Hello Derek! Thank you for your service! And 🤩 wow!! That’s amazing and good for you! To us that decision makes total sense and we are guessing it was some of the best times you ever had. Thanks for sharing. We appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Hello Fabiano! Thank you for the comment and the kind words! We are so ready to enjoy the second half of life and love encouraging and supporting others as they do as well. We appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Doug and Monique, great video. Mics superb! Fully agree, history, travel, peace and calm and more are the main motivations for our retirement too. Moving to Portugal in early 2023. Can’t wait! JP
Hey JP! Thank you for the comment and the feedback on the 🎤! Wow your date is fast approaching! Very exciting and yes history, travel and peach and calm! More of the good stuff!! As always we appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
You both seemed so much more natural and relaxed in this video…. It shows that you are getting more comfortable in front of the camera! You are both very inspiring. Thanks so much for all the time and effort you put into these videos. I enjoy following your journey.
Hi Joey! Thank you so much for the comment and feedback. We appreciate it. More and more as we are connecting with viewers, we are finding we know who our audience is and it’s like a dinner with friends! Thanks for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Hi Denise! Awe … that’s awesome and we enjoy having coffee ☕️ with you as well on Saturday mornings! Absolutely- send us an email closer to the date! Cheers! M&D
This is a video on the go! We took some time to try some new mics and answer some of your most asked questions 😄. We hope you enjoy, and let us know if the sound is a little better - we will tweak it as we learn more about them! Cheers - D & M
Thanks for your videos! We love watching them as Portugal is one of our possible retirement destinations, a process we're going to start documenting on our channel. We love the Algarve region, but Madeira looks amazing too. So many choices!
Hello there! This response is well overdue! Your comment wasn’t shown to us, as it was “ held under review” We are not even sure what that means or why? But we found a bunch of comments there- including yours! So… yes so many choices. We also love the Algarve. Best of luck with deciding on your retirement destination and also with your channel. Cheers! M&D
Great video! You’re doing great when the editing, and getting better with each video! 🙌🏽 Thank you for being so transparent with all the costs with living and buying a place on the island. It’s been very helpful, as we figure out where we want to settle down. We moved to Portugal last fall and have been traveling all over the country to figure out where to settle down. Next stop is to check out Madeira! 🙌🏽 Muito obrigada for all you two do! 💕
Hi there! Thank you for the comment and the kind words! We are working to improve all the time in regards to editing and content. We know when we were researching, we would find some info but often it was vague or way out of our realty in terms of price. So we do endeavor to be clear and provide useful information. We appreciate your feedback 😁! That’s great that you’ve been traveling all over Portugal 🇵🇹! You must have some great insights. Welcome to Madeira!! Please do come check it out. Cheers! M&D
Doug and Monique, I happened to see your video while I am searching the information of retirement in Portugal. Loved your video and subscribed. Watch your video every week is kind of my habit. Today’s video, bring you two closer to our life. Like the way you talk, your smiles,and important your altitude and thinking of life. Wish you all the luck, and hope to meet you someday in Madeira.
Hello there and welcome ! We are so happy to have you join us! We hope that the information in our videos will add to your knowledge as you research for yourself living in Portugal 🇵🇹 in retirement. Thanks you for commenting and if you’re ever in Madeira- track us down! Cheers! M&D
Thanks for answering all those questions. Our two kids are very close in ages to yours, and we're all visiting Portugal together for the first time later this year. They're going for the fun, and we're going to help confirm whether Portugal will become our future home.
Hello Louis! Thank you for the comment! Wow that’s great that your coming as a family. We hope that the kids have the fun time they are looking and for and that you both get some further clarity if this move is for you! Good luck! Cheers! M&D
Me again. Thanks for answering some of my (not yet asked) questions. The quality of your videos is so amazing, hard to believe (but inspiring at the same time!) you just required the skills. Can`t wait to come to Madeira soon. Keep going please!
Hello there! Thank you so much for your kind words and for watching our videos. We appreciate it. Doug has learned so much about lighting and editing. He’s taken courses through Skillshare and continues learning all the time! So thank you very much for your comment. Madeira will be here waiting for you. Cheers! M&D
Hi Doug and Monique, great video, mics sound great! So true about filling the days, we haven't stopped since we got back from Madeira. No way we could have done this if we were still working! Mind you, not complaining as we are getting closer to the main goal. Hopefully, see you both soon. Take care and safe travels!!
Hi Sean! Thank you for the comment! Great to hear that the mics sound good 👌! Ha ha- yes we can imagine how busy you guys are and exactly no way you could be working and actually get it all done! Absolutely you are getting closer and closer to your main goal! Super excited for you! Hello to Lynda! Yes see you soon!! Cheers! M&D
Great video you two-I just referred you to couple considering Portugal as a relocation. I’m looking forward to seeing you right in the midst of Madeira seeing the island and sights!! Thanks so much..
Hello Diane! Thank you for watching our channel and referring us. We appreciate it and hope our information will be helpful. Oh this beautiful island and magical sights!!! So many good things to come! Thanks for your support! Cheers! M&D
Great Video, and a lot to learn from you both for a rewarding life filled with joy and Happiness. You both are a lovely couple made for each other and wish you both the best in the 2nd Half of your life. BTW congratulations on your son's accomplishment being called to the Bar. Cheers!
Hello there! Thank you so much for the comment and kind words. We are very proud of our boy and had a great time! We are so far loving the second half of life and love connecting with others enjoying the same. As always we appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
I started this process over one year ago. I planned financially for those conditions including the lower cost on living on Madeira. It is mind blowing how much the real estate has gone up over there. I thought I was ready but am a little concerned about the increase in costs. I still plan on coming but now have to see the conditions to plan for a purchase and long-term life there. I do hope I will be able to manage. But, The same thing is happening here in the US as well. Thank you for the video.
Hi there! Thank you for your comment and for sharing. The cost of real estate has really increased here in Madeira , and as you say also in the US and elsewhere. We had been looking at rentals in early 2021 and found an increase in rental prices by October of 2021 when we arrived. As for our house purchase, we think we would have soon been priced out had we waited any longer. Best of luck to you and keep us posted on your findings! Cheers! M&D
Thanks for sharing your stories and experiences in retirement. My wife and I have the same ambition(excluding RUclips) but want to move to Portugal and travel the world. Safe travels Doug and Monique.
Hi Laurie! Nice to meet like minded people! Best of luck with your plans to move to Portugal 🇵🇹! World travel!! There is nothing better!!! Excited to hear how your story unfolds. Keep us posted! Thank you for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
We have Been enjoying your videos for a long while now. I love your playfulness ;) We will be there soon on our scouting trip, and just applied for our NIFs. We're originally from the UK, but have lived in the States for 25 years(CA and now Austin, TX). We are adventurous souls, and having fun planning the next stage of our life-journey together. It's very impressive to commit to posting a new video each week - especially while traveling. We've learned a lot from your content - thanks for the inspiration :)
Hello Tracy! Thank you so much for sharing a little about you guys and such kind words. We appreciate you watching and subscribing. We hope that we can provide some additional information as you do your research for your next stage. Ha ha…. Yeah what where we thinking about a video a week?? Lol! We’ll see how that goes! Cheers! M&D
Hello! Ha ha…. Yes we did say that is our plan… to live to 💯! Life is short and it’s also amazing! Thank you for the fun comment! As always , we appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
I love you guys and I can tell how much work and effort you put into making all these videos and share all your past and present experiences with the rest of the world. More power to you both and a happy journey. Beautiful work. Absolutely a fan. Hope to be able to join you guys sometime in the future. Best
Could you tell me what Language app has worked best for you? I am planning a trip to Madeira next Spring and I want to learn a little European Portuguese.
