needed me by his side. Today my sister announced…” You get the point.

    Deciding where to live is a very personal decision. I get it. But I was very surprised to read about your move back to FL so quickly. I believe you did not give MI a full chance. You went there for a summer vacation and took us on a ride believing that you had made a real change.

    Again, I do not mean to offend you with my comment, I just was very surprised to see the way you handle your life is very, very different than the way you handle your finances.

  38. W2R,

    Thanks for the wonderful comment there. Couldn’t agree more with what you’re saying. It was an interesting and necessary journey, but I now know without a doubt where I belong. I’m very fortunate to be in a position where I was able to go up there, discover what was waiting for me, and return back home. Claudia made things very easy for me. 🙂

    Sounds like we both have a wonderful partner in our life!

    Best regards.

  39. Ray,

    Sunshine awaits you guys! 🙂

    The Tampa/St. Pete area is also nice. I’ve spent considerable time up there, mostly around Clearwater. St. Pete has a nice downtown and a great beach area, although some areas in the middle portion of the city are best to be avoided. Tampa has a lot to offer for a city of its size, although it’s far from the beaches.

    Cheers.

  40. R2R,

    Things definitely worked out. Life is just but a journey, and it’s best when you have someone wonderful to enjoy it with. Every step forward is an opportunity to grow, learn, and become a better person, and this past summer was a big step toward that end.

    Thanks for dropping by!

    Take care.

  41. Debbie M,

    Thanks for the warm welcome. It’s nice to be home!

    Austin seems like a great place to live as well. And Texas is another fine choice with no state income tax and generally favorable weather. I’ve never been there, but I hear it’s kind of like Ann Arbor. Great college town with a unique vibe, and a happening downtown core.

    Sarasota offers a lot to like, but I suspect it’s not nearly as culturally advanced as Austin, and I know for sure it’s totally different from Ann Arbor. But it’s got a lot to offer in its own respect, and I really enjoy its wonderful beaches.

    It’s all about being happy in the end. And I think anyone who is in a position to go where they’re happiest is in a wonderful position.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Best wishes.

  42. Wade,

    It looks like I escaped another winter! 🙂

    Although, we’re planning on driving up there for Christmas. It’ll be Claudia’s son’s first white Christmas, so that should be fun. We’ll get our fix of snow and cold for a few days before heading back.

    I hope you guys are able to stay warm and safe up there for another ND winter.

    Take care.

  43. Charles,

    Thanks. It’s definitely been an interesting summer!

    I’m definitely not planning on seeking out a traditional job. I really enjoy writing, and thus far I’ve been able to continue saving substantial portions of my income. I’m already living my own dream out in real life, so there’s absolutely no reason to change that at all. I’m incredibly fortunate! 🙂

    Thanks for stopping by.

    Take care!

  44. HMB,

    You’re absolutely right. And I know exactly how you feel since you also experienced this paradigm shift. You might think home is just the way you remember it, but life has a way of changing people, sometimes in very different ways. And it’s quite interesting/shocking to find out you may have little in common with those you grew up with. I guess it gives some credence to the nature vs. nurture arguments.

    Thanks for the support. Much appreciated. I wish you and your family all the same!!

    Best regards.

  45. Nick,

    I won’t be leaving again. It might seem like a no-brainer now, but it’s tough to see that in real time. I don’t regret experiencing it, but I do regret putting my partner through a difficult time. However, we have both agreed that this has made us much stronger. And it’s funnily enough brought us a lot closer as well. There’s no more wondering on my part, and we both had our chance to move on and meet other people. But we just wanted each other.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Cheers.

  46. That’s one of the things that makes this blog so interesting – it contains stories about every day life just like we’re going through. Glad you’re back where you’re happy. You never know what’s going to work out until you try it.

    Looking forward to what comes next!

  47. DivHut,

    I don’t take it the wrong way at all.

    But it’s not fickle. It’s not like I change residences every few years. After working non-stop for five years down here, I started to wonder whether I was choosing work and money over family. But I realized that’s not the case at all. I already have a family here. I have extended family up in Michigan where I grew up, but they all have their own lives. And those lives are very different from my own. There’s always going to be love there, but I don’t fit in up there. Unfortunately, I didn’t really get to see that before. I would travel up for Christmas and birthdays, but those short weekends didn’t give me the proper perspective of what life would look like up there. And the longer I spent up there, the more I started to realize that I was indeed out of place. So it’s not that Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids are bad places to live; I gave glowing reviews because they’re wonderful places to live. Unfortunately, they’re just not good places for me due to the fact that my home (and family) is 1,200 miles away. We could have moved up there, but Claudia’s reluctance was well-placed. The resentment I wrote about happened in real time. I couldn’t have predicted all of that.

    But I handle my life very much like my investments. I try to discover as much as I can about something before making a decision. If I can go and visit factories, production facilities, and retail centers, I do. If I can try those products and regularly buy them, I do. Likewise, I visited Michigan and spent months up there scoping it out as a potential place to live. But just like not all investments are worthwhile, the time I spent in Michigan proved out it wasn’t the place for us. Just because you spend five or six hours reading through annual reports doesn’t mean you have to invest in a company. All the same, just because I moved up there to investigate the idea of living closer to those I grew up with doesn’t mean I have to move up there permanently. Some things just don’t work out as you planned. Life goes on. In my opinion, you’re better off cutting your losses than moving forward even when it’s not right. And it wasn’t right up there, whether I spent four months or for years. In fact, spending more time up there would have wasted even more time in a place that wasn’t meant for me. It was a great summer vacation, and that’s how I’ll always look at it.

    Hope that clears some things up.

    Cheers!

  48. SR,

    Thanks! I’m glad you appreciate the personal side of this. Financial independence is far more than just saving and investing. In fact, I’d say that’s the easy side of it, and is very much a small part of the overall story. Financial independence is life, and life is very complicated.

    You’re right in that you don’t know if something is going to work until you try it. I could say I regret moving up there and all that, but I truly don’t. I definitely regret putting my partner through these difficulties, but she’s been wonderful through it. She’s had this attitude where she actually wanted me to go, spend time with some family, and see for myself that it just wasn’t a good place for us. And I figured it out on my own. We were on rocky terms there for a bit, all due to my stubborn pursuit of this idea. But she’s been incredibly patient and supportive. I’m extremely lucky, and I’ll be eternally grateful to her for that. In the end, this whole adventure has brought us a lot closer. I’m no longer wondering what could have been, and my focus is now 100% on us, our life down here, and our future together. Of course, that’s how it should have been all along. But emotions sometimes cloud truth. And I had a lot of heartache about missing loved ones back in Michigan.

    Either way, it was a successful experiment. I had a nice summer vacation, and Claudia and I are now completely on the same page. All in all, it’s good stuff.

    Thanks for the support!

    Best wishes.

