Living the Good Life

Have you ever dreamed of retiring to a Pacific coast villa complete with a pool and household help…or maybe you fancy running a small resort in the Caribbean…or spending your days in a mountain retreat where the air is crisp and you live amidst expansive, snow-capped peaks…setting up home on your own private island…or alternating between your Paris and London pied-à-terres? But that’s just for the rich and famous… You too can lead a luxurious and carefree life abroad…away from all the doom and gloom of the modern world…in your own private paradise, any where in the world you choose. There are places where you can still own your own beachfront home or French chateau outright …where you can have a household staff ready to cater to all your needs, leaving you time to live your life…where the government doesn’t involve itself in every aspect of your personal life...and won’t even charge you taxes. Read below for stories and advice to find out more about how you can live the good life overseas.  

Living the Good Life Archives

A Beach-Lover’s Paradise With Great Views and Low Property Prices in Nicaragua

A Beach-Lover’s Paradise With Great Views and Low Property Prices in Nicaragua

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February 14, 2016

Imagine sitting on your patio with a glass of wine in hand and fresh mahi mahi waiting for you, prepared by your private cook, who you pay $48 a week to make all your meals (add to that cleaning costs at $20 a week for two days’ work). You gaze at the endless sea and talk about the snow you used to shovel and the months you had to wait for the crocuses and daffodils to appear, the days you spent inside because it was too cold to go out. Now brilliant, colorful flowers adorn your home all year. The crash of the waves lull you to sleep at night.

We Went on Vacation…And Now Live Full-Time in Paradise

We Went on Vacation…And Now Live Full-Time in Paradise

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January 31, 2016

Many people say that you cannot possibly come to Belize and not have some kind of a big adventure. I have to agree. My first visit to Belize was in 1995. I vacationed for a week of scuba diving off Glover’s Reef. I met my Belizean husband, Marcos, during that trip, and he moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico with me in 1996. I was a practicing psychotherapist and my husband launched a small business. We enjoyed living in Santa Fe, but were intensely busy virtually all of the time.

A Carefree Beach Life in This Laidback Surf Town

A Carefree Beach Life in This Laidback Surf Town

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November 20, 2015

I’m up a bit after sunrise for my daily ritual. It starts with a long leisurely walk on the beach. Something about the sound of crashing waves, watching anchored boats bob on the horizon, and the cool weather before the heat of the day hits…it just puts me in the right mood. I live in Tamarindo, on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific coast. It’s a small town, popular with tourists, where life revolves around the beach. Surfing, which put Tamarindo on the map in the 1990s, is still huge here.

“I Wouldn’t Trade My Life in Sunny Spain For Anything”

“I Wouldn’t Trade My Life in Sunny Spain For Anything”

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November 9, 2015

An argument with a girlfriend was how I ended up in Spain. Having set sail on a cruise ship from Genoa, Italy, and following a tour of the Canary Islands, we were on our way home, and docked in Spain's southern port city of Malaga. In a moment of stubbornness, and after being told there was no other berth for me to move in to, I packed up all my worldly belongings and walked off the boat. My Spanish life had begun...and it was probably the best decision of my life.

Half the Cost, Double the Freedom Living in Costa Rica

Half the Cost, Double the Freedom Living in Costa Rica

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October 20, 2015

Fed up with the harsh Midwest winters and tired of working too much to pay for a life we didn't have time to enjoy, my husband, Junior, and I decided we weren't willing to wait for retirement to see the world and enjoy life. Just before Christmas last year, we started researching our overseas options. We sold all of our belongings after New Year and at the start of April this year, we landed in Costa Rica...without ever having been here before.

Enjoy Beach Life All Year Round in Panama

Enjoy Beach Life All Year Round in Panama

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October 19, 2015

With the coming of fall, my family and friends in the States find themselves thinking of the long, cold winter approaching. It's not just the ice and snow they have to cope with, but the enormous heating bills, and not being able to enjoy the outdoors. But not me...living in Panama I don't ever have a heating bill and I haven't seen snow in years. The great outdoors is my playground all year round here in the Chiriqui province of western Panama. And that includes being able to go to the beach anytime I want.