We are travelling the world full time, we describe ourselves as nomad expats. Expat doesn't require you to stay in one place permanently. Being a resident in a foreign country can create taxation headaches, so slow travel is the way to go. Plus you get variety and can cherry pick the weather.
I’ve been saying for years that I want to live too many different ways to live in just one place. I want to live in a high rise where I can watch the big city parade from my balcony. I want to live in a farm and care for animals all day. I want to live on the beach and do ocean yoga. I want all the things. And you guys are doing it, you made it happen! Thank you for your inspiration and information!!!
I’m so ready for this type of living. I’ve gotten bored with the same routines for the last 50 years. It’s become so monotonous and predictable. Life has been filled with college, marriage, mortgages, work, kids, divorce. I’m so ready for a minimalist life as the next chapter and allow the world to become my oyster.
I am an "Expat" in Panama s8nce 2012 yet I live nowhere and keep almost no "stuff" for 7 yrs. I do this via house sitting, side hustles, and frugal travel hacks. I keep a car in Panama with my few must-haves there and 1 in Florida where my family lives and where I house sit nearby for my own space as well as allowing them theirs. Last year I spent an average of $349/month (Airbnb, hotels, etc.) on accommodations, cruises and transportation ie airfare but I enjoyed mostly free flights via cc points. (You CAN leave for up to 2 years without losing your residency btw) Other than Panama I enjoy exploring Europe once a year or so. My retirement income is small but I live like a queen in places where I probably cldnt afford to buy lunch; many places even have a maid and gardener. Ain't life grande!🙏
that is really cool. my wife and I just got our Panama "Pensionado" visas, but we plan on making Panama our "home base" but to focus on travel for the next couple of years (at least). We already set up a house-sitting gig for July/August and will spend the Fall in SE Asia, then come to Panama in December. Ali and Rob's channel has been great inspiration to us.
When I led global expansion for a company, I was a “corporate expat” spending 50% in the US and 50% “in country”. After 8 years, I left that job to travel as a “digital nomad” working remotely living 1 month at a time. I came back to the US before the pandemic and started a business that requires me to be here part of the year so I’m slow traveling 2 months twice a year. I don’t want the hassle of long-term visas, international banking, moving stuff and this is so much easier as I still have a US home base.
I started watching you guys about 6 months ago and your subscribers for this channel have increases 1000%!!! I still enjoy the energy and sincerity you bring to all of your videos.
Oh and right now im planning to immigrate to France and their long term visa doesn't have any minimum stay requirements - which is awesome. So I can travel a lot and not worry about entry/exit times.
Soon I will retire. Getting rid of loose ends, soon to be debt free & learning how to travel. Y’all are my retirement planning channels. Thank you sooo much for your hard work producing ALL your YT channels.
You made some great points in this video. Back in 2008 when the real estate market crashed, we purchased a vacation home at a great price. But spending all of our vacations in the same place became underwhelming. Now, we just travel to different locations as often as our budget allows.
We moved to Portugal over a year ago (ExPats) and couldn't be happier. We use our residence here as a base and travel essentially where we want to when we want. Works well. There are no limitations and we have also returned to the US various times for different reasons: Work, See family as well as an upcoming wedding later in 2024) However, your point on not becoming an ExPat makes sense when younger aged in my opinion. We believe as we age having a solid home base will be quite beneficial. The path you have chosen is amazing. Please keep producing useful content. We Love all of your channels. JP Portugal PS- come and visit. We will show you around.
@@GroundedLifeFinances Your ship probably docks on Madeira Island? If you haven't been to mainland Portugal please come and visit. BTW, we are heading to Japan fairly soon. JP Portugal
I’m working on that downsizing sold my Condo and rented an apartment for. Next year is retirement and Van life to travel the US and Canada. When my elderly kitty passes away my Van will become my US “home“ while I slow travel. Your videos are inspiring and informative.
An amazing video. This has really made me think 🤔 Assuming my health holds for the next year-ish, I see myself embracing the slow travel life. The toughest part will letting go of my sentimental stuff, but the siren call of the slow travel lifestyle has gripped me. 🙏
Finding your channel and watching many of your videos has lead to my husband and I having deep conversations about our retirement. We knew we wanted to travel at least half of the year but now we are determined to try slow travel thanks to your videos sharing your experiences! Thanks so much.
Do it! We travel the world full time as slow travellers. We sold our home and never looked back. We are having the time of our lives, living better lives than we ever would at home - and having way more fun and experiences.
I really appreciate all of the videos that you guys put up every one of them answers a question. I didn’t even know that I had thank you so much. I cannot wait to start my slow travel lifestyle, which may be sooner than I think.
I love your channels ❤I am blown away by how you teach things so clearly and precisely! Keep up the great work! I am still looking forward to your Viking Cruise series! Love seeing the world through your eyes!😊
Yes slow 🐌 travel is much easier on you, than a few days, here, and a few days there. We did it both ways and prefer slow. The fast travel peaked our interest, so we knew where we wanted to go back and spend more time. Kind of like cruises, you get a sampling.
My partner does the snowbird thing by spending 4 months of the winter in Bali. You have to leave after 60 days, so he flighs to his home in Western Australia for a week. (3.5hr flight). He leaves his luggage with the creature comforts for long term stay in Bali all year so he can come and go as he pleases. If you keep going back to the same place, look for an option so you dont have to take your stuff backwards and forwards.
