Couple retires in Spain and lives comfortably on $2000 per month.

[AbbA]

Most of us here view Mexico as not a safe place to visit these days, especially for buying drugs (pharmaceuticals).

That's an example I expected to hear . Media does have a great power to make us think in stereotypes. This actually addresses the thread itself of why some people are not afraid to move abroad and why others will look for reasons not to do so and even criticize those who are brave to do it. I think a lot has to do with our inner fear.

 

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

I wish you to beat this beast again and not to relapse.

you and me both.

... Do you have to pay the market price OOP for "Lupron".

The market price for each shot of Lupron (leuprolide) is $6,000.

I pay $12 for it.

... Perhaps you would need to do some research and hopefully can lower your expenses like aja8888 is doing now.

My healthcare is provided to me from the US Navy, through Tricare. Tricare is nationwide. My regional underwriter is Martins Point, they interface directly with all hospitals and healthcare providers in this region for a $300 annual enrollment fee.

My normal co-pay for office visits and surgeries is $20.

My co-pay for normal generic drugs is $9 for each 90-day supply. My co-pay for Lupron is $12 because it is an exotic drug.

aja8888 is talking about 'part D' which I think is a feature of medicare. I am not old enough for medicare. I have only been on pension for 18 years. I am not that old.

 

[Offgrid Organic Farmer]

I would love to know where you find an apartment in Seattle for $525 that apparently includes water/sewer/garbage.

My son's in-laws rent a 2bdrm house for $450/month [but that is here in Maine].

I have some single-occupancy apartments that I rent out for $350 if the tenant pays utilities, or $450/month if I carry utilities.

 

[frank]

American drug tourism and online ordering is starting to have an affect on our domestic supply in Canada. The pharmacist and doctor associations in various provinces have started to speak out about it.

canadian-pharmacists-report-rise-in-drug-shortages-causing-patient-confusion-and-distress
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/canad...sing-patient-confusion-and-distress-1.4525119

From the article:
"“With over 20 pieces of legislation at the state and federal levels, the biggest risk for Canadians is exacerbating drug shortages – our drug supply simply is not equipped to supply a country 10 times our size.”"

I wonder about the supplies you mention. most of the drugs I see online at canada pharmacies comes from a lot of different countries. india, turkey, uk, etc. I notice there is a lot of hype going around in this country about passing legislation to allow medicare to negotiate drug prices, but I think big pharma has too much influence and won't let it happen.

 

[brett]

My Stepsister and husband have lived in many places. Canada, Hong Kong, Switzerland, UK, Dubai, and Moscow.

Daughter in Canada, son in Dubai, siblings in Canada.

They chose Spain for their location and retirement home. Three reasons. They like the country, they like the weather, and they like the location. Lots of retirees choose another country out of choice. It is not always financially motivated.

 

[Freedom56]

They chose Spain for their location and retirement home. Three reasons. They like the country, they like the weather, and they like the location. Lots of retirees choose another country out of choice. It is not always financially motivated.

Agree with you. I have a childhood friend who went through a tough divorce, became extremely overweight, depressed, and decided he needed a change. He went off to Chiang Mai Thailand. He came back nine months later completely changed. He lost over 90 pounds and looked great and felt great. He was completely unrecognizable. So I thought he would be settling back here again but he said "Hell no, I just came back to sell some assets and clear some paperwork, I'm going back permanently". This is a guy who has enough money to live anywhere in the world like a king. I'm sure he will live like an emperor in Thailand. It's not always financially motivated.

 

[Bestwifeever]

My Stepsister and husband have lived in many places. Canada, Hong Kong, Switzerland, UK, Dubai, and Moscow.

Daughter in Canada, son in Dubai, siblings in Canada.

They chose Spain for their location and retirement home. Three reasons. They like the country, they like the weather, and they like the location. Lots of retirees choose another country out of choice. It is not always financially motivated.

The couple's financials in the OP were certainly highlighted to tailor this story to Marketwatch--otherwise, it's just another nice retire abroad story. I'm sure there are a lot of people choosing Spain whose decisions aren't based on pinching pennies or worries about the cost of US healthcare.

 

[Fermion]

Some people also have wanderlust and need the different cultures to bring a sense of adventure to their lives while others are able to create adventure where ever they may reside.

 

[FIREd]

This story sounds familiar. Spain and Portugal are favorite retirement destinations for Europeans yearning for good weather and a relatively low cost of living.

