What Was Your First Big Purchase After Separating or Retiring?

After 30 years on Active Duty, I invested in a complete new wardrobe to transition to a professional in business and academia.

I bought a house, no more base housing.......

Three years before I retired in 2011 I started looking at the housing market in the area I planned on retiring (of course I picked up a second career but, that's a different story). I saw a house that I really liked, on a hill, with a view, on 4 acres in the country. Closest neighbor was another 4 acres to the north, a farm across the street to the East, another farm to the West and looking South nothing but a corn/soybean field. Pictures of a nice sized house (not too big not to small), a garden, barn, and plenty of room do do whatever I want. I watched the house for three years, two duty stations, and one deployment. I thought for sure it would be sold and off the market by the time I retired. We looked at the house two separate times but, it was priced a little high and we looked else where. One evening while we were living at my parents house about for about 5 months, we got a call that the seller was motivated to sell the house to us because I was a veteran, met our price and demands. One loan fight approval fight with Navy Federal (I won) later, and we had the house. Kids are graduated and living on their own and all is pretty much like I imagined it would be, my wife and I in our just right sized home, enjoying the view.

Laptop for school. Less than 4 years out, & I just graduated last week!

Buying a house and moving to Puerto Rico after retiring from Navy. After doing all the paper work and thinking I had the house they told me a still needed to come up with $1000.00. That was the last of my savings at that point. I managed to survive.

Lasik eye surgery. The heat in Kuwait was so intense and to wear glasses was such a hassle. Then I couldn't wear the Wiley's issued because I couldn't see. I had to wear the tinted goggles over my glasses. When I got back in '06 I looked into Lasik, found a reputable doctor and went for it. Never regretted it!

Bought a house!

My home we had built in St. Augustine, Fl and we are still living there and working everyday since. to make it what we've always wanted.

My first big purchase after retiring was all my tools needed to start my new carrer. Wouldnt change it for the world. TruTech Tools Complete Vacuum, Recovery, and Commissioning Kit with Fieldpiece, Accutools, and Appion

When I separated in Port Hueneme California. I waited for my Buddy to get separated so we could follow each other back to Philadelphia, Pa.
My car made it to Joplin. Missouri , my brother would not let me junk the Car, so my first purchase was a Tow Bar and he towed me from Joplin to Philadelphia Pa.
I miss Him.