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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-19-2004, 03:26 AM   #21
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Purple Passion - Concord grapes fermented 7 days in a beer crock and strained thru a T shirt - We had stronger stomaches when we were young.
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Old 01-19-2004, 08:42 AM   #22
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Fireman

Have traveled thru Scotland many times (mostly golfing).
Where are you from ?
I wouldn't mind living in Scotland during the warm months - May thru September. The problem is I don't have enough money. Scotland is very expensive. Gasoline is 4 or 5 times the US and restaurant food is double. Golf used to be cheap there, but unless you're a member of a club, is very expensive. I should point out that the cost of a golf club membership is very, very inexpensive. But, if you want to play different courses, it would still get to be prohibitively expensive.
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-19-2004, 10:16 AM   #23
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Re: Retiring In Canada

I am originally from Canada's west coast, hence my presence on this thread. My wife is Scotish and we moved here from England last year. We became sick of the cost and crowds down there. But Scotland is not really a FIRE paradise, especially with children, because of the costs. We are currently living in a 1000sqft three bed semi-detached house built in the 60's (and never updated!) sitting on a postage stamp size garden and it would sell for over US$250000. All in all, I would say it costs about 30-50% more to live here than on the west coast (except for Vancouver).

Not much on offer here except golf, castles, beautiful cities, golf, whiskey, wonderful scenery, golf, history at every turn, golf, ...

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-26-2004, 01:48 PM   #24
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Ted on 16.01.04 at 07:18:25
Quote:
It seems that Americans can buy real estate in Canada without any problem, and use it for vacationing. *But is there a legal requirement that they leave the country for some fraction of the year, if they are not "on track" to become Canadian citizens? *Could a person simply live there and pay taxes and/or healthcare costs without becoming a citizen?

No, you can't. Or at least no you can't do it legally. You might get away with it for a while or even longer but you would be an illegal immigrant. You would likely end up being deported and banned at some point. IIRC, 6 months is the maximum and usually default amount of time that an American can spend in Canada and vice versa without some sort of work or student status.

TH on 16.01.04 at 13:01:18
Quote:
I see the real cost savings to living in canada being that you only need to buy lower cost thermometers that dont include numbers over +10.

When I lived in Toronto it would get up to 35C in the summers. That's 95F in old British units for the Americans. :P

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-26-2004, 02:07 PM   #25
 
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Re: Retiring In Canada

I've spent a lot of time in Canada. I don't see very many reasons to visit, much less live there.

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-26-2004, 02:12 PM   #26
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Quote:
I've spent a lot of time in Canada. I don't see very many reasons to visit, much less live there.

John Galt

John, for all your good points, that is a pretty philistine attitude.

Try Clean Air, (in 90% of the country as opposed to 30%); Fish you can eat when you catch them; A good Affordable healthcare system; No Defecit; Affordable housing in urban areas; Beautiful countryside to name but a few. Not perfect by any means but a lot better than some retirement havens highlighted in Money Magazine.

Apart form that it is rated as one of the top 5 best places to live in the world.

SWR
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-26-2004, 02:23 PM   #27
 
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Well, the fishing is pretty good, and the scenery is
often pleasant. But, it's buggy out in the country,
the weather is lousy, and the politics are even less
appealing than the U.S.A. I have said it before;
but truly about the only real advantage I can see
is the lower population density.

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-26-2004, 02:33 PM   #28
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Quote:
Well, the fishing is pretty good, and the scenery is
often pleasant. *But, it's buggy out in the country,
the weather is lousy, and the politics are even less
appealing than the U.S.A. *I have said it before;
but truly about the only real advantage I can see
is the lower population density.
Well, we'll just have to agree to disagree then. I look at at the issue almost 180 degrees differently. The politics are much better in Canada, the people are in general friendlier, the high population density cities are safer and more livable, and you get 4 real seasons of weather.

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-28-2004, 06:00 PM   #29
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Shok, how did you manage to become a citizen of Canada, the U.S., and the E.U.? Did you have to work in Canada for a certain amount of time? I'd love to hear about it.

Canada may be cold, but Canadians aren't as uptight as Americans, and I like that. For those who have spent time there, I think you know the difference. For those who don't know, and don't think the U.S. is uptight, then I don't think you'd enjoy retiring in Canada solely for the medical benefits and the cheaper houses.

I did a bit of searching on realtor.com, and townhouses in the suburbs of Montreal and Toronto are in the $120K - $150K U.S.D. range, and I have visited some of these locations on my vacations. They are decent. Rent's dirt cheaper in Montreal because a lof of English speakers left for Toronto right after the separatist movement.

