Located in Ontario Canada.
Edit: I didnβt think this would get attention like it did. I added my location as I thought maybe 1-2 people may toss me a link.
Just want to say THANK YOU to everyone.
My pain is minor but I can feel it acting up a tiny bit with the colder months so I was trying to think ahead.
I will certainly look into self help / professional help for stretches, exercises etc and no brace!
Again, thank you all for the great comments and recommendations. Really appreciate it
**EDIT: THANKS FOR ALL OF THE INSIGHTFUL COMMENTS. I READ EVERY ONE, EVEN IF I DIDN'T REPLY.**Female, with no health conditions, will be 66 in March(full retirement date 66+2months, so, June 1,2021). I started Medicare this January and have a no-fee Advantage Plan. I have a total of just over $400,000 in all of my accounts total (403B, savings, mutual funds, small IRA). When I retire, I will get $2400/month SS. MY PLAN: pay off the mortgage of $25,000 now. Quit my job (currently at $60,000/yr) in April or May 2021, use my personal leave time (300hrs) for income until SS kicks in (June) and come away with a bigger cushion in savings from excessive leave time they will pay out (I own a house, I want a bigger cushion!). My budget says I can actually live on the SS with a $1000/month draw from 403B, giving me $40,800/yr to live on (and that's with over budgeting). Yes, I'm aware that I will forfeit the "8%" increase if I were to wait until I'm 70 to draw SS. But doesn't it make more sense to do it this way? If I were to pull out $40,800/yr (to live on) from my $300,000 retirement fund to live on, I'd spend $142,800 of it (almost half) just in those 3.5 years. With this plan, I'm only using $3500 from my retirement plan $$. Thoughts? Opinions?
ONE MORE THING: although I'm healthy, I work in a frontline position in a hospital, I'm being exposed to COVID, with "proper" PPE, many times a shift. Yes, I've started my shot series. We are being overwhelmed with COVID at this point. For the past few years, I've always said I had 2 goals: #1. don't get hurt #2. don't get fired. Now I add #3. don't get sick.
EDITED to add: the house is worth at least $180,000 and I'm always considering selling, and yes, I should downsize. I'm already working reduced hours (33 hrs/week). And I can easily live off of that. I'm not a shopper, I'm not a spender, I've always been frugal and quite frankly, have most everything I need. My biggest budget allocation will be food, I feed myself very well, at home, with restaurant meals only 2-3 times a month (even before COVID). I want out of the environment I'm walking into constantly. I think this is my way out.
EDIT (AGAIN). wow, awards!
