Yvonne and Michael Bauche have lived in 22 countries since they gave up their jobs. They’ve been all over Central America and Europe, living in a country for months at a time. But only if they liked it, of course. They especially enjoyed a 15th century farmhouse in Tuscany and the view from their porch in Volcan Baru, Panama.
So are they billionaire yacht owners? Did they strike oil or sell an IT company? Nope. In fact, they found their monthly expenses on the road half of what they spent at home. They actually managed to save money by living the retirement dream of travelling the world.
Yvonne and Michael aren’t alone. Far from it.
Eager for adventure, aware of the opportunities overseas, and unwilling to ‘settle down’ just yet, broad-minded retirees are making the world their playground. And they’re doing it without tearing through their hard earned savings. In fact, some manage to grow their nest egg while seeing the world.
No matter their age or background, these nomads all have certain things in common: They want to step out of the rat race, make the most of their time, meet new people, learn new things…and savour life in exotic, cultured and beautiful surrounds.
You could join them. Spend two months in Spain and six weeks in Portugal living in farmhouses and haciendas. With a cost of living around half of Melbourne’s, the cash you’d save in Europe would pay for a cruise across the Atlantic.
Then try Latin America. Start with the beaches of Belize, move south to the mountains of Ecuador. Live like a king on the cheap. Create your own extended ‘colonial tour’…three months in the immaculately preserved town of Granada, Nicaragua, followed by a stint among the palm trees of Panama.
Beyond the adventure, the true beauty of this way of life is the flexibility. A roving retirement like this can last as long as you like, and be as fast or slow paced as you like. Having discovered an enchanting Italian hilltop town, you can linger. If a place appeals, stay longer…if not, move on. And as your first year on the road rolls into your next, you’ll have learned where you feel most at home. Instead of two months on your favourite Thai island, this time you might decide to spend four… and so on…all the time savouring the best the world has to offer you…
And if you’re thinking this is outside your financial reach, think again.
Not so long ago, only sailors, soldiers and the super wealthy got to see the world. But today globetrotting isn’t just a job for mariners or the preserve of jet set businessmen.
You can use a host of websites, organisations and communities to organise low cost, luxurious travel and accommodation for a few months – enough time to try a place on for size – before moving on to the next. I call this a nomadic retirement.
For many people, it’s the dream they think they can’t afford.
But I know you can afford it.
How do I know it’s affordable? Because a nomadic retirement can actually save you money. Right now, Australia is one of the least affordable countries in the world. And living internationally is more affordable than ever before. Advances in technology have opened up the world. Planes, trains and the internet are all getting faster, more comfortable and more affordable.
Thanks to information technology, it’s possible for clued in travellers to easily take advantage of special deals, discounts and secret strategies. If you know where to look, you can embrace these changes and make your dream of exploring dozens of overseas destinations come true.
In fact, done right, a nomadic retirement could cost you less than it would to stay home. You might even manage to generate cash in retirement while living the retirement dream.
Lots of retirees are already living a nomadic retirement. You’ll be sure to come across them. Apart from enjoying their rich stories, don’t forget to ask them for advice and suggestions on where to go next. In the end, they’re much more likely to offer the kind of advice and suggestions you’re looking for than any website. Nothing beats experience.
Of course, a nomadic retirement may not be something for you at all. But if you’d prefer to settle down in one location, I think it should be an informed decision.
There’s no question that spending extended time in different places is more than just a wonderful adventure. It’s also the ideal way to research a potentially permanent retirement home. When you shop at the local markets, take note of prices, explore neighbourhoods on foot or using local transport…you get a much more realistic sense for a place than you ever could breezing through as a tourist. This way, you say hello to the neighbours, meet local expats and pick their brains, look at notice boards, talk to real estate agents, and generally get curious about everything…in short, you pretend you live there full time.
Then ask yourself how you feel. Do you feel safe and comfortable, do you like the area, the food, and the people? Is there anything that you do not like or something that irritates you to a degree that you couldn’t tolerate it over the long-haul?
Even if you choose Australia as your permanent home, shouldn’t you know what you’re missing out on? My family house hunted and looked at schools in around ten countries before settling on Australia as our home, so I wouldn’t blame you for staying.
A nomadic retirement is a great solution to so many of retirement’s problems. You have a fantastic lifestyle while escaping Australia’s cost of living. Your dollar will go further, pardon the pun, and you will have experiences your children and grandchildren will envy you for.
The only real question is, where to go first? I’ll let you decide.
Nick Hubble+
Editor, The Money for Life Letter
Ed note: The above article is an edited extract from Nick’s retirement advisory The Money for Life Letter.