  49. DM,

    No taxes and warm winters are why I love Houston. Unfortunately our ocean views typically have a refinery in the background.:-)

    I personally think your move back to Michigan was probably an absense makes the heart grow fonder moment for you. First with your biological family and then with your new family. My wife and I separated about nine years ago and I was so glad to be free and have the ability to hang out with old friends. It only took a few months for both of us to realize the grass wasn’t greener and when we got back together we were much more appreciative of the other person.

    Best of luck in the future. Next time your decide to leave the state, stop by Houston and we’ll have a few Shiners.:-)

    MDP

  50. Well, well, DM. I was surprised at the initial move back to Michigan, but understood the logic and the reasons behind it. I’m glad you’ve been able to reconcile yourself back to being in Florida. I’m sure Michigan is a great place, but after warm winters and a much more open, outdoors lifestyle, it would have been tough to reconcile yourself to being there during the winters I’m sure. Ultimately, there’s little use or benefit being Financially Independent if we aren’t doing what we love, where we love and with who we love.

  51. Sounds like paradise 😉 I will mark it as a spot to visit. I have plans to visit Florida during my vacation next year.
    Wish you all the best over there, Jason.

  52. I believe we think we can recreate that bond where our lives revolved around each others as kids & spent so much time together playing, family meals, vacations etc. Then something happened called girlfriends / boyfriends, marriage, kids etc to throw that family dynamic off a bit, because there were others in our lives who took greater priority. It is what it is, and nothing wrong with that, its part of life. In a strange type of coincidence I came up from my home in Puerto Vallarta to Canada to go to a family wedding, a birthday & finally a high school reunion. ( I graduated 40 yrs ago) I was looking forward to the reunion because I was an athlete, had lots of friends & figured it would be great to reconnect with the guys on the teams, old girlfriends etc. Once you get past the first hour of meeting everyone again and ask the usual questions about job & family, you realize time has moved on and you really didn’t have that much in common anymore, other than memories. Basically I am saying to you, a lot has changed in your life since you left, so expecting everything to be the same in others lives is improbable at best. I am glad I came up to visit, as I’m sure you are, but it is best to live your life looking out the front window most of the time, instead of looking in the rear view mirror.

  53. Oh my word, Jason! So funny. You know when you wrote your first post about going up to Michigan, I was kind of surprised but thought, “Okay, I guess he knows what he’s doing” and went with it. Then when you started back again I thought, “Oh no, too much of a drastic decision so quickly, so I’m glad you turned back”. Now this time it seems like you’ve thought it out more, so it sounds great! You do have a very supportive partner and don’t forget that. 😉 Sarasota looks very clean in that bus picture and sounds awesome. My sis and BIL go to Siesta Key every Feb, and they’ve been bugging us to go for a number of winters. Due to some good fortune, which I can’t blog about yet, the stars may align and we may be able to go next winter, in which case I would love to meet you in person, time permitting for both of us, of course!

  54. Glad you’ve settled down so to speak. I had a feeling the move to Michigan wasn’t where you’d end up but I’m glad you were able to experience what it might have been like for a few months. It sounds like you really enjoy the weather down in Sarasota so the first hint of winter could have sent you back to Sarasota anyways. Best of luck with Claudia and starting up again in Sarasota.

  55. MDP,

    I hear you on weather and taxes. Good stuff. Sounds like you found a winner there in Houston. 🙂

    That’s a great story there about you and your wife. Thanks so much for sharing. Sounds very similar to what recently happened with Claudia and I. Our hearts grew fonder in ways we couldn’t have imagined, and the appreciation for each other is amazing. Glad you two realized what you had together and found your way back to one another. Life and love can be confusing and messy sometimes, but most often it’s amazing.

    Best regards!

  56. Anhalinvesting,

    Haha. Begging is always a great tool in the arsenal. 🙂

    Thanks for the congrats. Life is good! I hope it’s just as good for you over there.

    Cheers.

  57. Integrator,

    “Ultimately, there’s little use or benefit being Financially Independent if we aren’t doing what we love, where we love and with who we love.”

    Agreed! I missed my family, and the last five years have been difficult with just the occasional holiday/birthday visit. So you wonder sometimes what you’re missing out on. But I realized that the greatest thing to miss out on is what I already have down here.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best regards.

  58. Jos,

    Hey, if you decide to visit Sarasota drop me a line. Always interested in meeting like-minded people in person. 🙂

    I think you’d have a great time here. Beautiful weather, beaches, and plenty of activities.

    Take care!

  59. Very cool that you decided to move back to Florida. That was unexpected! Seems to me that is a really good decision to make and you’ll end up being happier. The truth is, people change and your family members probably have changed since you were living in Florida, hence causing some tensions while you were in Michigan. Great to hear that you’re back with Claudia and the two of you have already reconnected.

  60. Brian,

    I know what you mean there. It’s funny how life moves on for us all, but that’s also a good thing. It would be quite a boring world if we all stood in one place. I’ve perhaps spread my wings a bit more than anyone else I know, and that’s partly because of my curious and relentless nature. Of course, it’s also that nature of mine that led me to want to see what was still left for me back in Michigan. Ultimately, I realized that while we’re all family, we all have very different and individual lives. And my life is back here at home in Florida.

    But I agree with you. I’m glad I came up for the summer, as it sounds like you’re glad you had that experience to revisit your past a little bit. I guess maybe it’s human nature to sometimes revisit the past and try to relive old memories. But you’re definitely right in that our focus should first and foremost always be on what’s ahead, because great things are still out there. I believe my best days are still yet ahead of me, but I’m glad I finally got whatever piece of me was still left back in Michigan out of there. Now it’s full steam ahead. 🙂

    Thanks for sharing that. Onward and upward, right?

    Best wishes!

  61. Debs,

    Oh, that would be great! Would love to meet up, if things align just right. I’m fairly flexible now with my new schedule, so that would be great. Hope you’re able to make it.

    I definitely won’t forget how wonderful and supportive my partner is. She let me see what was up there, and I realized that there was nothing to be found. I guess I left a piece of me back there when I left five years ago. Maybe I had to retrieve it. But I’m now completely here, and it feels great. 🙂

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best wishes.

  62. JC,

    Haha. Who knows what wintertime would have brought. I’ve lived through many long, cold winters in my day, but I don’t particularly have a desire to continue that! 🙂

    Thanks for the well wishes. It’s good to be back home where I belong. It was a really interesting summer, and I’ve learned a lot about life, love, happiness, and family. Every experience makes me a stronger and more intelligent person, and I no longer wonder what is left for me up there. So, all in all, this was a great experience, and it brought Claudia and I closer together.

    I hope all is well over there for you too, and you guys are doing well after the passing if your grandfather.

    Cheers.

