Is your time worth so much to you that you do not want to look for bargains and deals? Then think twice about moving to a developing country because that's what it's all about here. People care about saving money here.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Welcome to Gringo Good Samaritans, integrated with our 8 years of living in Cuenca Ecuador and traveling the world. We create informative videos and articles helping people come to awareness of what's happening in our world so they can enjoy their retire early lifestyle with their families, healthy, happy and free!
Showing posts with label retire cuenca ecuador. Show all posts
Showing posts with label retire cuenca ecuador. Show all posts
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Do You Wake Up Feeling Refreshed? High Altitude Breathing Problems When Sleeping
Doing research we learn that our sleep disturbances have a name. At altitude, the reduced oxygen content of the blood induces breathing
instability, with periods of deep and rapid breathing alternating with
central apnea. This breathing pattern is called high-altitude periodic
breathing (PB). It occurs even in healthy persons at altitudes above
6000 ft. Cuenca Ecuador is 8200'. HAPB may lead to sleep disturbances with frequent awakenings...Yep, that's us! SOURCE: NCBI
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
instability, with periods of deep and rapid breathing alternating with
central apnea. This breathing pattern is called high-altitude periodic
breathing (PB). It occurs even in healthy persons at altitudes above
6000 ft. Cuenca Ecuador is 8200'. HAPB may lead to sleep disturbances with frequent awakenings...Yep, that's us! SOURCE: NCBI
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Sunday, May 15, 2016
How to Get the Most Out of Your Cuenca Ecuador Discovery Trip Update 2016
Update 2016: It was four years ago when we first posted this article and we have a few new updates to add today to make your visit easier and less expensive. This article is written for people who are mostly just visiting/vacationing in (Cuenca) Ecuador.
Let's Save Money
1. Get an Apartment: If you are only staying between 1 and 3 months (and even 6 months) we suggest to snag yourself an apartment before you get here, if at all possible. Most folks don't look at the Vacation/Temporary/Rentals on OLX Ecuador. Check it out here!
Once you arrive on the website, make sure you check the appropriate boxes on the left hand side for: how many bedrooms you want and check the furnished box. Today on May 15, 2016 there are 70 one bedroom furnished rentals on OLX just in Cuenca. We think many of these listings are by owner rather than real estate companies and that means BETTER PRICES and MORE NEGOTIATION ROOM!
Most of the online rental portals (Mercadolibre.com) will also have a temporary/vacation rental section and is where people who are coming to Ecuador for six months or less should be able to find a rental easier and less expensively. We do this when we travel because it assures we will have a lower cost place to stay while we visit an area and there is never any pressure to hurry up and find a rental.
2. Ask about monthly price: Some of the prices on OLX, as you will see are per night, however, if you see something you like, call them and ask what their monthly (if they have monthly) rental price would be.
We would venture to say that 8 out of 10 travelers
that come to Cuenca do so for a discovery trip to see if they are going to like
living here permanently for their future retirement years. This is always a
good idea, but it is also a good idea to not live only as a
tourist when you come to visit. Go local!
Update 2016 - What do we mean, "go local"? Well, you can come to Cuenca on a vacation and not really know what you are getting into until you:
1. ride the bus
2. take a taxi
3. negotiate and buy produce from one of the many Mercados
4. go out to eat in a typical almuerzo restaurant and try some of the other Ecuadorian cuisine
5. enjoy one of the many Ecuadorian festivals
6. eat while walking (lol)
7. get to know some of the the local folks on a personal level
8. go shopping in one of the local grocery stores
9. and so much more...
Get to know the Ecuador culture and way of life on your visit. After all, if you are thinking of uprooting your life and moving here, don't you want to know what it is really like?
Our “Discover Cuenca Blog
has a lot of good information in it for first time visitors to Cuenca
but reading about going local in Cuenca is not the same as doing it. Just get out and do it! It's a lot of fun going local because you will experience so much more on your visit.
Tourist Don’t Mind Spending Money on Food and Hotel Costs
Being a tourist we tend to
stay in nicer, more expensive hotels, and we tend to patronize the
International cuisine restaurants a lot, and mingle with the expat community more. We
spend money because we’re on vacation! There is nothing wrong with doing those
things; after all, you’re a tourist, right?
We're not saying, don't do the tourist stuff, by all means, please do, but get to know Cuenca Ecuador and some of the local folks and culture on a more intimate level, that way you will have pushed out any expectations of how your new life is going to be and you will be more prepared to make the move or maybe not make the move...who knows.
We know that you will not
experience “the real Cuenca” being a tourist. You will not see what you would
see if you lived here. We think your discovery trip should involve the local
beat as well as the tourist beat. Staying two weeks and even two months in
Cuenca as a tourist will not really tell you anything if you live like a tourist.
We went to Mexico for
vacations on three different occasions. All three times we stayed in nice
luxury resorts on the beach, and ate in the touristy restaurants around other
vacationers in the resort. We shopped in the touristy gringo craft shops and
Mercados; we ate in the expensive restaurants geared for the foreigners. We
were typical tourists.
It was like “Wow, Mexico is
nice, maybe we should move here”. But on our third trip to Mexico we rented a
jeep and drove off the beaten path to a city called Colima. We were in culture
shock! Seriously. It was like “Ohhhh, this is the “real Mexico”. “This is what
Mexico looks like behind the facade of luxury hotels and International
restaurants.” Big, BIG difference.
Salinas Ecuador was much the
same way. Beautiful high rise condos, expensive restaurants and shops right on
the beach, but you walk a few streets back and there’s nothing there. The
variance is quite extreme.
Cuenca is a little bit
different in that there is really not a lot of “in your face poverty” like
there was off the beaten track in Mexico. In Mexico back then all you had to do
was walk out the gate of the resort and there was poverty and fallen down
shacks. It’s not like that in Cuenca.
There is a tourist Cuenca
and there is a local Cuenca. When you veer away from the tourist spots in
Cuenca, which is really not veering away at all, but patronizing the Ecuadorian
run restaurants and shops, you will find groceries are less expensive and
eating out is less expensive.