 

[Vacation4us]

Agree with you. I have a childhood friend who went through a tough divorce, became extremely overweight, depressed, and decided he needed a change. He went off to Chiang Mai Thailand. He came back nine months later completely changed. He lost over 90 pounds and looked great and felt great. He was completely unrecognizable. So I thought he would be settling back here again but he said "Hell no, I just came back to sell some assets and clear some paperwork, I'm going back permanently". This is a guy who has enough money to live anywhere in the world like a king. I'm sure he will live like an emperor in Thailand. It's not always financially motivated.

My husband and I honeymooned in Thailand. He routinely jokes if I divorce him or die he will be moving to Thailand. And it is not for the weather.

 

[Buckeye]

DW takes Spiriva also. She takes 11 drugs, 5 of which are related to her advanced COPD. Breo is an inhalant powder and is recommended by her Doc.

I don't know anything about a "Part B" drug as Part B is not a drug plan from what I understand.

Breathing treatments using a nebulizer with a liquid drug, such as Perforomist, are billed to Part B of Medicare (usually for expenses such as doctor visits, x-rays, etc.) instead of being billed under Part D (drug plan).

Mom had regular Medicare with a plan F supplement from AARP/UHC. Her Perforomist and DuoNeb (albuterol) were liquids that came in individual ampules and she inhaled them using her nebulizer. She got them at the Walgreens pharmacy but her Medicare Part B insurance was billed. Other breathing meds such as Sprivia and rescue inhalers were billed to her Part D (drug plan) insurance. She administered the Performist twice a day using her nebulizer and the cost to Medicare was about $700 per month. Her AARP/UHC plan F supplement policy picked up the 20% that Medicare didn't pay.

Remember, Medicare Part A is hospitalization charges, Medicare Part B pays doctor visits, diagnostic tests, and nebulizer-administered medications, Part C is Advantage Plans, and Part D is drug plans. And then there are the supplement plans (plan A-N) that pick up the 20% that Medicare does not cover.

I did not go back and read whether your wife has regular Medicare (Part A & Part B) or an Advantage Plan (Part C).

 

[Freedom56]

My husband and I honeymooned in Thailand. He routinely jokes if I divorce him or die he will be moving to Thailand. And it is not for the weather.

I took my wife to Thailand for two weeks while I was there on business. She found those older men (we saw many well over 60) with young Thai women to be repulsive. It's something ingrained in their culture, according to the Thai women that I worked with. Some Thai women feel that if they marry a Thai male, they will struggle all their lives, and hence they seek foreign husbands for a better quality of life. Professional Thai women think completely differently and feel most of those men these Thai women fall for are total losers.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

I took my wife to Thailand for two weeks while I was there on business. She found those older men (we saw many well over 60) with young Thai women to be repulsive. It's something ingrained in their culture, according to the Thai women that I worked with. Some Thai women feel that if they marry a Thai male, they will struggle all their lives, and hence they seek foreign husbands for a better quality of life. Professional Thai women think completely differently and feel most of those men these Thai women fall for are total losers.

The same thing that occurs in Thailand occurs in the United States (but less often). When I was 53 my GF for a year was 23. When I was 54 I dated a 19yo.
Wealthy men seek out younger women. Young women seek out financially secure men.

Todays news: Dennis Quaid, the 65yo actor, just announced his engagement to a 26yo.

It's not surprising the older women don't like this. Obviously.

 

[Freedom56]

The same thing that occurs in Thailand occurs in the United States (but less often). When I was 53 my GF for a year was 23. When I was 54 I dated a 19yo.
Wealthy men seek out younger women. Young women seek out financially secure men.

Todays news: Dennis Quaid, the 65yo actor, just announced his engagement to a 26yo.

It's not surprising the older women don't like this. Obviously.

Yes it's becoming more common here for the simple reason that many guys, despite having things much easier than their hard working parents, are total losers with no real jobs, education, or ambition. So many women are opting for older men for some financial security. I personally wouldn't do that and I'm in good shape (slim) with a full head of hair. A lot of young women approach me when I do my photo/video shoots and start talking. I'm always polite but I don't want trouble in my life. Plus my wife takes care of herself (stays slim) and looks better than many women much younger. My wife's issue with what she saw in Thailand is that she feels someone in their 60's should not be fathering children with women in their late teens or early 20's which is what we both saw in Thailand.

 

[Vacation4us]

The same thing that occurs in Thailand occurs in the United States (but less often). When I was 53 my GF for a year was 23. When I was 54 I dated a 19yo.
Wealthy men seek out younger women. Young women seek out financially secure men.

Todays news: Dennis Quaid, the 65yo actor, just announced his engagement to a 26yo.

It's not surprising the older women don't like this. Obviously.

Gross.

