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Feb. 5, 2022

E70 Retiring in Vero Beach, Florida

E70 Retiring in Vero Beach, Florida

You retire with limited income and savings and don’t wish to live overseas, what do you do? Consider “senior housing?” Joan and Steven Reid moved from a small apartment in the affluent community of Pearl River, New York, to a senior housing complex in Vero Beach, Florida. In this community, the Reids pay under $900 a month for a very nice 2 bedroom apartment with a pool in the complex. The catch - to qualify for their unit - is that they have to be 62 years or older, have limited assets but enough in income or assets to afford the rent. Find out more about the Reids’ road to affordable living in Vero Beach, Florida on Episode 70 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.

Joan B. Reid’s book is Joyful Passage: A Woman’s Path to Retirement.

The Reids were the subject of two articles in NextAvenue.org:

  1. Retiring on a Shoestring: How one couple is doing it, and what financial advisers suggest; and 
  2. Retiring on a Shoestring: How it’s Going 2 Years Later.

Joan Reid

Author

Joan Reid was born in NYC and raised in Northern New Jersey. She graduated from Upsala College and did post-graduate work at Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. She wore numerous hats in education; publishing; and public relations; she was a college financial aid counselor; library page and writer. She also volunteered teaching English to non-English speakers. About teaching English, Joan said, “I tortured a mother of 4 from Ecuador, she gave me so much more.” For fun, Joan hosted an internet radio show, for 2 years, called Cool on the Groove. And Joan plays MahJong twice a month. In July of this year, 2021, Joan Reid published a book titled Joyful Passage: A Woman’s Path to Retirement. While reading the book, I couldn’t stop thinking of Gil and what she has been going through after her recent retirement. Most reminiscent of Gil is the chapter titled “Worry.” GIl seems to have been born a worrier, but I assumed that after her retirement her worrying would subside. It has not, she just worries about different things now. Joan’s book is spot-on in its treatment of worrying and other aspects of post-retirement.
Steve Reid, was born and raised in Scotland. He immigrated to New Jersey around the age of 15. He studied at the Art Students League of NY and the NY Botanical Garden. He was a drummer in a rock group; jazz percussionist; floral designer; and visual artist. He sat on international florist panels, and did floral designs at 60 Minutes and floral arrangements for Pat Nixon when the Nixons resided in Saddle River, NJ. Since moving to Vero Beach writing opportunities have inc… Read More