Update 2016 - This is still the trend today,. Everything (panaderias, pharmacies, eateries, tools and hardware, food shopping, everything is less expensive when you walk away from the well trodden tourist sidewalks of Cuenca.
Update 2016- We had to take a popular bakery (panaderia) out of the DIY Cuenca guide because it was a half a block from Park Calderon and too many tourists visited this bakery every day and they still do to this day. All the pastries and cakes and coffee and water (yes they started charging for water form their tap) went up in astronomical prices in just a couple of years...so we took them out of the guide and walked about 7 blocks away and found another really great bakery with normal prices and added them to the guide book to take the place of the over-rated bakery.
As far as rents go there is
a tourist rent and a local rent. Unfortunately anything furnished caters to the
tourist but you can still find better priced furnished if you keep looking. If
you rent for longer than six months and get a year lease your rent will be less than the three to six month rental.
The tourist Cuenca is
managed and run by other expats and Ecuadorians who are catering to the
vacationing tourists. Rents, food, shopping and tours will be at tourist
prices. You can spend thousands of dollars during your stay in Cuenca by being
toured around, eating, shopping and touring in the tourist hot spots.
Or…you
can read the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide and go local
and spend a fraction of the cost by utilizing the resources we have outlined in
the guide book.
If you’re anything like us
and want to live on a retirement budget, once you move here, you’ll see that
living as a tourist in Cuenca is not the way to do it. We encourage our readers
to go local and save their hard-earned money!
There is absolutely nothing
to fear about going local, even if you do not speak Spanish. You can get by
using a Spanish pocket dictionary and sign language—as foreigners the local
population is very forgiving if you do not know Spanish, yet.
To see the real Cuenca,
you’ll want to stray off the beaten path to some of the Ecuadorian grocery
stores we list in the guide and do any run of the mill activities that a permanent resident would be doing. You’ll need to know a little Spanish for this.
Update 2016 - Funny the Mercados, especially Feria Libre is becoming more and more expensive for the foreigner and subsequently we don't even go there anymore. In fact when you buy produce "in season" in the regular grocery stores we pay the same or sometimes less than at the local Mercados. Of course, we hope and think they are only price gouging the gringo and not the local because it would be very disconcerting to find out that locals are also paying gringo rates at the Mercados!!
You can spend$5 to $8 now more like $6 to $10 eating out FOR LUNCH in an international restaurant frequently managed and owed
by expats. But will you want to do that every day? Instead, you might want to
download our free restaurant guide
which lists 10 good Ecuadorian restaurants (LUNCH) between$2 AND $3!
Update 2016 - Our restaurant guide is still available to download on our website here, however prices in most of the establishments have gone up in price, so expect to pay more than what is listed in the guide. We do list a couple of expat restaurants that have reasonable prices and good food in the updated version found here.
We encourage you to come to
Cuenca and see it for what it is, and step out beyond the usual tourist traps.
Justthree, no make that seven years ago, Cuenca was unheard of. There were few tourists
being gouged, and there were fewer gringos even living in Cuenca.
Today, if you are not
careful you will be taken advantage of, but with the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide in your hands, you’ll be able to
spot when someone is trying to gouge you and you will be encouraged to just
smile and walk away, feeling good about your decision. There’s always a better
deal down the road.
Until we write again, you might also like to read these posts about the real Cuenca Ecuador.
We're an expat family of five living frugal, healthy and happy in Cuenca Ecuador. We vlog/blog about what it's like to live abroad and be frugal. Come along and enjoy the adventure with us!
Let's Save Money
1. Get an Apartment: If you are only staying between 1 and 3 months (and even 6 months) we suggest to snag yourself an apartment before you get here, if at all possible. Most folks don't look at the Vacation/Temporary/Rentals on OLX Ecuador. Check it out here!
Once you arrive on the website, make sure you check the appropriate boxes on the left hand side for: how many bedrooms you want and check the furnished box. Today on May 15, 2016 there are 70 one bedroom furnished rentals on OLX just in Cuenca. We think many of these listings are by owner rather than real estate companies and that means BETTER PRICES and MORE NEGOTIATION ROOM!
Most of the online rental portals (Mercadolibre.com) will also have a temporary/vacation rental section and is where people who are coming to Ecuador for six months or less should be able to find a rental easier and less expensively. We do this when we travel because it assures we will have a lower cost place to stay while we visit an area and there is never any pressure to hurry up and find a rental.
2. Ask about monthly price: Some of the prices on OLX, as you will see are per night, however, if you see something you like, call them and ask what their monthly (if they have monthly) rental price would be.
We would venture to say that 8 out of 10 travelers
that come to Cuenca do so for a discovery trip to see if they are going to like
living here permanently for their future retirement years. This is always a
good idea, but it is also a good idea to not live only as a
tourist when you come to visit. Go local!
Update 2016 - What do we mean, "go local"? Well, you can come to Cuenca on a vacation and not really know what you are getting into until you:
1. ride the bus
2. take a taxi
3. negotiate and buy produce from one of the many Mercados
4. go out to eat in a typical almuerzo restaurant and try some of the other Ecuadorian cuisine
5. enjoy one of the many Ecuadorian festivals
6. eat while walking (lol)
7. get to know some of the the local folks on a personal level
8. go shopping in one of the local grocery stores
9. and so much more...
Get to know the Ecuador culture and way of life on your visit. After all, if you are thinking of uprooting your life and moving here, don't you want to know what it is really like?
Our “Discover Cuenca Blog
has a lot of good information in it for first time visitors to Cuenca
but reading about going local in Cuenca is not the same as doing it. Just get out and do it! It's a lot of fun going local because you will experience so much more on your visit.
Tourist Don’t Mind Spending Money on Food and Hotel Costs
Being a tourist we tend to
stay in nicer, more expensive hotels, and we tend to patronize the
International cuisine restaurants a lot, and mingle with the expat community more. We
spend money because we’re on vacation! There is nothing wrong with doing those
things; after all, you’re a tourist, right?
We're not saying, don't do the tourist stuff, by all means, please do, but get to know Cuenca Ecuador and some of the local folks and culture on a more intimate level, that way you will have pushed out any expectations of how your new life is going to be and you will be more prepared to make the move or maybe not make the move...who knows.
