Author Topic: Retiring in Montenegro  (Read 17290 times)

russianswinga

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Retiring in Montenegro
« on: April 24, 2015, 03:47:21 PM »
You’ve probably seen me in the Shame and Comedy forum, but this is my first time venturing into other forums. I’m ready to throw down the gauntlet. I’m 32 years old, just had my first (and likely last) child with my wonderful wife, and this made want to put down more concrete retirement plans once my kid is off to college. I always do better in reaching a goal if I can visualize it in every detail. Unfortunately with FIRE that can be pretty vague – first retire, then figure out what you want to do that gives you pleasure, something you’d do anyway even if you didn’t get paid for it.
For me that something was travel. I’ve already been to 16 countries (not counting my birth country, Russia, and my current home country, California, USA), and knew I wanted to see the world, and more of it. The unfortunate thing about living in the US is that it is difficult to see the world in anything resembling a cheap way. Airfare even between the states is obnoxiously overpriced. I’ve been reading several travel blogs for a while, including a gentleman that is retired in his mid-30’s, rents an apartment in a small Israeli village, and travels the world about 75% of the time, usually on a fixed and tight budget. I decided that in retirement, I need a frugal “home base” from which to travel, and extensive research has led me to Kotor Bay, Montenegro.
Why Montenegro? Well, for one, it’s beautiful. Stunning. Google Kotor Bay, and see what comes up in Google Images. Two – the weather is very much like San Diego, my current home city (and much nicer than Moscow, my birth city). Three – travel is cheap. Dirt cheap. A direct flight from Tivat airport to Moscow can be had for as little as $100 one way, I can get as far as Stockholm for $300 flight round trip. If you get to Belgrade on a direct flight on Montenegro Airlines – it’s a huge hub for WizzAir, the lowcost airline that can take me all over Europe. I would say airfare would cost me 50% less per mile than in the US. Venice can be reached by car in 1 day, Munich in 2, Paris in 3 days. I can drive to Barcelona in 3 days as well, along the French Riviera coast, making for perfect roadtrips. All in all, I plan to be gone in some travel at least 50% of the time.
Last but not least – property prices. $400,000 buys you a small 2-bedroom condo in San Diego, but a seaside villa with a pool in Montenegro (Example attached, check more out on montenegroprospects.com). Cost of living is 54% less than San Diego, crime is almost equal, medical care is meh if it’s government and excellent if it’s private
Anyways, I’m throwing down the gauntlet. In 20 years, when my kid is off to college, my wife and I will move to Montenegro and live out our travel dreams. We will both be 52 years old by then, and we plan on actively travelling until at least age 75. By my calculations, I should be able to do this with as little as $500,000 saved in various investments (funds, 401K) and several rental properties in San Diego (we currently only own the condo we live in but plan on getting another rental property in the next 2-3 years).
Thoughts? Questions? Ask away.











Please see attachment below for an example of current real estate prices. Villa - $300K - $1m, house $150K-$400K, 2 br apartment - $80K - 200K
« Last Edit: April 25, 2015, 05:45:56 PM by russianswinga »

aristotle

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2015, 08:02:37 PM »
Typical of Russians to buy up property in Montenegro(I kid)

One problem in your thinking is that I think you're estimating current living/traveling expenses in Montenegro at today's market price and not what it will be in 20 years when you are ready to leave. Montenegro is a touristy spot and property value will only increase by that time and especially for Montenegro as land by the sea is a hot commodity. Not only that but the standard of living will increase which will probably mean cost of living as well.

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2015, 11:27:25 PM »
Agreed about COL. That's why I plan to buy property there beforehand. Unfortunately renting it out in Montenegro is not very profitable (unlike San Diego, where rent will usually cover a mortgage very easily). But it will hedge against price increases for when I do choose to move.
Likewise if COL gets too bad, and I choose to live elsewhere, I will sell at a premium.
However, I anticipate property values in San Diego (tourist destination) and Montenegro (tourist destination) to be increasing in parallel. And with the 50% devaluation in the value of the rouble, I don't see investment increasing in Montenegro from Russia proper - just the opposite. Cash there doesn't flow like it used to.

jlajr

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2015, 11:31:12 PM »
Sounds like a great plan, russianswinga!

