Our Retirement Changed. . . . 

This was such a great video! I am a single person that travels full time. Like you guys, I decided to get out early so, I ditched my job, sold, donated & gave away all my attachments in favor of travelling the world. After 9 years and 3.5 months on the road, I am pleased to say that my savings account is significantly larger than it was when I started. While, I don't stay in 5 star hotels, I don't (usually) have any problems finding reasonably priced accomodations anywhere in the world. When accommodation prices are high, I find a private room in a hostel that has a kitchen so that I can cook my own food. In SE Asia, accommodation is very cheap so, I eat out a lot more. Life is all about balance, especially when you are travelling. I need my space but, I also like deep, meaningful conversations. I manage to find some form of balance between the two everywhere I go. I'm turning 66 next month and, am very pleased to say that my adaptability is the most valuable trait that I have. I'm not sure how much longer I will continue to travel but, I would like that to be a decision that I make as opposed to one that has been forced upon me by economic or health conditions. Inflation is getting annoying right now. Lol! Mexico City hotels that I used to pay $30 cad for are now pricing out at $60 & $70 per night. It's not that I can't afford to pay that much, I just choose not to. I am finding that booking Air BnBs for a month at a time get me back within my budget however, I don't really want to be forced into living my life a certain way just because of economics. It is especially difficult to fork over $70 cad per night for a hotel room anywhere when I know that travel is SO much cheaper & safer in SE Asia; my friend and I were held up at gunpoint on a combi (minivan) as we were travelling to Cholula from Puebla in November 2023. That has sure sucked the joy out of all things Mexican. I am currently stalled in Ensenada, Baja California, while I await the replacement of my Canadian credit card before I head off to Colombia's coffee triangle. My card is due to expire at the end of April so, I've asked for an expedited one be sent, with the extended expiry date. Last year, my debit card expired while I was in Thailand. I realized it early enough to take some extra cash out before I headed to Europe for the last 3 months of travel on my 4th around the world trip. I used Western Union to send myself money in Albania so, that made life easy. So, all in all, I live beneath my means, I change my plan when needed, I don't get attached to ideas or plans anymore and, I am living happily ever after. I really wish others would trust that they have the skills & abilities to figure this stuff out. Sometimes, I have to remind myself that travel is a SuperPower and not everyone has it. As for me, I have not regretted my decision to quit my job and travel full time. I don't have a nanosecond of regret... Namaste ❤

The key is expenses. Low expenses, low amount needed for retirement. I have only averaged $100,000 a year over the last three years. Home paid off and no debts.This is less than 1% of my portfolio. Did all major work to my home back in 2020, new roof, siding, paint, along with renovating the bathrooms. Can get a fully subsidized ACA plan, keep my AGI in the 12% bracket and still live the life I currently do as a successful business owner. Just gotta keep that "Just one more year" voice out of my head. Retirement date, April 30th 2024.

After we retired we took our bicycles to Europe every year for about nine years and toured a different country each time. One evening in a restaurant in France over a bottle(s) of wine I asked my wife, why don’t we move here permanently? When I woke up the next morning she had it all planned out and so it was. We toured France for a couple of months to find an area we liked, did a French language course in Paris, rented a cheap apartment and furnished it cheaply, Sold our house and moved. Long story short now we live in Switzerland (French speaking part). We do a financial report in Excel on the first day of each month and discuss it together. All non-trivial decisions are mutual. We rent an apartment for flexibilty and so we can take advantage of the capital from our house in our lifetimes.

I always wanted to retire and live overseas. After visiting 40 countries since 1990, I had it all figured out. But during the pandemic, I started my own business and now I don't want to shut it down. I enjoy what I do and the income supplements my pension. As it requires my presence in the US, I'm rethinking how I can keep a base here and still spend part of the year abroad. It's helpful to watch videos by others in the same situation and now I'm having that conversation with myself on a regular basis to craft a new game plan!

