Retirement Planning & Locations

[Manny]

I'll stick it out and make my coin from here at the moment but if it all goes to shit, as it looks like doing, I'd consider cashing in and heading to Russia or somewhere sunny to live out my days.

Same here. I'm scouting locations on my travels now. I've even started to consider the US (southern Republican places, obvs). My next diversion when I go to China is Thailand for a few days to see my pal who retired there last year. Just to scout it out to see if its worth taking wifey back to look at. But Russia remains a possibility.

We'll probably start out as snowbirds, as they call them over the pond.

[Markje]

I was looking to retire in Crimea, probably a smaller city close to evpatoria (20 mins drive max) , costs near-nothing and in the tourism season you are surrounded by restaurants/beaches/thingstodo/etc.....

The only drawback for me was the super-warm climate, the black sea can easily match my hot tub in August.

now I will first have to see how the war plays out and if its still viable after that.

The weird thing is, there are a lot of Muslims there too (Tatars mostly) , but they don't do the headscarf for women, they don't do the super-attitude or any of the other things I hate about Europe's muzzies... they're nice and respectable folk who don't get in-your-face about their religious shit.

[2tallbill]

We'll probably start out as snowbirds, as they call them over the pond.

US options
Montana/South Dakota for the Summer
Texas/Florida for the Winter

I would only consider Russia if the in-laws need an extra hand.
Corruption is never a problem until it is.

[Omega1982]

 Bill what about North Dakota?  seems like possibly the last frontier. 

[2tallbill]

Bill what about North Dakota?  seems like possibly the last frontier.

Norf Dakody is a miserable place, it's 98% ugly, flat. No trees, nothing to see and nothing
to do. It's too hot, too cold, always windy, always dusty. Imagine the dust bowl during the
depression, but with worse weather. Brown Rivers, No kidding a river called the green river
that looks like a sewage ditch with dayglow lime green water. The state tree is the telephone
pole, for food they have meat and potatoes OR potatoes and meat. You want something ethnic,
try pizza or taco bell (in the 5 cities in the entire state where thy have such things). They have
nice people for sure.

South Dakota has beauty, mountains, trees, parks, Mt Rushmore, Bison, the Black Hills,

Montana has the Rocky Mountains (they are pretty impressive even when compared to
the Alps). Endless nature, countless rivers, Jelly Stone Park, Ole Faithful, and on and on.
Montana cools off when the sun goes down.

[Markje]

Norf Dakody is a miserable place, it's 98% ugly, flat. No trees, nothing to see and nothing
to do. It's too hot, too cold, always windy, always dusty. Imagine the dust bowl during the
depression, but with worse weather. Brown Rivers, No kidding a river called the green river
that looks like a sewage ditch with dayglow lime green water. The state tree is the telephone
pole, for food they have meat and potatoes OR potatoes and meat. You want something ethnic,
try pizza or taco bell (in the 5 cities in the entire state where thy have such things). They have
nice people for sure.

So I picked a random town in North Dakota .... looks like you are right on the money there Bill 

https://www.google.nl/maps/@47.5141229,-97.8563958,3a,75y,80.09h,90.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sG_cPs1JbqCf-PhQkKLKXRw!2e0!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu

and another random place here:
https://www.google.nl/maps/@46.8624519,-101.6680778,3a,60y,94.06h,85.27t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szr84wPVWDStTvSZGmqi2iA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

Riverdale, sounds like that must be green near a river right? right?

Nope:
https://www.google.nl/maps/@47.5022077,-101.3359446,3a,75y,265.01h,89.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHwfaAnwHReYxNytfMn8R4w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu


You'd think that Dutch planning (as seen below) would not stop harsh winds, but apparently ..... it still doesnt , but it does protect from the sun blinding drivers:

https://www.google.nl/maps/@52.3611674,5.3636293,3a,60y,56.61h,96.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szfN1Q4zuJC9p_AtlTN8aQw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

[rosco]

I always had an odd ambition to visit Fargo/Minnesota, I enjoyed the Netflix series that was mostly located in that part of the world. Not for reasons of luxury or rest but I just found the cold winters and the funny accent appealing. 

