Scott Burns. USA vs Mexico or Panama

[Sam]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...ns/2006/stories/072006dnbusburns.159f94d.html

One of the truly great things about America is our national genius for finding ways to create and distribute goods at the lowest possible costs. For every dream of an inexpensive retirement in Mexico or Panama, the United States offers hundreds of out-of-the-way spots with very low living costs

What you do think? It sounds too good to me. What's the catch?

Edit to add: I don't think Mr. Burns considers Health Care cost when writing the above.

 

[W2R]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...ns/2006/stories/072006dnbusburns.159f94d.html

One of the truly great things about America is our national genius for finding ways to create and distribute goods at the lowest possible costs. For every dream of an inexpensive retirement in Mexico or Panama, the United States offers hundreds of out-of-the-way spots with very low living costs

What you do think? It sounds too good to me. What's the catch?

Edit to add: I don't think Mr. Burns considers Health Care cost when writing the above.

I agree. He was probably assuming that the retiree at least had Medicare.

Other than that, I don't think there's a catch. There are some very inexpensive places to live in the U.S. I am planning to move to a town in the Ozarks with a very low cost of living when it's my time for ER. A second possible location that I am considering is northern Alabama (and Alabama is very tax-friendly towards retirees).

 

[bssc]

In my wife's home town of Rudyard, MT, you can get a house for $20K. Of course, it is 20 miles to the hospital and 110 to a specialist.

OTOH, the skies are beautiful.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I wonder if one doesnt need to include a quality of life factor in these cheaper locations.

I live in a cheaper location. Quality of service at stores and restaurants sucks, not a lot of amenities unless you fish or hunt, more criminal activity, poorer education.

Does a cheap place in the boonies in the US show equal or better quality of life than someplace like Lake Chapala?

 

[Sam]

I live in a cheaper location. Quality of service at stores and restaurants sucks, not a lot of amenities unless you fish or hunt, more criminal activity, poorer education.

As for criminal activity, I think it's more significant in cheaper locations closed to or inside a large metropolitan.

In my wife's home town of Rudyard, MT, you can get a house for $20K. Of course, it is 20 miles to the hospital and 110 to a specialist.

I'm guessing little to none criminal activities in Rudyard, MT.

Does a cheap place in the boonies in the US show equal or better quality of life than someplace like Lake Chapala?

Or Panama city, or Chiang Mai, or Puerto Rico ....

 

[W2R]

I wonder if one doesnt need to include a quality of life factor in these cheaper locations.

I live in a cheaper location. Quality of service at stores and restaurants sucks, not a lot of amenities unless you fish or hunt, more criminal activity, poorer education.

Does a cheap place in the boonies in the US show equal or better quality of life than someplace like Lake Chapala?

You are so right. What the author actually said was, "For every dream of an inexpensive retirement in Mexico or Panama, the United States offers hundreds of out-of-the-way spots with very low living costs". But lots of people like to retire to places like Hawaii or coastal California, so low costs of living are not their only, or even main, criteria in selecting a place. Then again, the author's statement didn't cover criteria, and he did not evaluate for subjective criteria like quality of life.

I thought it was fascinating to read about everyone's criteria in selecting retirement locations, in a thread I began a few days ago. Although there were some recurrent themes, our individuality in choices was so apparent.

 

[Billy]

Where we are located in the States, AZ, is one of the least expensive places we visit. Very convenient shopping, plenty of restaurants and God forbid even hospitals.

However, and this is where Akaisha and I have some interesting “conversations” IMO, Chapala has a better quality of life hands down. Many interesting characters/stories, and I love the laidback Mexican lifestyle. The weather is terrific and healthcare very good. Plenty to do there and the beach is a few hours bus trip. Very little crime, and the locals are fiendly.

Here, every house is painted some shade of beige by law ( HOA’s) and for me it’s boring. Crime is getting worse by the year, but we do have security.

Billy
www.RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

 

[unclemick]

Hmmm- the old story about - what are the people like here vs where you came from?

Working years - the inside of a rocket factory is pretty much the same no matter where it's located and an en-ga-neer is an en-ga - neer. For fun - you observed and copied the locals.

That said - having lived in greater(da burbs) Seattle, Denver, Baltimore, Huntsville AL, and New Orleans - I would say the greatest culture shock was New Orleans. And probably the place I'll miss the most.

The pre Katrina New Orleans is a gone pecan as they say.

12k one year - early 90's - fish camp over Lake Ponchartrain! My all time one year personal best cheap frugal.

I'll never see that again.

heh heh heh

One more thing - going into year two of MO - aka greater Kansas City - so far so good. Don't even mind the snow -yet.

 

[W2R]

That said - having lived in greater(da burbs) Seattle, Denver, Baltimore, Huntsville AL, and New Orleans - I would say the greatest culture shock was New Orleans. And probably the place I'll miss the most.

Pre-K New Orleans always seemed like home to me, comfortable and not culture shock at all, but then I spent my formative years in Hawaii which was pretty similar in some ways (not all). After living elsewhere all over the mainland for over 20 years, I felt a tremendous relief and feeling of home as soon as I landed in New Orleans.

The pre Katrina New Orleans is a gone pecan as they say.

Ain' dere no mo'.

Speaking of which, Bennie Grunch has recorded since Katrina and if you are homesick for NOLA and haven't heard his recent songs/commentary, you might like them. He was one of the first to give live performances here shortly after the storm.

12k one year - early 90's - fish camp over Lake Ponchartrain! My all time one year personal best cheap frugal.

I'll never see that again.

Not in the New Orleans metro area, dat's fo' sho'. Even if the camps were still there, the cost of living has gone through the roof since da big K.

One more thing - going into year two of MO - aka greater Kansas City - so far so good. Don't even mind the snow -yet.

Save a spot for me. Frank and I should be in Springfield as soon as we can retire, in about three years, unless there is a huge improvement down here in New Orleans (and honestly I don't see that even beginning to happen). I haven't lived in the snow as an adult so I'm pretty sure there will be a learning curve involved.