I just love watching your videos. I love how "real" you are and relatable. My husband and I live overseas in a middle eastern country. I have a job here and moved here because my husband needed to be on this side of the world (we are from the U.S.) to be able travel around the area without so much jet lag. We had an empty nest and decided to take the leap and have an adventure. I discovered your channel in our second year of living overseas. I am now retiring, but we will continue to live abroad, but have more flexibility in going back to the U.S. and seeing family. I am so inspired by your videos, and you've made me think about things I hadn't thought of, yet. Besides all that, you both have been familiar faces that were relatable in our situations and I have felt encouraged. Thanks for doing what you are doing!

thanks both - interesting stuff... we've also been to that restaurant, but were strangely still hungry afterwards

A great watch and thanks for making us realise we're not alone. Finding a way to talk about it can be difficult but certainly necessary.

Thx for sharing! Although I’m single, and arguing with yourself in restaurants is generally considered weird. The follow through strategy is gold though. Get where you were both coming from.

😊Thank you for sharing another great video Sarah & Neil! Planning for retirement is so important. Not just the financial component, but also what you’re ‘retiring to’, what your hopes & dreams are, and what your identity will be once you have left your working role behind. Doing this openly and honestly with your life partner is essential. How else will you each know what the other is thinking? Keep up the great work! David K Nth Coast NSW

Oh my you could be taking about us! Thank you for taking the time to do this video. It’s helped my mindset shift a bit more and feel it’s ok to ask all the questions that I feel may come across as stupid😊

Excellent video guys, it's so incredibly important to have regular check-ins with your significant other and to play into each others strengths. We love to listen to podcasts together and have lengthy discussions about a lot of different topics that are raised in them. A great way to learn and progress together

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience, really useful

Hi guys, excellent video thank you. What would be really useful for us who are planning and who are the stage you were before you Fired, is a one stop shop list of all the books, videos, podcasts and website links that helped you in your planning. They could be on your newsletter and website, and be very specific, ie this RU-vid video, that link, this article, that book etc.. That way we can get shortcuts to the really useful information and resources that helped you. Thanks as always, Ian W 👍

Thank you. Just forwarded to my wife as we are similar to how you were.

You guys are great! Thank you for sharing your experiences and wisdom on RU-vid!

Thank you. My husband and I emigrated to aus in 2015. We have lost and gained along the way. Financially we are ok but if we want to retire by 55 we will need to sell everything. I feel guilty for being so far from aging parents. Problems are all linked right. One decision links to another. My hubby is agreeable to retire...but not motivated as worried to give up work. I get it. But his health, ex military injury, long story... we have no investments just materialistic stuff. But emotionally and physically we need a change. But as ex military am i cursed with need to move all the time..... sarah i hear you i dont understand complex financial planning, but i run day to day life also. Lets hope we figure it out before its too late.. the aus taxman earns alot from us and it hurts my brain trying to understand what world bloody tax is.... 😅❤ Thanks for sharing your experiences, its sooo needed for us right now.

Very thoughtful video. Thank you.

Classic moment at 2'09 - "your head was just up in the clouds". Good to see the reflection and humility. Hoping the dialogue is changing to be more inclusive and equal.

I didn’t put much thought or planning into my get away . Stuck my house up for rent and went . Possibly not the best financial decision, but i didn’t know how Solo travel would suit me . Been going for 7 years now so I really took to it , and I love it . I get my State Pension in 2 years time , and intend to sell my house in the city and buy something small on the UK coast , then travel for 3 or 6 months at a time . I hope you both get as much satisfaction and enjoyment as I do ..

Thoughtful video, thank you! I relate to Neil and follow in your footsteps. As a single person, the person I talk to is my new financial advisor and investment firm. I had an epiphany from something he said about my situation that had never occurred to me after years of studying this subject. Completely worth it to share your thoughts and plans with someone as it makes your plan better.

Great video and touched on exactly my wife and I situation. She has no interest in the finance side and this puts pressure on me. Some good tips here to overcome. We retired 12 months ago at 53, and tend to look at my balance daily which I need to get away from!! 👍🏻

Love your videos, practical but fun! ❤

You both are so cute! We love the reenactment and agreed on being a team through this adventure.

