Focus on Planning for the Future

Planning for future

In planning for a future move, one cannot be too educated or too informed!

Several annual publications on top retirement destinations peaked out interest. Toward the end of July I became intreged with a qualitative assessment as published at http://dailyreconing.com/best-places-in-the-world-to-retire/ .

This seventeen page go us really thinking about moving oversees. Potentially having all kids in school allows us to think about this option. This report distilled to the top 19 retirement destinations. Our concern is financial and quality of life. Not only did we watch endless House Hunters International, we read in detail the information on on these nineteen. We also reviewed http://www.state.gov, the US Goverment State Department site for country specific profiles, history and security information.

Fairly early on we decided that cultures too alien to our own were not of immense interest, so out end Asia. We also arrived at the conclusion that Europe sounded interesting and romantic but the shape of the Euro and social concerns did not provide the economic growth and opportunity we are potentially seeking.

We have concluded that besides a few areas in the United States that might be closer to our children, we would be happiest seeking opportunity in Mexico, Latin America or South America.

Of these possibilities we have focus on Eduador,Mexico, Nicaragua( my wife may nix that idea as she doesn't like how the name sounds?). Also of potential are Costa Rica and Belize. 

Focus Focus Focus     

Overall, I have tried to be focused on:

• Our own budget. This entails working up a current Income and Expense cash flow. It was a bit of an eye opener that doing nothing in particular we are spending $6500.00 per month.
• Our Assets and Liabilities on a Net Worth Worksheet. This includes current information.
• I also completed a "Retirement Analyzer" for the both of us. This tool I use in my financial business is excellent for planning retirement. Not only does it handle the current situation it plans for practically all eventualities including social security and the what if's of Long Term Care. 

Our  potential budget country by country. One interesting source of city by city comparision is the comparison ability using numbeo.com. http://www.numbeo.com.  This site draws comparision for your base city (ours is Denver, Colorado) to any other city. This data is added to the site by visitors or residents in those cities in set catagories. Restaurant catagory, markets, transportation, utilities, sports and leisure, clothing and shoes, rent per month, buy apartment price, and salaries and financing. Besides these expansive areas in each catagory it will provide Indexed Differences. Here is just once such city comparision:

Consumer Prices in Managua are 40.23% lowerthan in Denver, CO
Consumer Prices Including Rent in managua are 49.75% lower than in Denver, CO
Rent Prices in Managua are 78.87% lower than in Denver, CO
Restaurant Prices in Managua are 54.04% lower than in Denver, CO
Groceries Prices in Managua are 42.67% lower than in Denver, CO
Local Purchasing power in Managuea is 66.65% lower than in Denver, CO

Each line item within a catagory provides data. Be aware of the size of the sample information provided.

With that data, and using a fairly easy to construct Excel spreadsheet comparisions can be drawn for budgeting.  

Here is my first comparison for several cities Place	Current	US	Mexico	Nicaragua	Ecuador
City	Littleton		Merida	Granada	Quito
Comparison Questions scale:
Government Stability
Rate of inflation
Quality of Life Index
Quality of Health Care
Hazards Weather natural
Qualify for Visa
Quality of Banking System
Adult activities
Access to Travel
Budget
To Rent 2br2ba	1650
To Buy			$150,000	$150,000	$150,000
Median Mthly Sal after tax	$3,580		$2,000	$600	$321.38
Expenses:
Mort/rent	1650		495	363	478.5
Utilities	185		100	72.15	32.5
Phones	300		300	300	300
Auto	185		0	0	0
Transportation-public	0		40	12	40
Fuel	150		0	0	0
Insurance-health	1184		500	500	500
Insurance-Auto	222		0	0	0
Groceries$200 for two	300		100	116	136
Personal Care
Ent/dining 3 per wk	250		462	177	135
Cable and internet	143		20	50	57.5
Gifts
Charity
Clothing	100		50	50	50
Travel Expense-kids			$300	$291	$417
Total Proposed	4669		2367	1931.15	2146.5
CWP Horses	1000		0	0	0
CWP Shiffrin	280
* based on numbeo
**based on 5 r/t 1st year			$800 rt	$700 rt	$1000 rt
*** Ins required/catistrophic

Education-International Living

In July I began to be involved in sites providing information.

One of the most interesting is www.internationalliving.com

They allow for sign up to a variety of intersting newsletters,"postcard" information and paid events.upon sign up I got the report, "How to Prepare for a Move Overseas- A Checklist", which I found very interesting.
While International Living provides for "Memberships" at fairly steap prices they do offer alot of information and contact. Enough country specific information to get me to sign up for a conference:

International Living's Fast Track Your Retirement Overseas to be held in Las Vegas at the end of September 2012. It was $695.00 for the two day conference please travel and lodging but it was an opportunity to look into overseas options more in detail.  

Arm yourself with all sorts of information

Becoming further educated involves a ton of reading. Arm yourself with all of the travel related books for countries you are interested in. We have taken to a few minutes morning reading on these countries. Be sure they have good maps!

Think Ahead     

For this I remind you to think and plan ahead! Our time frame for action is anywhere from June -December 2013. Sounds like a long way off, but a year to a year and a half is not much time.

While contemplating our next moves, we are planning visits to each area for a look see.

While doing this I found opportunity in my favorite cruise site. www.vacationstogo.com.

Many people move and settle, others can easily plan cruises, in particular "repositioning". In this catagory you may have 120 day cruises to much of the world "on the cheap". I am cheaper than these prices even at heavily discounted rates, but do have flexibility and time.

Our Trip Plan

Wow, was I excited to find a cruise that would visit many of the areas we wanted to go!
Again, using my planning abilities I have found a deal..a seventeen night cruise. San Francisco to Valparaiso, Chile. This cruise stops in Cabo San Lucas Mexico, Puerto Quetzal Guatamala, San Juan Del Sur Nicaragua, Puntrenas Costa Rica, Manta Ecuador, Lima Peru, La Serena Chile and Finally Valparaiso Chile.

What was the cost for this adventure?. Seventeen days at $82 per person per night! Of course that doesnt include airfare to San Francisco and air back from Chile and of course all of the fun excursions, but it was a pretty good deal at 42% off the normal rate. Enough of a deal that we planned for our three kids to join us on the beach in Chile and then off to Santaigo before flying home. I will keep you posted on the trip!