Hello Robin! The name of the app we are using is called uTalk. Here is a link to the app uta.lk/trackusdown This is an affiliate link (our first) and if you sign up through the link you will receive 20% off, and we will receive a small percentage (thank you) at no extra cost to you. Cheers! M&D
Hello! We appreciate the comment and the kind words. We are glad that you found the information useful. Thank you for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Another wonderful video. I didn't know anything about the population of Portugal until I got interested in vlogs from expats around a year ago and must admit I was shocked it was so low for a country that had such rich history in world exploration. When one scrolls around the globe in Google Maps from North America and crosses that big, blue pond, it's easy to lose perspective. We live in the Indiana portion of the Chicago metro. Portugal (including the mainland, Madeira, and Azores) is roughly the same area as Indiana, but with only about the same number of residents as the Chicago metro!
Hello Stephen! Wow that is so interesting!! You are so right about how we lose perspective regarding the size of various places and countries. Portugal 🇵🇹 continues to amaze!! Thanks as always for supporting our channel! Cheers! M&D
Hello ! Actually I’m not 55 😂 lol! I’m 51. We had always planned to retire mid fifties (55) but actually retired early at 50. We are both currently 51. Thanks for the kind comment. Cheers! M&D
Been enjoying your videos as I too research the idea of retiring abroad. I'm also lucky to have access to a pension from law enforcement career, but also have a business degree and early interest in personal finance and investing that has served me well. With our youngest just turning 18, we are wanting to make sure she gets out and settled, so we are looking to retire in 2-5 years when we will be in our early to mid 50's. We are looking to make a preliminary tour to check out Madeira next March or April. I would be happy to pass along some financial planning information for some recommendations and insider info on things we definitely should check out and understand so we can better determine if Madeira would be right for us.
Hi Chris! Thank you for the comment and kind words! We are glad that you are finding our information helpful as you plan your second half of life! Good for you guys, it sounds like you have a solid plan in place. Exciting! We can always be reached at TrackUsDown business@gmail.com and of course you can track us down when you are coming to Madeira! Thank you for your support and for watching our videos! Cheers! M&D
Hello Ed! Thank you for watching and commenting! Yes for sure, the bus system here is excellent. We have taken the bus often prior to having a car, and even now that we have a car! Renting from time to time is also an option . That could get expensive if you were doing it often! Another option is to take a Bolt ( like Uber) here, it’s readily available and inexpensive. We, along with friends take Bolt often to go out when we don’t want to drive, or to get picked up from a hike … Hope that helps! M&D
I appreciate and share your thoughts about life. I have a question regarding how your government you draw pension from tax your pension after you moved and lived in Portugal? I knew Portugal government tax your pension 10%. To the best of my knowledge, according to agreement signed on avoiding dual taxation by the involved governments, pension sourcing country would tax your pension first. Does this mean the 10% pension tax from Portugal government would be on top of what you paid to its source country or otherwise? Thanks 🙏
Hello! Thank you for watching and for the question. As far as we know, as we have not yet gone through filing taxes. Our country will take off whatever tax they deem for non residents. If that’s 10% or more then because of the dual tax treaty we would pay nothing in Portugal. If they took off 5%, then Portugal would ask for the other 5% to be paid to Portugal. We are unsure at this point exactly how much will be taken off at source, so we will wait and see. Cheers! M&D
Great info! You guys are cute. Looking forward to meeting IRL one day. And thanks again for all the previous questions you've answered. I'm stepping up my housing search. Sound is great. New mic's are good.
Hello! Thank you for the comment and feedback! Yes meeting people IRL is one of the amazing things about this platform! Good luck with your 🏠 search! Thanks for the sound feedback as well! Cheers! M&D
Some people talk about Portugal as if it were some type of paradise. I lived there some years back, and of course, I learned the language. I'm really surprised it's become so popular. I never see videos from people who have lived there for a while or videos from people who speak the language. When one doesn't speak the language, you miss out on a great part of the culture. Congratulations on your early retirement. That is a great accomplishment.
Hello Teddy! You are so right! In order to fully appreciate the culture you need to learn the language. Thank you so much for watching and sharing your insights. Cheers! M&D
Hi, I'm trying to find your video where you visit the dental clinic as I will be in Madeira in a few weeks. What is the name of the place that you go to for dental care? It looked so nice and modern. Thanks.
Hello Ginny! It’s the Malo Clinic. Make sure you mention Track Us Down for a 10% discount. You will love them! Thanks for watching and Happy New Year! The video with Malo is Biggest retirement myths. 🤗 M&D
Hello Diane! Thank you for watching and for the kind message. We hope to show others a different way to live their second half of life! Happy New Year! 🥂Cheers! M&D
I just spent a week in Madeira as a tourist to see if I would like actually to live on Madeira. Instead of the mainland Portugal. I do love the climate here not super hot and less rainy in the winter. But not sure about all the hills!!😏 Last trip tomorrow to see the western part of the Island. I’m already threatening the Canadian winter 🥶 coming up! I guess I have the memories of Madeira to keep me warm till I can move for good !!
Hello Natalie! Ha ha yes the hills!! If you come from anywhere that’s relatively flat it’s a shock how every road is up or down! We are calling it -on the go exercise and honestly you get used to it! We are so happy that you’ve enjoyed your time here and yes you can recall this lovely island as the temperature drops in Canada 🇨🇦! Thank you for watching and subscribing. Cheers! M&D
@Track Us Down! Yes thanks side not I’m living in a mountain town here in BC Canada for 25 years plenty of hills here too! But they’re much nearer and over developed in respect to houses, I can’t tell where on town starts and the other starts ! I’m from Switzerland originally and people think it’s to densely populated not through there are caps of a few kilometres between towns ! Unlike Madeira it’s definitely a down point for me which I didn’t know till I visited!
Ola, boa tarde, bom dia! How's your Portuguese coming along? Mine not so good! I eally enjoyed this video and like you I don't get homesick...In fact, I get reverse culture shock going back to Cali!! I love to see family and friends AND have Mexican food including a tamale every morning for breakfast!! I lived in France for 13 years before moving to Lisbon a year ago so I clearly love living abroad!! Where are you now and planning to go? Or is that the next video?!? Did you rent out your house? Take care and congratulations to your son!!
Ola Tamara! Our Portuguese is coming along. We feel like we are getting better as we use our uTalk app. If only people would stick to the 3 topics we know vocabulary in it would be great! Lol! The tricky part is always moving from learning to actually using in real life. We are loving it! Ha ha…. Yes reverse culture shock! Us too! Then we are thinking- isn’t too soon for us to feel this way?? Ah!!! Mexican food- man do we miss that!! We are planning to make our own salsa in the coming months. We have a friend here who makes amazing salsa. That will be a start! We were in London and now back in Madeira! Hoping to explore mainland Portugal in the near future. We will work on maybe a home exchange or renting our home. No decisions yet about that. Thank you for the kind words about our son. We are very proud of him. Appreciate your comment and take care you too! Cheers M&D
Hi Alan and Sue! That’s great-😃 One day we look forward to getting to know you both as well! Thank you for the feed back on the 🎤! Yes- we are very proud of our boy! Thanks! Cheers! M&D
Nice job guys! Financial literacy many of us learn that later than we wish we would have. I think our generation is doing a much better job at teaching this important lesson. I see it in many (of course not all 😄) of my kids 20 something friends. Enjoy your trip.
Hi Larry! Well said! I hope that we all have much more open discussions with our children and share our financial knowledge, mistakes and insights. We appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Hi Al! Yes missing sports!!! We watch all programming Netflix, Prime…. Etc in English with our usual subscription. All our TV channel are in the original language, so if it’s UK or US program, its in English with Portuguese subtitles. Which is great by the way to learn and develop a comfort level with Portuguese! Thank you for watching our video and for subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Good evening, thanks so much for all the budget videos, they have helped so much with our planning. We will be landing in Funchal in mid September and like you, our first problem is finding long term housing. We are looking to rent and was curious if you had any advice on finding that first year rental..did you use sites or use an agent? Would you recommend your agent if you had one? Thanks for anything you can share!!
Hello Donovan! Thank you for the comment and for watching our videos! Great that you’re coming to Madeira in September!! If you haven’t already please check out our Apartment tour video. We talk a lot about finding an apartment when we first arrived. We looked mostly on Idealista.pt Agents are mostly interested in sales not rentals, however if they have something to rent you have to act quickly. We took our place sight unseen ( only photos) . If you have any further questions please contact us via our email anytime! Cheers! M&D
The info one gets from you two about retirement , savings , investments , pensions and be smart with one’s money in general should be taught in school , probably in Hight school , seriously .