Slow travel versus ex pat is a semantic distinction. Leaving the US to live abroad is the point. How someone does it is a life choice dictated by financial constraints.
Love the Choose Your Own Adventure books analogy,I think I still have my set in a box somewhere, Mystery of Chimney Rock was my favorite, ha! Thanks for the interesting perspective between expat and slow travel!
My wife and I will eventually slow-travel the world, but we've got a little furry buddy who wouldn't do well with traveling that often, and we're not willing to just hand him over to a relative or friend. So, we will expat (or immigrate) to a country in Europe and settle there for several years. When our pet is gone, then we will transition into a year or two of slow travel. And after that... who knows? Depends on how much we're enjoying the travel, vs. maybe wanting to settle back down for a while.
I came across your channel a few weeks ago. Since 2020 the wife as teachers took the summers to explore our USA 🇺🇸 This summer we turned 49 & 50 so we are looking to go to Mexico 🇲🇽 before your channel i Gad already found places to rent for the summer. Your channel has confirmed everything we’ve been doing but with more experience tips.
I feel like ya'll have created a cult and my husband and I BOTH are ready to do it! 😂😂 But seriously, we're really excited to do it. And it would be so cool to meet you on the journey one day.
I really love this video and this open minded idea of freedom... thank you for continuing to challenge me to think outside the box and what may be best for me 🦋💗
We are snow birding from Rockaway beach oregon for spring and summer to mt hood area for fall and winter lol. We love the beach in summer and snow in winter for now to be close to aging parents. But some time in the future we will sell our fifth wheels and do your method of travel. We just became debt free today as my husbands school loans have been forgiven!! We’re investing and getting things ready for the next step into full time world travel! Thank you for all the great information to get us ready!!
Love this concept. More of the way I want to retire. My biggest issue researching a country to move to is that as they become popular you know that in a few years the costs will go up. It only makes sense. Thank you for the video.
Do you have a video yet about the passport and visa processes that you’ve gone through? Also, have you done a video yet on how you set up your residency and get your mail?
Thank you for sharing your experiences. You have inspired me! I am 2 years into my slow travel and still have many places to see so my pace is faster but I have wondered what I will transition to when I am ready to really slow down. It didn’t occur to me that I could have a sense of community and the variety at the same time! Two months seems optimal. Did you do anything to facilitate meeting people or just random encounters?
Very good advice. Staying at a 5 star resort in Mexico is different than living there full time. Soo many people want to buy a place right away before seeing if the country is right for them.....I was thinking staying in Malaysia 3 months and Vietnam 3 month and possible Philippines 3 months and rotate. Maybe go back to the states for 6 weeks or so.
Thanks for your videos! Great info! My husband and I were doing pet sitting and traveling around a few years ago. We enjoyed it, however we found it a bit lonely/isolated. Sometimes it was difficult to make friends. We are very outgoing people. What recommendations do you have for making new friends please? 💖
Have you addressed, and if not could you make a video, how you maintain a US address? I thought you sold your house. How do get mail? Driver's license, passport, etc. Don't you need a physical address? When I renew my driver's license I need to show 3 bills with a physical address, not a PO box. Thank you.
Thanks for the video. How do you handle your US taxes? What state are you a resident of? How do you claim residence in a state where you don't live or own anything?
Two things stop me from doing slow travel as opposed to being an expat or immagrant: #1) pets and #2 ) the horrible Airbnb beds. Sorry, I'm too old to sleep on terrible beds ;) If it weren't for those two things, I'd be totally down for slow travel for a while. I do think it would get old for me after a while...I do live having somewhere to relax and be "home".
If you stay 3 months at a time, it does feel like home. Or rather, you get used to not having a home base and adjust. We travel the world full time. As for beds, honestly... the airbnb we were at recently had better beds than we had at home. Probably one of the best beds I have slept on.
I totally agree about "pets." But I've had a bad back for 10+ years and need a soft bed to avoid pain. I travel with a 2 inch mattress topper in my rollaboard bag (narrow twin, custom size). My clothes are in my checked bag and personal item. It sounds weird, but in every location, I have the comfort that I need for a perfect night's sleep.
@@ParisianThinker I think I'm right up there with you on the country total. And some of my trips were a month to month and a half long...and I just remember the amazing feeling of getting "home" after they were over.
There's no way that we could travel full time. As new retirees, we place a high value on having a "nest" with our familiar stuff. My goal is to trim our nest expenses as much as possible and expand our travel budget. A good balance for us would be 3 months of worldwide travel, and 9 months in the nest each year.
Thank you for this great insight into slow travel! We just found this lifestyle and I think one of the biggest worries is not having a place to go after your current residence time is up. How far in advance do you plan on where you will be going next? I am assuming you have at least 2 to 3 places mapped out in the future, so you are not stuck in a situation where you have to be out of a country but nowhere to go.
Very good points! In our situation, we have a home-base apartment that ALSO serves as a pied-à-terre, in Manhattan, NYC, USA; cost $2,100 USD/mo. We can move around the solar system from there. So, we're opting to keep the home base. SPEAKING OF WHICH, any plans to travel to any planets OTHER THAN earth? Thanks for showing the path forward. @manhattanrats Robert in NYC
I’ve wanted to live in Italy for a year. Not sure where. Have enjoyed all the places I’ve visited. Decided to go for a couple months & try out a few places. Then, if I like the experience, next year, go for a couple months and try some other places, etc.