Up to mid 90's, Mexico, Canada, and Costa Rica all had retiree citizenship, but somehow all three countries revoked this type of citizenship at about the same time, so now even if you do manage to buy property and live in any of these countries, you still have to come back to the U.S. every 6 months. Kind of a silly waste of time and money. I don't know why the retiree citizenship was revoked. If anyone knows why this happened, please let me know.
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-28-2004, 06:28 PM   #30
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Quote:
Up to mid 90's, Mexico, Canada, and Costa Rica all had retiree citizenship, but somehow all three countries revoked this type of citizenship at about the same time, so now even if you do manage to buy property and live in any of these countries, you still have to come back to the U.S. every 6 months. Kind of a silly waste of time and money. I don't know why the retiree citizenship was revoked. *If anyone knows why this happened, please let me know.
Only the USA allows itself to be a dump for the uneducated, old, and sick excess population of practically any other country. My neighborhood is full of very old Russians. Almost none of them speak English. I never see them with adult children, so I wonder who is supporting them? I would guess that I probably am, but I can't be sure.

The only positive I can see is that the quality of smoked herring and cultured milk products has gone way up. And the young Russian women are totally yummy. Quite different from the image I remember from my boyhood in the 50s. Olga, the 185 pound shotputter is out. Natasha the 115 pound beautifully dressed red head is in.

Overall though is seems that the American middle class are pack animals for rest of the the world.

Mikey
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 03:00 AM   #31
 
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Yes Mikey, the American middle class are "pack animals"
for the rest of the world. However, they are also pack animals for the rest of the USA. That is every bit as
sad. It won't last forever (nothing does) but I will have
to live out my life without seeing a change.

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 04:15 AM   #32
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Interesting. The bulk of new businesses and and construction in my old neighborhood are Vietnamese as well as dominating the academic lists in public school.

Sadly - the new genaration is American, 1-2 ft taller, overweight, rap, gothic, you name and probably self indulgent, and complaining as much as the rest us middle 'classers'.

Optimistically- the bulk of self employed and small business starts will continue to be generated by that miniority of the 'middle class' who go ahead in spite of the odds.

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 07:07 AM   #33
 
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Hello unclemick! Re, "going ahead in spite of the odds",
I admire people who will still do it, but I've been there
and done that. Now, when I hear about all the problems and stress people are enduring, I can't help but think "There but for the grace of God........"

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 07:56 AM   #34
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Re: Retiring In Canada

What is the definition of a "middle class" American? With respect to Retiree of course. Not interested in those worker bees any more.

Is it Monetary based? If so how much? And where does upper middle take over?

Just curious.
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 11:01 AM   #35
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Net asset value? Somewhere above and below the median. Then there's pensions and SS? Most of the media stuff focuses on assets - not aditudes.
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 11:22 AM   #36
 
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Hello ShokWaveRIder! I don't know how to define
middle class, either for retired folks or in general.
However, I did read something at the library which caught my eye. Can't recall what newspaper or magazine it was in, but they broke down average net
worth by family into about 5 or 6 age classifications,
nationwide. I noticed even my meager little pile put me
above all of the categories' averages. Whodathunkit??

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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 11:35 AM   #37
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Middle class retiree? I don't think so. Just from reading posts to this forum -we're all over the map both asset and lifestyle wise - Heck as ER's, we 'own' the map. Hoo - Ra!

One vote for ER as a state of mind - let the other 'classes' eat their hearts out.
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 11:41 AM   #38
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Re: Retiring In Canada

I define my ER Middle Class perspective as "not having to work" as opposed to not working. I am 50 so get sweet naff all from the government(s) (I potentially have pensions however small in the US, Canada and the UK). I wish my "meager pile" was a little less meager but don't we all? The fact we are in the ER club, I would think automatically makes us middle class by definition. Assuming we do not live in a carboard box on desolation row.
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 12:11 PM   #39
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Re: Retiring In Canada

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Only the USA allows itself to be a dump for *the uneducated, old, and sick excess population of practically any other country. My neighborhood is full of very old Russians. *Almost none of them speak English. I never see them with adult children, so I wonder who is supporting them? I would guess that I probably am, but I can't be sure.
They're not getting in unless they have close enough family ties to a US citizen for a family sponsored visa. Green card holders can only bring in immediate family (spouse and non-adult children) and even then some of the delays can be huge. The US has no "retiree" visa. Those old immigrants are also not elligible for Social Security and IIRC no welfare etc. either.

If you're coming in as a legal immigrant other than family then you are generally more educated than the general US population, you have to pass a medical exam, and be at least young enough that the employer who is sponsoring you thinks they will get a return on their investment.

Hyperborea
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Re: Retiring In Canada
Old 01-29-2004, 12:44 PM   #40
 
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Re: Retiring In Canada

Hello Hyperborea. Re. your comments on immigration,
just curious. What planet have you been living on?
Our government policies are a joke. Our borders might
as well be non-existent. And now, anyone who gets
in will be rewarded with my money. I am not happy,
but I am resigned to this stupidity.

John Galt
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