Hello Raimundo! Thank you for your comment and thoughts! We agree that it would all be such valuable information to be taught at a young age. We love it! A course titled: How to be smart with one’s money in general! Wouldn’t that be something!!! Thanks for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Greetings from Montreal and congratulations for your videos. It is nice to see you both very excited about your new life. I'm very impressed by your audaciousness. I like travelling, but I don't know if I could go as far as making my home in a foreign country as you did..
Salut Pierre! Thank you for your comment and kind words. Our second half of life is off to a great start. I don’t know if in the past we would have ever thought we would actually relocate abroad, but life is funny that way and when it feels right - it’s right! Keep on traveling! Cheers! M&D
Hi M&D, greeting from mid west USA. I watched your home tour video and got a question… when you’re looking to buy the property, had you considered Flat ( or condo in our term) ? I’m wondering if it has HOA fee/rules/regulation as what we do in US/Canada?
Hello Sathit! Hello mid west USA! 😊 When we were looking for a home we were absolutely open to a flat/ condo/ apartment. Our Vila Doce isn’t by definition a villa, we just named it that. It’s truly a townhouse/ condo. Because there are only 5 owners here, we do not have HOA fees. We do organize ourselves to maintain the building. We do not have any common areas. Most other flats/ condos/ apartments we looked at, with many owners, did have HOA fees but they were quite inexpensive as compared to the USA/Canada. Some as low as 40€ per month. It would all depend. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
Perfeito!!! Thx for answering our questions! Good mics! Before we can hear a slight “empty room echo” … but much better now! I have 3-4 generations of photos and family immigration docs & artifacts! How did you let these items go! I want to be fee of them but feel responsible like the family caretaker/curator! From the map it looks like you’re from the Midwest but My Spidey sense detects a little Canadian in your accents! Could be wrong tho! Ciao Ciao!
Hello David! Thank you for the feedback on the mics. Yes we know what you mean about comparing and hearing the empty room echo! As for the photo albums , we know exactly what you mean. Please check out our video called Goodbye things. We address that exact question! Excellent Spidey sense! Lol! Cheers! M&D
I’m enjoying your vlog. Since it would be so convenient for you logistically, especially as a side trip when flying to and from the states, I want to recommend the Azores islands. My grandparents immigrated from Terceira, Azores in 1906 and 1915 and they settled in Northern California. The capital of Terceira is Angra do Heroismo and the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Usually you may find a church or historic building somewhere in the world that gets UNESCO World Heritage status, but in this case, the entire charming city gets that status. I’ve visited multiple times, but last October I rented an apartment in Angra do Heroismo for 3 months and it was wonderful to become fully immersed in the local culture. So, I just wanted to share this information with you for a future trip. Sao Miguel island is also quite lovely. They all are, but Terceira and Sao Miguel are the largest. I’m 75 now and couldn’t retire super early as I raised my son as a single parent. I do wish I had at least considered moving to mainland Portugal when I did retire at 62. I’ve also been to Madeira and it is stunning.
Azores is a great place you have 9 islands to pick, I should pick Terceira the last, probably São Miguel the first option, but since this is your decision the better is visit first and them make the right decision
Hello Linda! Thank you so much for your comment and wonderful suggestions! We will take note! Such an interesting story about your grandparents and how you are where you are now, but still connected to this beautiful country 🇵🇹. Thank you for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Hello John! Thank you for watching and commenting. As we said in our “Moving Abroad We’re we wrong” video- Nothing is done that can’t be undone. If we were ever lucky enough to be in that position - yep- that could change everything! We are open to that! Family is everything! Cheers! M&D
You two are just adorable! I thoroughly enjoy every one of your vlogs and can’t wait to see/ hear more from you! Love the cute little airplane and the camera editing insert 🥰🛩📸. I absolutely agree with everything you both have to say about living abroad and traveling the globe as there is only one ☝️ world 🌍 for us, and it’s too magnificent to be staying in just one spot for life. I recently moved back to Europe after many years abroad in the pacific region, and oh boy, am I glad to be here. I will move to Portugal come next spring (latest). I bought a little van, start converting it into a small camper this following week and ...off I go .. Place to be and things to see again. I personally lived in Berlin, that’s where I am from, in other parts of Germany, in Belgium, close to Paris, in the Netherlands , Tuscany, New Zealand, I spent extended periods of time in south east Asia, a bit in South America, visited a number of pacific islands and Northern Africa (I love the moorish culture, Morocco is so beautiful), I traveled through almost all of Europe and can’t wait to see more. As you both say, once you start exploring other cultures, there is no way back!! And I always worked, as an employee and as an employer; I had several small businesses and plan on establishing a new venture in Portugal, aaaand...I am in my late fifties, 😉 age is a number in the calendar... I also agree with you on the financial literacy journey. That is definitely something I’d highly recommend starting as early as possible in life. But in saying so, when we were young we didn’t have all those amazing opportunities to make a living. I was a full time intensive care unit nurse for 17 years and completely reinvented my work life when I immigrated to a new country, out of necessity. But, that sparked passions and talents I’d probably wouldn’t have explored further if I would have stayed in one profession for life. There you have it. Monique & Doug, you are an inspiration to me and to so many others, 💐, keep going... Skillshare should sponsor your next video, it’s about time, hehehe... have a wonderful time wherever you are right now, maybe I’ll have the honour to share stories and a nice glass of wine one fine day on Madeira 🍷 🍹 🍸 chin chin ...Here is to you 🥂 💖
Hello! Thank you so much for the comment and the kind words. We appreciate you watching and subscribing to our channel. Thank you also for sharing your story and all your life adventures. It’s so interesting to hear other peoples life journeys and how they have arrived where they are now. Absolutely please do track us down for a glass of wine when you are here in Madeira! Cheers! M&D
Good to know that eventually I will feel enticed to leave the island for a bit. It is hard to leave paradise; I love it so much right now!! I did manage to purchase airfare to the UK for Thanksgiving. Hopefully, by November, I will be ready to leave for a bit. 😊
Hey Jess! Honestly- it was hard leaving paradise! Excited to see family and friends, and our son’s event was the motivation. Back in Madeira and wow…. Happy to be back home here in paradise! November is probably a great time for a trip to the UK. This gorgeous island will be right here waiting for you when you come back! Cheers! M&D
Hey Monique, Claire here we just met today at Oscars. Lovely chatting. Curious if you would share a number $or euro you decided on that was a good number on how much you need per month?
Hello Claire! It was my pleasure meeting you the other day! Please do keep in touch via our email on our about page! We did a number or videos about our Cost of Living. It of course, depends on rent or not. I believe we were at somewhere around 2700€ for us. Please do check out our cost of living videos! Again, it was so nice to meet you, thank you for watching and we hope you’ll continue to follow along. Cheers! M&D
Hello there! Are you ready for this?? Neither of us eat seafood! 😱 We do hear others praise so many different restaurants on the island for their amazing fresh seafood! Cheers! M&D
Hi Doug and Monique. Love your videos, I’m moving to Madeira hopefully very soon, if I do would love to meet you guys sometime! Have you left Madeira? As this video is titled ‘why we left Madeira’ are you still there?
Hello Sabrina! Thank you so much for the positive feedback! Wow that’s fantastic that you’re moving here! Congrats! 🎉 ha ha yes we are still here. We left Madeira to do some traveling but we are back home in Funchal now! For sure! Please contact us via email and we would love to meet up! Cheers! M&D
Hi both, really enjoying your videos. Thank you very much. Doug you mentioned in one of your videos that you were doing some free online courses. Can you please tell me the name of the platform?
Hello! Thank you so much for watching and for your kind comment! Doug uses Skillshare for online courses. If you check out our Getting things done video, there is a link in the description. He has also used free RUclips videos. Cheers! M&D
I have viewed a few of your videos. I am looking for advice and guidance. My daughter will be off to university next year and I will be free to move anywhere on the planet once she leaves the nest. We are going to northern Portugal next June for two weeks for my Daughter’s graduation trip. I would love to move to Portugal for at least 6 months once she has completed her first year of college. I still work, I don’t own anything but have the funds to get out of the US. I would work, while overseas. I am excited for a change of scenery. Any recommendations are appreciated!
