Posted on February 28, 2010.
Back from Ecuador Would you guess? We have already booked our ticket back to Ecuador in June The air travel is quite expensive, but as long as you stay in Ecuador for a reasonable period, lower costs of living quickly compensate travel costs remain high for 60-90 days and is on the threshold of profitability. But all the possibilities of success source soon make the trip quite viable.
It was quite a shock to get used to higher fuel costs here in Australia, food, clothing, housing, leisure. I think we've become very accustomed to living on the other side of the world in comfort with relatively few dollars to be spent. It is true that a couple can easily live on less than $ 20,000 years and that includes rent. The requirement for a retirement residence "is that a person must prove that they get at least U.S. $ 800 per month as pension or retirement plan (U.S. $ 900 per couple). The Australian pension is unique about U.S. $ 1.050 so easily qualifies (U.S. $ 1.780 per couple). This reference gives an idea of what the government thinks Ecuador is necessary to live properly.
And the best thing is that we will be able to conduct business without too much pressure, and we will not have manufacturing issues to be addressed. Ecuadorian lifestyles also seem to be much lower than the pressure in Australia.
And if you know friends or relatives who are struggling with coping with the lack of liquidity in their retirement, encourage them to consider other options for living abroad. We now know that this is not always necessary to stay on the treadmill of making more money to pay a high cost of living. Another option is to live in a low-cost and reduce the pressure on the income criteria. The cost savings from the lower life will more than cover one or two trips back to Australia each year, so living overseas does not mean that retirees have to do without contact with the family. And these days with Skype Internet communications, they can talk to the family every day for as long as they want - free. With video (webcam), you can also visually see loved ones while you talk to the other.
An example of how many people are struggling to make ends meet in retirement was illustrated in an article published in our issue of the West Australian "The Sunday Times last week. It has been stressing how difficult it is for retirees to live on AU $ 546.80 per fortnight (AU $ 14,000 per year).
"Thousands of poor pensioners are rationing their food, go without simple pleasures and make it harder than ever."
This is not the same in Ecuador if the same person has lived in this country with the same pension. Quality accommodation can be achieved with just U.S. $ 250 - $ 300 per month. For a couple, the numbers are even better. This leaves plenty of food, transportation and entertainment. Medical and dental is also much cheaper than Australia and insurance can be purchased for less than $ 100 per month (over 65).
No wonder Ecuador is listed as one of the best countries in the world to retire (see www.internationalliving.com/)
Hasta Luege