And, being Mustachian, you would of course be free to make corrections along the way, as you've mentioned.

I'm interested in the 32-year-old person who rents a place in a small Israeli village and travels 75% of the time. Any chance you can point me to a blog or other online information?

Thanks, and good luck!

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2015, 01:05:18 AM »
jlajr, http://puerrtto.livejournal.com/ And he's a bit older than 32, but still in his 30's, Alexander Lapshin. His blog is in Russian, so you may want to plug it directly into Google Translate and hope for the best. Near as I can tell he lives in Kfar Rosh HaNikra (he mentions multiple times being walking distance both from the Mediterranean sea and from the Lebanese border and has pictures of both). He speaks fluent english and hebrew as well, so you're welcome to post comments to his posts, he usually responds to the first couple of pages. He's my model traveling mustachian.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2015, 06:05:01 PM by russianswinga »

Icecreamarsenal

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2015, 07:32:34 AM »
I've been on the site for quite a while and I'm making positive steps toward FI. But your post and those pictures have been the most inspirational things I've encountered on these forums. Thank you.

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2015, 12:45:04 PM »
Icecreamarsenal - thanks, I found it helps to have a concrete goal. I may reach FI sooner than my planned age (at least, if I were to retire outside the US), but I will definitely keep working until my kid is in college and all tuition is accounted and taken care of (yes, I'm all for state schooling or even a european university where tuition can be cheap or free)
But having something concrete to aspire to, rather than just saying I'm financially independent and can do anything, is probably the greatest motivator to save and invest.
I took a series of pictures from this travel photographer above and put them as a rotating desktop background. Every time I look at them, I remind myself that this is why I do what I do, and why I go without when I can just as easily succumb and spend.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2015, 12:50:00 PM by russianswinga »

aristotle

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2015, 05:12:37 PM »
OP, do you or your family currently own any property overseas?

You just need to be cautious when dealing with expensive transactions in the Balkans. Sometimes you need to know the "right" person or throw in some bribes for the property and they'll probably assume you're rich since you're a foreigner. I know this happens everywhere but there's also stories of people buying false property and what not. Just be cautious and try to get some local contacts who can help you. I'm pretty sure the Serbian language is very similar to Russian so that may help you.

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2015, 05:44:07 PM »
Aristotle, we do own property overseas, we own our condo in San Diego (paying off mortgage) and my wife owns an apartment in Moscow (paid off and rented out). Family - my grandmothers each have an apartment in Moscow, my uncle owns 2 apartments and a Dacha (a summerhouse), and my parents just sold their first joint apartment there that I grew up in last year. Wife's parents own 2 apartments in Moscow and a Dacha. 
But by no means do we consider ourselves prepared. Our intention when it comes time to buy in Montenegro (likely 10+ yrs down the road) is to hire a Russian real estate agent / lawyer in Montenegro that deals exclusively in Montenegrin real estate. We will be happy to pre-pay a retainer, and basically let them figure the legalities out for us. I know for example, that non-Montenegrin citizens are required to form a company which will purchase the land, and separately, the house. Likewise, non-citizens are required to leave the country every 90 days and get an exit / entry stamp (easy to do, Croatia is a 2 hr drive north, Albania 2 hr drive south from Kotor Bay, our intended residence)
The upside is that foreigners pay no taxes on income earned overseas, so any taxes I pay on funds / 401 K's held in the US will be paid to the US, and any rental income in Moscow (if it still exists) my wife will declare and pay in Russia. We will owe Montenegro nothing but a yearly property tax (plus VAT on food, fuel, travel lodging, and any other goods and services we acquire in Montenegro itself). So we never get double-taxed.
But yes, the services of a professional will be acquired. The only downside is that it's impossible to get a mortgage for a property in the Balkans if you're a foreigner, so whatever we choose to buy, it will have to be cash. How we come by that cash (saved up, or a home equity loan on a property here) is up to us.
And Serbian and Russian are completely different languages, their overlap is less than 5% (unlike Ukranian or Belarusian, which overlap Russian by 80 and 90%). However, in Montenegro, while the official language is Serbian, 2 unofficial languages are English and Russian because of the tourism. 50% of the population speak one of the other two languages, both of which I am fluent in.
I also try to be a good tourist and learn the basics of a language before visiting a country (be it french, german, italian, spanish - which I actually studied for 5 years and can hold a decent conversation in ). So I figure with about a year of studying Serbian beforehand and being fluent in English and Russian, I really will be able to get most of my needs met in that country with no problem. Besides, the world's unifying and easiest to understand language is the allmighty dollar ;)
« Last Edit: April 25, 2015, 06:05:41 PM by russianswinga »