Hi Kari! Thank you for watching our videos and thank you for sharing your story. Wow! It sounds like you and your daughter are each entering a new phase in life. That’s exciting! That’s a wonderful graduation trip you have planned. We are sure that those two weeks will give you further information regarding your upcoming decision. Depending on what you are looking for there are so many options in Portugal 🇵🇹. Please contact us via our email if you would like to communicate further . We are happy to help if we can. Cheers! M&D
Great thinking for the both of you. It’s easy to see you are so compatible with each other. I think many of us struggle with that issue. Looking back I was probably to conservatives. I’ve done many things in my life but mostly during my working days. I was also concerned about having enough money because I was mostly broke until I hit 30 because of things that happened during that time. Although challenges never go away there was 10 years of struggle that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I’m 72 now and still want to travel but it’s going to definitely be a slower pace.
Hello Tom! You’re 72 and still want to travel! You are inspirational! Thank you for sharing your story. We love how you say “ definitely at a slower pace” good for you! Why not! Slow pace ….. but you’re doing it! Thanks for watching and supporting our channel! Cheers! M&D
I like the new microfones, it seems more clear but I don't have experience on that rs. About travelling, to where have you been since you retired so far? I know you went back to US once, right? What about other places in Europe? I mean, I know you did a lot of travelling until now but now, after you are retired, what is the place you just sit and think: first one after retiring would be to enjoy XXXX country/city more. I want to hear that. And of course, when there, please, make a video rs.
Hello Aline! Glad the mics seem to be working! Thanks for the feedback. About traveling, the first place we wanted to be was Portugal. We were unsure of exactly where but knew it was PT. Madeira was a beautiful surprise. We have traveled back to North America- not sightseeing as much as different cities seeing family and friends. We have also been to 🇬🇧 UK. We absolutely love love London. Going forward it will be more of Portugal and the rest of Europe for the next while. Who knows… if something else comes up- we will change our course! We will be sharing travels through the playlist Travel with Track us down! Thank you for the comment and watching our videos! Cheers! M&D
I've lived in many countries and I was trying to decide between italy and colombia when i started researching madeira and watched your super videos...i intend to buy home there and have already checked the listings - can't wait! @@Track_Us_Down
Greetings from Australia again. I really enjoy watching your informative and entertaining videos. Both of you are great couple and your video editing skills are very good. May be both of you should consider modelling career in your retirement as you look great in front of cameras.
Hello there! Thank you for the comment and for making us laugh out loud! 😂😂 Also very important in retirement! Lol! We continue to work on getting better with editing and providing interesting and valuable content . We appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Hello! Yes the unknown seems to be a fear. We are hoping that seeing a regular couple like us alleviates maybe just a little of the fear! Love that you never get homesick either! Exactly- Portugal is our home!!! Glad to hear you feel it too! As always thank you for watching our video and subscribing to our channel! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down I find your videos far more practical and down to earth than others. When you get to the UK I hope you’re not too shocked by the high prices!! Sadly, I think you will be.
Hello Cyn! Yes there will be places you miss but slowly…. You will find other places that you love 💕 ! Truly! Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers! M&D
Hello there! If you are planning to come to Portugal and become a resident, the first step is obtaining a D7 visa. There are many requirements for the visa that may require you to come to Portugal to set things up. I guess it depends if you are purchasing a property as your primary residence or a property to rent , or if you are taking advantage of the golden visa. Good luck to you whatever you are planning to do! Cheers! M&D
Great video. As a Subscriber I enjoyed getting to know you more :o) You are such cool couple! My husband and I, we are very much like you. We could make a home anywhere. We love and appreciate other cultures. You are so right, Life is short. I am planning on retiring quite early (I am shooting for 55, only 2 more years go go :o)
Hello Martina! Thank you for the wonderful comment and sharing about you both! Two years to go- you can do it!! Let the countdown begin!! Thank you for watching and subscribing to our channel. We very much appreciate it and hope you find the content relevant and informative. Cheers! M&D
The reason why the video is titled "Why We Left Madeira, Portugal" is not clear. I think you still live in Madeira, you haven't left it. So any reasons for giving such title to the video?
Hello! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Ha ha yes we still live in Madeira 💕 The title says that we left Madeira and we did ….. for a holiday not permanently. So “ Why we left Madeira?” The answer is only for a holiday. Cheers! M&D
Hello Jacqueline! Thank you for watching! You ask the questions and we tell the answers. We also talk about why we left Madeira…. We left to travel back to North America to visit family and friends and a big event. That’s the meaning of the title. Cheers! M&D
I find it difficult to believe that you two are in your 50s. If you two said "Hey! we're in our mid-30s!" I'd believe you. You look great & we look forward to more of your videos.
Hello Matthew! We don’t find Madeira small or boring! We only left on holiday. 😃 We also love big cities , including Lisbon! For us in our second half of life- island lifestyle is perfect. Thanks for watching. Happy Holidays 🎄! M&D
Hello Dave! We are actually 51! We had always planned to retire at 55, pretty standard for both our professions, however we retired early at 50 to start what we call our second half of life! So maybe we do look 51 right? Lol. At any rate we had a good laugh at your comment! Thank you for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Hello Gabriella! Thank you for watching and commenting! You can send us an email @ trackusdownbusiness@gmail.com. We will try our best to answer! 😂 Cheers! M&D
![Natanael Cano x Nueva H - Amapola [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6Q4mnRD5jCw/mqdefault.jpg)
After a 26-year Army officer career. The first thing I did was spend over a year backpacking in 31 countries.
Hello Derek! Thank you for your service! And 🤩 wow!! That’s amazing and good for you! To us that decision makes total sense and we are guessing it was some of the best times you ever had. Thanks for sharing. We appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Thanks!
You’re welcome! Cheers! M&D
Hello again! We want to thank you so much for the Super Thanks! That was very kind of you! We appreciate it! 💕
Great job guys! Solid careers, solid marriage, strong family upbringing, now you're ready to enjoy the second half of life!
Hello Fabiano! Thank you for the comment and the kind words! We are so ready to enjoy the second half of life and love encouraging and supporting others as they do as well. We appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
We live on Madeira Island for over 2 years and are absolutely in love with the Island.
Hi guys! We totally agree! You showcase a lot of the beauty of the island on your channel! Cheers! M&D
Thank you so much guys! Love every thing that you share with us!
Hello Jana!! Thank you for the comment and kind words! ❤️ Cheers! M&D
Doug and Monique, great video. Mics superb! Fully agree, history, travel, peace and calm and more are the main motivations for our retirement too. Moving to Portugal in early 2023. Can’t wait! JP
Hey JP! Thank you for the comment and the feedback on the 🎤! Wow your date is fast approaching! Very exciting and yes history, travel and peach and calm! More of the good stuff!! As always we appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
You both seemed so much more natural and relaxed in this video…. It shows that you are getting more comfortable in front of the camera! You are both very inspiring. Thanks so much for all the time and effort you put into these videos. I enjoy following your journey.
Hi Joey! Thank you so much for the comment and feedback. We appreciate it. More and more as we are connecting with viewers, we are finding we know who our audience is and it’s like a dinner with friends! Thanks for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
I look forward to Saturday mornings, you guys and a cup of coffee. I will be I'm Madeira in January, I hope I get a chance to meet you both!
Hi Denise! Awe … that’s awesome and we enjoy having coffee ☕️ with you as well on Saturday mornings! Absolutely- send us an email closer to the date! Cheers! M&D
This is a video on the go! We took some time to try some new mics and answer some of your most asked questions 😄. We hope you enjoy, and let us know if the sound is a little better - we will tweak it as we learn more about them! Cheers - D & M
Sound in video is ok.
Thanks for your videos! We love watching them as Portugal is one of our possible retirement destinations, a process we're going to start documenting on our channel. We love the Algarve region, but Madeira looks amazing too. So many choices!