I think there reason why "temp expat" appeals to me is, living in another country will be much less expensive, and I can travel to other places. I say temp because as I age, I will permanently move back home. I went on 2 long trips and discovered that I hate living out of a suitcase and packing up to move to a different location. I still haven't figured it out yet and will be taking my time.
This is my life! Just left Seoul and loved it. I signed up for your newsletter and haven’t gotten anything yet. Did I miss it or has nothing been sent out yet? Also for the uninitiated watch out for Vietnam, New Zealand and Australia. Americans need to apply a few weeks in advance for those visas. Visa on demand does not work if you’re not on a cruise and in some cases you won’t be able to board the plane without your visa. Ask me how I know lol. All flights were made but phew it’s not fun!! I used the iVisa app for NZ and thankfully they had a 2 hr rush options but not every country is on the app or has a rush option.
For now I prefer slow travel, going where and I want and staying in different places. I am just starting out, so I have a few years before I determine where I want to live outside of the US
One of the best explanations of the evolution of immigrant to expat and now to slow traveler. 🐌🌎 👍 Have you done a video about the tax exemption for USA citizens who stay around 35 days or less in the US? Is it just oversea income or Stateside income?
Many places are makiNg requirements to live in another country very Expensive. Many people are priced out of Mexico ...you snooze you loose..2 incomes for expenses versus solo . If a fixed income and solo different requirements Pick a place if you don't want to be live in your own country.... and then slow travel 🎉🎉🎉wonder to hear your adventures
Planning on traveling full time for a year starting in November; my birthday month. Not sure if I want to do more than a year as yet but I figured that is a good place to start. Plan on starting in Asia. I am both excited and scared as I will be doing this solo. Any advice or tips?
We are thinking about using your method to travel the world for 1 to 3 years before deciding where we want to settle down overseas. When we move 3000 miles across the country in the US, we ended up with a lot of issues figuring out exactly where we wanted to be once we got there, even though we had planned to go straight to one place. Next time I want some flexibility while we figure out where we fit in.
Good morning from Idaho! I left you a really long positive comment on a previous video but I just wanted to ask, do you ever do any video's out and about of the area that you're in other than your hotel rooms? I have not watched all your videos since I'm new to your channels So I am Watching as many as I can❤ Thanks😊
I like the idea now of having the option to visit other places during the time of year I like. I thought about becoming an expat but over the past six months I have decided against the expat option. I think because I don't care for cold weather that during the winter I will go somewhere warm for a few weeks and that frees me up to go someplace else during the year. I really like the US healthcare system as I use my medicare as my primary source of healthcare.
When you become a resident in a country you usually have to pay taxes. This can be a hassle and expensive. Traveling as a tourist saves you this hassle and expense. I would want to stay in most countries for as long as the tourist visa allowed instead of just a month, though. Really slow travel.
Love the channel and sharing with like minded friends. Wondering why you have selected Thailand as the most likely place to live as ex-pats. We have been slow traveling for a year and planning to go another year, shopping for the right place to settle down. We have been to Bangkok only over a weekend about 7 years ago and will return for a 2 month stay in July, so we are not sure about that. Is it Bangkok you love, or other places such as Chang Mai? We currently have KL at the top of our list.
It's specifically Bangkok that we like. Once you find an area to stay outside the tourist areas it is a very liveable city. We love the BTS system, which is also a great part of KL, which we also like.
@@GroundedLifeFinances yes. We spent 2 months in KL although somewhat the tourist area, in a residence in Bukit Bintang. We loved it. Great city. Great transport. Safe friendly & English everywhere.
I get hives when I think of staying grounded in one country, even my home country. I love Mexico and this is my fifth extended visit since 2019, but, I have visited and hope to continue visiting other countries around Latin America. At times, I have considered becoming a true expat, but, I don't see myself doing that unless my hand is forced due to medical reasons or the US becoming a full blown, dictatorship. The longest I stayed in one country was a year and that was in Mexico due to the early days of the pandemic, at that time, I actually wouldn't have minded being there longer. Shame I don't love Mexico as I once did, though I still have a warm spot for the country.
I'm making my transition plan but nervous about getting stuck. How did you learn how to transport yourselves from place to place? Planes, trains, local transport in each new city, etc.
What do you mean getting stuck? If you're slow traveling, I'd recommend doing one area at a time and limit air travel to very short hops if needed at all. Lots of Internet options to research transportation options from place to place
Can you two do a video on eating while slow traveling. If you are staying someplace for 1 month or more how often to you cook in vs go out and does the percentages go up or down depending on how cheap eating out is? Also any pitfalls of staying on a diet or eating healthy when slow traveling. My biggest issue is even when I travel for 2-3 months the locations change up every 7-14 days and I never cook so it is fun to eat out but gosh my weight always shoots up 10 plus pounds during those travel months even with my walking 14-20k steps each day.
I'm anxious to hear about your experience in the Philippines. (I think you said you were going there in the near future.) That is probably the only place I would consider staying for a while in Asia. I have spent two to three weeks at a time in Manila for work and traveled a little outside on the weekends. Curious if it will be comparable to other Asian locations for long-term living.