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2015, 06:23:16 PM »
I'll leave a few more inspirational photos here - this photoblogger seems to have a knack for capturing a great spirit of Montenegro and especially the riviera around Kotor ;)
I'm not asking you to retire here with me and be my neighbour. But if you do, we can share some beers on my balcony overlooking Kotor Bay as we twirl our mustaches around our fingers.










































A great example of the Montenegrin language trinity - Russian, English, Serbian

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2015, 12:30:27 PM »
So I've researched quite a bit and come up with a plan to familiarize myself with the Kotor Bay region.
Some time in the next 2 years I'll play tourist. My wife and I and our baby daughter will travel to Kotor Bay flying into Tivat, and stay there as "tourists" for a week - as in, fly in season, take the tours, eat at restaurants, the usual things you would do if you were just traveling there.
The cheapest flight options from Southern California seem to be through Moscow (transatlantic prices on Aeroflot are much cheaper than western companies right now because of the depreciated rouble) so we would get a chance to spend a few days with family there as well.

Then, if we decide we like it, and I think we will, in the next 5-10 years we will take a longer, perhaps 3-week trip, and live like locals. We'll shop at markets, find grocery stores, drive to nearby countries (Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Italy), and use Montenegro as a home base during this test run. By then, we will be 100% decided on whether or not we would want to live here for 20+ years, and if we do, we can begin our search for real estate.

The rental prices, even in-season, are a joke. An apartment starts at about $60 / night, a full villa with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths is under $150. Maybe we'll have extended family fly in and join us there :)
This would not be a bad sight to wake up to...


https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5740173
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2865730
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1954579
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5365804
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/932029
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5740173

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2015, 11:13:41 AM »
Kalergie, I would love that! I'm not leaving MMM forums anytime soon, if ever, and you're welcome to message me privately as well as amend this thread with your experiences if you get there before I do. It's one thing to read the pretty photo-blogs of tourists, quite another to read an experience from someone that has their eye on retiring there like I do.
Cheers!

Kalergie

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2015, 05:18:02 AM »
@Russioanswinga: Alright. We'll stay in touch. After I've shown your pictures to my wife yesterday, she's ordered me to make vacation plans for September/October this year heading to Montenegro. So thanks for the encouragement. :) We will ask our friend to suggest the best place and route to get a feel for the country. Probably going to stay in one of the AirBnB options. They look great.

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #13 on: May 01, 2015, 11:26:40 AM »
Kalergie, sounds like you'll make it out there long before I do (my wife has been twice, but I won't be able to go for at least a year - no 12-hour flights for my one-month-old-daughter just yet!). Enjoy the trip, post pictures and experiences.
Here is a link to the blogger whom I got the photos from - I linked it to the search term "Montenegro" in his blog, so it should just give you the montenegro articles. Then feel free to plug each one into Google Translate - hopefully it will give you some useful info. But nothing is as useful as a wife that was born there :)


http://blog.vlukyanov.com/?tag=черногория

Villanelle

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #14 on: May 21, 2015, 03:50:13 AM »
Kotor is one of the most beautiful places I've been!

I'm not sure about San Diego weather, as it snowed the day I went up the mountain in to the park to look down on that spectacular view of the Bay, but it was worth it!  Of course, that was up on the mountain, but even at sea level in May, it was far colder than Mays in San Diego ever were.  Still relatively mild, however.   