  63. Tawcan,

    Couldn’t agree more. It’s a good thing that people change. Life wouldn’t be very interesting if we all still acted like we did when we were 20. But that change sometimes drives a wedge between people, for better or worse. And while I still love all of my family dearly, it’s obvious that we’ve moved in different directions. Again, that’s a good thing, but I don’t really fit in up there any more. Whereas I might be sad about that before, I’m now not sad about it at all. I’ve become very comfortable with what I’m doing and the life I’m living, and I’m extremely happy. Life is good for all of us. And though we may all live far apart, there’s still love there. 🙂

    Thanks for the support. Much appreciated!

    Best regards.

  64. I don’t know Jason! you’re a fickle ‘un.. 🙂 It was a brave thing to do to move away, but perhaps equally so to return? I await the news of a return to the car dealership soon. 🙂 Keep that belt tightened, and onwards & upwards!

  65. Nick,

    If you’re awaiting the news of a return to the car dealership I’m afraid you’ll be waiting for a long time.

    I find fickle a very strange definition for who I am and what I’ve done. I find it unlikely that someone who’s fickle would also demonstrate the relentless nature to save more than 50% of their net income for four years straight, write consistently for more than three years, and build an investment portfolio by investing month after month for years on end. And all of this in pursuit of a 12-year journey to financial independence…which means I’m setting aside 12 consistent years of my life to pursue freedom. In fact, I’d say that’s the complete opposite of fickle. 🙂

    Cheers!

  66. Hey Mantra,

    Congrats on the move back! Tax free state dividends sound awesome! It’s like a 10% ‘raise’ if I moved there as I live in California. Love the pictures and the post, and looking forward to your September dividends report, I know it’s gonna be a whopper.

    Take care,
    Mike

  67. Congrats on the move back to Florida and your decision, hopefully everything works out for you. It seems like you’re really happy and have made the right decision in moving back.

    I liked your process of elimination when referring back to when you first moved down to Florida and chose Sarasota. I’d have to agree with all of the choices except the waves part, as I do prefer the wave action you get from the Atlantic as opposed to the Gulf. That beach does look amazing though!

  68. Nice lil place. I am more keen on small towns than big cities now with a family. That sandwich looks damn tasty! Time to bark at my wife to fix me up one! Best of luck on the move back man. Its tough moving, hey at least you tried it out and dont live your life in fear. Good to hear you back with the woman. Strong men need a strong woman by their sides too!!!

  69. Micheal,

    I’ve heard California can be pretty brutal with the taxes and high cost of living. But if that’s where you’re happy… 🙂

    September’s dividend report is going to indeed be a whopper. I’m super excited about sharing that here pretty soon. Looks like I’ll be breaking all kinds of records, which is just amazing. The journey just gets better and better!

    Hope all is well over there. Thanks for stopping by.

    Best wishes.

  70. John,

    Hmm, that’s a good question.

    I don’t have a plan to right now. I find renting cheap, easy, and stress-free. At $925/month all-in, it would be tough to replicate our lifestyle at the same cost as homeowners. We might be able to find a house that would run on par with that after factoring everything in, but it would likely be outside the city or in a rough part of town – both of which come with certain lifestyle changes. And of course there would be the additional work of a house, which neither of us is particularly anxious for. So in the meanwhile we’ll continue to save money by renting and enjoy the easier lifestyle.

    I’ve long believed that I’m better off renting residential real estate and buying stocks, but who knows what would happen if the right deal came along. 🙂

    How about you guys? Do you own or rent your primary residence?

    Cheers!

  71. Debt Hater,

    Thanks so much! I am very, very happy. We have a renewed sense of appreciation of each other, Florida, our plan, and life in general. Not that we didn’t appreciate things before, but we’re really on the same page now. Life is good! 🙂

    I hear you there on the waves. That’s just a personal thing. And I probably prefer the calmer waters of the Gulf because I can’t swim. In addition, I prefer watching sunsets over sunrises at the beach, and the sunsets over here are amazing. But I’m quite sure there are some awesome beaches on the east side. I used to visit that side of the state a lot as a kid, though I haven’t been over there in years.

    Best regards!

  72. A-G,

    Behind every good man is a great woman, right? That’s definitely the case here. (Let’s hope she’s reading!) 🙂

    But I tried it out. In the end, it was a great summer vacation. I got to see my best friend and his family a few times, I saw my oldest sister (who I’m closest to up there) a few times, and checked in with my parents (who are wonderful). And then I came back to a beautiful city with a beautiful woman. All is good.

    Thanks for the support. Hope those REITs turn around for you! 🙂

    Cheers.

  73. DM,
    So happy for you and Claudia! Way to go! Sarasota seems like an amazing place to live, and definitely makes sense to invest in the people and city who have been so good to you. Very happy for you!
    Sincerely,
    Ian

  74. I think we’ve all had at least one major life-change that we had to quickly reverse course on. I wouldn’t dismiss the influence of the job you hated in Sarasota causing your nostalgia for Michigan to well up.

    I took a job in Birmingham, AL one time and knew within a week that I screwed up. I never even got rid of my packing boxes. Hit the road as quickly as I could.

  75. Ian,

    Thanks, man. You’ve been super supportive since the beginning. Really appreciate that.

    Claudia is the best investment I’ve ever made, and she’s likewise invested a lot in me. I’m really lucky.

    It seems you’re really happy with your wife as well over there. So glad to see that. I hope all continues to be great for you guys. 🙂

    Best wishes.

  76. Josh,

    I agree with you there. It was tough before with my schedule. I was getting up at 6:30 to go off to the dealership. Then it was dinner, exercise, and the blog when I got home. Before I knew it, it was 10:00. And it was like that every weekday for years. It was incredibly difficult and stressful, but I knew all the hard work would yield wonderful results. And that’s where I’m at now. There was light at the end of the tunnel, and I’m in the light now. 🙂

    Sorry to hear you had a decision you had to go back on as well, but such is life. Not every decision we make will be a good one, but the key is to learn from these experiences and grow. Life is one long learning lesson.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best wishes.

  77. Jason,

    This is the post I’ve been waiting for! What a great and adventurous summer it’s been for you full of so many ups and downs. BIG congrats on finding your way and realizing what you want in life. I can’t wait to hear more about the ‘future plans’ you and Claudia have, though I think I might have an idea 😉 She sounds like a patient, smart, kind, caring, loving, and very understanding person. You’re such a great guy and you really deserve someone like this.

    This time around, instead of being a slave to work all day long, then coming home and writing, doing research, and replying to comments, you’ll get to set your own hours and spend time with her and her son as soon as they come home. You’re living the good life now and can head back to see the family in Michigan whenever you have that itch, but don’t drive it, hehe. If you do, split it it up because I worry you’ll fall asleep behind the wheel!

    Wishing you continued success and happiness my friend!

    Have a great week,
    Ryan

  78. Hi Jason,

    Congratulations on making the move back. It sounds like you are on a very good path.