We know that you will not
experience “the real Cuenca” being a tourist. You will not see what you would
see if you lived here. We think your discovery trip should involve the local
beat as well as the tourist beat. Staying two weeks and even two months in
Cuenca as a tourist will not really tell you anything if you live like a tourist.
We went to Mexico for
vacations on three different occasions. All three times we stayed in nice
luxury resorts on the beach, and ate in the touristy restaurants around other
vacationers in the resort. We shopped in the touristy gringo craft shops and
Mercados; we ate in the expensive restaurants geared for the foreigners. We
were typical tourists.
It was like “Wow, Mexico is
nice, maybe we should move here”. But on our third trip to Mexico we rented a
jeep and drove off the beaten path to a city called Colima. We were in culture
shock! Seriously. It was like “Ohhhh, this is the “real Mexico”. “This is what
Mexico looks like behind the facade of luxury hotels and International
restaurants.” Big, BIG difference.
Salinas Ecuador was much the
same way. Beautiful high rise condos, expensive restaurants and shops right on
the beach, but you walk a few streets back and there’s nothing there. The
variance is quite extreme.
Cuenca is a little bit
different in that there is really not a lot of “in your face poverty” like
there was off the beaten track in Mexico. In Mexico back then all you had to do
was walk out the gate of the resort and there was poverty and fallen down
shacks. It’s not like that in Cuenca.
There is a tourist Cuenca
and there is a local Cuenca. When you veer away from the tourist spots in
Cuenca, which is really not veering away at all, but patronizing the Ecuadorian
run restaurants and shops, you will find groceries are less expensive and
eating out is less expensive.
Update 2016 - This is still the trend today,. Everything (panaderias, pharmacies, eateries, tools and hardware, food shopping, everything is less expensive when you walk away from the well trodden tourist sidewalks of Cuenca.
Update 2016- We had to take a popular bakery (panaderia) out of the DIY Cuenca guide because it was a half a block from Park Calderon and too many tourists visited this bakery every day and they still do to this day. All the pastries and cakes and coffee and water (yes they started charging for water form their tap) went up in astronomical prices in just a couple of years...so we took them out of the guide and walked about 7 blocks away and found another really great bakery with normal prices and added them to the guide book to take the place of the over-rated bakery.
As far as rents go there is
a tourist rent and a local rent. Unfortunately anything furnished caters to the
tourist but you can still find better priced furnished if you keep looking. If
you rent for longer than six months and get a year lease your rent will be less than the three to six month rental.
The tourist Cuenca is
managed and run by other expats and Ecuadorians who are catering to the
vacationing tourists. Rents, food, shopping and tours will be at tourist
prices. You can spend thousands of dollars during your stay in Cuenca by being
toured around, eating, shopping and touring in the tourist hot spots.
Or…you
can read the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide and go local
and spend a fraction of the cost by utilizing the resources we have outlined in
the guide book.
If you’re anything like us
and want to live on a retirement budget, once you move here, you’ll see that
living as a tourist in Cuenca is not the way to do it. We encourage our readers
to go local and save their hard-earned money!
There is absolutely nothing
to fear about going local, even if you do not speak Spanish. You can get by
using a Spanish pocket dictionary and sign language—as foreigners the local
population is very forgiving if you do not know Spanish, yet.
To see the real Cuenca,
you’ll want to stray off the beaten path to some of the Ecuadorian grocery
stores we list in the guide and do any run of the mill activities that a permanent resident would be doing. You’ll need to know a little Spanish for this.
Update 2016 - Funny the Mercados, especially Feria Libre is becoming more and more expensive for the foreigner and subsequently we don't even go there anymore. In fact when you buy produce "in season" in the regular grocery stores we pay the same or sometimes less than at the local Mercados. Of course, we hope and think they are only price gouging the gringo and not the local because it would be very disconcerting to find out that locals are also paying gringo rates at the Mercados!!
You can spend
by expats. But will you want to do that every day? Instead, you might want to
download our free restaurant guide
which lists 10 good Ecuadorian restaurants (LUNCH) between
Update 2016 - Our restaurant guide is still available to download on our website here, however prices in most of the establishments have gone up in price, so expect to pay more than what is listed in the guide. We do list a couple of expat restaurants that have reasonable prices and good food in the updated version found here.
We encourage you to come to
Cuenca and see it for what it is, and step out beyond the usual tourist traps.
Just
being gouged, and there were fewer gringos even living in Cuenca.
Today, if you are not
careful you will be taken advantage of, but with the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide in your hands, you’ll be able to
spot when someone is trying to gouge you and you will be encouraged to just
smile and walk away, feeling good about your decision. There’s always a better
deal down the road.
Until we write again, you might also like to read these posts about the real Cuenca Ecuador.
We're an expat family of five living frugal, healthy and happy in Cuenca Ecuador. We vlog/blog about what it's like to live abroad and be frugal. Come along and enjoy the adventure with us!
Friday, May 13, 2016
Frugal Abroad Part 2 - It Can Be Challenging in Tourist Destinations
Trying to stay frugal has it's challenges and especially in Tourist spots. What are the solutions? Watch this video and find out.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Reader Shares Her Annoyances and Challenges of Living in Ecuador
Note: this post taken from a commenter to one of our videos, “Simple Pleasures of Living in Cuenca Ecuador”. Click here to watch the video and read the comment.
Hi Frank/Angie: I truly enjoy your blog. “Your blog is spot on about the simple pleasures and the little annoyances about coming here; I thought I'd let you know about other very minute differences and/or challenges when someone considers possibly living here (you may or may not agree with me):
(1) Toilet Paper/Paper Towels, no matter the cost, are really CHEAP (as in low quality)!!! They fall apart the moment a drop of water falls on them.
Frank and Angie respond: we concur and it seems to be all scented with perfume!
(2) Back home, you may clean your house 1-2X per week; here, be prepared to dust/mop every single day (very dusty here), and be sure to consume food only in the kitchen/eating area (no eating in bedrooms), otherwise you may encounter some "uninvited guests" in your home (happened to me 2x).
