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Wealth is Where Your Friends Are

Guest Post by Michelle Aspelin

Have you heard the phrase “wealth is where your friends are”? I first read about it in a book called How to Retire Happy, Wild and Free by Canadian author Ernie J. Selinski. The author didn’t focus on retirement finances and investments in his book but more on happiness and lifestyle. He describes retirement, or pre-retirement, as a time to become much more than you have ever been. He explains how important it is to discover the world around you while you still have your health and physical capabilities to explore all you want to see and do.

Mailbox painted by Emma Aspelin close up

Your friends will send you mail!

Chapter 6 is titled “Your Wealth is Where Your Friends Are”. I think it applies to the concepts on this website about moving to Grand Junction, or Mesa County in general. Above all, friends make life complete. For some, moving to the Grand Valley means they are moving towards family or friends, and that’s fabulous! But for others, it means you are moving away from family and friends. To a place where you know very few people, if anyone at all. Let’s talk about that.

Moving away from your home town

When Paul and I moved to Grand Junction it was a little of both. Of course, we were leaving our friends in Minnesota, and my parents, sister, brother-in-law and nephews along with Paul’s mom. Our parents are in their early 80s and it was tough to move away from them. However, we were also moving towards our children. Our oldest daughter graduated from Colorado Mesa University in 2022 and she still lives in this area. As of 2023, our youngest daughter lives in Tempe, AZ while she’s finishing up her degree at Arizona State University. They both chose the southwest. We were in Minnesota. When they said they were not planning to move back to Minnesota after they got their degrees, we were shocked at first. We always thought we would grow old with lots of family around us.

Now, you are probably familiar with the fact that Minnesota winters are cold. Maybe you’ve even heard of a polar vortex. Minnesota winters are also long and dreary with lots of cloudy skies and don’t get me started about wind chill factors. You can google it if you aren’t familiar. Let’s just say it gets so cold your face hurts on your way to the mailbox at the end of the driveway. So, we understood why our kids didn’t want to settle in Minnesota after living in the southwest and we started to ask ourselves why we were staying too. It took us a long time to come to the decision to move, and lots and lots of research until we finally chose Grand Junction.

In retirement, as well as in life in general, being near friends and family is important for our happiness and wellbeing. If you are moving to Grand Junction because of a job relocation or other opportunities, and you don’t know anyone here except the contact with your employer, I want to say, don’t worry.

Discovering the Grand Valley

I took this photo of Grand Junction from the Colorado National Monument

What we discovered is that everyone in the Grand Valley is very helpful, friendly, and more than willing to share their experiences with you. We moved here in the month of September, which was the perfect time for hiking. There are many short trails for us beginners and we met people along the way as we started to hike in the area. We discovered that many people have a story about when they moved to Grand Junction too. It’s fun to learn about where they lived before and what brought them here. Paul even has past clients he served in Minnesota that now live in Fruita.

Here’s the best part. Because there is so much to do in western Colorado and eastern Utah, we have friends and family already making plans to visit us here from other states. We made sure our new place had a guest room to encourage visitors and we’ve hosted three different couples in the first three months we were here, with the promise of more to come! Read my post about what I learned in the first three months of living in Grand Junction.

Why Live in Grand Junction, Fruit or Palisade?

Another advantage of living in Grand Junction, Fruita, or Palisade is that they all have very active Chambers of Commerce, business groups and clubs, events and nonprofits. Once you start to follow their Facebook pages, browse their websites, or follow them on LinkedIn, you’ll see there are so many opportunities to become a part of the community. You can attend events, volunteer, join groups or clubs or just hang out at popular local establishments and parks.

Paul and I are on LinkedIn, and we find it a very useful tool for connecting with other local business owners and professionals, learning about local events, and staying in touch with our network connections back in the Twin Cities too. Connect with Paul on LinkedIn. One of our first connections was with our local banker when we opened up our new bank accounts here in Grand Junction. Ask Paul about our new local, community-focused bank! Read our post about Why Move to Grand Junction.