    Would you consider writing a post on your first 11 years of growing up? I think even though it may have been tough, it shaped your character to become into the person you are today.

    Best wishes,

    Mike

  79. Ryan,

    Thanks for the sweet words there. Claudia is next to me right now reading your comment. She’s smiling. She says you always leave nice comments. 🙂

    But you nailed it there. It was busy and stressful before. Today, I woke up with her and we had a great breakfast together. Then I took care of some writing and research while she went to work. When she came home, we talked and then cooked dinner together (chow mein). Tomorrow, I’m going to pick her up from work and we’re going to grab a coffee together. Life is wonderful, and it’s about as close to financial independence as it gets, though we just have to get her there too.

    Appreciate all the kind words. And Claudia said, “thank you.”

    Cheers!

  80. Great move! I’m happy for you. Going back to Michigan wasn’t a mistake. You felt you had to do it and you did. It was a courageous move. Coming back to Florida is another courageous move. Most people don’t have the courage to do what they feel is right or even to admit they made a mistake. You’re great!

    Here in Canada it’s getting colder… winter is on its way and I need to buy a new coat as soon as possible… brrrr Sarasota is tempting me… beaches, palm trees, the sun… ahhh but with only a 1000$ in dividends I can’t afford it yet!

    Best wishes!

  81. Mike H,

    Appreciate the support there. I’m definitely on a good path now!

    Hmm, that’s a good idea. I wouldn’t mind sharing that. However, it’s quite depressing. Those days were really, really bad. I’m honestly just glad I made it out of there alive, so every day is a gift now. But I’ll try and put something together at some point. It would be far more than a post, but probably rather 10-15 posts or so. Maybe I just need to write a book. 🙂

    Thanks for stopping by.

    Best regards.

  82. Allan,

    We all make mistakes. I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong, and the move up was a bad idea. I’m glad I did it because I’ll no longer wonder what would/could have been, but I do regret putting my partner through some difficulties. She’s been great through the whole thing, and has been really supportive. She’s glad I went up and spent the summer with family, but she’s also really glad that we’re moving forward toward some really great plans together. In the end, the whole episode made us a lot stronger. 🙂

    I hope you guys have a light winter up there this year. Not sure how it was over by you, but Michigan got absolutely hammered last year, along with most of the country. They broke some records for snow and cold, so I hope it’s mild for you. I’m sure you could use a break. Of course, maybe that’ll motivate you to move down here! Haha.

    Cheers.

  83. I live in the Sarasota area and love it! I grew up in South Florida and lived in central Florida for several years before moving over here a few years ago. I agree that the area has enough going on that there is always something to do but I like that it’s not crazy busy or densely populated like Miami. I’ll have to try some of your restaurant recommendations! There is definitely no shortage of good place to eat here.

  84. I will be going to Disney for Christmas. You cannot go wrong with Florida. If I did not live where I currently live, I think Florida would be my choice. I enjoy the Orlando and Tampa areas tramendously. I have been to Sarasota and then as far as Punta Gorda when Charley hit the area. You can’t go wrong regardless of where you go. Good luck on your move back.

    Keep cranking,

    Robert the DividendDreamer

  85. Dave,

    Glad to be in the same area. I definitely agree this area has a nice balance of activities and beauty with a fairly low population. The winter can get a little crowded, but I’m sure it’s nothing like the Miami metro area.

    And there’s a ton of restaurants. We haven’t been to any of the real expensive places in town, but we do enjoy Mattison’s. Their regular menu can be a tad pricey, but their $5 appetizers are awesome.

    Best regards!

  86. Robert,

    Thanks for the support. I agree you really can’t go wrong with Florida. I used to come here when I was a child, and kind of fell in love with it. Palm trees, beautiful sunsets, cheap seafood, awesome beaches, and it’s cheap. It’s a very approachable and affordable version of paradise. I’ll always hold Michigan in a special place in my heart because I grew up there, but whatever piece of me I left up there is now gone.

    Have fun at Disney! 🙂

    Best wishes.

  87. Bummer! I was hoping to get to meet you while you lived in AA. I’m only 45 minutes away in Metro Detroit. I understand your move. To be financially independent, but to not enjoy everyday life doesn’t make any sense.

    I was living in Milwaukee for a few years. I had a great job, and was on the path to success. My wife and I both wanted to be in Michigan, so I had to make some sacrifices. I don’t regret any of them.

    Perhaps I’ll take a vacation to Florida and come visit HAHA!

  88. Jason,

    You’ve come out the other side all the more stronger. I’m sorry to hear that you had to go through suffering, and am very happy that you were able to get on a better path and still have compassion towards others who may be in bad places.

    Take care and keep on keeping on!

    -Mike

  89. Steve,

    Hey, sorry about that. But if you’re ever looking to escape the winter doldrums, Sarasota is a great spot! 🙂

    I’ve heard good things about Milwaukee, that the city has really improved in recent years. Never been there, but I always planned to go. I hope you guys stay safe and continue to enjoy your time in Metro Detroit. 🙂

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Take care.

  90. Cedric,

    Thanks!

    I agree; it’s tough to beat Florida. I mean the only drawback I commonly hear people discuss about living here is the hot summer weather, but it’s really not all that extremely different from what a hot summer is like up in the Midwest or up North. There might be some area-specific drawbacks, like a high cost of living near Boca Raton or Fort Lauderdale, or maybe some language barriers in Miami. But there are drawbacks everywhere. I just think the benefits of living here far outweigh those drawbacks. 🙂

    Best of luck with that franchise. I hope it works out for you!

    Cheers.

  91. My girlfriend and I vacationed on Siesta Key about 5 years ago and I was interested in buying a vacation home there since the real estate market had declined so much. I am glad I did not buy the second home, because that freed up my capital for better investments in stocks.

    I really liked the slow pace of life feel there and we are thinking about coming this winter for another vacation. I also would consider moving their when I retire or I am FI.

    Good choice moving back to the warm weather and beaches. That way you don’t need to spend money like myself to vacation in a place like that in the winter to get away from the cold Chicago weather 🙂

    Good Luck,
    Peter

  92. Great news for you. Lucky to miss out on the winter just as it started heading into the cooler months.

    Home really is where the heart is. I’m glad you were able to reconcile with your partner and have a newfound appreciation and bond that is proven to be very strong. What’s FI without someone to share it with?

    The even better thing is that there really isn’t much stopping you from visiting for extended periods of time in the future. If you decided you wanted to be around for a few months while your new niece/nephew comes along, FI let’s you pack a bag and go to Michigan for a few weeks (or longer). Not being tied to a location by a job makes freedom feel even sweeter. I look forward to being a nomad someday. I plan to have my own home and property, but look forward to being able to travel short (or long) distances for weeks at a time. It sure will be a nice change from the long weekend and week-long trips while still working.