Frank and Angie respond: we agree, it’s dusty, especially when living off a road that is not paved. We just got back from the coast of Ecuador and you’re right about the little critters over there and crumbs. The ants were atrocious…and cockroaches too. Yikes. Cuenca not so bad…Cuenca has spiders. :-{
(3) learn to cook from scratch; not only is prepared food expensive, but contains many ingredients you may not want.
Frank and Angie respond: we totally agree! Price of imported foods is high here. We’ve been cooking from scratch for 30 years so we’re used to it. The food in Ecuador is going to be taxed even more now. Brace yourselves. One of my sons said it well, “The only thing that is cheap in Cuenca is the produce”. But now, even some of that is going up in price.
(4) If you make a purchase (clothes, small electronics, etc), make sure you really want it, as it is NOT so easy to make returns as it is in the US.
Frank and Angie respond: Yes, we figured that out early on in 2011 and it is still true today in 2016. Although, we have been able to exchange a few items, which they are much better about. When we made a large electronic purchase a few years ago, we made sure to get it in writing that we got 48-hours to try/test out the product to make sure it was in good working order and they (La Victoria) honored it. Although we had to negotiate that time frame as they initially only wanted to give you only a same day return if you took it home and it didn’t work.
(5) You mentioned it many times, but there certainly is price shock here (4 pieces of sliced prosciutto $6!!) Ecuador definitely is NOT cheap for those who think they can still have the purchasing power they do in US!!
Frank and Angie respond: I know, and many newcomers would agree. We read all the time about how expats continue to eat their favorite brands of foods (if they can find them) and then realize their grocery bill is almost as high or even higher then it was in North America! Its pretty consistent to see only people from super expensive large metro areas describe this place as cheap. Compared to more reasonably priced areas as the u.s. Midwest etc. its about the same or higher.
(6) As a young mother, I was used to hop in my car, put baby in car seat, and go to the mall or wherever I needed to go with relative ease; not so here…definitely need to "buddy up" with someone, as young women out and about alone are easy targets for not-so-pleasant things to occur to you... Keep the anecdotes and experiences coming, and I hope to meet you guys soon!
Frank and Angie respond: Yes, we totally agree and we have expounded on this subject many, many times, but it is difficult to try and tell others how they should behave when they move here. It seems that something bad has to happen to some people first before they will listen to caution and reason.
Until we write again, you might like to read these articles about moving to and living in Ecuador.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Hi Frank/Angie: I truly enjoy your blog. “Your blog is spot on about the simple pleasures and the little annoyances about coming here; I thought I'd let you know about other very minute differences and/or challenges when someone considers possibly living here (you may or may not agree with me):
(1) Toilet Paper/Paper Towels, no matter the cost, are really CHEAP (as in low quality)!!! They fall apart the moment a drop of water falls on them.
Frank and Angie respond: we concur and it seems to be all scented with perfume!
(2) Back home, you may clean your house 1-2X per week; here, be prepared to dust/mop every single day (very dusty here), and be sure to consume food only in the kitchen/eating area (no eating in bedrooms), otherwise you may encounter some "uninvited guests" in your home (happened to me 2x).
Frank and Angie respond: we agree, it’s dusty, especially when living off a road that is not paved. We just got back from the coast of Ecuador and you’re right about the little critters over there and crumbs. The ants were atrocious…and cockroaches too. Yikes. Cuenca not so bad…Cuenca has spiders. :-{
(3) learn to cook from scratch; not only is prepared food expensive, but contains many ingredients you may not want.
Frank and Angie respond: we totally agree! Price of imported foods is high here. We’ve been cooking from scratch for 30 years so we’re used to it. The food in Ecuador is going to be taxed even more now. Brace yourselves. One of my sons said it well, “The only thing that is cheap in Cuenca is the produce”. But now, even some of that is going up in price.
(4) If you make a purchase (clothes, small electronics, etc), make sure you really want it, as it is NOT so easy to make returns as it is in the US.
Frank and Angie respond: Yes, we figured that out early on in 2011 and it is still true today in 2016. Although, we have been able to exchange a few items, which they are much better about. When we made a large electronic purchase a few years ago, we made sure to get it in writing that we got 48-hours to try/test out the product to make sure it was in good working order and they (La Victoria) honored it. Although we had to negotiate that time frame as they initially only wanted to give you only a same day return if you took it home and it didn’t work.
(5) You mentioned it many times, but there certainly is price shock here (4 pieces of sliced prosciutto $6!!) Ecuador definitely is NOT cheap for those who think they can still have the purchasing power they do in US!!
Frank and Angie respond: I know, and many newcomers would agree. We read all the time about how expats continue to eat their favorite brands of foods (if they can find them) and then realize their grocery bill is almost as high or even higher then it was in North America! Its pretty consistent to see only people from super expensive large metro areas describe this place as cheap. Compared to more reasonably priced areas as the u.s. Midwest etc. its about the same or higher.
(6) As a young mother, I was used to hop in my car, put baby in car seat, and go to the mall or wherever I needed to go with relative ease; not so here…definitely need to "buddy up" with someone, as young women out and about alone are easy targets for not-so-pleasant things to occur to you... Keep the anecdotes and experiences coming, and I hope to meet you guys soon!
Frank and Angie respond: Yes, we totally agree and we have expounded on this subject many, many times, but it is difficult to try and tell others how they should behave when they move here. It seems that something bad has to happen to some people first before they will listen to caution and reason.
Until we write again, you might like to read these articles about moving to and living in Ecuador.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Friday, April 8, 2016
What Expats Say They Miss the Most & Why they Leave Ecuador - UPDATED 2016
People who have not moved here yet want to know why expats leave Cuenca and what they miss the most about North America while living in Cuenca Ecuador. Some writers have said expats lie about why they leave Ecuador. (Article first published 5 years ago on July 2011)
Update 2016 - Do expats lie about why they leave? We do not assume expats lie when we sit down with them and ask them to share with us what they miss back in the USA or why they are moving back. We assume that we are talking with people who feel comfortable with us and simply want to share how they feel.
Why would someone lie and say, "I miss my grand babies in Canada"? or "I can't learn the language and so we're moving to Mexico with a larger expat community?" We have no reason to think they are lying to us. We have a bit more trust in people than that.