Hello there! This response is well overdue! Your comment wasn’t shown to us, as it was “ held under review” We are not even sure what that means or why? But we found a bunch of comments there- including yours! So… yes so many choices. We also love the Algarve. Best of luck with deciding on your retirement destination and also with your channel. Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down No worries! Thanks for the well wishes and keep up the great content! 👍
Hello again! Just subscribed to your channel! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down Wonderful, thanks! I'm hoping to start getting up videos next week of the trip we're on right now...
Another great video guys. Just watched your Q&A video. Again very informative.
Hello David! Thank you so much for watching and we are so happy you find value in our content. Cheers! M&D
Great video! You’re doing great when the editing, and getting better with each video! 🙌🏽
Thank you for being so transparent with all the costs with living and buying a place on the island. It’s been very helpful, as we figure out where we want to settle down. We moved to Portugal last fall and have been traveling all over the country to figure out where to settle down. Next stop is to check out Madeira! 🙌🏽
Muito obrigada for all you two do! 💕
Hi there! Thank you for the comment and the kind words! We are working to improve all the time in regards to editing and content. We know when we were researching, we would find some info but often it was vague or way out of our realty in terms of price. So we do endeavor to be clear and provide useful information. We appreciate your feedback 😁! That’s great that you’ve been traveling all over Portugal 🇵🇹! You must have some great insights. Welcome to Madeira!! Please do come check it out. Cheers! M&D
Doug and Monique, I happened to see your video while I am searching the information of retirement in Portugal. Loved your video and subscribed. Watch your video every week is kind of my habit. Today’s video, bring you two closer to our life. Like the way you talk, your smiles,and important your altitude and thinking of life. Wish you all the luck, and hope to meet you someday in Madeira.
Hello there and welcome ! We are so happy to have you join us! We hope that the information in our videos will add to your knowledge as you research for yourself living in Portugal 🇵🇹 in retirement. Thanks you for commenting and if you’re ever in Madeira- track us down! Cheers! M&D
Your videos are definitely helping and inspiring us. Thank you for the great content and sharing your story and expenses.
Hello there! You are very welcome. Thank you for watching and supporting the channel! Cheers! M&D
Thanks for answering all those questions. Our two kids are very close in ages to yours, and we're all visiting Portugal together for the first time later this year. They're going for the fun, and we're going to help confirm whether Portugal will become our future home.
Hello Louis! Thank you for the comment! Wow that’s great that your coming as a family. We hope that the kids have the fun time they are looking and for and that you both get some further clarity if this move is for you! Good luck! Cheers! M&D
I love your videos and both of you. Always useful and fun content and great editing.
Hello there! Thanks for watching and for your kind words! We appreciate it! Cheers! M&D 💕
Me again. Thanks for answering some of my (not yet asked) questions. The quality of your videos is so amazing, hard to believe (but inspiring at the same time!) you just required the skills. Can`t wait to come to Madeira soon. Keep going please!
Hello there! Thank you so much for your kind words and for watching our videos. We appreciate it. Doug has learned so much about lighting and editing. He’s taken courses through Skillshare and continues learning all the time! So thank you very much for your comment. Madeira will be here waiting for you. Cheers! M&D
Hi Doug and Monique, great video, mics sound great! So true about filling the days, we haven't stopped since we got back from Madeira. No way we could have done this if we were still working! Mind you, not complaining as we are getting closer to the main goal. Hopefully, see you both soon. Take care and safe travels!!
Hi Sean! Thank you for the comment! Great to hear that the mics sound good 👌! Ha ha- yes we can imagine how busy you guys are and exactly no way you could be working and actually get it all done! Absolutely you are getting closer and closer to your main goal! Super excited for you! Hello to Lynda! Yes see you soon!! Cheers! M&D
Great video you two-I just referred you to couple considering Portugal as a relocation. I’m looking forward to seeing you right in the midst of Madeira seeing the island and sights!! Thanks so much..
Hello Diane! Thank you for watching our channel and referring us. We appreciate it and hope our information will be helpful. Oh this beautiful island and magical sights!!! So many good things to come! Thanks for your support! Cheers! M&D
Great Video, and a lot to learn from you both for a rewarding life filled with joy and Happiness. You both are a lovely couple made for each other and wish you both the best in the 2nd Half of your life. BTW congratulations on your son's accomplishment being called to the Bar. Cheers!
Hello there! Thank you so much for the comment and kind words. We are very proud of our boy and had a great time! We are so far loving the second half of life and love connecting with others enjoying the same. As always we appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
love the videos, keep it up! If I ever end up back in Portugal, I'll track you down
Hello there! Absolutely do track us down! Thank you for the comment and the kind words! Cheers! M&D
I started this process over one year ago. I planned financially for those conditions including the lower cost on living on Madeira. It is mind blowing how much the real estate has gone up over there. I thought I was ready but am a little concerned about the increase in costs. I still plan on coming but now have to see the conditions to plan for a purchase and long-term life there. I do hope I will be able to manage. But, The same thing is happening here in the US as well. Thank you for the video.
Hi there! Thank you for your comment and for sharing. The cost of real estate has really increased here in Madeira , and as you say also in the US and elsewhere. We had been looking at rentals in early 2021 and found an increase in rental prices by October of 2021 when we arrived. As for our house purchase, we think we would have soon been priced out had we waited any longer. Best of luck to you and keep us posted on your findings! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down I will have to find something livable and small
Thanks for sharing your stories and experiences in retirement. My wife and I have the same ambition(excluding RUclips) but want to move to Portugal and travel the world. Safe travels Doug and Monique.
Hi Laurie! Nice to meet like minded people! Best of luck with your plans to move to Portugal 🇵🇹! World travel!! There is nothing better!!! Excited to hear how your story unfolds. Keep us posted! Thank you for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
We have Been enjoying your videos for a long while now. I love your playfulness ;) We will be there soon on our scouting trip, and just applied for our NIFs. We're originally from the UK, but have lived in the States for 25 years(CA and now Austin, TX). We are adventurous souls, and having fun planning the next stage of our life-journey together. It's very impressive to commit to posting a new video each week - especially while traveling. We've learned a lot from your content - thanks for the inspiration :)
Hello Tracy! Thank you so much for sharing a little about you guys and such kind words. We appreciate you watching and subscribing. We hope that we can provide some additional information as you do your research for your next stage. Ha ha…. Yeah what where we thinking about a video a week?? Lol! We’ll see how that goes! Cheers! M&D
27 years plus together. Great job. Stay in love forever!
Hello William! Thank you for the kind words! Cheers! M&D
“Life is short…” not bad for a couple who’s going to live to be 100 years old as they start their second half of life :)
Hello! Ha ha…. Yes we did say that is our plan… to live to 💯! Life is short and it’s also amazing! Thank you for the fun comment! As always , we appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
I love you guys and I can tell how much work and effort you put into making all these videos and share all your past and present experiences with the rest of the world. More power to you both and a happy journey. Beautiful work. Absolutely a fan. Hope to be able to join you guys sometime in the future. Best
Hello there! Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement. We appreciate it. If you ever make your way here- Track us Down! Cheers! M&D
Great Video thanks guys.
Thank you!! 🙏🏻
Could you tell me what Language app has worked best for you? I am planning a trip to Madeira next Spring and I want to learn a little European Portuguese.
Hello Robin! The name of the app we are using is called uTalk. Here is a link to the app uta.lk/trackusdown This is an affiliate link (our first) and if you sign up through the link you will receive 20% off, and we will receive a small percentage (thank you) at no extra cost to you. Cheers! M&D
Hello!
You are a lovely couple.
Your information is always useful.
Thank you for sharing ❤️
Have a wonderful day ❤️
Hello! We appreciate the comment and the kind words. We are glad that you found the information useful. Thank you for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down Thank you ❤️
Another wonderful video. I didn't know anything about the population of Portugal until I got interested in vlogs from expats around a year ago and must admit I was shocked it was so low for a country that had such rich history in world exploration. When one scrolls around the globe in Google Maps from North America and crosses that big, blue pond, it's easy to lose perspective. We live in the Indiana portion of the Chicago metro. Portugal (including the mainland, Madeira, and Azores) is roughly the same area as Indiana, but with only about the same number of residents as the Chicago metro!