    Good luck with it all! Looking forward to seeing the new financial plan with the partner. There’s no greater feeling in the world than a great friend to come along for the ride.

  93. We recently purchased our home in May of this year. Being a home owner comes with plenty of pros and cons but it’s nice to know there is some equity being built in your name.

    Thanks for the inspiration.

  94. Jason,
    Big fan of your blog, I’ve been reading it for about 2 years! Great, diverse columns that are always easy to read, which is great since I only have a short lunch to do so.
    I’m glad to hear that you’re back in Florida and back with your girlfriend. I wondered how the experiment of moving back home would go when you first posted about it. I understand your reason for wanting to be around family, but as you well know when you’re chasing financial independence not everyone sees things the way you do and when you’ve had success there can be resentment as you’ve experienced. My wife and I moved away from my family in 2000 (for school) then we stayed away when I graduated and as much as I love my family I would never go back unless my mother was in poor health and really needed me. Although we didn’t choose the glamorous state of Florida 🙂 to make our permanent home (there are many days that I wish we would have chosen a warmer locale) we’re happy in Kansas City.
    Basically I want to say congrats, good luck and keep up the great work. My in-laws just bought a home in Bradenton so maybe I’ll run into you down there sometime while we’re there visiting.
    Again, best of luck,
    Chad

  95. Peter,

    That’s a great point there about not needing to vacation anywhere warm/tropical in the winters. That’s definitely something that comes to mind when thinking of why I live here. 🙂

    There’s definitely a slower pace of life here, as I think is common in most tropical places. We’re certainly not on “island time”, but it’s noticeably slower here than back in Michigan. Just my experience with it. I hope you guys find a way to eventually make it down in retirement, or even for another winter vacation. That would be a welcome respite from the weather/pace of life up in Chicago.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Best regards.

  96. Ravi,

    Indeed. Financial independence is probably a much less rich experience without someone to share it with, and I’m excited to share it with her. 🙂

    And you’re right. There’s nothing really stopping me from visiting friends and family back in Michigan for extended periods of time, either now or once I’m financially free. It was always sad to go up for just a day or two and then have to fly right back due to time constraints, but those constraints are largely gone now. I should have really considered that option more strongly before I headed up, but I no longer have to wonder what could/would have been.

    Appreciate the support. The great thing about this journey is that not only do I have a great partner to share it with, but I’ve also got this wonderful community. I’m really proud and grateful of the community we’ve built over the last few years, which makes everything a lot easier!

    Hope everything remains well over there for your journey. And I also hope you’re able to share the journey/reward with a great friend. 🙂

    Best wishes.

  97. Wow

    Did I miss a few posts.

    I’m a little older than you and another 5-6 hours North. I remember my parents dragged me to Fla. many years ago to originally buy a lot in south Fla. That turned into a nice big house in Ft. Myers with a half acre lot already built. That turned into many a vacation there. Your words above “Florida is a paradise” ring true. There is something about the air, the sun, 99.9% of the people there that is special. Maybe it’s because there are so many people that moved from colder climates, harder lives, and “snowbirds” on vacation that are there to just enjoy their time getting away from the rat race that make it this way.

    At night you can go to an open air mall like Gulf coast or Coconut Point with your shorts and sandals on and have a nice dinner, watch some sports or movie. You can have a few drinks, sometimes a local band plays on weekends for free. There is always some kind of “special” somewhere, and you can do this for a reasonable cost. You feel safe and its a nice atmosphere where you can wind down. A couple of hours car ride in any direction offers you a multitude of new places to visit. From rockets to gators, to a jet ski around Sanibel Island where you can actually see dolphins jumping around. It’s hard to beat…

    I have traveled to a lot of places in the US and like you have found it’s hard to beat Fla. I have a plan to downsize here and have a small place down there again soon as well. (Some cars cost more then some great 1000sq ft little 2 bdrm condo’s there with only a $250.00 maint. fee). I hope all my dividend investing and planning to date will be enough to cover all my costs and it won’t be too much longer before I believe I can successfully do this.

    Your story this summer couldn’t have been scripted better if you tried. I hope it works out for you long term. Life has a way of throwing unexpected twists at you. I wish you and the GF nothing but the best.

  98. Chad,

    Thanks for the support. Sounds like we’re kindred spirits there in our experiences. 🙂

    I’m glad that you’ve experienced success far away from where you’re originally from, and have made Kansas City your new home. Home is truly where the heart is, and where we grew up isn’t always it. I used to have this idea in my head when I was much younger that it would be so great to live within a few miles or so from family, like you see in sitcoms. I see myself as someone who loves my family very much, and would do anything for them. So living within a close proximity made a lot of sense. However, reality doesn’t quite work like that. I realized that family will always be family, and there will always be love there. But living close just doesn’t make sense, as time has a way of shaping people in different ways. It’s good to grow and change, but equally so it’s good to pursue what makes you happy, even when that means you’re far away. Such is life. 🙂

    Thanks for the well wishes. Really appreciate it. Equally so, I wish you and your family the best of luck there in KC. And maybe we’ll meet up sometime if you find yourself in Bradenton.

    Cheers!

  99. I could not agree more. There is definitely something in the air there. It sounds like we have exactly the same plans.

  100. Paul,

    Great stuff there. I feel the same about Florida. I truly love it here, and it’s a wonderful place to live a slower pace of life full of sunshine, blue skies, warm water, beautiful beaches, nice breezes, and generally happy people. I agree with you that it’s likely that people are happy to live here because they come from everywhere else. You always hear how nobody is from Florida, but that’s probably because people choose to live here. They make a choice to come.

    I feel bad I left this summer. I love it here, and I purposely chose this area out of anywhere else in the US back in 2009. I guess I let my love for my family and my guilt for leaving everyone all those years ago cloud my better judgement. In the end, I now know without a doubt where I belong and where I’m happiest. And that’s a wonderful feeling. I’ll always miss family, but I miss it more here when I’m far away. 🙂

    I hope you’re able to settle down here. You can indeed find some pretty attractively priced condos in many cities. I’ve always been leery of condo ownership for a number of reasons, but there’s no doubt that they’re cheaper than similarly sized houses in a lot of cases down here in large part due to the supply. There’s condos everywhere here in Sarasota.

    Best wishes!

  101. Congratulations, Jason! It sounds like you’re making the right decision. Living in the Southeast, I definitely don’t miss the brutal winters I grew up with. Also, I love living in a state without income tax! I’ve wondered what it would be like if I ever moved home (Massachusetts), but it’s obvious that my life isn’t there anymore. In addition to being outrageously expensive, most of my friends have moved on with their lives. Even when I’m home for the holidays, it’s not the same as when I was in high school and college.