What a great video. 😮 Very similar with my wife and I. She's great at the day to day and weekend plans. I'm looking at the 5,10,20 year plans. Note...That's new for me so I'm learning as much as I can and trying to see how we will be able to travel the world 🌎 Thanks for sharing your journey with us. 👍 📺🤔🌞

I totally get they restaurant scene. I feel like that sometimes. My husband does the day to day finances and I deal with the retirement finances

Love your videos. We retired in 2000 did a lot of travel cruise,motorhomes. Now living in Kailua Kona and loving being kicked back. So glad we retired early 😊😊

No video for the past 2 weeks....are you guys ok? Looking forward to the next video 😊.

It wasn’t until hubby and I sat down and did a spreadsheet that we realised we could afford to retire two years before we were planning to. Our spreadsheets were constructed differently as we both had our own ideas of how we wanted to do it but the bottom line came out about the same and with the same conclusion. We both have our strengths and weaknesses and have learnt it’s best me looking after what I’m good at and hubby dealing with what he’s best at. It’s worked well for us that way. Thanks again Neil and Sarah for another interesting video 😊

Another good video. I have question for you, As Neil has the helicopter vision over 20/30 years What are plans once you have done the 10 years of travelling, is to start another period of travelling or is it to settle down?

We’d do Friday night dinners too. Nothing better for a relationship and future planning than a meal and wine at the kitchen table! We’re retired 2 years now at 54 and 55! Not selling everything but still travelling 4/5 months a year . Love watching you 😃

I'm so glad my wife left me before my retirement age. We couldn't agree on anything, no matter how small or meaningless it was. If I commented that it was a nice sunny day, she would find the one cloud in the sky off in the distance, and argue that it was cloudy. Unbelievable.

Hello and thank you for your videos I really appreciate them. I have signed up for your newsletter multiple times but never received anything. I used my personal and not business like here. I really wanted to see the spreadsheet calculations you do and how you manage as I will be relocating to Spain next year and also traveling several months of the year as well. I also have the same challenge with my wife trusting me with everything. My concern is what if something happens to me, she doesn’t have the first idea what to do, how to access accounts, the plan, nothing. I’m going to have to force the issue and teach best I can but it’s a lot. Ray

Hi guys Only found your channel a short whole ago and really enjoyed the videos, but I'm confused. I thought you was travelling for 10 years, but recent videos seem to be back in the UK and talking about retirement. Are you no longer travelling as the videos seem to be predominantly finance related now?

This is us, one of us worked in finance all their career the other not ( me ) so taking early retirement and living off investments and assets has been difficult for me to accept ie taking out as opposed to putting in,taken a good two years or more to chill and relax with this life style.

Love the vlog guys my wife and I retired early to 😊we said let’s live within our means travel in our motorhome and spend time together because the way we see it quality time together is priceless, but should be never taken for granted let’s be honest we all only have so many healthy years keep the vlogs coming guys and keep living your best life ❤😊👍

I think I've been head in sand type for too long. Now that I'm facing last 15 years of work before retirement, I'm now putting away 30% of gross income. Being solo means it all falls on my shoulders 🤷🏼‍♀️ I dream of retiring to an acre somewhere with a simple tiny home w a view 😊

Maybe as Aussies we are too care free and casual, because we didn't think about it too much at all. We did the sums. Picked a figure, then realised the same. Knocked off 18mths and here we are. Retired at 58 & 50. Sitting in a motorhome in England about to embark on travel to anywhere and everywhere.

That acting out over dinner ….? We just had the SAME damn “argument”. I feel a HUGE emotional pressure to get it right. And her trusting me is a terrible predicament. How dare she? “PLEASE don’t trust me, honey!!!” 🙄

✌❤

I'm now craving spag bol lol

Do you mind saying what age you are, And Sarah is a Honey❤

Discussing anything financial or future based at night and over alcohol is a mistake.

I'm favoured, $60k every week! I can now give back to the locals in my community and also support God's work and the church. God bless America.

Great video! l'm favoured, $60K every week, I no longer depend on Government grants and salary!!

Do you have health insurance ? What passport do you hold during travelling

What were the costs of annual physical screening's health exams in Malaysia vs Thailand. Which one would you recommend.... Same for dental cleaning, what's being your experience in SE Asia??

Great video! l'm favoured, $60K every week, I no longer depend on Government grants and salary.