Since there are lots of Russian and American-speaking tourist there, assuming that doesn't change in 20 years, a side hustle as a tour guide might be good for you.  Work as little or much as you want, likely only during cruise ship season.  People pay good money for someone to drive them around and mutter a few sentences about history or current culture.  If you are at all a people-person, it seems like it would be a wonderful side gig. Come up with one speech and tour plan, and repeat it every time a ship pulls in.  I'm sure you need a license, but doubt that would be very difficult.  Might allow you to get there a few years sooner!

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2015, 11:46:08 AM »
Interesting plan. Goals are great, but 20 years is a huge timescale for economic/political change, so don't be disappointed if things change.

2lazy2retire

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #16 on: May 22, 2015, 06:55:36 AM »
Agreed about COL. That's why I plan to buy property there beforehand. Unfortunately renting it out in Montenegro is not very profitable (unlike San Diego, where rent will usually cover a mortgage very easily). But it will hedge against price increases for when I do choose to move.
Likewise if COL gets too bad, and I choose to live elsewhere, I will sell at a premium.
However, I anticipate property values in San Diego (tourist destination) and Montenegro (tourist destination) to be increasing in parallel. And with the 50% devaluation in the value of the rouble, I don't see investment increasing in Montenegro from Russia proper - just the opposite. Cash there doesn't flow like it used to.

With the time frame considered and based on the fact that you expect San Diego and Montenegro prices to increase in parallel I would suggest you buy your "Montengro home" in San Diego and rent it out there - avoid all the headaches, if you still feel the same in 10 years then "move" it over.

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #17 on: May 22, 2015, 09:50:54 AM »
With the time frame considered and based on the fact that you expect San Diego and Montenegro prices to increase in parallel I would suggest you buy your "Montengro home" in San Diego and rent it out there - avoid all the headaches, if you still feel the same in 10 years then "move" it over.

While that does make sense, unfortunately the Montenegrin rental market does not make this viable. For example, if I were to purchase a $200,000 condo in San Diego, I would be able to rent it out for $1700-1900 per month. I can take out a mortgage to do so, provided I can put down more than 20%. Mortgage principal + interest + HOA would be roughly $1300-1500, and I would still be $200-400 cash positive per month, which I can direct towards repairs / etc.

In Montenegro, if I buy my dream house for $200,000 (and it would likely be closer to $300-400), I would not be able to rent it out at all. I take that back - I could rent it out at a daily / weekly rate on AirBNB, but Montenegro has an average salary of $700/month before taxes, so locals would never rent this kind of property. Add to that the fact that I can't borrow money to purchase it (I could take out a credit line on property here and pay for it cash, but I don't have enough property to afford that house at this time).

But this does give me an idea - even if I plan to stay in Montenegro long-term, nothing is preventing me from renting there! I could position myself on the other end of the property deal, and actively seek out a high-end rental instead. Even if I'm in the property 50% of the time and traveling the other 50%, it still makes sense to rent it exclusively and not at a daily rate, but it saves me from commitment. This is something I will seriously consider - when I have money to buy, I may choose to rent instead.

Lian

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #18 on: May 23, 2015, 10:26:46 AM »
Commenting to follow!  I read a book as a child that made Montenegro seem almost magical, so it has always been in my mind as place to visit. I look forward to learning more about it as a potential retirement location.

Gorgeous photos - thanks for posting them.

OldPro

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #19 on: May 25, 2015, 11:46:21 AM »
I've read this entire thread russianwinga after you commented on the thread about retiring to another country that I started.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/the-reality-of-retiring-to-a-'tropical-paradise'/150/

While I see nothing wrong with having a 'retirement dream', I do have to say that the 20 year time scale hits me like a ton of bricks.  What will make sense in 20 years is simply not predictable.

Take Greece where I spent time for example.  When I went there in 1993, it all made perfect sense to me.  But would I suggest someone move their today?  I don't think so given their current problems.  Or Montenegro and the Balkans in general through the 90s.  You sure wouldn't want to have been retired there during that time.