  102. I am sorry for your family connections that it did not work out. It sounded like your sister and her family were OK with the blog and the success you found financially. I don’t doubt that my kids will all have different levels of success and I hope to teach them that is OK. Will you be applying anything you learned in helping to raise the boy in Florida with your sig other?

  103. Kate,

    Sounds like you and I are in a very similar situation. We may think that home is just like it was when we were growing up, but it’s not. People change and start their own lives, and that’s a wonderful thing. Sometimes you just don’t really fit into those lives very well, and that’s okay too. The key is to chase happiness, no matter where that may lead you. 🙂

    Appreciate the support. Thank you very much. I hope you’re still enjoying the part-time gig!

    Best wishes.

  104. tuliptown,

    It’s unfortunate that some of my family members weren’t quite comfortable with my lifestyle and success, but such is life. All it did was really speed things up in regards to my return to Florida. So everything worked out as it should have. 🙂

    That’s a good question there about my girlfriend’s son. I’ll be honest and tell you that while I have input and recommendations from time to time, Claudia and I both prefer it that she raises him as she sees fit. Ultimately, he’s not my child and we’re both quick to recognize that. He’s autistic, and she’s doing a great job. I’ve been around a bad mom (my mother) and a great mom (my aunt, who adopted me), and I think she’s a wonderful mom. I’m there for both of them, and I support her 100%.

    Thanks for stopping by!

    Cheers.

  105. Jason,

    The first time I went with my wife to Florida was in 1992. We took a ride all thw way there, just so I could take her to Disney for 1 day and come back. I have been going for over 40 years now, but our ritual started then. We went right back about a month later and what you describe is exactly how it seemed all over. It was truly perfect in most ways. That is how I see it, and that is why I stop in little towns each year and see how the locals feel. I do not know yet if most feel the way I do because it might be that I am still a tourist and they actually live there and have to work while I am having fun. Well, have fun and enjoy the beaches. I might give you a shout if I make it that way. It is a tight schedule with the trip being during Christmas. Good luck.

    Keep cranking,

    Robert the DividendDreamer

  106. Hello Jason (aka Dividend Mantra),
    I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time now but this is the first time that I have commented. I enjoy your insights and personal sharing and I found them valuable and informative. Your blog connects on both an
    intellectual and emotional level. And equally valuable for me has been the comment streams that accompany your articles. I think these comment streams provide an important free exchange of ideas and thoughts.
    But yesterday, I perused a sarcastic, rude comment which questioned both your recent ambivalence and the lack of balance in the comments themselves. The writer expressed himself in a crude, uneducated manner. I think his name was Hans/Hanz or a similar name. I was motivated to respond to the comment; however, when I pulled up the comment stream for this article today, I noticed the comment was gone. Please excuse my inquiry but I am curious if you censored the comment. Did you remove it from your blog? Again, I do not wish to impose and I do respect your right to maintain your blog as you see fit. Mary

  107. Our family vacationed in that area of Florida a few years ago and we loved it! Another PRO of living there (if it hasn’t been mentioned already) ….fresh, local fruit – very important for those of us trying to eat healthier food!

  108. (comment continued) However, I am an ardent believer that we personally and as a society best fulfill our potential when we have a free exchange of thoughts and ideas (even if those thoughts and ideas we find personally offensive, distasteful or insulting). If they are as such, I think we gain by effectively rebutting them rather than censoring them. That was what I was intending to do with this gentlemen’s comment by replying to it and I was hoping you would provide an effective reply as well. I do recall his comment being sarcastic, ignorant and rude but I do not believe he said anything that could be construed as threatening or criminal. As such, I would have much preferred that you and/or other commenters rebutted his thesis rather than censoring it.
    Again, I do not intend any offense by questioning your actions and I respect your right to maintain your blog. But I have always and continue to be a staunch advocateof the free exchange of thoughts, ideas and speech. Thank you for your time and consideration of my comment. Mary

  109. Kevin,

    Great point about the fruit. I’m not a huge fruit consumer, but my girlfriend LOVES her fruit. We go down to the local farmer’s market all the time, and she loves to get fruit and/or veggies there once in a while. But she’s much better about eating her fruits and veggies than I am. I’m getting better in that regard every day, however. 🙂

    I hope you’re able to make it down again sometime!

    Cheers.

  110. Mary,

    That was the first time I’ve deleted a comment. I also believe in free speech, and I really hate having to censor ideas/comments/speech.

    But I deleted it because he’s commented here before, and it’s always the same repetitive drivel. I don’t mind those that disagree with what I’m doing or who I am, but rudely attacking me using false information over and over and over again is not only not constructive or helpful, but it actually distracts from the content. I’ve left his other comments up on the blog where he’s otherwise posted, but at some point I have to end the rebuttals. If you want to read his comments I can point you in the direction of his other comments which it seems are copied and pasted. I’m way too busy to argue with a simpleton, especially when their ideas/opinions are the same as they were before I offered my rebuttal. It’s quite pointless, and, again, detracts from the content.

    Thanks for the support!

    Cheers.

  111. Wow, with those temperatures and no state income tax that would be hard to beat. I know a few people who venture down to Florida regularly during the winter to escape the cold temperatures. I can’t say I blame them!

  112. Jason, Glad to hear that you are back in FL with Claudia. Its nice feeling to be back in sunny city 🙂 which brightens the mood as well 😉

    Next I want to hear wedding bells ringing soon!

    Best wishes.

  113. Dan,

    It’s definitely tough to beat. I guess I’m the only one in my extended family that sees how wonderful it is down here. 🙂

    It’s like being on vacation all the time, which is really wonderful. I’m incredibly lucky.

    I hope all is well over there. Thanks for stopping by!!

    Take care.

  114. PIM,

    It definitely brightens the mood! I believe I suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which makes it difficult for me to live somewhere cold and gray. The sunshine and warmth down here has a great effect on my mood.

    And those wedding bells will be coming soon enough. We’re excited, and you’ll hear it first! 🙂

    Keep up the great work over there.

    Cheers.

  115. Great post! Can’t be happier that you are, again, in your path. That time with family shaked you but, I think, thats the way we move on.

    By the way, the beaches are awesomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  116. Trader,

    Thanks so much! Appreciate the support. 🙂

    The beaches are indeed awesome around here. I guess I took it for granted before, but I won’t anymore. I’m lucky to be here and incredibly grateful for it.

    I hope all is well over there!!

    Cheers.

  117. Congrats on your move. I am just curious about the no Florida income tax. Is it really that big of a deal? I have heard that although there is no inocme tax, the property taxes and other taxes such as car taxes are over the top. In other words, you may be getting a break on one tax, but they are making it up somewhere else so it is a wash. An interesting topic would be where you compare the true ramifications of taxes, say Michigan vs. Florida since you are familiar with both, would be worthwhile.