Hello Stephen! Wow that is so interesting!! You are so right about how we lose perspective regarding the size of various places and countries. Portugal 🇵🇹 continues to amaze!! Thanks as always for supporting our channel! Cheers! M&D
Monique is 55? Wow! She looks like someone in her very early 40s! And so are you, Doug!
Hello ! Actually I’m not 55 😂 lol! I’m 51. We had always planned to retire mid fifties (55) but actually retired early at 50. We are both currently 51. Thanks for the kind comment. Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down Amazing! You look 20 years younger!
Been enjoying your videos as I too research the idea of retiring abroad. I'm also lucky to have access to a pension from law enforcement career, but also have a business degree and early interest in personal finance and investing that has served me well. With our youngest just turning 18, we are wanting to make sure she gets out and settled, so we are looking to retire in 2-5 years when we will be in our early to mid 50's. We are looking to make a preliminary tour to check out Madeira next March or April. I would be happy to pass along some financial planning information for some recommendations and insider info on things we definitely should check out and understand so we can better determine if Madeira would be right for us.
Hi Chris! Thank you for the comment and kind words! We are glad that you are finding our information helpful as you plan your second half of life! Good for you guys, it sounds like you have a solid plan in place. Exciting! We can always be reached at TrackUsDown business@gmail.com and of course you can track us down when you are coming to Madeira! Thank you for your support and for watching our videos! Cheers! M&D
Do you need to have a car in Madeira? It seems like the bus and renting on occasion could work?
Hello Ed! Thank you for watching and commenting! Yes for sure, the bus system here is excellent. We have taken the bus often prior to having a car, and even now that we have a car! Renting from time to time is also an option . That could get expensive if you were doing it often! Another option is to take a Bolt ( like Uber) here, it’s readily available and inexpensive. We, along with friends take Bolt often to go out when we don’t want to drive, or to get picked up from a hike … Hope that helps! M&D
I appreciate and share your thoughts about life. I have a question regarding how your government you draw pension from tax your pension after you moved and lived in Portugal? I knew Portugal government tax your pension 10%. To the best of my knowledge, according to agreement signed on avoiding dual taxation by the involved governments, pension sourcing country would tax your pension first. Does this mean the 10% pension tax from Portugal government would be on top of what you paid to its source country or otherwise? Thanks 🙏
Hello! Thank you for watching and for the question. As far as we know, as we have not yet gone through filing taxes. Our country will take off whatever tax they deem for non residents. If that’s 10% or more then because of the dual tax treaty we would pay nothing in Portugal. If they took off 5%, then Portugal would ask for the other 5% to be paid to Portugal. We are unsure at this point exactly how much will be taken off at source, so we will wait and see. Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down Really appreciate your reply. Very clear and informative. Best luck for your future!
Great info! You guys are cute. Looking forward to meeting IRL one day.
And thanks again for all the previous questions you've answered. I'm stepping up my housing search.
Sound is great. New mic's are good.
Hello! Thank you for the comment and feedback! Yes meeting people IRL is one of the amazing things about this platform! Good luck with your 🏠 search! Thanks for the sound feedback as well! Cheers! M&D
Some people talk about Portugal as if it were some type of paradise. I lived there some years back, and of course, I learned the language. I'm really surprised it's become so popular.
I never see videos from people who have lived there for a while or videos from people who speak the language. When one doesn't speak the language, you miss out on a great part of the culture.
Congratulations on your early retirement. That is a great accomplishment.
Hello Teddy! You are so right! In order to fully appreciate the culture you need to learn the language. Thank you so much for watching and sharing your insights. Cheers! M&D
Hi, I'm trying to find your video where you visit the dental clinic as I will be in Madeira in a few weeks. What is the name of the place that you go to for dental care? It looked so nice and modern. Thanks.
Hello Ginny! It’s the Malo Clinic. Make sure you mention Track Us Down for a 10% discount. You will love them! Thanks for watching and Happy New Year! The video with Malo is Biggest retirement myths. 🤗 M&D
Good for you two. You are the envy of many.
Hello Diane! Thank you for watching and for the kind message. We hope to show others a different way to live their second half of life! Happy New Year! 🥂Cheers! M&D
I just spent a week in Madeira as a tourist to see if I would like actually to live on Madeira. Instead of the mainland Portugal. I do love the climate here not super hot and less rainy in the winter. But not sure about all the hills!!😏
Last trip tomorrow to see the western part of the Island. I’m already threatening the Canadian winter 🥶 coming up! I guess I have the memories of Madeira to keep me warm till I can move for good !!
Hello Natalie! Ha ha yes the hills!! If you come from anywhere that’s relatively flat it’s a shock how every road is up or down! We are calling it -on the go exercise and honestly you get used to it! We are so happy that you’ve enjoyed your time here and yes you can recall this lovely island as the temperature drops in Canada 🇨🇦! Thank you for watching and subscribing. Cheers! M&D
@Track Us Down! Yes thanks side not I’m living in a mountain town here in BC Canada for 25 years plenty of hills here too! But they’re much nearer and over developed in respect to houses, I can’t tell where on town starts and the other starts ! I’m from Switzerland originally and people think it’s to densely populated not through there are caps of a few kilometres between towns ! Unlike Madeira it’s definitely a down point for me which I didn’t know till I visited!
Ola, boa tarde, bom dia! How's your Portuguese coming along? Mine not so good! I eally enjoyed this video and like you I don't get homesick...In fact, I get reverse culture shock going back to Cali!! I love to see family and friends AND have Mexican food including a tamale every morning for breakfast!! I lived in France for 13 years before moving to Lisbon a year ago so I clearly love living abroad!! Where are you now and planning to go? Or is that the next video?!? Did you rent out your house? Take care and congratulations to your son!!
Ola Tamara! Our Portuguese is coming along. We feel like we are getting better as we use our uTalk app. If only people would stick to the 3 topics we know vocabulary in it would be great! Lol! The tricky part is always moving from learning to actually using in real life. We are loving it! Ha ha…. Yes reverse culture shock! Us too! Then we are thinking- isn’t too soon for us to feel this way?? Ah!!! Mexican food- man do we miss that!! We are planning to make our own salsa in the coming months. We have a friend here who makes amazing salsa. That will be a start! We were in London and now back in Madeira! Hoping to explore mainland Portugal in the near future. We will work on maybe a home exchange or renting our home. No decisions yet about that. Thank you for the kind words about our son. We are very proud of him. Appreciate your comment and take care you too! Cheers M&D
Great video thank you. We feel we know you a little bit more now lol Congratulations on your sons success. Mic’s are 👍🏻.
Hi Alan and Sue! That’s great-😃 One day we look forward to getting to know you both as well! Thank you for the feed back on the 🎤! Yes- we are very proud of our boy! Thanks! Cheers! M&D
Nice job guys!
Financial literacy many of us learn that later than we wish we would have. I think our generation is doing a much better job at teaching this important lesson. I see it in many (of course not all 😄) of my kids 20 something friends.
Enjoy your trip.
Hi Larry! Well said! I hope that we all have much more open discussions with our children and share our financial knowledge, mistakes and insights. We appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
I would also miss watching US sports. My question, is there an english version of Prime Video or Netflix one can watch? Obrigado!
Hi Al! Yes missing sports!!! We watch all programming Netflix, Prime…. Etc in English with our usual subscription. All our TV channel are in the original language, so if it’s UK or US program, its in English with Portuguese subtitles. Which is great by the way to learn and develop a comfort level with Portuguese! Thank you for watching our video and for subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Good evening, thanks so much for all the budget videos, they have helped so much with our planning. We will be landing in Funchal in mid September and like you, our first problem is finding long term housing. We are looking to rent and was curious if you had any advice on finding that first year rental..did you use sites or use an agent? Would you recommend your agent if you had one? Thanks for anything you can share!!