With not having a home base in the USA, as American citizens , traveling abroad, how would you settle your annual Taxes to IRS ? You still have to pay taxes to the State you once had US residency in. Please clarify…
I am 49 years old and basically starting life over on my own with no real nestegg at $8,000 in savings with no retirement. I have just started a new job making $62,000 a year and I live in an older home that is paid for and worth maybe $140,000. I only have one maxed out credit card at $1400 and I still owe $13,000 on my car. I know this may not sound too horrible but I, personally, am concerned that I'm not going to have enough at retirement and I'm not going to be able to enjoy life in my later years. What kind of path would you recommend for my particular situation? How can I fix this and is it fixable at this stage and in this situation in my life?
Question: If you slow travel and spend the IRS-specified 330 days outside the U.S., what are your tax liabilities? (The IRS guidance suggests that you would have tax home in the country you spend the time in, but what if you spend it in more than one place?) Thanks for the video.
That’s my concern too. My income is military and with the need to file FEDERAL taxes every year; how is this accomplished unless coming back to the states to do so ??????
@@deborahschaub2925 I think you can file income taxes from anywhere in there world. That's the easy part. Knowing what you rightfully owe/don't owe is my big question...if you spend more than 330 days abroad. Ex. Would I owe fed taxes on Social Security?
I am curious as to how much 'stuff' you travel with, luggage? We are doing slow travel with 2 checked bags (medium size, weight limits don't allow for a full large piece), one carry on roller bag and our 2 back packs. Been traveling like that for a year.
How are you finding traveling with 3 bags? Sounds like bag fees aren’t really an issue for you, and won’t be for me as I’ll mostly be taking military space a flights, but the thought of having to check bags is pushing me towards one carry on and one personal bag.
When I traveled 40 weeks a year for business, I had carry-on bags only. Now, as a retiree, it's no problem to check a bag. We book a nonstop flight whenever possible, and we rarely pay extra due to our airline status or class of service (premium economy or business class).
I think the subject of ‘Over Tourism’ is a pertinent one especially in Europe, Spain is starting to kick off about it and here in Scotland we have cracks appearing.
I'm sorry if this has already been answered, but you say you sold most of your belongings before beginning this life. How light do you travel? What belongings do you carry with you on your travels?
We sold our house and got rid of almost everything we owned to slow travel. We have 2 backpacks, 2 small personal bags and one SMALL suitcase we check on flights. We don't fly often as it drives up costs. We have everything we need in those bags, and anything we don't have we can buy and leave behind. It is all way cheaper than home. We bring some professional kitchen things like a knife roll and chefs knives. We have computers, cameras, audio gear, the works. Full sets of clothing, 3 sets of footwear and everything necessary for life with the exception of cold winters. We just leave countries that have weather like that.
Great information. As life goes on most things I do not need or want. As a chef I would want to have knives. Is it tough to travel with them or do you just store them in the luggage area?
Top countries but very few slow travellers go to either of them. The cost of those places is prohibitive for all but the wealthiest of slow travellers. When you can rent apartments around the world for like $450 USD a month, or LESS, you can see why going to Sydney or Melbourne would be a disaster for the budget. Lodging and food are outrageously expensive in Australia.
@@JayandSarah Well if you stayed in Australia for 3 months on a tourist visa, you could budget for that. The same for New Zealand. We plan on doing this. One year, spend more money, the next year, not so much. We budget for 5 years out.
People who have fulfilling hobbies that involve equipment do better sticking with a home base. Sewing, carpentry, baking, lots of things are hard to participate in if you are always on the road.
We are travelling the world full time, we describe ourselves as nomad expats. Expat doesn't require you to stay in one place permanently. Being a resident in a foreign country can create taxation headaches, so slow travel is the way to go. Plus you get variety and can cherry pick the weather.
I’ve been saying for years that I want to live too many different ways to live in just one place. I want to live in a high rise where I can watch the big city parade from my balcony. I want to live in a farm and care for animals all day. I want to live on the beach and do ocean yoga. I want all the things. And you guys are doing it, you made it happen! Thank you for your inspiration and information!!!
We are just selling our house with everything with have and be traveling the world … so excited!!✈️ 🚢 😎
I’m so ready for this type of living. I’ve gotten bored with the same routines for the last 50 years. It’s become so monotonous and predictable. Life has been filled with college, marriage, mortgages, work, kids, divorce. I’m so ready for a minimalist life as the next chapter and allow the world to become my oyster.
I am an "Expat" in Panama s8nce 2012 yet I live nowhere and keep almost no "stuff" for 7 yrs.
I do this via house sitting, side hustles, and frugal travel hacks. I keep a car in Panama with my few must-haves there and 1 in Florida where my family lives and where I house sit nearby for my own space as well as allowing them theirs. Last year I spent an average of $349/month (Airbnb, hotels, etc.) on accommodations, cruises and transportation ie airfare but I enjoyed mostly free flights via cc points. (You CAN leave for up to 2 years without losing your residency btw) Other than Panama I enjoy exploring Europe once a year or so. My retirement income is small but I live like a queen in places where I probably cldnt afford to buy lunch; many places even have a maid and gardener. Ain't life grande!🙏
that is really cool. my wife and I just got our Panama "Pensionado" visas, but we plan on making Panama our "home base" but to focus on travel for the next couple of years (at least). We already set up a house-sitting gig for July/August and will spend the Fall in SE Asia, then come to Panama in December. Ali and Rob's channel has been great inspiration to us.