Montana is on the bucket list for a road trip though, that scenery looks epic 

[2tallbill]

I always had an odd ambition to visit Fargo/Minnesota, I enjoyed the Netflix series that was mostly located in that part of the world. Not for reasons of luxury or rest but I just found the cold winters and the funny accent appealing. 

Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, they have trees and the funny accent. North Dakota is the land of the howling winds.
You get plenty of cold but the wind in North Dakota makes life miserable.

Montana is on the bucket list for a road trip though, that scenery looks epic 

You are right about that.

[2tallbill]

Riverdale, sounds like that must be green near a river right? right?

Nope:
https://www.google.nl/maps/@47.5022077,-101.3359446,3a,75y,265.01h,89.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHwfaAnwHReYxNytfMn8R4w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

My wife left her family, culture, language and friends and Voronezh a city with two rivers and a million people to live
with me in Norf Dakody. She is a keeper. There is a huge German community there, many speak German at home.
Some Dutch in ND but Dutch communities are more prominent in South Dakota and Iowa.

Udachi!

Bill

[Omega1982]

Rosco, yes I think Minnesota has nice places to visit.  but to live I believe its a blue state and also too many Somali migrants there. 

[sparky114]

Well based on how the current world is dissolving into chaos and fast approaching the big 60 , we both have decided that we will give it 2 years and leave this little island for our home in Russia
Hopefully we are at that age still able to enjoy doing things that we love 

Had enough of the sleep, work, eat , repeat life here in the UK 

[Manny]

I thought I'd split the topic off into retirement planning.

Its a big subject for many Brits at the moment. We'll probably have a leftoid Labour government before long and they will finish the damage Blair started (and the current Conservatives continued).

We'll be taxed to the hilt, freedoms curtailed, and we'll have 67 genders and all the pronoun idiocy to deal with. Normality beckons somewhere.

[sparky114]

I thought I'd split the topic off into retirement planning.

Its a big subject for many Brits at the moment. We'll probably have a leftoid Labour government before long and they will finish the damage Blair started (and the current Conservatives continued).

We'll be taxed to the hilt, freedoms curtailed, and we'll have 67 genders and all the pronoun idiocy to deal with. Normality beckons somewhere.

Yes Agree
Time to leave the Sinking Island and the Weirdo West 

[Wiz]

I thought I'd split the topic off into retirement planning.

Its a big subject for many Brits at the moment. We'll probably have a leftoid Labour government before long and they will finish the damage Blair started (and the current Conservatives continued).

We'll be taxed to the hilt, freedoms curtailed, and we'll have 67 genders and all the pronoun idiocy to deal with. Normality beckons somewhere.

Poor Manny

Is there a place that you will be happy, not paying taxes, with cheap higher education and plenty of sunshine?

You have been living  and working  in Manchester, where it is raining most of the days over the year and I can understand your frustration and have visited Manchester a couple of times due to my bussines.....

As you know I have lived in Corfu for 14 years and after 6 yrars married to an english lady, I moved to come to the UK........on the winter of dissontent and finnaly managed to survive after the damage that Maggie did to the Nation's economy together with its party.

MAy I also remind you that it was Labour who created our NHS in 1947 etc.....which the CONS tried to privatise...like everything else but it is still FREE and offer a good service.  The fact is that 5500 Greek Doctors and I don't know how many other thousand Doctors and nurses of Foreign nationalities  joined the NHS

I like living in the south of England....because the weather has most of the time been mild.....and I always have the chanch finding a flight to a hot country.
For your information.... Corfu island is full of british.....well over 12 000 living there year round...... but not Min Hospital working..... Everybody had to pay private health ....

So I prefer to live in south of England....from where my Russian wife and I most of the time, find cheap tickets to holiday destinations mostly Greek ones.....

That is my view.......

PS my children live here too.....

Wife fly to Russia next TUESDAY via Turkey........to UFA. little expensive but worth it for mama.

PS> Who saved the UK economy not to go bust after Reagan and Maggie ....     

[Manny]

As you know I have lived in Corfu for 14 years

Greece is a bit downmarket for me, really. Plus it's full of migrants now.

Corfu island is full of British

There's a reason to avoid it then.

