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Let's say I want to semi-retire early, which I think I can do in two to five years, and live half the year in the U.S. and the other half of the year in southern Italy, France or Spain. However, I will be in my mid-50's at the time and so I need good health insurance obviously. (Btw, I know...

I asked a question a few months ago about retiring, or semi-retiring, in France and got GREAT responses. But I wonder if I am being realistic as I don't know French yet but am pretty good with Spanish. Well, and my wife is a native Spanish speaker as well! Anyway, here is my understand of...

Let's say I want to semi-retire in five years to somewhere in Western Europe (France, Spain, etc.). And let's say I'm living off income from investments and part-time self-employment. Does anyone know if there is a reasonable way to get health insurance over there that isn't exhorbitant...

Would anyone consider going international with high-grade foreign debt as is suggested on this seeking alpha thread: Looking for Retirement Income? Go Global - Seeking Alpha It seems reasonable to me, but I was wondering if anyone sees any pitfalls.

Well, I'm trying to be excited about this: I got my first AARP membership card in the mail. The yearly membership looks cheap, so I guess I'll probably do it, but here's my question: what discounts can I get with this card that aren't travel-related? The reason I ask is that I've still got...

Kronk called himself a heretic. But I doubt he can compete with me: I really enjoy everything about this forum, but I believe that I actually have different goals than everyone else. Here's where I am headed: 1. Save up enough $$ to be able to live anywhere I want in the world. 2. Save up...

I hope to retire in about ten years, but I got discouraged from this link in Yahoo which painted a rather bleak picture of getting health insurance. It basically said that with any health issues, the health insurers would exclude you en toto or add an exclusion to your policy. They then...

Guys, Is the Terhorst book, which I know is a classic, worth spending $20-25 on? Am I really going to learn that much that I couldn't just learn on this board?

A question for those of you who ER'd or are far along the way: what was the biggest roadblock (psychologically, logistically, financially, etc.) on your path? Did anything significantly delay you and/or almost make you turn back? If so, how did you overcome it??

I'm in the fifth year of a 99 Amigo.  I paid about $16,000 and it's been a great car - almost no repair bills.  So to keep the warranty going, I've probably spent $1,500 and will probably spend another $500 by 2006 when I'll sell it.  That's $18,000 in seven years or an average of about...

The 4% Rule is based on the 130 years of analysis and is thus as solid as probably anything can be in this world.  But I do have one concern: there may be a paradigm shift occurring across the ocean. The last 130 years have one common assumption:  American dominance (or at least high growth) in...

One of the things I found very powerful was the 4% and the body of research around it. If I understood it right, it was based on backtesting a portfolio of a majority of SnP indexed stocks and a minority of fixed interest instruments. Now what is interesting to me is that I have the majority of...

This crowd seems to know about great places to buy anything. I'm just wondering if anyone knows where I can get the best price possible for kids games like foosball, air hockey, mini-pool, etc.?

We just had an IKEA open up in our city. It was a huge event: it backed up the freeway, people slept outside for ten days to get the door prize(s) and there the parking lot (which was several acres) was overflowing. I drove by from the freeway in the evening and there was still a line outside...

Guys, I'm usually pretty financially optimistic. But this just stopped me dead in my tracks: http://www.economagic.com/em-cgi/data.exe/fedstl/m3sl How can Greenspan justify letting M3 double in less than 9 years? Somebody comfort me and tell me this is okay cuzz that ain't what I heard in...

Has anyone seen any decent worksheets on the home vs rent argument? And please keep in mind that I have no desire to be a landlord no matter how much I'd make - that's just not me. I'm strictly interested in minimizing total expenses. I'd like to find a worksheet that lets you play around...

Questions from a fledgling: --When you look back on it, was it worth it? --Are you glad you ER'd when you did? --Has it been what you thought it would be? --Do you wish you'd waited five more years? Yeah, I'm looking for inspiration here. But if you've had regrets in some way, I'd like to...

My apartment is pathetically lacking in wall hangings.  I've got a fairly good sized two bedroom apt and not ONE wall hanging.  I just don't want to spend $50-500 a shot. I mean it's easy to spend $100 on a frame alone!   I'm confident that you good people must know a better way. Anybody have...

Anybody out there get a 2nd job to help save in the beginning?  To be honest, it sounds awful.  But it seems like I really need for a few years to play it safe.  Someone tell me it's not that bad... :-/

I'm curious: how many of you saved up the bulk of your pre-retirement monies while living alone without a spouse or "significant other"? It seems like kind of a lonely path and I'm wondering how many have done it alone and what the advantages and disadvantages are. I think for most people it...

I naturally stay on budget in the sense that I have virtually no debt.  But I need to go to the next "level" to save enough to retire early and that's where I'm struggling.  What kept you guys motivated and inspired when you didn't seem to have the inner strength to do what you needed to do to...

I have this "fear".  I'll work hard for X years to reach ER and then I go to get health insurance and the underwriting department says, "Sure, we'll give you an individual plan, but I'm sorry all we can cover Mr. Whisper is your spleen, lower jaw and left knee.  But I think you'll be pleased...

I need to replace my couch.  I don't care how what it's made out of just so it looks half way decent.  I've been to a consignment store and I can pick one up for $400-500, but I don't really want to pay that much as I'm trying to plough all my money into savings. Any suggestions?  (I don't...