Retired 20 years ago in Mexico!

[mexicoblue14]

Burned out at age 51 with 80-hour work weeks in Silicon Valley, I decided I needed to retire for my health and sanity. My financial advisor said I'd need to work 10 more years, put $50K aside per year and I could retire there at half my life style. It felt like a prison sentence, so I attended an International Living conference in Guadalajara on retiring in Mexico and three months later I moved to Ajijic. I've lived comfortably here for 20 years, published hundreds of articles and two books on retiring in Mexico and consider myself a bit of an expert on the subject. Not a financial expert -- my careers were in IT and marketing, but I've interviewed hundreds of folks who have moved down here for a myriad of reasons and am happy to help others looking for a way to retire early. It's a pleasure to be part of this group.

[Major Tom]

Welcome to the group. I must admit that, on reading your introductory post, I couldn't figure out whether it was a regular intro, or a pitch for International Living and your services.

How cynical of me! Enjoy your time here.

[nobodyspecial]

I love the Lakeside area. Once I can walk away from MegaCorp's money, La Floresta here I come.

[medved]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mexicoblue14 I moved to Ajijic. I've lived comfortably here for 20 years, published hundreds of articles and two books on retiring in Mexico and consider myself a bit of an expert on the subject. ... happy to help others looking for a way to retire early. It's a pleasure to be part of this group.

What were the biggest surprises you found in moving to Mexico -- the things you didn't expect or anticipate (I am referring to both the positives and negatives)?

Have you integrated with locals or more part of an expat community? Did you speak good Spanish before moving down there?

What do you spend your time doing down there? If you needed serious medical care (major surgery, chemotherapy. etc.), would you get it down there or come back to US?

[Alex The Great]

mexicoblue14, you're a very valuable resource here Some of my questions already mentioned by medved, I would like just to add one: is it true that Mexico's public health insurer often reject people with pre-existing conditions, and even drop them later when they develop such conditions?

[Luck_Club]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mexicoblue14 Burned out at age 51 with 80-hour work weeks in Silicon Valley, I decided I needed to retire for my health and sanity. My financial advisor said I'd need to work 10 more years, put $50K aside per year and I could retire there at half my life style. It felt like a prison sentence, so I attended an International Living conference in Guadalajara on retiring in Mexico and three months later I moved to Ajijic. I've lived comfortably here for 20 years, published hundreds of articles and two books on retiring in Mexico and consider myself a bit of an expert on the subject. Not a financial expert -- my careers were in IT and marketing, but I've interviewed hundreds of folks who have moved down here for a myriad of reasons and am happy to help others looking for a way to retire early. It's a pleasure to be part of this group.

This is sort of my plan, with multiple 8-12 week locations. Recent news stories indicate Mexico areas have become very violent to Americans. Could you elaborate on the local take?

[ERD50]

Welcome as well. I am a cynic by nature, and I have to admit that I got a tinge of the same feeling that Major Tom got (I didn't know he was such a cynic - I pictured him as pretty easy going!). But I also like to give people the benefit of the doubt, and figured it was just an explanation for how you got to where you are. I hope I'm right.

I'm interested in hearing more - like what kind of numbers did your FA figure on? How much of a gap was there (well, I guess ~ $500K from your comments of saving $50K for ten years)? Obviously, the FA, if paid as a % of portfolio is motivated to have you keep growing your (1% his?) portfolio!

-ERD50

[Sunset]

Welcome, I look forward to hearing about your life in Mexico.

[brucethebroker]

Welcome Mexiblu14.

Are you still there?......

[Sunset]

I was so curious I looked up the town. Sort of West of central Mexico.
It's on a huge lake, looked lovely, until one video explained nobody swims in the lake due to the high industrial pollution. Sure enough all the videos I saw, the lake was devoid of people.

I would seriously worry about well water so close to this incredibly large lake.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom Welcome to the group. I must admit that, on reading your introductory post, I couldn't figure out whether it was a regular intro, or a pitch for International Living and your services. How cynical of me! Enjoy your time here.

Looks like the mods removed her book advertisements from her sig line. Doubt she'll be heard from again...

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset I was so curious I looked up the town. Sort of West of central Mexico. It's on a huge lake, looked lovely, until one video explained nobody swims in the lake due to the high industrial pollution. Sure enough all the videos I saw, the lake was devoid of people. I would seriously worry about well water so close to this incredibly large lake.

An old friend of mine has a sister & her DH who have lived there for years (Ajijic); they love it, he thinks it's smelly, dirty, dump, (candor is his byword).......I've never been, so have no first hand comment.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Looks like the mods removed her book advertisements from her sig line. Doubt she'll be heard from again...

Hmmm, looks like Major Tom's cynicism was well placed. Two posts and out, a hit-and-run poster!

-ERD50

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 I am a cynic by nature, and I have to admit that I got a tinge of the same feeling that Major Tom got (I didn't know he was such a cynic - I pictured him as pretty easy going!) -ERD50

The forces of good and evil sit on my shoulders and whisper in my ears - one on each side. It almost feels a bit schizophrenic at times, but I do my best to balance them both. Such is the cost of attempting to be pragmatic

I was hoping she'd stick around to answer the questions posed in this thread, but it's been 5 days now since the original post. It's a shame, as there were some real opportunities for learning here. Perhaps we need to wait a few more days. I really do want to think the best of people so come back mexicoblue14, and show us we were wrong about you

[Hyperborea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 they love it, he thinks it's smelly, dirty, dump

Is that really they or is it "they"?

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperborea Is that really they or is it "they"?

They being his sister and her husband.

[Hyperborea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperborea Is that really they or is it "they"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 They being his sister and her husband.

Ah, I missed that there were 3 people involved. I thought it was a way of intimating that the "she" of the couple loves it but that the "he" doesn't. Sort of like the royal "we".

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperborea Ah, I missed that there were 3 people involved. I thought it was a way of intimating that the "she" of the couple loves it but that the "he" doesn't. Sort of like the royal "we".

Quote:

An old friend of mine(1) has a sister(2) & her DH(3)

How's that? (Perhaps I should have mentioned that my friend also has a spouse (4) who doesn't like it there either.)

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nemo2 Quote: An old friend of mine(1) has a sister(2) & her DH(3) How's that? (Perhaps I should have mentioned that my friend also has a spouse (4) who doesn't like it there either.)

They probably don't like it because they got sick there from something they (8).

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister They probably don't like it because they got sick there from something they (8).

Nein.