Hello Donovan! Thank you for the comment and for watching our videos! Great that you’re coming to Madeira in September!! If you haven’t already please check out our Apartment tour video. We talk a lot about finding an apartment when we first arrived. We looked mostly on Idealista.pt Agents are mostly interested in sales not rentals, however if they have something to rent you have to act quickly. We took our place sight unseen ( only photos) . If you have any further questions please contact us via our email anytime! Cheers! M&D
The info one gets from you two about retirement , savings , investments , pensions and be smart with one’s money in general should be taught in school , probably in Hight school , seriously .
Hello Raimundo! Thank you for your comment and thoughts! We agree that it would all be such valuable information to be taught at a young age. We love it! A course titled: How to be smart with one’s money in general! Wouldn’t that be something!!! Thanks for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Greetings from Montreal and congratulations for your videos. It is nice to see you both very excited about your new life. I'm very impressed by your audaciousness. I like travelling, but I don't know if I could go as far as making my home in a foreign country as you did..
Salut Pierre! Thank you for your comment and kind words. Our second half of life is off to a great start. I don’t know if in the past we would have ever thought we would actually relocate abroad, but life is funny that way and when it feels right - it’s right! Keep on traveling! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down Boa sorte com a aprendizagem do portugues. :)
Estamos trabalhando nisso! É duro! M&D
Hi M&D, greeting from mid west USA. I watched your home tour video and got a question… when you’re looking to buy the property, had you considered Flat ( or condo in our term) ? I’m wondering if it has HOA fee/rules/regulation as what we do in US/Canada?
Hello Sathit! Hello mid west USA! 😊 When we were looking for a home we were absolutely open to a flat/ condo/ apartment. Our Vila Doce isn’t by definition a villa, we just named it that. It’s truly a townhouse/ condo. Because there are only 5 owners here, we do not have HOA fees. We do organize ourselves to maintain the building. We do not have any common areas. Most other flats/ condos/ apartments we looked at, with many owners, did have HOA fees but they were quite inexpensive as compared to the USA/Canada. Some as low as 40€ per month. It would all depend. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching! Cheers! M&D
Perfeito!!! Thx for answering our questions! Good mics! Before we can hear a slight “empty room echo” … but much better now! I have 3-4 generations of photos and family immigration docs & artifacts! How did you let these items go! I want to be fee of them but feel responsible like the family caretaker/curator!
From the map it looks like you’re from the Midwest but My Spidey sense detects a little Canadian in your accents! Could be wrong tho! Ciao Ciao!
Hello David! Thank you for the feedback on the mics. Yes we know what you mean about comparing and hearing the empty room echo! As for the photo albums , we know exactly what you mean. Please check out our video called Goodbye things. We address that exact question! Excellent Spidey sense! Lol! Cheers! M&D
I’m enjoying your vlog. Since it would be so convenient for you logistically, especially as a side trip when flying to and from the states, I want to recommend the Azores islands. My grandparents immigrated from Terceira, Azores in 1906 and 1915 and they settled in Northern California. The capital of Terceira is Angra do Heroismo and the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Usually you may find a church or historic building somewhere in the world that gets UNESCO World Heritage status, but in this case, the entire charming city gets that status. I’ve visited multiple times, but last October I rented an apartment in Angra do Heroismo for 3 months and it was wonderful to become fully immersed in the local culture. So, I just wanted to share this information with you for a future trip. Sao Miguel island is also quite lovely. They all are, but Terceira and Sao Miguel are the largest. I’m 75 now and couldn’t retire super early as I raised my son as a single parent. I do wish I had at least considered moving to mainland Portugal when I did retire at 62. I’ve also been to Madeira and it is stunning.
Azores is a great place you have 9 islands to pick, I should pick Terceira the last, probably São Miguel the first option, but since this is your decision the better is visit first and them make the right decision
Hello Linda! Thank you so much for your comment and wonderful suggestions! We will take note! Such an interesting story about your grandparents and how you are where you are now, but still connected to this beautiful country 🇵🇹. Thank you for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Hello Luis! Absolutely can’t wait to visit the Azores! Thank you for your insight! Cheers! M&D
We totally enjoy your videos. The next ginormous stumbling block is living there while your grandkids are born back home.
Hello John! Thank you for watching and commenting. As we said in our “Moving Abroad We’re we wrong” video- Nothing is done that can’t be undone. If we were ever lucky enough to be in that position - yep- that could change everything! We are open to that! Family is everything! Cheers! M&D
You two are just adorable! I thoroughly enjoy every one of your vlogs and can’t wait to see/ hear more from you! Love the cute little airplane and the camera editing insert 🥰🛩📸. I absolutely agree with everything you both have to say about living abroad and traveling the globe as there is only one ☝️ world 🌍 for us, and it’s too magnificent to be staying in just one spot for life. I recently moved back to Europe after many years abroad in the pacific region, and oh boy, am I glad to be here. I will move to Portugal come next spring (latest). I bought a little van, start converting it into a small camper this following week and ...off I go ..
Place to be and things to see again. I personally lived in Berlin, that’s where I am from, in other parts of Germany, in Belgium, close to Paris, in the Netherlands , Tuscany, New Zealand, I spent extended periods of time in south east Asia, a bit in South America, visited a number of pacific islands and Northern Africa (I love the moorish culture, Morocco is so beautiful), I traveled through almost all of Europe and can’t wait to see more. As you both say, once you start exploring other cultures, there is no way back!! And I always worked, as an employee and as an employer; I had several small businesses and plan on establishing a new venture in Portugal, aaaand...I am in my late fifties, 😉 age is a number in the calendar... I also agree with you on the financial literacy journey. That is definitely something I’d highly recommend starting as early as possible in life. But in saying so, when we were young we didn’t have all those amazing opportunities to make a living. I was a full time intensive care unit nurse for 17 years and completely reinvented my work life when I immigrated to a new country, out of necessity. But, that sparked passions and talents I’d probably wouldn’t have explored further if I would have stayed in one profession for life. There you have it. Monique & Doug, you are an inspiration to me and to so many others, 💐, keep going... Skillshare should sponsor your next video, it’s about time, hehehe... have a wonderful time wherever you are right now, maybe I’ll have the honour to share stories and a nice glass of wine one fine day on Madeira 🍷 🍹 🍸 chin chin ...Here is to you 🥂 💖
Hello! Thank you so much for the comment and the kind words. We appreciate you watching and subscribing to our channel. Thank you also for sharing your story and all your life adventures. It’s so interesting to hear other peoples life journeys and how they have arrived where they are now. Absolutely please do track us down for a glass of wine when you are here in Madeira! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down Muito Obrigada :) Yes, Sim...let's enjoy a good Portuguese vinho ..Blessings your way
Good to know that eventually I will feel enticed to leave the island for a bit. It is hard to leave paradise; I love it so much right now!! I did manage to purchase airfare to the UK for Thanksgiving. Hopefully, by November, I will be ready to leave for a bit. 😊
Hey Jess! Honestly- it was hard leaving paradise! Excited to see family and friends, and our son’s event was the motivation. Back in Madeira and wow…. Happy to be back home here in paradise! November is probably a great time for a trip to the UK. This gorgeous island will be right here waiting for you when you come back! Cheers! M&D
Hey Monique, Claire here we just met today at Oscars. Lovely chatting. Curious if you would share a number $or euro you decided on that was a good number on how much you need per month?
Hello Claire! It was my pleasure meeting you the other day! Please do keep in touch via our email on our about page! We did a number or videos about our Cost of Living. It of course, depends on rent or not. I believe we were at somewhere around 2700€ for us. Please do check out our cost of living videos! Again, it was so nice to meet you, thank you for watching and we hope you’ll continue to follow along. Cheers! M&D
What’s your favorita seafood restaurant in Funchal? Thanks
Hello there! Are you ready for this?? Neither of us eat seafood! 😱 We do hear others praise so many different restaurants on the island for their amazing fresh seafood! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down lol, no problem. Thanks for replying.
We took the bus to cámara de lobos and had an amazing time. The seafood was amazing. Bus fare was a bit more than two euros each way!
