The cost of a retirement facility is no small chunk of change. Although most retirees yearn to live in well-kept apartments and other facilities that provide them with a pleasant environment following their working years, the harsh reality is that it’s not always an affordable option.
For 64-year-old Terry Robison, of Spring, Texas, the exorbitant cost of retirement real estate inspired him to plan out his retirement in a far more hilarious—and potentially genius—way.
Robison posted on Facebook that he and his wife, Renee, have decided to save themselves some cash and, instead of heading for a retirement home, pack up to stay long-term at a Holiday Inn.
“No nursing home for us,” he wrote. “We'll be checking in to a Holiday Inn!”
He went on to explain that the average nursing home care costs are $188 per day, which adds up to around $5,640 per month and over $68,000 per year. At a Holiday Inn, though, he and his wife are able to capitalize on both a long-term stay discount and a senior discount—which combined bring the cost of a room down to just $56.23 per night. That adds up to a much more reasonable $1,686 per month, which is just over $20,500 per year; by staying at the hotel instead of a retirement community, he and his wife can slash their budget down by about 60 percent.
“Breakfast is included, and some have happy hours in the afternoon. That leaves $128.77 a day for lunch and dinner in any restaurant we want, or room service, laundry, gratuities and special TV movies. Plus, they provide a spa, swimming pool, a workout room, a lounge and washer-dryer, etc.”
“You’re not stuck in one place forever, you can move from Inn to Inn, or even from city to city. Want to see Hawaii ? They have a Holiday Inn there too,” Robison mused.
“And no worries about visits from the family. They will always be glad to find you, and probably check in for a few days for a mini-vacation. The grand-kids can use the pool. What more could I ask for?”
His post has gone viral, with over 133,000 people sharing it on Facebook alone. And although he’s kept the comments limited to his current Facebook friends, the responses have been resoundingly positive—as unorthodox as the idea is (and as many people have responded with laughter), they’ve all admitted it seems like a pretty good idea, too.
“I’ve actually met an elderly lady one time that was actually living in a Hampton Inn. She was quite content,” one person wrote.
Terry and his wife still seem to be perfectly content living in Spring. But when the time comes to retire, they’ve certainly got a fun option all mapped out.
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