Predator vs Prostitution neither speaks well of either party.

 

[brett]

We have spent five winters in Thailand. This winter may be the sixth.

We noticed the older white men/much younger woman much more during our short stay in the Philippines than we have in Thailand.

But....we avoid Places like Phuket and only spend a day or two in Bangkok each trip.

 

[MichaelB]

Why don’t we get back to living in Spain for less than $2000

 

[lordjust]

Why don’t we get back to living in Spain for less than $2000

agreed! ... how are people getting a visa (a challenge) paying US "and" Spain taxes ? I see numerous articles on the Visa piece but as a US Citizen, that will make more than $25k/year... how are people dealing with the EU/Spain taxes? Do people just travel frequently to avoid the residency piece that will save them from the high Spain income taxes?

 

[Beachcomber]

We were in Barcelona for 3 nights last month. It is definitely for the younger crowd. Took a cruise from Barcelona to Monte Carlo, Portofino and finally Rome.

Definitely a beautiful place to live and the waterfront was great. The Renaissance is also hard to beat. But I would miss the USA.

 

[gwix98]

Seattle COL

I would love to know where you find an apartment in Seattle for $525 that apparently includes water/sewer/garbage. My disabled friend's mother died and she must move out of the family home soon. She has been in the housing lottery for 5 years just trying to get on the probably 5-year waiting list for Section 8 housing. She has a real concern of becoming homeless so an apartment for $525 per month would be a godsend.

I live in the Seattle area and have for 67 years. The numbers quoted above are not even close to being accurate unless your parents are paying your way. Not even close.

 

[tsturbo]

Wow! Really surprises me that you can get a decent apartment in Seattle for $525/month

You CANNOT

 

[Teacher Terry]

He said eastern Washington and not Seattle.

 

[tsturbo]

And WHY would you want to live in any of those very depressed towns?

Our apartment is in the mountains of Washington state, not on the coast, although the coastal towns of Washington ARE really cheap. I am not talking about the Puget Sound but the actual Pacific Ocean coast. In Ocean Shores, Westport, or even that sparkly vampire area Forks.

On the east coast you can get a cheap apartment in the Florida panhandle in Carabelle or Apalachicola. Heck, we rented a 3 bedroom vacation home on a private lake 5 blocks from the beach for $1600 a month in Carabelle and that was vacation rental prices, not long term lease prices.

I am sure there are cities in Spain that have high rents just as there are places in the USA with high rents.

It has been shown that healthcare in the USA can be as cheap or cheaper than Spain.

So really it is all about where do you want to live, not so much about how this place is cheaper than that place. If you want to retire in the USA, there are plenty of areas where you can do it cheaper than most of the other first world countries.

 

[gwix98]

Seattle apartment

You CANNOT

Agreed!


Absolutely no way!

 

[Old Microbiologist]

I know people get tired of me saying it but Eastern Europe is probably a better deal than Spain. In face we have many Brit friends who moved here from Spain and Portugal. The former communist countries still have many of the socialistic benefits such as cheap national health costs. We chose to live in Hungary because of the mild climate, beautiful countryside, low crime, zero pollution, excellent food quality (would qualify as organic in the US), but mostly for the zero property taxes and zero death tax. We are centrally located in Europe and a lot of excellent places are within a 5 hour drive. It is also a lot cheaper to live here but some things like utilities and diesel are a lot more expensive than in the US. We stopped paying into the Medicare part B as paying cash for medical here is just so much cheaper. There is no comparison at all. I will become a citizen in April and then I can enroll in the National Health plan for roughly $25 a month which covers everything except pharmaceuticals and dental. Drug costs are controlled by the government so are cheap in comparison to the US. Sometimes as little as 1% of the cost for the same thing. We don't even think about it anymore. We pay cash for medical and get seen immediately and the costs, even with some major illnesses have been less than our Parts B payments so we stopped paying. I am retired military so now I have lost my (extremely useless) Tricare Overseas. I can expand on the issues with Tricare should anyone be interested. In short it is horrible and designed to make it so you don't want to bother using it.

We live well within $2,000 a month and have a full time employee (property manager) and part time house cleaner. We share the property manager costs with my sister-in-law who bought a second house next door and we combined the properties so we are on roughly 4 acres of land inside a small city which also is a destination resort. I have a sailboat at a local marina on the largest lake in Eastern Europe and we have bordering us large national parks. My wife is Russian so we are a short flight to Moscow. My son lives in Israel so again a short (and cheap $30) flight there. The rest are in the US but many come here for a European vacation using our place as a base for travels. The only real issue was language but that isn't horrible and most people are learning English now.