“A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds,” wrote essayist Francis Bacon, and it’s true that we make our own luck. Your world takes on the shape you give it. And that shape can be any you like…the options are endless. When it comes to retirement, it’s simply a matter of deciding what you want your life to look like…
Alan Worline swore that when he retired from his job in Denver he would never wear a jacket again. And he never has to now that he lives in a warm-weather destination. Alan’s close to supermarkets, excellent hospitals, everything is within walking distance or a $1.50 taxi ride. The cost for this perfect climate and convenience is low. Alan pays $400 a month to rent a three-bedroom house and his monthly medical bills including medications amount to $80.
Bang-for-your-buck destinations come in all shapes and sizes. We reveal the best ways to find affordable rentals on a tropical island fringed with gorgeous beaches. How affordable? You’ll pay from $235 a month if you know where and how to look for a rental. You have easy access to private and public hospitals, international restaurants, and an airport with international flights. Total monthly living costs? $1,800 to $2,200.
You could pay less, and still get great value. Expats in an up-and-coming destination that we reveal, report costs as low as $1,500 a month. You’ll find romantic cities, some of the world’s highest mountains, and what’s commonly considered the best cuisine in Latin America.
If culture and cuisine are what you’re after, you will discover an easygoing European base famed for its wines where food costs 65% less than in the States and, “is phenomenal,” according to expat Bill Wolfe.
It isn’t just in the realm of rents, groceries, utilities, and good food you’ll find high quality at a low cost overseas. Medical treatment is not something you want to hear described as “cheap.” IL Correspondent Nancy Kiernan describes the quality of the care in her adopted home, and just how happy she and other expats are with what they get for their money…
—Eoin Bassett, Editorial Director
Now, more than ever, it makes sense to put some of your wealth overseas. Offshoring can allow you to shield (and grow) your wealth by diversifying into different, stronger currencies. Placing your wealth overseas (whether it’s cash, gold, or buying real estate) can help keep it safe from asset grabs by rapacious governments or from political turmoil.
I had a nutty uncle (didn’t you?) who never threw anything away. Among the mess and mayhem were piles of old newspapers and magazines. When he finally moved out, his mother trashed them all. But I do wonder if any of them would have been worth something today. Collecting magazines is sentimental and nostalgic. Techno-freak doom-mongers predict that magazines will die out altogether in the internet age. I, for one, hope not. Few things can beat the pleasure of leafing through a glossy magazine over a hot cup of coffee.
"Everywhere I look, you see a vineyard, an olive grove, a farm patch with sunflowers, the mountains,” says 58-year-old Dwight Stanford. “It’s like a patchwork quilt. We live in the most beautiful hills in Italy. We are only 25 minutes from the sea and 45 minutes from the mountains.”
Many folks dread the morning commute. But for expat Mike Sassorossi, his commute in the Costa Rican beach town of Tamarindo is a highlight of his day. Considering he enjoys views of a gracefully curving, palm-lined beach and of the vast blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean, it’s not hard to see why.
With its lush pine forests, grey stone peaks, and turquoise crystal-clear water, the Croatian island of Brac is a jewel. The stunning landscape serves as a peaceful retreat that has inspired awe and contemplative stillness for centuries. No wonder everyone from the Romans to Christian monks wanted a piece of it, and left their mark on the landscape.
Say “Marrakech,” and a magical world of souks (markets), snake-charmers, and storytellers unfolds like the unrolling of a luxurious Moroccan carpet. Gardens filled with exotic cacti and palm trees lie beside bustling souks awash with the colors and smells of a medieval Moroccan market.
Tired of bad weather, high costs, and a lack of respect for older people in the U.S., Paul and Gloria Yeatman moved from Baltimore to a cozy home on a tropical mountainside in Costa Rica’s Central Valley…but still just 45 minutes from the beach. They wanted fun and adven-ture in their retirement. “And no more snow.”
Historic homes always have a special character. They don’t build ‘em like they used to—the attention to detail and craftsmanship stand out. And you can’t help but imagine what life was like for the previous inhabitants.
Why would anyone give up friends, family, a beautiful home, a good job, and security to roam around with a small bag and a backpack half the world away? I had it all. But, like so many people, the fast pace of life and high stress in the U.S. just had to go. Long working hours, business travel, churn and reorganizations in the office… So over three years ago I quit my job, sold my house, car, and everything else, left two boxes of personal items in my friends’ garage, and took off.
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