I'd like this bring this topic as I have read a few posts from some members suggesting they are close to retirement --and I want to think I'll be reaching that milestone in the next 4-6 years; I do like the sound of "four" much, much better than "six"

Anyway, many years ago I discarded the state of Florida for many of the reasons stated in this article titled 11 Reasons You Don't Want to Retire in Florida that just showed up in my email and would like to hear the opinion from our Floridians residents such as @gatorcpa or any others about these statements...

Lately I have been reading of places to retire outside of the U.S. and one country that appears on almost every list, which I have also considered and remains a potential candidate on my list is Portugal -- would like to hear @Tony C. perspectives on such proposition.

Any others? is your retirement in the near horizon as mine? Are you looking to stay on your current state/country or looking forward to move out of the desert as @The Father mentioned earlier?

Just curious...

 

The idea of retirement is not very attractive to me. I tried it once and it didn't agree with me. Too much time on my hands and time to brood about it. Plus all you have to hang out with are old farts or young children.

 

To me, the idea of working til I drop dead is definitely much less attractive to me

 

I think I'd rather drop dead than fade away...

 

Having said that, coastal GA or SC may not be a bad place to explore.

 

I’m young so I don’t know in perspective of a retiree. But to give you perspective of Florida. It just depends. Palm beach would be nice for you. It’s not as crazy Miami or Fort Lauderdale. Traffic is insane over here. Beaches are always packed. People are just insane over here. Palm beach is completely opposite of Lauderdale and Miami. If you enjoy golf and beaches. Then you’ll enjoy palm beach.

 

to which you can't control..

This will be for you to decide...

 

the Carolinas are on my list

 

I'm also in the decision phase of retiring. I'll be 67 next week, and currently work 24 hours a week. We'll be staying in NH for the foreseeable future and going to Florida (Melbourne) for 3-4 weeks each winter.

 

I took a buyout recently and am plunging full time into the watch biz. But that doesn't take up every hour of the day, so i'm looking around for some part-time gigs. I'm planning to spend the winter in San Diego, and maybe the spring, summer and fall, too. The thing about being over 60 is that the most precious commodity you have is time...you can spend it working if you love it, or spend it in leisure or a combo platter. It's a personal choice and no one else can make it for you. I know lots of guys who love it, and some who hate it and went back to work. I'm only a few months in, so I'll let you know which one I am in a while...!

 

Is anyone as surprised as I am how fast this all went by?

 

Congrats on that milestone!

Working part time is something I have considered to prevent fading away

 

indeed..

 

I would suggest the Carolinas also
Cheers

 

SD is one cool town for sure, "cooler" in winters but not an affordable retirement option for me

 

Nova Scotia is on my short list. Yeah it has winter but it also has a nice easy pace and is just plain beautiful.

Southern Ontario isn't bad weather wise if you don't mind a bit of winter

 

Well, I'm a bit conflicted, because Portugal has become a bit too popular over the past few years, so I don't really want to encourage further migration.

Setting that aside, and having lived in the U.S. for over 50 years previously, I find Portugal to be a very nice place to live. To begin with, and most importantly, the Portuguese people are remarkably nice, as a group. In fact, I cannot recall having come across a kinder population in my various travels, which have been fairly extensive. A high percentage, at least in the major cities, also speak English well, which is important to anyone who doesn't quickly become proficient in Portuguese.

Beyond the people, I have found the food, weather, and relatively to remarkably low living expenses to be very attractive. The food is not fancy, but typically fresh and tasty. I am a pescatarian (haven't eaten meat or fowl for 40 years!), and benefit from very good fresh seafood in Lisbon. Further north, there is a greater emphasis on meat. The weather varies, of course, depending on where one lives, but in Lisbon it is outstanding. Rarely does the heat become oppressive, partly because the humidity (or dew point, more accurately) is typically low. There is a fair amount of rain in the winter, but the temperatures are mild, tending to range from the 50s (Fahrenheit) during the day, to 40s at night.

Another advantage that I have found is that Lisbon is very well placed as a travel base. There are, for example, low cost airlines that allow one to travel to most major European cities easily, and inexpensively. For watch collectors, this could be a problem, though, as it is possible to fly to Switzerland for around €100 round trip!

Portugal is also an interesting country to explore, as there is a North African influence to the south, desert-like terrain in the mid-section, and mountains (albeit not especially tall ones) to the north. And, as it is a small country, exploring by car (or train) is easy.

Perhaps the least publicized advantage that I have found is the very low level of tension. Although it is a poor country, the local population seems to live well under the circumstances. Not to say that there aren't problems, but people here typically have a much greater capacity to enjoy simple lives than their counterparts in more economically "developed" countries. The local shopkeepers typically take at least an hour, and frequently up to two hours to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. There is relatively little racial discord, as Portugal has been assimilating immigrants from former colonies for many years. Drugs are legal, but selling is not, and these de-criminalization policies have been very successful.

If any members are interested, I would be happy to answer questions privately, and elaborate further.

 

Some observations from a UK perspective. I left Central London after many decades and moved to a remote part of rural England. I never want to go back. It's quieter here, cleaner, infinitely less stressful, the roads aren't crowded and the cost of living is cheap. We live in a large house with a beautiful garden that would cost an obscene sum in any major southern city and we have lovely countryside on our doorstep. Not surprisingly, cultural and other amenities are limited, but there are compromises to make wherever you live. Priorities change as one gets older and the good things are still there, you just have to look a bit harder for them. Admittedly the principal pasttimes round here are incest, witchburning and coming round blind bends on the wrong side, but hey, some prices are worth paying.

 

I’m gonna say definitely Portugal. Southern Europe lifestyle can’t be beat, the country is wonderful, great food, and delightful people.

 

I too have been tempted by the greater Lisbon area. As part owner of a house in Fla that recently was under water, brother and brother in law to three women that have married “Florida Men” , and son in law to parents who lived 20 years in Key West and 7 in Pompano ... I agree with the anti Fla points ... with exception of critters, they are the best thing about Fla. Our plan is to stay in Chicagoland, down size and perhaps small condo in warm place.