If we were to leave Cuenca Ecuador we'd say our reasons are, "The pollution is too much to bear for us when we're walking around". and "Prices and gringo gouging are getting out of hand". This is how we feel and is our reasons, but it may not be your reasons. Perhaps you don't find bus exhaust in Cuenca that harmful to you or gringo pricing is okay with you.
Just saying...everyone has their own reasons and every reason is a good reason because it is their experience...and so we just need to let people be. If expats lie about why they move back then maybe its because they are afraid they will be snickered at or be called whiners.
We've done our share of research about Ecuador before we moved here. We talked (on Skype) with other expats who have already lived here for a couple years on just about everything we could think of. Our questions were never ending. We pretty much knew what to expect. We asked about cost of food, clothing, restaurants, furniture, housing costs, dental work and service, entertainment, weather, etc, etc. Before moving to Ecuador we also considered moving to the countries of either Panama or Chile. Well, we did our research and chose Ecuador and here we are.
NEW SERVICE: Feel free to bombard us with all of your questions about moving to Ecuador or Panama. We offer this new service because we know what its like to need reassurance and we know what its like to have nagging issues in the back of our mind that we're not quite sure about. Wisdom dictates that newcomers absolutely need to get those nagging questions and concerns answered; and there is no better way to do that than with the people you can trust and feel comfortable with.
Our Family Does Not Miss Anything Back in the States
We (Frank, Angie, Brandon, Angelo, and Alex) do not miss anything back in the United States! These pictures were taken on the last day of living in the United States.We are living and growing in this new chapter of our lives.
We like Cuenca! It is everything we thought it would be and more. The people are friendly (for the most part), the weather is great, (hahahah), the cost of living is ok (if you know how to shop for food, housing, clothing, furniture, etc) and the scenery is amazing. From colonial downtown architecture to beautiful parks with a flowing river running through it, to every kind of family run shop, and store imaginable. There are beautiful malls and shopping centers here too, nicer than in the states! There are beautiful mountains and countryside, and everything is so green. The flowers and trees are amazing! And most of the food is fresh and clean
We have everything we need for our daily living and comfort levels. Ok, ok, so things are slower here (manana) and many things are done somewhat differently than what most people are used to, but that is the beauty of it. Live and let live. enjoy the simplicity and be happy!! We live in a comfortable home, we drink the tap water (we now use Berkey filter system), we eat out in family run restaurants and eat wholesome home cooked meals, we buy extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese from a big, clean grocery store, we meet friendly people, we have all of the comforts of home but at a far better financial means and lifestyle. There is nothing that we miss in the States. Our family has gone local in Cuenca Ecuador.
Update 2016 - Or let us put it another way "there is absolutely nothing we would move back to the USA for". Sure, living abroad anywhere in Latin America is going to have its little inconveniences but like we just said in another video, "We have to keep our eye on what's important." Health and family are important to us.
So what do expats say they miss the most?
Expats Miss Their Family
They tell us the one thing they miss the most when they move to Ecuador is "family". Many expats have moved to Cuenca or Quito because of the better health care system and cost of living for their retirement, meaning their retirement money goes a lot further here than back in the states. But most expats have daughters, sons, and grandchildren back in the sates. This means they must travel back and forth if they want to visit their children or grandchildren. And you can do that whenever you want but it isn't cheap unless you live in Miami.
For some people it is difficult to leave family behind. Fortunately we have our three sons with us here in Ecuador, and it is a wonderful blessing to have all three of them here! We do, of course have extended family members, such as mothers, brothers and sisters in the states. I'm trying to talk my mother into coming here for a visit so she can see if she likes it here. But I lived 3,000 miles away from all of my family anyway, since they lived on the west coast and I on the east coast.
If you are a family oriented person, leaving children and grandchildren (missing their growing up years) and moving to a far away country may not be right for you. This is something you must truly think about and contemplate. Unless you have the financial resources, good health, and time to travel back and forth to visit with your family a couple times a year, you may want to advise against moving to a far away country...or, bring them with you.
Bottom line: People come and people leave and they are free to do what makes them happy; its as simple as that. It's perfectly fine to move back home or to leave Ecuador and move somewhere else of your choosing; it's normal for people to do that. Moving to Ecuador doesn't mean it has to be for life; you're not married to Ecuador. Breaking it off doesn't mean anything other than its time to move on or go back home and start a new chapter in your life.
Until we write again, you might want to take a look at these other articles about expat life in Ecuador.
We're an Expat family of five, living frugal, healthy and happy in Cuenca Ecuador. We share the nitty-gritty of life abroad; these are the topics that other bloggers don't want to talk about. Come along and experience the adventure abroad with us! Subscribe to receive our daily posts in your inbox.
Update 2016 - Do expats lie about why they leave? We do not assume expats lie when we sit down with them and ask them to share with us what they miss back in the USA or why they are moving back. We assume that we are talking with people who feel comfortable with us and simply want to share how they feel.
Why would someone lie and say, "I miss my grand babies in Canada"? or "I can't learn the language and so we're moving to Mexico with a larger expat community?" We have no reason to think they are lying to us. We have a bit more trust in people than that.
If we were to leave Cuenca Ecuador we'd say our reasons are, "The pollution is too much to bear for us when we're walking around". and "Prices and gringo gouging are getting out of hand". This is how we feel and is our reasons, but it may not be your reasons. Perhaps you don't find bus exhaust in Cuenca that harmful to you or gringo pricing is okay with you.
Just saying...everyone has their own reasons and every reason is a good reason because it is their experience...and so we just need to let people be. If expats lie about why they move back then maybe its because they are afraid they will be snickered at or be called whiners.
We've done our share of research about Ecuador before we moved here. We talked (on Skype) with other expats who have already lived here for a couple years on just about everything we could think of. Our questions were never ending. We pretty much knew what to expect. We asked about cost of food, clothing, restaurants, furniture, housing costs, dental work and service, entertainment, weather, etc, etc. Before moving to Ecuador we also considered moving to the countries of either Panama or Chile. Well, we did our research and chose Ecuador and here we are.