  118. Good points there
    Water, electricity and insurance are all very expensive there. Property tax was high but many homes taxes were reduced when the recession hit them. When you aren’t a resident they actually charge you more for some of these costs, which I feel is unfair and may deter some people from purchasing properties there.

  119. To take it one step further, is Dividend Mantra’s dividend income exempt from taxes as well, or taxes at a much lower rate on a state basis? I will defer to Dividend Mantra, but once again, I would like to see a nuts and bolts comparison between a reputed high tax state (Michigan?) and a supposed low tax one (Florida?).The question is, does the no state income tax really make much of a diifference when you inlcude all the other user/junk state taxes that may not be in existnece in other states?

  120. You do trip reports better than half the travel bloggers out there! We’ve been having the itch to move to Florida one day ourselves once my wife finishes school. I was down there for an internship during school in the winter and it was amazing. I’m used to New York and DC weather in the winter so I was really loving it. Great post once again.

  121. Jason,
    Congratulations on your move back to Florida. Not sure why but I was sad for you when I read you were moving back to the cold, nasty winters of Michigan. You seem excited about your move back. Keep it up – You’ll do great!

  122. wtd7576,

    It actually is a big deal.

    Michigan charges a 4.25% income tax rate. That’s pretty substantial. If you’re earning, say, $50k per year, that’s over $2,000 you’re sending out to the state. Florida charges 0%.

    State sales tax is almost a wash. Both charge 6%. Some counties in Florida charge a county sales tax above this. Sarasota county (where I’m at) charges an additional 1%.

    Property taxes obviously vary substantially by county, but I’ve found them to be fairly similar when comparing apples to apples. I rent, so this doesn’t apply to me. And rent is less expensive here than in Ann Arbor, but slightly more expensive than in Grand Rapids. Neither is really easy to compare to Sarasota. Different cities altogether. Again, depends on the city. But I find, in general, rent is similar or slightly less expensive in my area compared to the cities I’ve lived in up in Michigan or have had interest in living in. Rent in Detroit would be a lot cheaper than Sarasota, but Detroit isn’t desirable for me. Furthermore, we could live very cheaply inland near the swamps.

    I believe the lack income tax to be a fairly substantial advantage here, especially since 10 years from now I’ll likely be earning $20k/year in dividends. Another decade after that and it might double that. So we’re talking thousands of dollars per year here out the door.

    I hope that helps!

    Cheers.

  123. Paul N,

    I’ve rented apartments in FL and MI. I find water and electricity the same. In fact, I spent more on electricity up in Michigan for smaller apartments. Although, I keep my apartment quite warm here in FL because I like it that way. So that might factor in. And I’ve never purchased property, but I’ve taken a look and found property taxes fairly similar for houses that are priced the same in similar areas. Just my experience.

    Cheers!

  124. wtd7576,

    Dividend income is not taxed here in Florida. As far as I’m aware, dividends are taxed at full pop in Michigan.

    I already did a comparison under your other comment. I’ve lived independently in both states for substantial periods of time and find FL to be substantially cheaper in regards to taxes. Just my experience from someone who’s lived in both states.

    Cheers!

  125. Syed,

    Thanks! I’m not really good at taking pictures, but I only write about locations when the passion is there. And I have a lot of passion about Sarasota. I think it’s a great place to live. There are drawbacks like anywhere else, but I think the benefits significantly outweigh the drawbacks. If my family wasn’t up in Michigan I would have never even thought about leaving here.

    Thanks for dropping by!

    Cheers.

  126. Carlos,

    Thanks so much for the support. I really appreciate it!!

    I’m definitely happy. Claudia and I were moving in different directions there for a bit, no doubt due to my feelings about missing family and our busy schedules. But things have slowed way down and we’re now on the same page. Things are wonderful. Both my professional life and personal life are now firing on all cylinders. 🙂

    I hope you’re just as happy as I am!

    Best wishes.

  127. Thank you for your reply. Yes, if you could please point me in the direction of those comments, I would appreciate it. I tried a brief Google Search but was unable to locate them and I don’t want to spend too much time researching them. How many previous posts has he left if I may ask? Mary

  128. Mary,

    I can’t find all of his comments because he might post from different computers. But here’s one as you wish:

    https://www.dividendmantra.com/2014/06/blogging-about-blogging/#comment-38250

    You’ll notice that I gave him a warning in my response to him. And I’ll do the same for you. I know you mentioned you haven’t commented here before, so I do find it interesting that you’re using your first dialogue with me to chase down old comments. I’m not interested in arguing with people over and over again, and I’m not interested in others riling up old comments/posts. It distracts from the content, especially when the comment is belligerent. So please tread carefully there.

    Cheers!

  129. Thanks for the comparison. I live in suburban Cleveland and actually enjoy the 4 seasons, so no full time move to FLA for me. However, I think Ohio may have a much lower state tax than Michigan, as I recall approximately 1.5 % or so starting and then goes up gradually only when you reach much higher perhaps 6 figure income to approach Michigan. My own preference in investing is through income/dividend oriented mutual funds such as the ones that Fidelity offers and the like. I just don’t have the comfort level in picking individual stocks anymore, but I am envious because you have time on your side. I thoroughly enjoy your analysis and reasoning! Continued good luck.

  130. Jason:
    So glad to hear that you made a move toward being happy. In the end, that’s really what it’s all about. I must say, that sandwich looks to be outstanding! On the flip side, I had always hoped that we would meet one day over an excessively large pizza. Dang…. missed my opportunity.

    Now that retirement is very near, I’ll admit to daydreaming about moving to either Florida or Arizona. Michigan is just getting depressing. Not only does the weather stink (especially winter), but I think they have very little respect for seniors. For many years, people were lead to believe that their pensions wouldn’t be taxed and they planned accordingly. Literally 3 months after my wife retired and 3 years before I planned to retire, they surprise us with an income tax. We find that our retirement income has now decreased by over 4% and there is little we can do now to adapt or plan for it. Basically, we just have to spend less in perpetuity.

    Arizona doesn’t quite compare to Florida for low taxes, but they are definitely lower than Michigan. They also have some of the lowest property taxes in the U.S., with Michigan being the opposite (about twice as high). Still, I have fantasies about buying a home in the desert area and never again mowing grass. 🙂

    I don’t know if we will ever actually get serious about moving, but we will be taking some trips in the future. Perhaps we’ll check out real estate options as part of the trip. If we move to Sarasota, you will need to take me to lunch. I want one of those sandwiches!!

    Enjoy your return to “home”.

    Steve

  131. Steve,

    Hey, I’m sorry we didn’t get to meet over a pizza. That sucks!

    Terribly sorry to hear about the taxation there. That’s unfortunate not only because it’s less money in your pocket, but also because you weren’t planning for it. They kind of pulled the rug out from underneath you there.