I like living in the south of England....

The north is half the price, fewer migrants, less traffic, better water, and generally better.

Is there a place that you will be happy, not paying taxes, with cheap higher education and plenty of sunshine?

Hence the topic. The south of Hong Kong island is a possibility. Stanley Bay is quite pleasant.

I won't need higher education, that will all be over in a couple of years.

[B.B.]

Rosco, yes I think Minnesota has nice places to visit.  but to live I believe its a blue state and also too many Somali migrants there.

Minnesota is nice, the Somalis are all bunched together which is how Ilhan Omar gets elected, but it's also high-tax - the actually have a division of their dept of revenue that tries to tax people who move to Florida, but spend time in MN - and cold AF in the winter.

B/B

[Manny]

So what are the general options in the US where people retire to? It seems to be mostly Florida?

What's the general feeling about other states such as TN, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia (I know a bloke who moved to Atlanta actually - he loves it) or one of the Carolinas?

Apparently, 1m or so Americans live in Mexico. It's not a place I have ever been, but I recall in the dim and distant past, a mod here was touting property deals there. But most of Mexico wants to live in the US so what's the skinny there?

[Faux Pas]

So what are the general options in the US where people retire to? It seems to be mostly Florida?

Actually it's all over and IMHO largely based on preference and affordability. Florida has been a popular place for many years to those from the North/Northeast affectionately known as Snowbirds. There are a lot of retirees in the Southern states that border the Gulf of Mexico. There are many others in Southern states with mountains. For years, not so much anymore however the West coast was desirable to many. The Southwest climate was and still is a big attraction.

What's the general feeling about other states such as TN, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia (I know a bloke who moved to Atlanta actually - he loves it) or one of the Carolinas?

You could throw a dart anywhere on a map of the American South and be correct. Again more of a preference and affordability.

Apparently, 1m or so Americans live in Mexico. It's not a place I have ever been, but I recall in the dim and distant past, a mod here was touting property deals there. But most of Mexico wants to live in the US so what's the skinny there?

There are many places in Mexico, Central and South America that one can live on $2000-3000 USD and live quite comfortably. That's the poverty line in North America

[B.B.]

So what are the general options in the US where people retire to? It seems to be mostly Florida?

Florida is known for it - they have infrastructure dedicated to it (see "The Villages") but Arizona is another spot.  The Northeast States, with their high taxes and cold winters, are among the worst, which is why you see a lot of folks from the New England and Middle Atlantic states moving to Florida in their retirement years.

What's the general feeling about other states such as TN, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia (I know a bloke who moved to Atlanta actually - he loves it) or one of the Carolinas?

Tennessee has a good cost of living, and you get all four seasons, but usually winters aren't as bad.  Texas can be hit or miss - I'd live in Ft. Worth but not in Houston.  San Antonio is nice, but it's better if you have at least conversational Spanish.

Missi-bama?  None for me thanks.  Depends on where you are at, but I'd stay away from big cities.  Jackson MS elected "woke" mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and two years later they   ed up water - WATER. 

Flint MI had a problem with water, too.  Progressives can't seem to manage basic services. 

Apparently, 1m or so Americans live in Mexico. It's not a place I have ever been, but I recall in the dim and distant past, a mod here was touting property deals there. But most of Mexico wants to live in the US so what's the skinny there?

I don't live there, but when you see this, it nearly always means that there are Americans that live in English-speaking enclaves with other Americans in tropical settings.  I would imagine that it is similar to British ex-pats living in Spain, although that might be a little looser.

Panama is another spot for US retirees.  It used to be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Uncle Sam.  Panama used to be part of Colombia, but when Colombia said "no" to a canal, there was a revolution that led to the founding of Panama and - what luck! - when the new gov't of Panama was asked about a canal, they said "Sure!" and added, "Please don't shoot." 

Panama, well, Panama City anyway, looks a lot like the US did in 1979, which is when we tossed them the keys to the Canal and left.  You can get along without Spanish, but it's better if you speak it.  There is this high-end mall where you can go to shop Tumi, Calvin Klein, Tiffany, whatever, and eat at Tony Roma's or...Chuck E. Cheese!  There is no escaping The Rat!

