Interview with Chris Smith on International Retirement

Great video blog and very informative. I am going location independent in 18 months. Guatamala is one of the places i want to spend time, what are the visa requirements for an extended stay. You and your website has helped me extensively in my preparation and planning. I will spend my time between central america and asia. I have been to 22 countries already from my 21 years in the military. I have a military pension however my goal is to travel and only spend $800 per month on living expenses and save the rest for travel expenses. I am currently planning my homebase in the philippines and explore the world from there. I will be traveling alone and i will surely meet p with you sometime in my travels. Again thanks to you and Chris for your informative video

Asiabill from has written 258 comments

Mike, Thanks for the new term "location independent" ! I like to keep current on such and have been using "off site" or "telecommuting" for years.

Good Video Andy and Chris! I would be interested in any people in their 30s or 40s living as semi-retired expats and how they managed to do it financially. Snow bird lifestyles offer such lifestyles abroad also more and more professionals are opting for shorter term contract employment offering higher salaries without the benefits .

Andy,

Just a small aside.

Notice you are both NOT wearing hats.

I am now 57 and spent my youth and later life in the sun without head protection and am now paying the penalty of having skin cancers cut out of my face/arms.

So please don't forget.

We want Andy and Chris to be around for a long time yet.

Geoff

Low intellectual property input and strong discipline retirements in your 30's is doable.

20 years of military service at 37 - 38 y.o. with E7 to E9 $2K to $2.5K+ / mo.

14-16 y.o. of service in certain U.S. government jurisdictions (currently very limited)$1-3K/mo.

Ben Graham investment in the stock market in a combination of (non-)retirement IRA/401/403 et al. started early with a $30-50K income finishing.

High intellectual property inputs and/or luck:

Entrepreneur/business with a sale of the enterprise and prudent investments of the proceeds..

Highly paid professionals with a change of heart, and savings.

Inheritance or trust funds wisely managed.

Also endless 6 month/year semi-retirement gigs out there....

How many nurses, merchant seamen, doctors, and others who do temp work on much of their own terms, do I know?

Usually, they all require some level of frugality in "retired" daily life.

Personally, I was able to "retire" with a combination of frugality from a career, value investment in the stock market and some income from distressed real estate. I do still have to screen stock picks, and sell others when either the prognosis isn't good or it is time to reinvest the proceeds from winners. The 10 management fee of real estate is not without it's own set of issues and some work even., but it can be done from nearly anywhere. I am under 40. Still one never knows, when one might lose everything and end up looking for alms in front of Quiapo Church or a Salvation Army soup kitchen. Bahala na... di ba?

has written 47 comments

Are we at the beginning of a mass movement? Will more and more baby boom retirees search for the best retirement for the least money? No matter what country?

Check out this newbie traveler and his experiences in Mexico. This couple met in a 55+ community in the US and found that their SS checks did not leave much left over to enjoy life. They decided to search for a cheaper lifestyle.

http://senor-senior-sitizen.blogspot.com/