When I led global expansion for a company, I was a “corporate expat” spending 50% in the US and 50% “in country”. After 8 years, I left that job to travel as a “digital nomad” working remotely living 1 month at a time. I came back to the US before the pandemic and started a business that requires me to be here part of the year so I’m slow traveling 2 months twice a year. I don’t want the hassle of long-term visas, international banking, moving stuff and this is so much easier as I still have a US home base.
I started watching you guys about 6 months ago and your subscribers for this channel have increases 1000%!!! I still enjoy the energy and sincerity you bring to all of your videos.
Oh and right now im planning to immigrate to France and their long term visa doesn't have any minimum stay requirements - which is awesome. So I can travel a lot and not worry about entry/exit times.
Soon I will retire. Getting rid of loose ends, soon to be debt free & learning how to travel. Y’all are my retirement planning channels.
Thank you sooo much for your hard work producing ALL your YT channels.
You made some great points in this video. Back in 2008 when the real estate market crashed, we purchased a vacation home at a great price. But spending all of our vacations in the same place became underwhelming. Now, we just travel to different locations as often as our budget allows.
We moved to Portugal over a year ago (ExPats) and couldn't be happier. We use our residence here as a base and travel essentially where we want to when we want. Works well. There are no limitations and we have also returned to the US various times for different reasons: Work, See family as well as an upcoming wedding later in 2024) However, your point on not becoming an ExPat makes sense when younger aged in my opinion. We believe as we age having a solid home base will be quite beneficial. The path you have chosen is amazing. Please keep producing useful content. We Love all of your channels. JP Portugal PS- come and visit. We will show you around.
Thanks so much! Portugal is so beautiful. We seem to stop there quite often on cruises!
@@GroundedLifeFinances Your ship probably docks on Madeira Island? If you haven't been to mainland Portugal please come and visit. BTW, we are heading to Japan fairly soon. JP Portugal
Do you have to stay in Portugal for 183 days out of the year to maintain residency there?
Most countries in the world allow one to stay for up to 90 days with just a U.S. passport. No visa required
I love that Snowbird analogy.
LOVE your insights. Thank you. 🥰
TY for sharing this idea
I’m working on that downsizing sold my Condo and rented an apartment for. Next year is retirement and Van life to travel the US and Canada. When my elderly kitty passes away my Van will become my US “home“ while I slow travel. Your videos are inspiring and informative.
Love your videos!!! Learn so much every time ❤️
An amazing video. This has really made me think 🤔
Assuming my health holds for the next year-ish, I see myself embracing the slow travel life. The toughest part will letting go of my sentimental stuff, but the siren call of the slow travel lifestyle has gripped me. 🙏
Finding your channel and watching many of your videos has lead to my husband and I having deep conversations about our retirement. We knew we wanted to travel at least half of the year but now we are determined to try slow travel thanks to your videos sharing your experiences! Thanks so much.
Do it! We travel the world full time as slow travellers. We sold our home and never looked back. We are having the time of our lives, living better lives than we ever would at home - and having way more fun and experiences.
Great Advice!👍
Another great video - i truly enjoy your delivery method/cadence , and the info is truly useful ! Thanks again , eric
I really appreciate all of the videos that you guys put up every one of them answers a question. I didn’t even know that I had thank you so much. I cannot wait to start my slow travel lifestyle, which may be sooner than I think.
I love your channels ❤I am blown away by how you teach things so clearly and precisely! Keep up the great work! I am still looking forward to your Viking Cruise series! Love seeing the world through your eyes!😊
Yes slow 🐌 travel is much easier on you, than a few days, here, and a few days there. We did it both ways and prefer slow. The fast travel peaked our interest, so we knew where we wanted to go back and spend more time. Kind of like cruises, you get a sampling.
My partner does the snowbird thing by spending 4 months of the winter in Bali. You have to leave after 60 days, so he flighs to his home in Western Australia for a week. (3.5hr flight). He leaves his luggage with the creature comforts for long term stay in Bali all year so he can come and go as he pleases. If you keep going back to the same place, look for an option so you dont have to take your stuff backwards and forwards.
Slow travel versus ex pat is a semantic distinction. Leaving the US to live abroad is the point. How someone does it is a life choice dictated by financial constraints.
Love the Choose Your Own Adventure books analogy,I think I still have my set in a box somewhere, Mystery of Chimney Rock was my favorite, ha! Thanks for the interesting perspective between expat and slow travel!
My wife and I will eventually slow-travel the world, but we've got a little furry buddy who wouldn't do well with traveling that often, and we're not willing to just hand him over to a relative or friend. So, we will expat (or immigrate) to a country in Europe and settle there for several years. When our pet is gone, then we will transition into a year or two of slow travel. And after that... who knows? Depends on how much we're enjoying the travel, vs. maybe wanting to settle back down for a while.
Great personal experiences and advice. So well presented and logical. Thanks, very inspiring as I get my family life reorganized!
I came across your channel a few weeks ago. Since 2020 the wife as teachers took the summers to explore our USA 🇺🇸 This summer we turned 49 & 50 so we are looking to go to Mexico 🇲🇽 before your channel i Gad already found places to rent for the summer. Your channel has confirmed everything we’ve been doing but with more experience tips.
Good advice! Also, I LOVED "Choose Your Own Adventure" books! My favorite was the 1st one I think. Cave of Time?
I feel like ya'll have created a cult and my husband and I BOTH are ready to do it!
😂😂
But seriously, we're really excited to do it. And it would be so cool to meet you on the journey one day.
