Galway, Ireland?

[Betty LaRue]

Achoo! Here it’s everything, but especially mold from a week or two of rain!  I got up with serious asthma today.  

 

Ed, I wish you could have found someplace in the USA, where you understand and use the language, and have Medicare. I know you probably did searches before you left, but this is a big country. I know weather is important.  For instance, I just recently came back from Knoxville, Tenn. and whatever we have in Oklahoma/Kansas, they are usually 10 degrees cooler in summer and 10 degrees warmer in winter. It’s a lovely place. I don’t know about rentals and cost of living, though.

It seems most of what you shoot these days are food and people/gatherings. That can be found in a lot of places, but finding an affordable rental close to the heart of those places is problematic. They are probably there, if one just could dig them out.

Betty

[NYCat]

Interesting, Betty. A friend of mine is, sadly, leaving NYC because she can't afford to stay and she did a lot of research on cost of living (including taxes) in different states. She is moving to Smyrna, Tennessee. She does have a car though. Ed might have to take a look at a place like Nashville if he had a mind to come back. Reading his problems makes me very, very grateful to have a low stabilized rent here. Lots within walking distance and excellent inexpensive public transportation.

 

Paulette

[Ed Rooney]

Just to say, Paulette -- I was two nights in Nashville a long time ago. It was very expensive and I hated it. 🤨 Knoxville I don't know. My wife was from Bristol. 

[John Mitchell]

On 21/05/2019 at 05:12, Shergar said:

You can live a modest but good quality life Lakeside for $1000 USD a month.  And stay warm and dry!!!!!!!!

 

https://www.accesslakechapala.com/guide/living-costs/

 

From what I've heard and read, the Lake Chapala area may not be the retirement paradise that it once was. More and more expats from the North have been settling there in recent years, which has changed things considerably -- e.g. increasing crime, crowding, higher costs, etc. 

[Shergar]

Hi John 

 

I have heard and read the same and have read that most of the rumors have been started by residents themselves to try and put people off moving there . Whatever the truth is as far as I can see it stacks up a lot better than most US citys when it comes to "e.g. increasing crime, crowding, higher costs, etc"

 

[John Mitchell]

24 minutes ago, Shergar said:

Hi John 

 

I have heard and read the same and have read that most of the rumors have been started by residents themselves to try and put people off moving there . Whatever the truth is as far as I can see it stacks up a lot better than most US citys when it comes to "e.g. increasing crime, crowding, higher costs, etc"

 

 

That's no doubt true. However, I know someone who used to go to Ajijic every year but stopped visiting because the town has changed so much. He also didn't like the disrespectful attitude some new expats have towards the locals. It's an area of Mexico that I haven't visited, but it does look like an attractive place to live, close to Guadalajara too, which is a plus. If I were to move to Mexico, though, I think I'd look for a less inundated spot. There is no shortage of them.

[Ed Rooney]

Legally, I can't move to Mexico. I found that out while I in San Miguel de Allende for two months. And I can't get healthcare in Spain. And . . . Ireland is looking less and less likely. 

 

 

[Shergar]

5 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

 

That's no doubt true. However, I know someone who used to go to Ajijic every year but stopped visiting because the town has changed so much. He also didn't like the disrespectful attitude some new expats have towards the locals. It's an area of Mexico that I haven't visited, but it does look like an attractive place to live, close to Guadalajara too, which is a plus. If I were to move to Mexico, though, I think I'd look for a less inundated spot. There is no shortage of them.

Thats what I'm looking for somewhere less inundated where I can live out my last 20yrs . I don't think Southern California is a good place to live when you get older. Mexico will work for me, I just need a place like Ajijic was 20yrs ago I have another 8yrs to find it. I spent 30yrs in the UK and I remember the winters, so I won't be heading that way.

[John Mitchell]

37 minutes ago, Shergar said:

Thats what I'm looking for somewhere less inundated where I can live out my last 20yrs . I don't think Southern California is a good place to live when you get older. Mexico will work for me, I just need a place like Ajijic was 20yrs ago I have another 8yrs to find it. I spent 30yrs in the UK and I remember the winters, so I won't be heading that way.

 

Good choice. I love Mexico and have spent a lot of time in the country. I'd probably move there myself if it didn't mean disqualifying myself for Canadian healthcare. As it is, I have to spend six months -- not necessarily consecutive -- per year in Canada in order to keep my medical coverage, something I don't want to lose at the tender age of 70. Lots of places to choose from. I prefer the highland regions of Mexico, where the year-round climate is more temperate. Lake Chapala certainly qualifies in that department.

[John Mitchell]

6 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

Legally, I can't move to Mexico. I found that out while I in San Miguel de Allende for two months. And I can't get healthcare in Spain. And . . . Ireland is looking less and less likely. 

 

 

 

Too bad about Ireland. It sounds like it might be a solution to the healthcare issue. I imagine that you've looked into private medical insurance in Spain.

[Colblimp]

2 hours ago, John Mitchell said:

 

Too bad about Ireland. It sounds like it might be a solution to the healthcare issue. I imagine that you've looked into private medical insurance in Spain.

Agreed - Ed would no doubt qualify for a medical card here in Ireland and if he decided to live in Galway or Cork (which I think would be a better bet than Galway), he'd never stop shooting stock!

[MizBrown]

On 21/05/2019 at 06:12, Shergar said:

You can live a modest but good quality life Lakeside for $1000 USD a month.  And stay warm and dry!!!!!!!!

 

https://www.accesslakechapala.com/guide/living-costs/

 

 

Not legally on that money, and that’s Mexico, and most of the promotion of any place in Latin America is dependent on consumer protection laws being nonexistent.