NEW SERVICE: Feel free to bombard us with all of your questions about moving to Ecuador or Panama. We offer this new service because we know what its like to need reassurance and we know what its like to have nagging issues in the back of our mind that we're not quite sure about. Wisdom dictates that newcomers absolutely need to get those nagging questions and concerns answered; and there is no better way to do that than with the people you can trust and feel comfortable with.
Our Family Does Not Miss Anything Back in the States
We (Frank, Angie, Brandon, Angelo, and Alex) do not miss anything back in the United States! These pictures were taken on the last day of living in the United States.We are living and growing in this new chapter of our lives.
 |
| Frank with our three sons |
 |
| Family |
We like Cuenca! It is everything we thought it would be and more. The people are friendly (for the most part), the weather is great, (hahahah), the cost of living is ok (if you know how to shop for food, housing, clothing, furniture, etc) and the scenery is amazing. From colonial downtown architecture to beautiful parks with a flowing river running through it, to every kind of family run shop, and store imaginable. There are beautiful malls and shopping centers here too, nicer than in the states! There are beautiful mountains and countryside, and everything is so green. The flowers and trees are amazing! And most of the food is fresh and clean
We have everything we need for our daily living and comfort levels. Ok, ok, so things are slower here (manana) and many things are done somewhat differently than what most people are used to, but that is the beauty of it. Live and let live. enjoy the simplicity and be happy!! We live in a comfortable home, we drink the tap water (we now use Berkey filter system), we eat out in family run restaurants and eat wholesome home cooked meals, we buy extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese from a big, clean grocery store, we meet friendly people, we have all of the comforts of home but at a far better financial means and lifestyle. There is nothing that we miss in the States. Our family has gone local in Cuenca Ecuador.
Update 2016 - Or let us put it another way "there is absolutely nothing we would move back to the USA for". Sure, living abroad anywhere in Latin America is going to have its little inconveniences but like we just said in another video, "We have to keep our eye on what's important." Health and family are important to us.
So what do expats say they miss the most?
Expats Miss Their Family
They tell us the one thing they miss the most when they move to Ecuador is "family". Many expats have moved to Cuenca or Quito because of the better health care system and cost of living for their retirement, meaning their retirement money goes a lot further here than back in the states. But most expats have daughters, sons, and grandchildren back in the sates. This means they must travel back and forth if they want to visit their children or grandchildren. And you can do that whenever you want but it isn't cheap unless you live in Miami.
For some people it is difficult to leave family behind. Fortunately we have our three sons with us here in Ecuador, and it is a wonderful blessing to have all three of them here! We do, of course have extended family members, such as mothers, brothers and sisters in the states. I'm trying to talk my mother into coming here for a visit so she can see if she likes it here. But I lived 3,000 miles away from all of my family anyway, since they lived on the west coast and I on the east coast.
If you are a family oriented person, leaving children and grandchildren (missing their growing up years) and moving to a far away country may not be right for you. This is something you must truly think about and contemplate. Unless you have the financial resources, good health, and time to travel back and forth to visit with your family a couple times a year, you may want to advise against moving to a far away country...or, bring them with you.
Bottom line: People come and people leave and they are free to do what makes them happy; its as simple as that. It's perfectly fine to move back home or to leave Ecuador and move somewhere else of your choosing; it's normal for people to do that. Moving to Ecuador doesn't mean it has to be for life; you're not married to Ecuador. Breaking it off doesn't mean anything other than its time to move on or go back home and start a new chapter in your life.
Until we write again, you might want to take a look at these other articles about expat life in Ecuador.
We're an Expat family of five, living frugal, healthy and happy in Cuenca Ecuador. We share the nitty-gritty of life abroad; these are the topics that other bloggers don't want to talk about. Come along and experience the adventure abroad with us! Subscribe to receive our daily posts in your inbox.
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
How to Best Adjust to Your New Life in Cuenca Ecuador and Stay Healthy
Most of the expats that come here are of retirement age and we don’t like saying it but some of them are not in that great of health. Many newcomers when they first move here are in a jubilant state because they are enjoying the newness of everything; it’s like being on vacation and so we behave like we are on a vacation. We don’t eat right and we usually do not get the needed rest we should when we’re sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings and hearing unfamiliar noises that we’re not accustomed too.
Traveling can be hard on the body in so many ways.
Don’t Let Illness Ruin Your First Weeks in Cuenca
Some people (about half of the people who come here) become ill with bronchial coughs and colds when they first arrive. We think this is caused from several different aspects such as the altitude, climate and air quality. Yes, believe it or not, the air is not that clean in Cuenca. Some people don’t notice the fumes much (maybe they're big city folk and used to it) and others have had to leave because the bad air was making them sick.
Let Food BE Your Medicine
It is easy to overindulge when you first get here with the deep-fried foods, local cuisine, international fare and the many bakeries that abound in Cuenca. However, if you are still not quite acclimated to the change in altitude and climate, you may want to hold off on eating and drinking anything that could make your body’s resistance low and make you unwell.
We can physically adjust better to our new life in Cuenca if we keep our bodily resistant levels up. The best and easiest way to remain feeling great physically and emotionally is through our diet. We can be in control of our health by making healthy food choices while our body goes through the adjustment period to our new surroundings.
When we first arrived we ate out in restaurants more often and we indulged in the many bakeries, and some of us would buy the street vendor deep fried potato chips and it slowed us down. This is not how we ate before we moved here and our bodies could tell the difference, although it took months for our bodies to tell us something wasn’t right since we were quite healthy before moving here.
After about two months of this ‘refined foodie vacation diet’ we decided it was time to get back to our healthy eating habits…but then we found the mold hiding behind our kitchen drawers; we all became ill with sinus/lung issues because our immune system was lowered from not eating right when we first moved here.
Tip: We have found that the healthier a person is when they arrive, the easier it is for them to adjust to the altitude and all the other new things that come with living in the Andes Mountains of South America. Even though there are some adjustments, most people do fine.
Haste Makes Waste
We noticed that a lot of newcomers seemed to be rushed when they first get here. They brought with them their fast-pace of life! Yikes, in Latin America?