I really love this video and this open minded idea of freedom... thank you for continuing to challenge me to think outside the box and what may be best for me 🦋💗
Thanks for an excellent discussion! Do you have advice on making friends during slow travel your way at your age?
We are snow birding from Rockaway beach oregon for spring and summer to mt hood area for fall and winter lol. We love the beach in summer and snow in winter for now to be close to aging parents. But some time in the future we will sell our fifth wheels and do your method of travel. We just became debt free today as my husbands school loans have been forgiven!! We’re investing and getting things ready for the next step into full time world travel! Thank you for all the great information to get us ready!!
I fly back and forth. Thats nice too 😊
Love this concept. More of the way I want to retire. My biggest issue researching a country to move to is that as they become popular you know that in a few years the costs will go up. It only makes sense. Thank you for the video.
I love this! That’s exactly the feeling I have. Enjoying and savoring the experiences with no rush and a lot a flexibility. ☺️
To travel like that, you would have to either get all your belongings down to 1 to 2 suitcases each or have a storage unit. Or house in the US.
Do you have a video yet about the passport and visa processes that you’ve gone through? Also, have you done a video yet on how you set up your residency and get your mail?
And also file income taxes as a US citizen?
Thank you for sharing your experiences. You have inspired me! I am 2 years into my slow travel and still have many places to see so my pace is faster but I have wondered what I will transition to when I am ready to really slow down. It didn’t occur to me that I could have a sense of community and the variety at the same time! Two months seems optimal. Did you do anything to facilitate meeting people or just random encounters?
Very good advice. Staying at a 5 star resort in Mexico is different than living there full time. Soo many people want to buy a place right away before seeing if the country is right for them.....I was thinking staying in Malaysia 3 months and Vietnam 3 month and possible Philippines 3 months and rotate. Maybe go back to the states for 6 weeks or so.
Thanks for your videos! Great info! My husband and I were doing pet sitting and traveling around a few years ago. We enjoyed it, however we found it a bit lonely/isolated. Sometimes it was difficult to make friends. We are very outgoing people. What recommendations do you have for making new friends please? 💖
Have you addressed, and if not could you make a video, how you maintain a US address? I thought you sold your house. How do get mail? Driver's license, passport, etc. Don't you need a physical address? When I renew my driver's license I need to show 3 bills with a physical address, not a PO box. Thank you.
Thanks for the video. How do you handle your US taxes? What state are you a resident of? How do you claim residence in a state where you don't live or own anything?
I feel the same , iv always stayed several month at a time.
Two things stop me from doing slow travel as opposed to being an expat or immagrant: #1) pets and #2 ) the horrible Airbnb beds. Sorry, I'm too old to sleep on terrible beds ;) If it weren't for those two things, I'd be totally down for slow travel for a while. I do think it would get old for me after a while...I do live having somewhere to relax and be "home".
If you stay 3 months at a time, it does feel like home. Or rather, you get used to not having a home base and adjust. We travel the world full time. As for beds, honestly... the airbnb we were at recently had better beds than we had at home. Probably one of the best beds I have slept on.
I totally agree about "pets." But I've had a bad back for 10+ years and need a soft bed to avoid pain. I travel with a 2 inch mattress topper in my rollaboard bag (narrow twin, custom size). My clothes are in my checked bag and personal item. It sounds weird, but in every location, I have the comfort that I need for a perfect night's sleep.
@@JayandSarah I guess I've picked all the Airb&bs with the bad beds! :)
@@ParisianThinker I think I'm right up there with you on the country total. And some of my trips were a month to month and a half long...and I just remember the amazing feeling of getting "home" after they were over.
There's no way that we could travel full time. As new retirees, we place a high value on having a "nest" with our familiar stuff. My goal is to trim our nest expenses as much as possible and expand our travel budget. A good balance for us would be 3 months of worldwide travel, and 9 months in the nest each year.
Thank you for this great insight into slow travel! We just found this lifestyle and I think one of the biggest worries is not having a place to go after your current residence time is up. How far in advance do you plan on where you will be going next? I am assuming you have at least 2 to 3 places mapped out in the future, so you are not stuck in a situation where you have to be out of a country but nowhere to go.
Agree 100%
Very good points! In our situation, we have a home-base apartment that ALSO serves as a pied-à-terre, in Manhattan, NYC, USA; cost $2,100 USD/mo. We can move around the solar system from there. So, we're opting to keep the home base. SPEAKING OF WHICH, any plans to travel to any planets OTHER THAN earth? Thanks for showing the path forward. @manhattanrats Robert in NYC
I'd love to travel around but we've got school age kids, so expat makes more sense for us
I’ve wanted to live in Italy for a year. Not sure where. Have enjoyed all the places I’ve visited. Decided to go for a couple months & try out a few places. Then, if I like the experience, next year, go for a couple months and try some other places, etc.
I think there reason why "temp expat" appeals to me is, living in another country will be much less expensive, and I can travel to other places. I say temp because as I age, I will permanently move back home. I went on 2 long trips and discovered that I hate living out of a suitcase and packing up to move to a different location. I still haven't figured it out yet and will be taking my time.
Where do you store belongings? Which country do you pay taxes in?