The hotels are quite nice - I was there to look after a friend of mine who was having stem cell injections and we stayed at the Waldorf Astoria - and the front-line staff will ALL speak fluent English, but after that is drops off a cliff.  My pal needed to drink a lot of water and if I had been unable to ask housekeeping for 6 bottles in Spanish, we'd have been out of luck (or would have gone down to the front desk).  We also would have missed out on Gaucho's which had absolutely WONDERFUL steaks.  Their menus had English subtitles, but it was a lot easier to simply chat in Spanish with the waiter.

IMO, in Panama, Ex-Pats are going to pay more, but will enjoy a USA standard of living at a discount.

B/B

[BC]

I chose southern Italy almost 30 years ago, but southern Spain, Cadiz/Jerez area and Portugal appealed as well, mainly for the lifestyle and to be near an ocean or sea.

[Omega1982]

I thought I'd split the topic off into retirement planning.

Its a big subject for many Brits at the moment. We'll probably have a leftoid Labour government before long and they will finish the damage Blair started (and the current Conservatives continued).

We'll be taxed to the hilt, freedoms curtailed, and we'll have 67 genders and all the pronoun idiocy to deal with. Normality beckons somewhere.

The Carolinas have received a large influx of people from New York.  Similar to Texas receiving people from California.  Therefore the prices have increased.  Louisiana is not such a great place.  Everytime I have to get something done there for work its like pulling teeth.  Although I do this remotely.  Charleston South Carolina is a very nice city.  I once read an article circa 2013 that Iowa was booming economically but I never heard anything else of it.  when I talk to people there from work they tell me its mostly agricultural.  Back in 2016 Trump had promised in his efforts to make America great again to bring manufacturing back to America.  A former co worker was looking at investing in Detroit.  Back in 2008 during the GFC there were deals to be had there, but I hear it was depressing.  If manufacturing returns and the city booms again, there could be profits to be made. 

Americans go to Mexico due to the proximity and low cost of living.  Crime is a big issue in some areas.  I would say the Yucatan peninsula including the city of Merida are safe.  For years many americans would retire in Costa Rica, but again the prices increased.  The northern part of Central america is quite dangerous.  El Salvador is much safer now with their new president that has cracked down in the gangs.  Panama is another option.  Friendly people, they use the US dollar, stable both economically and politically.  I havent heard of any issues there recently. 

[Manny]

I chose southern Italy almost 30 years ago, but southern Spain, Cadiz/Jerez area and Portugal appealed as well, mainly for the lifestyle and to be near an ocean or sea.

I suppose in Italy or the non-touristy bits of Spain you need the language? Maybe less so in Portugal? I've been to Madeira a few times, you can function there quite well in English but it strikes me as a place you'd soon be bored in.

[Markje]

I chose southern Italy almost 30 years ago, but southern Spain, Cadiz/Jerez area and Portugal appealed as well, mainly for the lifestyle and to be near an ocean or sea.

I suppose in Italy or the non-touristy bits of Spain you need the language? Maybe less so in Portugal? I've been to Madeira a few times, you can function there quite well in English but it strikes me as a place you'd soon be bored in.

Even in the touristy parts (beach-vacationing close to Venice for instance) I couldn't get by without at least some italian.

[Omega1982]

Italy depends if you're going there to work, or as an entrepreneur or as a retiree.  I'm referring to economics.  Many young italians are living and working in other parts of Europe due to the bad economy.  It's hard to find a good job in Italy. 

I would agree with Manny, Spanish skills would be needed in Spain outside the tourist areas. 

[Steveboy]

Hang on hang on a minute!!!

Why is everyone talking about retiring o the US or Western Europe?

What happened to all the "Pro" Russian in some of you? There is only one place to retire to and that is the Motherland.. the land where your wife was probably brought up, where her family live, where you can eat шашлыки by the river whilst downing a few vodka's..With no one interfering.

The country with very low taxes, the country where your just a "Man or a women" The country where the opportunities are endless and so on.. The country where amenities are so cheap the savings you make will be enough for you save lots of money in the bank or under the mattress..

What has happened to people .. wanting to go retire in the US