Cheap Retirement Living

Posts Tagged ‘retiree’

South America offers a wide range of retirement destinations and many of them are both safe and affordable. From the tropical north to the temperate south there is a range of climates and countrysides to choose from. South America offers the retiree far more than many at first think. We will explore these options as we build this section of the web site.

Description South America, the planet’s 4th largest continent, includes (12) countries and (3) major territories. It contains the massive Amazon River and surrounding basin – the largest tropical rain forest in the world; the toothy-edged Andes Mountains, that stretch the entire length of the continent, and some of the most diverse and spectacular landforms on the planet.

Continent Size: 17,819,000 sq km 6,879,000 sq miles
Percent of Earth’s Land: 12%
Population: 379,500,000
Highest Point: Cerro Aconcagua Andes Mountains, Argentina – 22,833 ft (6,959m).
Lowest Point: Peninsula Valdes Argentina coastline -151 ft (-40m) below sea level.

Central America!

Central America consists of seven countries; Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Of these perhaps Costa Rica and Panama are the most prosperous but all of them have something to offer the retiree. We will build this resource with valuable information as we go.

Caribbean Retirement Can Be Cheap!

The Caribbean can offer affordable retirement living but you have to know where and how to live to be able to afford it on anything less than a fatcat’s retirement package. We will search for the affordable and cost effective Caribbean alternatives and present them here as we build this page into a valuable resource.

Here are some wise words from the informed folks at www.worldatlas.com. They are the first place we turn for info and maps:

Caribbean

Indians were the first inhabitants here, and then, in 1492, Christopher Columbus began his exploration of these islands, becoming the first European to venture into the area.

After reportedly landing in the Bahamas, Columbus named these islands the Indies, because he thought he had finally reached Asia (and the East Indies).

Numerous explorers followed in his path, then settlers arrived from the Americas and Europe. Included in that mix were religious outcasts, slaves from Africa, and a small army of pirates.

Great military powers would fight for control of the islands, and finally, a blended mix of African and European cultures and languages transformed this large group of islands and its peoples into one of the premier tourist destinations on the planet.

Long called the West Indies, the overall area is now commonly referred to as the Caribbean, a name that became popular after World War II.

Note: In reality the Bahamas are not considered a part of the Caribbean, however, we show them here because of their cultural, geographical and political associations with the Greater Antilles, and other Caribbean Islands.

Latin America As A Retirement Destination!

Latin America has a lot to offer as a retirement destination, especially for those of us on a shoe string budget or who simply wish to live within our limited means. Anywhere south of the Rio Grande; Mexico, Central and South America, over twenty possible countries for you to choose from.

Some of these countries do have serious security issues but not all the time and not in every city and town. Many are safer than the USA or many european countries and welcome retirees while others are for the more adventurous among us. These pages will present information and links to sites where you can gain more knowledge and make more informed choices.

Of course there is no ‘due diligence’ like actually taking a trip somewhere and seeing for yourself the lay of the land. ‘Time spent in reconnaissance is never wasted’ is the old maxim and it is as true for retirement as it is for war.

If you speak Spanish then the other ‘America’ is an attractive option for you to consider. Brazil speaks Portuguese, French Guiana uses French of course and Suriname is a Dutch speaking locale but there are a couple of English speaking options in Belize and Guyana. Not all countries are retiree friendly but many are and we will link you with the people who have the answers.

The Philippines – Fun, Friendly, Filipinas!

The Philippines has a reputation as a fun filled island nation that has Filipinas on tap and available, yet can also be a dangerous place for the expat or tourist. As is often the case the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

It can be a dangerous place but no more so than any big city in North America or Europe and a lot safer than most. Unless you go out of your way looking for trouble you can spend a lifetime in the Philippines and never experience anything more traumatic than a ‘brown-out’ (what they call a power failure or blackout).

The Filipina, as the female Filipino is known, is a loving and loyal person indeed, yet there are plenty who are ever ready to part the naive and the gullible rich ‘Kano’ (Amerikano) from his many dollars. Even if you are not at all well off by your own country’s standards, in the Third World you are richer than they are and that is good enough for some!

How do you identify the scammers and the cheats? The danger signs and the cultural indicators? Follow the links on this page to a treasure trove of experience and wisdom because forewarned is forearmed.

This English speaking country nestled between Asia and the Pacific is not the place for a first timer to choose to settle in or retire to unless they have done their research and due dilligence, perhaps even spent a few months there on vacation. For those old Asia-hands though, that first cold San Miguel will barely touch the sides and you will enjoy the familiar ‘I’m home!’ feeling just an hour after leaving Nino Acquino International Airport in Manila. Even if you are just waiting in transit to fly on to Cebu or ‘Fly The Bus’ to Angeles, you will immediately start to relax and feel those years roll off your shoulders. Welcome to da Pilipeens!

Relocate – Moving You To Where You Really Should Be!

Relocate And Escape The Rat Race! Relocate means to move somewhere else, be it overseas or over the road, even over the state line. Become an ex-patriate (colloquially known as an ‘expat’) and live in a foreign country where the cost of living is more affordable when you are on a fixed and perhaps less than generous income.

Escape to somwhere else and you can begin your life anew, start fresh and be whoever it is you want to be at this time of your life. This doesn’t have to mean being dishonest or deceitful but there is no rule that says you have to tell everybody you meet your life story. Why not become a man of mystery?

Relocating to somewhere else can stretch your income a lot further than if you remain where you were when you left work for the last time. Many third world countries actively encourage retirees from western countries while others tolerate you even as they welcome your hard currency.

Whether you have dollars, pounds, euros or sponduliks to spend, we will refer to your currency as dollars from here on in, just to make it simpler. You might choose Costa Rica, the Philippines, Panama, Portugal or Port Douglas in FarNorth Queensland as your retirement haven. Wherever you decide to settle, we should be ble to supply you with some valuable information and insight or at the very least, point you towards the web sites that can answer your questions.