This is my life! Just left Seoul and loved it. I signed up for your newsletter and haven’t gotten anything yet. Did I miss it or has nothing been sent out yet? Also for the uninitiated watch out for Vietnam, New Zealand and Australia. Americans need to apply a few weeks in advance for those visas. Visa on demand does not work if you’re not on a cruise and in some cases you won’t be able to board the plane without your visa. Ask me how I know lol. All flights were made but phew it’s not fun!! I used the iVisa app for NZ and thankfully they had a 2 hr rush options but not every country is on the app or has a rush option.
We haven't sent one out yet, it's only going to be when we find really great deals to share.
@@GroundedLifeFinances Got it! Thanks 😊
For now I prefer slow travel, going where and I want and staying in different places. I am just starting out, so I have a few years before I determine where I want to live outside of the US
One of the best explanations of the evolution of immigrant to expat and now to slow traveler. 🐌🌎 👍
Have you done a video about the tax exemption for USA citizens who stay around 35 days or less in the US? Is it just oversea income or Stateside income?
Really appreciate the Visa info👍
Could you explain how you deal with your tax please? And to which country do you have attachment to if not an expat? Thanks
Many places are makiNg requirements to live in another country very Expensive. Many people are priced out of Mexico ...you snooze you loose..2 incomes for expenses versus solo . If a fixed income and solo different requirements
Pick a place if you don't want to be live in your own country.... and then slow travel 🎉🎉🎉wonder to hear your adventures
FYI re: your interest in returning to Thailand - heard report that folks are leaving with the arrival of Russians & their hostility. Hope this helps.
Haven’t been back to Thailand since before Covid September 2019 to many Russians very aggressive ones.
Planning on traveling full time for a year starting in November; my birthday month. Not sure if I want to do more than a year as yet but I figured that is a good place to start. Plan on starting in Asia. I am both excited and scared as I will be doing this solo. Any advice or tips?
Can you do more videos on the European countries you have visited? You seem to have a focus on Asia. Thank you.
What areas in Thailand are your favorite? Slow travel is definitely the best way to experience the world!!
We are thinking about using your method to travel the world for 1 to 3 years before deciding where we want to settle down overseas. When we move 3000 miles across the country in the US, we ended up with a lot of issues figuring out exactly where we wanted to be once we got there, even though we had planned to go straight to one place. Next time I want some flexibility while we figure out where we fit in.
Korea May and October would be my recommendation from living there for 7 years
Good morning from Idaho! I left you a really long positive comment on a previous video but I just wanted to ask, do you ever do any video's out and about of the area that you're in other than your hotel rooms?
I have not watched all your videos since I'm new to your channels So I am Watching as many as I can❤
Thanks😊
Yes, there will be one coming very soon!
I like the idea now of having the option to visit other places during the time of year I like. I thought about becoming an expat but over the past six months I have decided against the expat option. I think because I don't care for cold weather that during the winter I will go somewhere warm for a few weeks and that frees me up to go someplace else during the year. I really like the US healthcare system as I use my medicare as my primary source of healthcare.
Do you have a preferred list of Airbnbs or hotels that you always go back to that you can share?
Do you have any keepsakes stored in the US?
Africa is not on the list?? Do you plan on traveling there?
When you become a resident in a country you usually have to pay taxes. This can be a hassle and expensive. Traveling as a tourist saves you this hassle and expense. I would want to stay in most countries for as long as the tourist visa allowed instead of just a month, though. Really slow travel.
That's what we do, stay 90 days and move on. Or as long as we can, budget wise for the country.
What countries do you visit?
Love the channel and sharing with like minded friends. Wondering why you have selected Thailand as the most likely place to live as ex-pats. We have been slow traveling for a year and planning to go another year, shopping for the right place to settle down. We have been to Bangkok only over a weekend about 7 years ago and will return for a 2 month stay in July, so we are not sure about that. Is it Bangkok you love, or other places such as Chang Mai? We currently have KL at the top of our list.
It's specifically Bangkok that we like. Once you find an area to stay outside the tourist areas it is a very liveable city. We love the BTS system, which is also a great part of KL, which we also like.
@@GroundedLifeFinances yes. We spent 2 months in KL although somewhat the tourist area, in a residence in Bukit Bintang. We loved it. Great city. Great transport. Safe friendly & English everywhere.
I get hives when I think of staying grounded in one country, even my home country. I love Mexico and this is my fifth extended visit since 2019, but, I have visited and hope to continue visiting other countries around Latin America. At times, I have considered becoming a true expat, but, I don't see myself doing that unless my hand is forced due to medical reasons or the US becoming a full blown, dictatorship. The longest I stayed in one country was a year and that was in Mexico due to the early days of the pandemic, at that time, I actually wouldn't have minded being there longer. Shame I don't love Mexico as I once did, though I still have a warm spot for the country.
Dictatorship by who?
I'm making my transition plan but nervous about getting stuck. How did you learn how to transport yourselves from place to place? Planes, trains, local transport in each new city, etc.
What do you mean getting stuck? If you're slow traveling, I'd recommend doing one area at a time and limit air travel to very short hops if needed at all. Lots of Internet options to research transportation options from place to place
Can you two do a video on eating while slow traveling. If you are staying someplace for 1 month or more how often to you cook in vs go out and does the percentages go up or down depending on how cheap eating out is? Also any pitfalls of staying on a diet or eating healthy when slow traveling.
My biggest issue is even when I travel for 2-3 months the locations change up every 7-14 days and I never cook so it is fun to eat out but gosh my weight always shoots up 10 plus pounds during those travel months even with my walking 14-20k steps each day.
