Author Topic: Taking a Year off in Mexico and Other Successes  (Read 2840 times)

Ed Mills

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Taking a Year off in Mexico and Other Successes
« on: September 17, 2017, 08:17:29 PM »
Hi all,
I just wanted to share an update from Merida, Mexico.  We're taking another year off here so that our son can learn some Spanish.  He's attending a bilingual school, and after three weeks he's really liking it.  My wife and I are enjoying our time away from work.  She's trying to learn some Spanish while I'm blogging a little more.  We've also had time to walk and jog every day.  Currently, I have a streak of 435 days of jogging without missing a day; 500 is right around the corner! 

Since I've last posted here, we've done the following:
  • Earned our permanent residency visas in Mexico.  This means we can pretty much come, go, and stay as we like here.  NO, we did not give up our U.S. citizenship!
  • Started our Roth IRA Conversion ladder in 2016 with a $30k conversion.  We plan on converting $20k more in 2017
  • Did a podcast interview with Jamila at Journey to Launch:  http://www.journeytolaunch.com/episode5/.  We also did a Facebook Q/A session which was a lot of fun for me.  I have another podcast planned for next week.

That's what we've been up to.  Keep on hammering, Ed
« Last Edit: September 18, 2017, 08:04:14 AM by Ed Mills »

yachi

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Re: Taking a Year off in Mexico and Other Successes
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2017, 01:47:42 PM »
That's great!  What's your opinion of cost-of-living calculators for figuring out US living vs mexico living, are they accurate?  I'm 6 years away from FIRE in a smaller northeast town, but some calculators say I could already FIRE in parts of Mexico.  How does Merida, Mexico compare to an average cost of living city in the US?

Ed Mills

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Re: Taking a Year off in Mexico and Other Successes
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2017, 05:53:44 PM »
Yachi,
Here's a link to our expenses on our slow travel in Cancun, Progreso, and Merida, Mexico.  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Kt9WuZJR8BcO-vxlbvLeVeTpoqxcgLtvqQE30fpgHJ4/edit?usp=sharing

I think you'd find the cost of living to your liking if you like living an awesome frugal lifestyle.  We really enjoy ourselves here at very moderate prices. 

yachi

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Re: Taking a Year off in Mexico and Other Successes
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2017, 08:46:04 AM »
It looks like your expenses are in line with nomadlists cost of living for Merida:
https://nomadlist.com/merida-mexico/cost-of-living
How do you think I should adjust those costs for 3 elementary age kids?  I'm thinking counting each kid as 0.5, so costs of 3.5xnomad cost or 3.5x expat costs.


Ed Mills

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Re: Taking a Year off in Mexico and Other Successes
« Reply #4 on: September 19, 2017, 01:42:13 PM »
That sounds like a good estimate for the cost of your kids.  Our son's private school is about $1,900 a year or more like $2.5k with uniform, books, etc.  Elementary is a great time for your for you kids to learn Spanish.  Initially, our son was reluctant to study outside the U.S., but he's liking it more and more every day. 

BTW, some of those cost on the spreadsheet included costs incurred while getting our resident visas, so they're extra high.  We'd never spend $3k in one month here living the way we do.  Ed

ExpatPat

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Re: Taking a Year off in Mexico and Other Successes
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2017, 03:37:44 PM »
Hi from San Miguel de Allende!

we just got our Temporal and are settling in. No hurricanes or quakes here to worry about.
Prices are a little on the DF level with the tourism. Still, it's a bargain with the recent exchange rate and escape from U.S. and U.K. taxes.

Our teen daughter can have all the one-on-one art music language classes she wants! Me, I like happy hour with local culture streaming past.

cheers,
Pat

margarita

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Re: Taking a Year off in Mexico and Other Successes
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2017, 08:36:04 PM »
I would love to hear more details of your life in Merida.   Original plan was to retire in Merida but ultimately it was too hot for us.  Great houses at reasonable prices in Merida

Now we are going to San Miguel and have put an offer on a house but there are issues with the title so have not closed. 

Expat in San Miguel :  did you buy or are you renting?  Which neighbourhood?  We looked in San Antonio but the offer on the house is in Centro.  Our ETA is April.  Would also love to hear more about living in San Miguel.