Take Advantage of Local Rental Shops

Paul on a 4 wheeler (ATV) in Moab, Utah near Canyonlands National Park

There are plenty of rental shops for bikes, ATVs, RVs, etc. so don’t feel like you need to buy a lot of stuff to experience the outdoors when you get here. I like the phrase “try before you buy” and there are a lot of choices here for that. Even the Outdoor Program (OP) at Colorado Mesa University offers equipment rentals to the public at very low rental rates. The OP is CMU’s headquarters for outdoor adventure and education. That’s how our daughter got started as a CMU student with camping, backpacking and climbing equipment. And after she graduated, she and her friends went back to “the OP” to rent canoes and larger coolers for a weeklong trip down the Green River in Utah. Colorado Mesa University students, staff, faculty, and alumni receive discounted prices! Might be a great place to work when you move here!

So, please don’t worry about leaving your friends and family when you move to Fruita, Palisade or Grand Junction. It’s a very welcoming community with so much to see and do locally and within a few hours’ drive of the Grand Valley. You too will soon have a wealth of friends around you and who knows, some may even follow in your footsteps and move here too after they hear you talking about all the wonderful things you are experiencing in Grand Junction and western Colorado!

Learn about the local area

Below are a few links to local TV stations you can follow as well as see the local news topics and weather report. Ahh, the weather, that’s a whole other blog post about this “high desert” climate. Let me just say, we are very happy to leave the humidity and excessive mosquito population behind in Minnesota. Hardly any bugs here and the mild climate is absolutely wonderful. Something we are thankful for every day we are here. And most of those days boast a brilliant blue sky and maybe some white puffy clouds.

KKCO is a television station in Grand Junction, Colorado, affiliated with NBC and Telemundo.

KREX-TV is a television station in Grand Junction, Colorado, serving as the CBS affiliate for Colorado’s Western Slope region.

KJCT-LP is a low-power television station in Grand Junction, Colorado, serving Colorado’s Western Slope region as an affiliate of ABC and The CW Plus. Owned by Gray Television, it is a sister station to dual NBC/Telemundo affiliate KKCO.

Get Started

Ready to take the first step toward your move to Grand Junction? Visit the Get Started page or learn more about Paul Aspelin, then give him a call! He would love to tell you about the area and share our research and experience when we decided it was time for us to move to a warmer climate.

P.S. Chapter 8 in this book is called “Relocate to Where Retirement Living is Best” Uhhh, Check! And Chapter 9 is “Happiness Doesn’t Care How You Get There” Check again! Grand Junction checks a lot of boxes as a wonderful place to live, work and explore!

Move to Grand Junction, we are waiting for you!

Guest Post by Michelle Aspelin
growyourmindshare.com
Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn

Photo Credit: The picture at the top is of a custom painted mailbox by artist Emma Aspelin, ask me for details!

by Michelle Aspelin

How do I Establish Residency in Colorado?

Here are 11 Essential Steps for to Establish residency in Colorado, specifically in Grand Junction. I know what it’s like to move from another state. Heck, I moved across the country and have some advice on that too. Ask me about our road trip to Colorado from Minnesota and what “leaked” out of our 20′ U-Haul truck.

When you’re planning to establish residency in Colorado, it’s crucial to navigate through a series of steps and factors. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you successfully claim residency when it’s your turn to move to Grand Junction, Fruita or Palisade:

1. Find Your Grand Junction or Grand Valley Home

Our U-Haul Moving Truck coming to Colorado

The initial step is securing a place to live in Grand Junction, Colorado, whether it’s a rented apartment, house, or your own property. Your physical address in the city is a vital element in substantiating your residency. We started out renting so we could look for our next property at our own pace vs house hunting from a distance. I can set you up on an MLS search and send you listings that meet your criteria. The Grand Valley offers a very diverse selection of residential real estate property. Learn more on my Get Started page.