I'm sure you realize that of course and will take it into account as the time to retire gets nearer.  The temptation of course is to 'buy in' earlier and that is what I would discourage.  Not only because things can change but also because I always believe it is better to start out renting until you determine whether or not you will 'stick' as I wrote out in the thread linked above.

While I wrote about renting and how many people do not seem to stick beyond the first few years in that thread, I don't think I mentioned how long it seems to take to get to know a place.  You(and Kalergie) mention taking a vacation for a week and later for perhaps 3 weeks or so while trying to 'live' as locals do.  Those are always a good idea but will not really be enough time to get to know much.  Here is how I found it went when I ended up on Rhodes.  Also bear in mind Rhodes is a small island so you might think it would be relatively easy to get to know what's what.

After 3 days, I had a feel for how I thought things worked.  Where a good and reasonable restaurant was, how the tourist businesses worked, what to avoid, etc.  What the average Brit tourist might refer to as 'sussing things out'.  We all do that wherever we go on a vacation.

After 3 weeks, I figured I really knew how things worked and knew more than the average tourist ever learned.  After 3 months, I figured I knew what the island was all about, how to live on the island and not be taken to be a tourist but instead be seen as a local.  I'd even had my first invitation to eat a meal in a local's own home.  That's a landmark.

After 3 years, I finally knew I knew the island, the culture and how everything really worked and I believe I was finally accepted.  I realized that locals are used to foreigners coming and saying they plan to stay and live.  They welcome you and they watch you.  Think of it as being on 'probation'.  They don't treat you like a tourist once you have been there a few months and you may think you have been accepted but you haven't.  They're still watching, waiting and holding back.  That's becuse they know most don't stay beyond the first year or two.

Just to give you a simple example of really being accepted.  When you get a parking ticket and the owner of the local pizza restaurant you go to tells you to give it to him and he will take it to his cousin at the local village police station and have it made to 'disappear'.  Now you're a local.

My point is that at various points you may THINK you know, but in fact you will not.  Not until you get past at least the 2 year mark.  What you find on a visit of a week or a month simply isn't anywhere near enough on which to base anything other than enough interest to TRY living there.

One more comment re renting vs. buying.  My circumstances when I was living on Rhodes resulted in my renting the entire time.  Not because I couldn't have afforded to buy but because I ended up living rent free.  However, even if I had had to continue paying rent I think I would probably have done so. 

That's because rents were so cheap that there was no advanatage to buying.  It made more sense to invest the capital which could earn me more than the cost of renting.  It ain't San Diego in other words.

So my advice is don't get fixated on one country too early and don't get fixated on buying without doing the math.   
« Last Edit: May 25, 2015, 11:50:34 AM by OldPro »

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #20 on: May 26, 2015, 12:10:35 AM »
Thank you OldPro. It seems rent vs buy equation does not work out in the buyer's favor - I can still invest the $$ better in property in San Diego or elsewhere in California. It definitely makes sense to rent when I move - at least for a year or two. This doesn't change my plans (other things might - the economy, racial tension, war, etc) - but I will be just as happy living in "my" house that I'm renting on the shores of Kotor Bay as I will be if I own it. If I choose to leave, though - I may not be as happy attempting to sell the house, possibly at a loss. No such issue with rent.
Thank you again!
« Last Edit: November 13, 2016, 12:53:22 AM by russianswinga »

Bob W

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #21 on: July 08, 2015, 09:31:41 AM »
Holy Lord Jesus!  Thanks for those photos!

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #22 on: September 24, 2015, 02:17:57 PM »
So I'm closely watching the news and really, really hoping that Montenegro doesn't turn into a mini-Syria enclave the way that nearby Croatia is. I have nothing against Syrians. I have nothing against Syrian refugees. However, I do not want a migrant crisis in my back yard - but if I wanted to retire in Syria, I would do so...

Icecreamarsenal

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #23 on: April 01, 2016, 01:01:16 PM »
So I'm closely watching the news and really, really hoping that Montenegro doesn't turn into a mini-Syria enclave the way that nearby Croatia is. I have nothing against Syrians. I have nothing against Syrian refugees. However, I do not want a migrant crisis in my back yard - but if I wanted to retire in Syria, I would do so...