In fact, some of them have a container full of furniture coming at any day after they arrive and they still haven’t found an apartment to rent. We understand that they are only trying to “time” their household furnishings arrival to their finding a rental but we can count a handful of folks that after putting all of their furnishings in their new home realized it was not the home for them. We don’t think we need to reiterate how haste really does contribute to waste.
RUSH-RUSH-Mentality
Some newcomers are going back and forth to the immigration office and lawyers while trying to find an apartment, while trying to figure out where everything is, while trying to help their doggie adjust, while trying to do the tourist stuff and… all the while trying to stay healthy and enjoy their arrival in Cuenca.
Our chances of escaping any kind of illness when we first arrive in Cuenca Ecuador is much better when we eat right and take it easy…everything does not need to get done in the first week. And let’s not forget, it may feel like a vacation but uprooting our lives and moving abroad can be one of the most stressful time of our lives, so why push our body to the limit? We say, slow down and smell the cocoa!
Until we write again, you might like to read these other articles about how to better adjust to your new life abroad.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
 |
| Chocolate sandwich? |
Traveling can be hard on the body in so many ways.
Don’t Let Illness Ruin Your First Weeks in Cuenca
Some people (about half of the people who come here) become ill with bronchial coughs and colds when they first arrive. We think this is caused from several different aspects such as the altitude, climate and air quality. Yes, believe it or not, the air is not that clean in Cuenca. Some people don’t notice the fumes much (maybe they're big city folk and used to it) and others have had to leave because the bad air was making them sick.
 |
| Bus Exhaust |
Let Food BE Your Medicine
It is easy to overindulge when you first get here with the deep-fried foods, local cuisine, international fare and the many bakeries that abound in Cuenca. However, if you are still not quite acclimated to the change in altitude and climate, you may want to hold off on eating and drinking anything that could make your body’s resistance low and make you unwell.
We can physically adjust better to our new life in Cuenca if we keep our bodily resistant levels up. The best and easiest way to remain feeling great physically and emotionally is through our diet. We can be in control of our health by making healthy food choices while our body goes through the adjustment period to our new surroundings.
When we first arrived we ate out in restaurants more often and we indulged in the many bakeries, and some of us would buy the street vendor deep fried potato chips and it slowed us down. This is not how we ate before we moved here and our bodies could tell the difference, although it took months for our bodies to tell us something wasn’t right since we were quite healthy before moving here.
After about two months of this ‘refined foodie vacation diet’ we decided it was time to get back to our healthy eating habits…but then we found the mold hiding behind our kitchen drawers; we all became ill with sinus/lung issues because our immune system was lowered from not eating right when we first moved here.
Tip: We have found that the healthier a person is when they arrive, the easier it is for them to adjust to the altitude and all the other new things that come with living in the Andes Mountains of South America. Even though there are some adjustments, most people do fine.
Haste Makes Waste
We noticed that a lot of newcomers seemed to be rushed when they first get here. They brought with them their fast-pace of life! Yikes, in Latin America?
In fact, some of them have a container full of furniture coming at any day after they arrive and they still haven’t found an apartment to rent. We understand that they are only trying to “time” their household furnishings arrival to their finding a rental but we can count a handful of folks that after putting all of their furnishings in their new home realized it was not the home for them. We don’t think we need to reiterate how haste really does contribute to waste.
RUSH-RUSH-Mentality
Some newcomers are going back and forth to the immigration office and lawyers while trying to find an apartment, while trying to figure out where everything is, while trying to help their doggie adjust, while trying to do the tourist stuff and… all the while trying to stay healthy and enjoy their arrival in Cuenca.
Our chances of escaping any kind of illness when we first arrive in Cuenca Ecuador is much better when we eat right and take it easy…everything does not need to get done in the first week. And let’s not forget, it may feel like a vacation but uprooting our lives and moving abroad can be one of the most stressful time of our lives, so why push our body to the limit? We say, slow down and smell the cocoa!
Until we write again, you might like to read these other articles about how to better adjust to your new life abroad.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Thursday, March 17, 2016
5 Untruths about Living in Ecuador and the Facts that Could Save YOU Money
1. Untruth - You need to pay 2 extra rents upfront.
Fact: There is no rental law that says you have to pay 2 to 3 deposits upfront. This is a new made up thing the RE agents started doing (in 2013) to get more money from the foreigners when they rent houses from them. You don’t think they would get 2 and 3 upfront rents from the Ecuadorians, do you?
Here’s what they say: “This is how we do it now”.
Here’s what we say: “That’s not how we do it now”.
It is taking advantage of foreigners and regrettably, they pay up due to the lack of knowledge of the market, customs, behaviors and local ethics. You don’t think you’re going to see your deposit(s) again, do you?
Actuality: If the hucksters continue to try and get more money from you, be PREPARED to walk away…they might call you back and they might not but at least you can feel good about the fact you are not allowing yourself to become taken advantage of just because you are a foreigner; it’s wrong! Had they been doing this from the start, before all the gringos moved here then it would be different but they just started asking for three rents after the waves of foreigners started coming.
2. Untruth - Most retirees living here eventually learn and speak Spanish
Fact: Most retirees never learn Spanish well enough to interact on any kind of a deep level with the Ecuadorians and one reason why many leave; they feel disconnected. Many do learn a few phrases just to get by and that’s about it.
On the other side of that coin, young adults who go local for economic reasons and children who interact with the local children daily are much more apt to learn more of the language within 6-months to one year.
Actuality: We’ve been saying it all along, you have to get out there and start speaking the language and if you do that, you’ll learn it! Taking a Spanish class or course is fine but only use it as a supplement to your hands on interaction with the local community!
3. Untruth - You can live like a King in Ecuador on Peanuts.
Fact: This statement is way over exaggerated. We understand that folks don’t want to be pushed out of the standard of living they are so used to back in the USA, however, the middle class you are looking for in Ecuador will cost you, in fact, what is considered luxury will cost you more here.
FYI: Anyone can find a lower cost of living here but it will be a modest one and you’ll have to seek it out, not the other way around because the minute the locals see your face, you’re targeted as being rich! Nothing has changed on that score.
Actuality: Living like a king is subjective anyway. Some people simply do not need the same things as another person and may very well feel they are living like kings and queens with a comfortable but modest lifestyle in Ecuador. And by the way, that’s the type of person who hangs around rather than moving on.