We do tend to stay longer in places so we do cook more often, depending on the country. In Japan now we are not cooking much.
Where do you pay taxes on your RUclips earnings?
wow - what about the income to fund all the travels ?
I'm anxious to hear about your experience in the Philippines. (I think you said you were going there in the near future.) That is probably the only place I would consider staying for a while in Asia. I have spent two to three weeks at a time in Manila for work and traveled a little outside on the weekends. Curious if it will be comparable to other Asian locations for long-term living.
Yes we are heading there very soon, we are excited too to find out.
What do you guys do for health insurance abroad? When and if you return to the USA , how would health insurance work?
I'm wondering the same thing. I'm guessing short term insurance from GeoBlue is the way to go?
With not having a home base in the USA, as American citizens , traveling abroad, how would you settle your annual Taxes to IRS ? You still have to pay taxes to the State you once had US residency in. Please clarify…
Use your kid's address. Hopefully, they live in a state with no state income tax.
I am 49 years old and basically starting life over on my own with no real nestegg at $8,000 in savings with no retirement. I have just started a new job making $62,000 a year and I live in an older home that is paid for and worth maybe $140,000. I only have one maxed out credit card at $1400 and I still owe $13,000 on my car. I know this may not sound too horrible but I, personally, am concerned that I'm not going to have enough at retirement and I'm not going to be able to enjoy life in my later years.
What kind of path would you recommend for my particular situation? How can I fix this and is it fixable at this stage and in this situation in my life?
Do you speak different languages?
Question: If you slow travel and spend the IRS-specified 330 days outside the U.S., what are your tax liabilities? (The IRS guidance suggests that you would have tax home in the country you spend the time in, but what if you spend it in more than one place?) Thanks for the video.
That’s my concern too. My income is military and with the need to file FEDERAL taxes every year; how is this accomplished unless coming back to the states to do so ??????
@@deborahschaub2925 I think you can file income taxes from anywhere in there world. That's the easy part. Knowing what you rightfully owe/don't owe is my big question...if you spend more than 330 days abroad. Ex. Would I owe fed taxes on Social Security?
World Birds
I've been an expat in Panama for 7yrs now. I'm kinda ready to travel more. But, the other half is not.
I am curious as to how much 'stuff' you travel with, luggage? We are doing slow travel with 2 checked bags (medium size, weight limits don't allow for a full large piece), one carry on roller bag and our 2 back packs. Been traveling like that for a year.
How are you finding traveling with 3 bags? Sounds like bag fees aren’t really an issue for you, and won’t be for me as I’ll mostly be taking military space a flights, but the thought of having to check bags is pushing me towards one carry on and one personal bag.
No checked bags for me for full time world travel, just intl. size roller bag and convertible backpack/duffle.
We have two checked bags medium size, two carry on bags and another purse type bag. We wish it could be less, but it probably can't be.
When I traveled 40 weeks a year for business, I had carry-on bags only. Now, as a retiree, it's no problem to check a bag. We book a nonstop flight whenever possible, and we rarely pay extra due to our airline status or class of service (premium economy or business class).
Do your carbon emissions from all this moving around feature at all in your decisions?
I think the subject of ‘Over Tourism’ is a pertinent one especially in Europe, Spain is starting to kick off about it and here in Scotland we have cracks appearing.
I'm sorry if this has already been answered, but you say you sold most of your belongings before beginning this life. How light do you travel? What belongings do you carry with you on your travels?
We sold our house and got rid of almost everything we owned to slow travel. We have 2 backpacks, 2 small personal bags and one SMALL suitcase we check on flights. We don't fly often as it drives up costs. We have everything we need in those bags, and anything we don't have we can buy and leave behind. It is all way cheaper than home. We bring some professional kitchen things like a knife roll and chefs knives. We have computers, cameras, audio gear, the works. Full sets of clothing, 3 sets of footwear and everything necessary for life with the exception of cold winters. We just leave countries that have weather like that.
Great information. As life goes on most things I do not need or want. As a chef I would want to have knives. Is it tough to travel with them or do you just store them in the luggage area?
Let’s go Mets!
Have you been to Australia and New Zealand, and do you want to visit them
Top countries but very few slow travellers go to either of them. The cost of those places is prohibitive for all but the wealthiest of slow travellers. When you can rent apartments around the world for like $450 USD a month, or LESS, you can see why going to Sydney or Melbourne would be a disaster for the budget. Lodging and food are outrageously expensive in Australia.
We have not, but are hoping to go soon. We might do a cruise from there to see quite a few cities.
@@JayandSarah Well if you stayed in Australia for 3 months on a tourist visa, you could budget for that. The same for New Zealand. We plan on doing this. One year, spend more money, the next year, not so much. We budget for 5 years out.
@@CCB249 I could actually stay for free in Australia with relatives, I am still not inclined at the moment.
I disagree, one needs to make friends and community. You both have each other but for single folks, I rather have SE city as a base and travel around.
One doesn't need to have anything.
People who have fulfilling hobbies that involve equipment do better sticking with a home base. Sewing, carpentry, baking, lots of things are hard to participate in if you are always on the road.
🤔🤔🤔 Expat vs Immigrant? Same thing. Just sounds like old fashion classism.
There is a big difference between an immigrant and an expatriate. Immigrants usually have the intention to move permanently. Expatriates do not.
Hi Rob and Allie, what's your email address ? An article was published today and i thought you'd be very interested. Thanks JP Porto