Hi Doug and Monique. Love your videos, I’m moving to Madeira hopefully very soon, if I do would love to meet you guys sometime! Have you left Madeira? As this video is titled ‘why we left Madeira’ are you still there?
Hello Sabrina! Thank you so much for the positive feedback! Wow that’s fantastic that you’re moving here! Congrats! 🎉 ha ha yes we are still here. We left Madeira to do some traveling but we are back home in Funchal now! For sure! Please contact us via email and we would love to meet up! Cheers! M&D
Thank you 🙏🏽 that would be great 😊 x
Hi both, really enjoying your videos. Thank you very much. Doug you mentioned in one of your videos that you were doing some free online courses. Can you please tell me the name of the platform?
Hello! Thank you so much for watching and for your kind comment! Doug uses Skillshare for online courses. If you check out our Getting things done video, there is a link in the description. He has also used free RUclips videos. Cheers! M&D
I have viewed a few of your videos. I am looking for advice and guidance. My daughter will be off to university next year and I will be free to move anywhere on the planet once she leaves the nest. We are going to northern Portugal next June for two weeks for my Daughter’s graduation trip. I would love to move to Portugal for at least 6 months once she has completed her first year of college. I still work, I don’t own anything but have the funds to get out of the US. I would work, while overseas. I am excited for a change of scenery. Any recommendations are appreciated!
Hi Kari! Thank you for watching our videos and thank you for sharing your story. Wow! It sounds like you and your daughter are each entering a new phase in life. That’s exciting! That’s a wonderful graduation trip you have planned. We are sure that those two weeks will give you further information regarding your upcoming decision. Depending on what you are looking for there are so many options in Portugal 🇵🇹. Please contact us via our email if you would like to communicate further . We are happy to help if we can. Cheers! M&D
Great thinking for the both of you. It’s easy to see you are so compatible with each other. I think many of us struggle with that issue. Looking back I was probably to conservatives. I’ve done many things in my life but mostly during my working days. I was also concerned about having enough money because I was mostly broke until I hit 30 because of things that happened during that time. Although challenges never go away there was 10 years of struggle that I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
I’m 72 now and still want to travel but it’s going to definitely be a slower pace.
Hello Tom! You’re 72 and still want to travel! You are inspirational! Thank you for sharing your story. We love how you say “ definitely at a slower pace” good for you! Why not! Slow pace ….. but you’re doing it! Thanks for watching and supporting our channel! Cheers! M&D
I like the new microfones, it seems more clear but I don't have experience on that rs. About travelling, to where have you been since you retired so far? I know you went back to US once, right? What about other places in Europe? I mean, I know you did a lot of travelling until now but now, after you are retired, what is the place you just sit and think: first one after retiring would be to enjoy XXXX country/city more. I want to hear that. And of course, when there, please, make a video rs.
Hello Aline! Glad the mics seem to be working! Thanks for the feedback. About traveling, the first place we wanted to be was Portugal. We were unsure of exactly where but knew it was PT. Madeira was a beautiful surprise. We have traveled back to North America- not sightseeing as much as different cities seeing family and friends. We have also been to 🇬🇧 UK. We absolutely love love London. Going forward it will be more of Portugal and the rest of Europe for the next while. Who knows… if something else comes up- we will change our course! We will be sharing travels through the playlist Travel with Track us down! Thank you for the comment and watching our videos! Cheers! M&D
see you soon in madeira - probably 2023.
Hi Steve! Absolutely track us down! Cheers! M&D
I've lived in many countries and I was trying to decide between italy and colombia when i started researching madeira and watched your super videos...i intend to buy home there and have already checked the listings - can't wait! @@Track_Us_Down
That’s so exciting!!! Madeira is magical! Best of luck!!
Great video! Just a question … are you two 🇨🇦 Canadian .
Hello Shawn! 👍
I’m Canadian, living 45 min east of Toronto !
Greetings from Australia again. I really enjoy watching your informative and entertaining videos. Both of you are great couple and your video editing skills are very good. May be both of you should consider modelling career in your retirement as you look great in front of cameras.
Hello there! Thank you for the comment and for making us laugh out loud! 😂😂 Also very important in retirement! Lol! We continue to work on getting better with editing and providing interesting and valuable content . We appreciate you watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
I wonder if Doug is missing his big 4x4 he had back in Canada?
Hi Rui! We are loving everything Portugal 🇵🇹 has to offer! Not missing a thing! Cheers! M&D
Homesick??? NEVER! Portugal is our home! I'm a little surprised at your viewer's questions - fear of the unknown seems to be a big thing.
Hello! Yes the unknown seems to be a fear. We are hoping that seeing a regular couple like us alleviates maybe just a little of the fear! Love that you never get homesick either! Exactly- Portugal is our home!!! Glad to hear you feel it too! As always thank you for watching our video and subscribing to our channel! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down I find your videos far more practical and down to earth than others. When you get to the UK I hope you’re not too shocked by the high prices!! Sadly, I think you will be.
Being from SoCal, I will only miss Trader Joes and In & Out.
Hello Cyn! Yes there will be places you miss but slowly…. You will find other places that you love 💕 ! Truly! Thanks for watching and commenting! Cheers! M&D
With US passport how do we migrate and buy a home in Portugal ? How long you need to stay bef you can buy a home ?
Hello there! If you are planning to come to Portugal and become a resident, the first step is obtaining a D7 visa. There are many requirements for the visa that may require you to come to Portugal to set things up. I guess it depends if you are purchasing a property as your primary residence or a property to rent , or if you are taking advantage of the golden visa. Good luck to you whatever you are planning to do! Cheers! M&D
@@Track_Us_Down Thank you, if you have an US passport is it still difficult to get D7 Visa or how difficult it is ?
Great video. As a Subscriber I enjoyed getting to know you more :o) You are such cool couple! My husband and I, we are very much like you. We could make a home anywhere. We love and appreciate other cultures. You are so right, Life is short. I am planning on retiring quite early (I am shooting for 55, only 2 more years go go :o)
Hello Martina! Thank you for the wonderful comment and sharing about you both! Two years to go- you can do it!! Let the countdown begin!! Thank you for watching and subscribing to our channel. We very much appreciate it and hope you find the content relevant and informative. Cheers! M&D
so, why did you leave Madeira?
Hello there! We left Madeira to do some traveling! Thanks for watching the video! Cheers! M&D
😊❤️
Cheers! M&D
The reason why the video is titled "Why We Left Madeira, Portugal" is not clear. I think you still live in Madeira, you haven't left it. So any reasons for giving such title to the video?
Hello! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! Ha ha yes we still live in Madeira 💕 The title says that we left Madeira and we did ….. for a holiday not permanently. So “ Why we left Madeira?” The answer is only for a holiday. Cheers! M&D
I’m not sure I understand the title of the video…?
Hello Jacqueline! Thank you for watching! You ask the questions and we tell the answers. We also talk about why we left Madeira…. We left to travel back to North America to visit family and friends and a big event. That’s the meaning of the title. Cheers! M&D
I find it difficult to believe that you two are in your 50s. If you two said "Hey! we're in our mid-30s!" I'd believe you. You look great & we look forward to more of your videos.
Hi there! Thank you very much! We appreciate you watching and subscribing to our channel! Cheers! M&D
Pension is everything.
Hello Ralph! Short and sweet and so very true!!! Cheers! M&D
Because its small and boring I guess.
Hello Matthew! We don’t find Madeira small or boring! We only left on holiday. 😃 We also love big cities , including Lisbon! For us in our second half of life- island lifestyle is perfect. Thanks for watching. Happy Holidays 🎄! M&D
Mid fifties! You don’t look that age.. especially the guy
Hello Dave! We are actually 51! We had always planned to retire at 55, pretty standard for both our professions, however we retired early at 50 to start what we call our second half of life! So maybe we do look 51 right? Lol. At any rate we had a good laugh at your comment! Thank you for watching and subscribing! Cheers! M&D
Hello my dear canadians!! I have few questions about investments here in Canada. Can I get your email so I can send my questions?
Hello Gabriella! Thank you for watching and commenting! You can send us an email @ trackusdownbusiness@gmail.com. We will try our best to answer! 😂 Cheers! M&D