4. Untruth - English is widely spoken in Ecuador.
Fact: Unbelievable, we’re seeing websites all over the internet that say English is widely spoken here but it really isn’t. This disinformation is way over-hyped. Sure, in the expat circles English is all you will hear, but away from that, you’re on your own. And yes, locals that want to "sell" to gringos speak English, but get outside of that and its another story.
5. Untruth - You Can Retire on $900 in Cuenca Ecuador.
Fact: Only a very few select FOLKS can make it on $900 without thinking they are missing out on quality of life. This taken from one of our other articles “CONFUSING INFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION ABOUT LIVING IN CUENCA ECUADOR” on the subject and it still stands VERY MUCH true today.
Actuality: If you live in a small apartment or house for $300 dollars; and if you seldom eat anything out other than the typical almuerzo for lunch and dinner; if you ride the bus rather than take a taxi; if you don’t buy imported foods, clothing, etc; if you text rather than talk on your cell phone; if you have the lowest/slowest Internet plan of $33; if you keep your utilities down to $50; If you never need to go to the doctor; and you can keep your food budget down to $200 a month; and lastly, if you can keep your miscellaneous expenditures down to $100 dollars per month, well then you might be able to make it on $900 a month.
PS...we're not saying there is anything wrong with the above either...some people are happy living comfortably and modest while others need extravagance...to each their own, as the saying goes.
But we don’t think this is what the retire abroad press meant when they published the article on how you can retire on $900 a month and live like a king in Cuenca Ecuador, do you? Did they tell you all that above? And actually for those of you who did not see it, they first were touting that you could live in Cuenca on $600 a month, not too long ago.
Now a days, people say they're scraping by on $1500. But then, we think, there will always be gringos scraping by, because they haven't learned how to go local in a foreign country which starts with knowing the language and reading this blog. Wink wink. ;-) :-)
Until we write again, you might like these related articles about living like a king in Cuenca Ecuador.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Fact: There is no rental law that says you have to pay 2 to 3 deposits upfront. This is a new made up thing the RE agents started doing (in 2013) to get more money from the foreigners when they rent houses from them. You don’t think they would get 2 and 3 upfront rents from the Ecuadorians, do you?
Here’s what they say: “This is how we do it now”.
Here’s what we say: “That’s not how we do it now”.
It is taking advantage of foreigners and regrettably, they pay up due to the lack of knowledge of the market, customs, behaviors and local ethics. You don’t think you’re going to see your deposit(s) again, do you?
 |
| Save money! |
Actuality: If the hucksters continue to try and get more money from you, be PREPARED to walk away…they might call you back and they might not but at least you can feel good about the fact you are not allowing yourself to become taken advantage of just because you are a foreigner; it’s wrong! Had they been doing this from the start, before all the gringos moved here then it would be different but they just started asking for three rents after the waves of foreigners started coming.
2. Untruth - Most retirees living here eventually learn and speak Spanish
Fact: Most retirees never learn Spanish well enough to interact on any kind of a deep level with the Ecuadorians and one reason why many leave; they feel disconnected. Many do learn a few phrases just to get by and that’s about it.
On the other side of that coin, young adults who go local for economic reasons and children who interact with the local children daily are much more apt to learn more of the language within 6-months to one year.
Actuality: We’ve been saying it all along, you have to get out there and start speaking the language and if you do that, you’ll learn it! Taking a Spanish class or course is fine but only use it as a supplement to your hands on interaction with the local community!
3. Untruth - You can live like a King in Ecuador on Peanuts.
Fact: This statement is way over exaggerated. We understand that folks don’t want to be pushed out of the standard of living they are so used to back in the USA, however, the middle class you are looking for in Ecuador will cost you, in fact, what is considered luxury will cost you more here.
FYI: Anyone can find a lower cost of living here but it will be a modest one and you’ll have to seek it out, not the other way around because the minute the locals see your face, you’re targeted as being rich! Nothing has changed on that score.
Actuality: Living like a king is subjective anyway. Some people simply do not need the same things as another person and may very well feel they are living like kings and queens with a comfortable but modest lifestyle in Ecuador. And by the way, that’s the type of person who hangs around rather than moving on.
4. Untruth - English is widely spoken in Ecuador.
Fact: Unbelievable, we’re seeing websites all over the internet that say English is widely spoken here but it really isn’t. This disinformation is way over-hyped. Sure, in the expat circles English is all you will hear, but away from that, you’re on your own. And yes, locals that want to "sell" to gringos speak English, but get outside of that and its another story.
5. Untruth - You Can Retire on $900 in Cuenca Ecuador.
Fact: Only a very few select FOLKS can make it on $900 without thinking they are missing out on quality of life. This taken from one of our other articles “CONFUSING INFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION ABOUT LIVING IN CUENCA ECUADOR” on the subject and it still stands VERY MUCH true today.
Actuality: If you live in a small apartment or house for $300 dollars; and if you seldom eat anything out other than the typical almuerzo for lunch and dinner; if you ride the bus rather than take a taxi; if you don’t buy imported foods, clothing, etc; if you text rather than talk on your cell phone; if you have the lowest/slowest Internet plan of $33; if you keep your utilities down to $50; If you never need to go to the doctor; and you can keep your food budget down to $200 a month; and lastly, if you can keep your miscellaneous expenditures down to $100 dollars per month, well then you might be able to make it on $900 a month.
PS...we're not saying there is anything wrong with the above either...some people are happy living comfortably and modest while others need extravagance...to each their own, as the saying goes.
But we don’t think this is what the retire abroad press meant when they published the article on how you can retire on $900 a month and live like a king in Cuenca Ecuador, do you? Did they tell you all that above? And actually for those of you who did not see it, they first were touting that you could live in Cuenca on $600 a month, not too long ago.
Now a days, people say they're scraping by on $1500. But then, we think, there will always be gringos scraping by, because they haven't learned how to go local in a foreign country which starts with knowing the language and reading this blog. Wink wink. ;-) :-)
Until we write again, you might like these related articles about living like a king in Cuenca Ecuador.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
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