How is Montenegro doing in the midst of the Syrian crisis?

BeHere

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #24 on: April 01, 2016, 07:00:03 PM »
I'm in love! Very close to my favorite place, Dubrovnik.

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #25 on: December 30, 2016, 03:43:26 PM »
Update:

I have not visited Montenegro yet, but I've upped my count of visited countries from 18 to 24 (will be 26 this January).
I've gotten a little older, a little wiser, and discovered tools like firecalc.com that have let me test my numbers, and I have to say that while I was off, it wasn't by much. I anticipated that outside of real estate costs, I would need $650,000 to FIRE in Montenegro and travel the amount that I want. I now need to up that to $750,000

What has surprised me was how much progress I have been making to reach this goal. In just 2 years, net worth is about $130,000 - 1/6 of the total amount needed. The pace will likely accelerate as I'm not anywhere as frugal as I'd like to be. I will likely be able to achieve this goal several years ahead of schedule - I just don't want to move until my daughter is on her own attending university. This likely means I'll have far more than I need to accomplish the move, which is now tentatively 17 years away.

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #26 on: December 30, 2016, 04:56:34 PM »
   Russianswinga,
 
  Good luck on your plans. I think the idea of renting first makes a lot of sense. It just gives you so much more flexibility.  I've thought about spending summers in Europe, and the Croatian coast looks really nice to me, as does Montenegro.  I have this fantasy of renting an apartment for a month or so every summer in a place like Brela (a little north of Makarska), or maybe on the Istrian peninsula, or just somewhere along the tree lined coast and reading a bunch of books on kindle, maybe finding a nice restaurant to have as  home base eatery, and just having a nice leisurely time of it, so I can see your attraction to Montenegro.

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #27 on: December 31, 2016, 07:27:19 AM »
Update:

I have not visited Montenegro yet, but I've upped my count of visited countries from 18 to 24 (will be 26 this January).
I've gotten a little older, a little wiser, and discovered tools like firecalc.com that have let me test my numbers, and I have to say that while I was off, it wasn't by much. I anticipated that outside of real estate costs, I would need $650,000 to FIRE in Montenegro and travel the amount that I want. I now need to up that to $750,000

What has surprised me was how much progress I have been making to reach this goal. In just 2 years, net worth is about $130,000 - 1/6 of the total amount needed. The pace will likely accelerate as I'm not anywhere as frugal as I'd like to be. I will likely be able to achieve this goal several years ahead of schedule - I just don't want to move until my daughter is on her own attending university. This likely means I'll have far more than I need to accomplish the move, which is now tentatively 17 years away.

Thanks for the update. Good luck!

russianswinga

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #28 on: December 17, 2017, 11:25:30 PM »
Update:
Net worth now $230K.
No, our savings rate isn't that amazing, but my wife finally sold her apartment in Moscow (rent was barely covering HOA and maintenance so it wasn't worth maintaining as an asset), and we invested the money in a rental property in Sacramento - a cheap townhouse that is cash-neutral (once you subtract 15 yr mortgage, HOA, taxes, management, and forseen calculated expenses, but it does add to our net worth as the note amount lessens every month).
Wife (still a stay at home mother to a lively 2.5 year old) now has a side hustle that occupies 3-4 hours each week and brings in just under $1K / month.
Also due to the staggeringly stupid southern California home market, our condo went up another $30K or so in value in the last year, contributing to the net worth number.


Regardless, I re-ran the math, and 750K is still our number for our dream Montenegro retirement. We are 30% of the way there. Can't wait to see what 2018 holds for us (and no, it's not bitcoin, if I wanted to gamble I'd fly to Vegas ;) )

Icecreamarsenal

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Re: Retiring in Montenegro
« Reply #29 on: January 20, 2018, 02:20:12 PM »
I'm at that 30% number as well, great to hear your progress.  Some of your pictures have ended up in my desktop background rotation.