    Sounds like you really want to be in Arizona. Maybe that’s something you guys need to check out. I personally think the Southwest is beautiful. I’ve been out to Nevada a couple of times, and really enjoyed the beauty of the area. Arizona seems nice as well. I remember reading that Yuma is the sunniest place on Earth. And I thought it was sunny here!

    Thanks for stopping by. If you guys do decide to come down this way I’d be happy to take you out for one of those sandwiches. And they’re as good as they look. 🙂

    Cheers!

  132. DM,

    Congratulations on your decision to move back to Florida. I know financial independence is important and a major driver of your life, but it is just important if not more important to spend as much time with and create as many memories with the person you love. While the Midwest is great, it sounds like you have found the best possible place to live for you. The list of pros was much greater than the cons. The only Pro you need anyways to justify a move from Michigan to Florida is not having to deal with the snow!

    I am excited to read more about your move, your new adventures and memories in Sarasota, and your continued march towards financial independence. What makes me the happiest as a blogging friend is that you have are sharing this journey with your better half.

    Congrats and best of luck.

    Bert, One of the Dividend Diplomats

  133. Bert,

    Thanks for the support, bud. I really appreciate it.

    I’ve definitely found where I’m happiest. I knew that even before I left, and I probably shouldn’t have left in the first place. But I guess I left a small piece of myself back up in Michigan. I suppose this was a sense of closure. I’ve moved on. In the end, it was actually a great decision. It brought my partner and I closer together, and we’re on the same page in regards to the journey toward FI. Furthermore, I had a great “summer vacation” up in Michigan, and had a great time, for the most part. It was good to see my best friend a few times, and I also spent some considerable time with my oldest sister, who I’m quite close to. Of course, it was also nice to see my parents.

    I’m excited to introduce Claudia to the audience at some point. She’s been super supportive since the beginning, and I doubt I’d be as far along as I am now without her.

    Thanks again for stopping by. Keep up the great work over there! And if you ever need a respite from the winter snow you can always come on down to Sarasota! 🙂

    Best wishes.

  134. DFG,

    She’s definitely a keeper. I’m a VERY lucky guy. 🙂

    She knew all along what was going to happen. She’s a wise and loving woman.

    Thanks for dropping by!

    Best wishes.

  135. Hi Jason,

    The timing of your move back to FL was both good and bad.

    The good is that you beat the cold front that is coming in tonight. The real feel should be about 30°F. Ouch!

    The bad is that we were hoping to visit you and take you out for lunch before you left. Opps!

    But it’s good that you were able to visit MI and realize that’s not home anymore. It sounds like everything is going well for you back in FL.

    Keep up the writing… we still have so many questions!

  136. Oh thats why you have ALL this positve comments! Because you delete all the negative ones! Good job Jason, go on!

  137. mikeschn,

    Aww, sorry we missed out on the lunch meeting! That’s most unfortunate.

    Things are definitely going incredibly well here in FL. I truly could not be happier.

    I appreciate the support very much. And I plan to continue writing for many years to come, so please continue to stick around! 🙂

    Best regards.

  138. Sam,

    Is that the name you’re going by for this comment? I’ve tracked down your other comments and they all follow the same idiotic formula. Can you come up with anything new, or is that beyond your intelligence?

    I try not to delete comments, because I believe in free speech. But I assume that speech is coming from an intelligent life form. I’ll give you the same warning I’ve given others. If you come by here just to spout off drivel that has nothing to do with the topic at hand it’ll be your last comment.

    I’m now back off to chasing after financial freedom. 🙂

    Cheers.

  139. I think it’s so cute how you and your girlfriend got back together. What do you mean that you’re different from everyone else? Well at least you took a chance and went back home to figure things out for a bit. I think that its better to take risks than to wonder, “What If?”

    I don’t think you should feel bad for moving to Michigan for a bit, it sounds to me like your relationship with your partner got stronger. It seems that you two were tested and got back together anyway, you discovered you no longer belong there, and I believe when you look back on your life this period in MI will seem like the blink of an eye compared to the rest of your life. It’s not like it was a forever decision that you couldn’t amend.

    Besides everything worked out so no reason to feel bad. =)

  140. Lila,

    Thanks for the support!

    You’re absolutely right. This whole adventure definitely brought Claudia and I closer together. We’re spending way more time together, and I’m no longer between two places. I’m firmly here, and here is home. 🙂

    And it wasn’t a decision that I had to stick with for some reason. I do things out of a desire to maximize happiness, and so I realized through the whole episode that I’m happiest down here in Florida. I’m just lucky that I have an understanding and supportive partner. There was only one day the entire time I was up there that we didn’t speak by phone. She just wants me to be happy, and the desire is obviously mutual. I guess I thought she would see the light and follow me up, but she was right and the light’s much brighter where the sun shines year round.

    Thanks again! Appreciate the kind words.

    Best regards.

  141. Jason,
    Rough week at work, got demoted but didn’t lose pay. (Demoting the ‘old timers’ just before they retire is not unusual where I work, but it doesn’t make it any easier to take when it happens.) Anyway, just got around to reading this post.

    Karen and I still have Florida on the potential retirement home list, but it would most likely be Ocala. I’ve never been to Sarasota, but it sounds much nicer than Ocala. I really love Michigan, but Karen’s family is entirely in Florida and my parents and siblings have all passed away, so Florida equals family in my case. We could end up staying where we are if our daughters stay in Michigan, but if they move elsewhere we are headed south.

    You know the old saying, home is where the heart is. Sounds like you listened to your heart and are in the right place. Best of luck!
    KeithX

  142. KeithX,

    Hey, sorry to hear about the “demotion”, but glad the pay is still the same. Maybe less responsibility while earning the same amount of cash isn’t a bad thing? 🙂

    I’ve never been to Ocala. Seems nice, though. It’s roughly the same size as Sarasota, but more centrally located. Of course, centrally located also means you’re not particularly close to the coast. That comes with benefits (less costly) and drawbacks (no beach). All in all, I’ve never heard any bad things about Ocala.

    Home is definitely where the heart is. I guess my situation didn’t quite work out like yours; Claudia stayed firm on her desire to say put. Worked out for the best, however.

    Thanks for stopping by. I hope everything at works stays okay for you until you’re ready to move on!

    Best wishes.

  143. Just caught up with your blog…wow, some changes in your life!! I had seriously doubted your mental state when you decided to move to Michigan, but Im so glad you came to your senses and came back here. Theres no place like home! Ive not been to Sarasota, Ill have to see how far it is from Ocala. Sounds like a fun trip to make.

  144. anne,

    Haha! I don’t blame you for doubting my mental state. I suppose I went up there looking for home, but home was where I left. I’m back. 🙂

    Ocala isn’t far from here. I believe you’re about two hours or so. Never really been through there, but I hear it’s nice. I’ve always wanted to live near the coast, but that comes with additional costs.

    Cheers!

Leave a Reply