2. Update Your Driver’s License

Within 30 days of your move to Colorado, update your driver’s license with the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). To establish Colorado residency, head to our local DMV office in downtown Grand Junction on Spruce Street to complete the necessary paperwork, and pay the required fees. Bring your checkbook if you want to avoid the extra 3% fee for paying by credit card. Oh, and go online to make your appointment right away. We had to wait 2 weeks to get an appointment.

3. Register to Vote

To solidify your residency in Colorado, register to vote in Grand Junction via the Colorado Secretary of State website. Cities in the Grand Valley I serve are in Mesa County. You can register to vote online or have them mail you a paper form. Now I will say, it seemed like we got registered automatically after getting our Colorado driver’s licenses. We got a letter in the mail a week after our visit to the DMV saying we were registered to vote.

4. Change Your Vehicle Registration

Check out my custom license plate!

If you own a vehicle, modify its registration to Colorado and obtain Colorado license plates through the DMV. Mesa County Motor Vehicle Department website. Colorado residents can get a $29 Keep Colorado Wild Pass when registering a car, motorcycle, recreation vehicle or light truck through the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Also known as the Colorado State Parks pass. The parks pass goes with the vehicle, not the individual. It’s a sticker on your license plate. Learn more about the parks pass. Colorado State Park pass is normally $80/year, so buying it with your registration is quite a savings!

5. Establish Financial Connections

Another step in establishing Colorado residency is to open a bank account in Mesa County and ensure your mailing address aligns with your new residence. Update your utility bills, insurance, and other financial documents to reflect your Grand Junction address. I recommend you first update the billing address on your credit card before you start changing other addresses because if you need to pay for something regarding your address change with a credit card, it won’t process if the addresses don’t match. There are a lot of wonderful local banks in the area. Ask me how I like the community focused bank we chose.

6. Utilize Local Services

Start using local services, such as healthcare providers, dentists, and other professionals, to build local connections. If you are a business owner or self-employed, consider the Chamber of Commerce in Grand Junction, Fruita or Palisade. There are mentor programs for new residents who work from home.

7. Notify Your Employer

If you’re relocating to Grand Junction, CO for work, inform your employer about your new address and Colorado residency. They may need to adjust your tax withholdings accordingly. I highly recommend you consult with a tax advisor prior to your move. Colorado has a very competitive income tax rate among other tax benefits.

8. File State Taxes

After establishing residency in Colorado, remember to file your state income taxes in Colorado and the state you moved from in the year you moved. Again, for your first year here, consult with a tax advisor to make sure you know all of the local tax benefits of living in Mesa County, Colorado.

9. Engage in the Community

Show your commitment to the community by getting involved in local clubs, attending community events, and engaging with your neighbors. There are so many things going on in the Grand Valley. Seek out websites, social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram feeds to see what’s going on. We were up on the Grand Mesa one fall weekend and stumbled upon an Octoberfest celebration at Powderhorn Ski Resort. It was an unexpected surprise. We marked our calendars to watch for it next year so we can make plans to attend again. The Mesa is one of the best places to be to see fall colors. And they change earlier than here in the valley.

10. Maintain Records

Keeping records of your residency-establishing activities is crucial. Store copies of bills, rental agreements, voter registration documents, and other pertinent records as proof of residency.

11. Seek Professional Advice

Depending on your specific situation, it’s wise to consult with legal or tax professionals to ensure you meet all the requirements for establishing residency. My wife interviewed a local attorney to help establish a new business in Colorado and register her marketing company as a foreign entity so she could keep her official business registration in Minnesota but work here in Colorado and pay the much lower Colorado income tax rate vs Minnesota income tax rate. Ask me about moving your business here, especially if you are self-employed.

It’s worth noting that the process of establishing residency can differ based on individual circumstances and state-specific requirements. For the most accurate and up-to-date guidelines, always consult the relevant state and local authorities.

Let me know what questions you have. We are happy to share our experience of moving to Grand Junction and how we have worked through the above list to establish residency in Colorado.