[spacecadet]

11 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 I can't get healthcare in Spain.

 

 

Surely you qualify under the EU reciprocal arrangements, EU tourists do, or is the problem that you haven't been EU resident for long enough.

The form to get is E111. It might only be for temporary visitors.

Edited May 23, 2019 by spacecadet

[Ed Rooney]

Mark, I am a valid EU Irish passport holder. But I am not, nor have I ever been, a valid resident of Ireland or any EU nation. So I have not paid into the system . . . therefor I cannot get health insurance in Spain. I need a valid EHC but I can't get one. 

 

Yes, if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, they will take care of me. But without health insurance, I cannot get a resident visa. If I were to get private health insurance I could get the visa. But I can't afford the premiums for private health insurance. At my age, if they would give it to me, it's very expensive. 

[spacecadet]

32 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

Mark, I am a valid EU Irish passport holder. But I am not, nor have I ever been, a valid resident of Ireland or any EU nation. So I have not paid into the system . . . therefor I cannot get health insurance in Spain. I need a valid EHC but I can't get one. 

 

Yes, if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, they will take care of me. But without health insurance, I cannot get a resident visa. If I were to get private health insurance I could get the visa. But I can't afford the premiums for private health insurance. At my age, if they would give it to me, it's very expensive. 

I see, sorry to pry, Ed. I suppose your UK residence is too long ago? We joined the EU in 1973.  I wouldn't have a clue how to find out, but you could try writing to the NHS.

[wiskerke]

42 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

Mark, I am a valid EU Irish passport holder. But I am not, nor have I ever been, a valid resident of Ireland or any EU nation. So I have not paid into the system . . . therefor I cannot get health insurance in Spain. I need a valid EHC but I can't get one. 

 

Yes, if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, they will take care of me. But without health insurance, I cannot get a resident visa. If I were to get private health insurance I could get the visa. But I can't afford the premiums for private health insurance. At my age, if they would give it to me, it's very expensive. 

 

You've probably googled yourself nuts by  now, but just in case:  expat health care in spain for non eu.

and: https://www.expatica.com/es/health-insurance-quotes/

Once a resident, you can apply for seguridad apparently. Not sure after how long.

 

I'm guessing all those British expats will find themselves in the same boat after Brexit.

 

wim

[spacecadet]

8 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

 

You've probably googled yourself nuts by  now, but just in case:  expat health care in spain for non eu.

and: https://www.expatica.com/es/health-insurance-quotes/

Once a resident, you can apply for seguridad apparently. Not sure after how long.

 

I'm guessing all those British expats will find themselves in the same boat after Brexit.

 

wim

Looks like €157/month for convenio especial after a year's resident registration.

http://www.andaluciaspanishhomes.com/blog/article/683/

 

I suspect an awful lot of expats are winging it on an E111.

Including the turkeys who voted for Christmas, of whom apparently there are quite a few. Cognitive dissonance or what?

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by spacecadet

[Ed Rooney]

There are a lot of complexities here. That deal, convenio espacial,  seems very fair. Unfortunately, I can't afford it. I see no viable chose whichever direction I turn. 

 

The long-time spacial relationship between the UK and Ireland will not disappear with Brexit. It's a separate matter. Will it change? Who knows? I could probably have health coverage in either the UK or Ireland . . . but I can't afford to live in either. 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Ed Rooney

[John Mitchell]

8 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

Mark, I am a valid EU Irish passport holder. But I am not, nor have I ever been, a valid resident of Ireland or any EU nation. So I have not paid into the system . . . therefor I cannot get health insurance in Spain. I need a valid EHC but I can't get one. 

 

Yes, if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, they will take care of me. But without health insurance, I cannot get a resident visa. If I were to get private health insurance I could get the visa. But I can't afford the premiums for private health insurance. At my age, if they would give it to me, it's very expensive. 

 

It sounds as if in you're in a classic "Catch 22" situation. Canada also offers free emergency healthcare services, but I'm undoubtedly not telling you anything new at this point.

 

"All provinces and territories will provide free emergency medical services, even if you don’t have a government health card."

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/new-immigrants/new-life-canada/health-care-card.html

[MizBrown]

The best health deal I've heard of was Ecuador where getting residency and paying into the system for three months would be enough to get national health coverage.  But a lot of sicker Americans coming down seems to have caused financial problems with that system and it didn't sound like Ecuador was one of the countries you wanted to live in.  Nicaragua will cover us retiree residents in emergencies, but we don't qualify for INSS (local national health care and pension program), and the country is rather crazy at the moment, but not as crazy as it was last year.

 

Have you considered moving  back to one of the saner US states and getting public assistance and housing.  But my impression is that the sanest affordable states don't have warm climates, but Oregon and Washington State might be possibilities.  One expat who was in Venezuela until things went bad moved to Nicaragua, had health problems and moved to. Washington State for surgery and chemo and survived her cancer last time I emailed her.  I didn't get the impression she had much of a pension, but was able to get on Washington States health insurance program.  

 

What's the situation in Italy?  

 

There's a huge amount of genuinely deceptive "information" out there on non-US retirement places.  If you don't have reasonable command of Spanish, but do have fluency in Italian, that's going to be a better fit than Spain.   My Spanish still is pretty minimal but I can get around and I have some bilingual friends.  

 

Some writer acquaintances have done extended house sitting or house caretaking, and I considered doing it before I left for Nicaragua in 2010.  Finding a place where you can live without a car is problematic, though.  You might look into Savannah, Georgia, or Charleston, SC.  I know that Charleston is fairly walkable and has some public transportation.   But I don't know if they have decent health care for people on Medicaid or Medicare.  

 

What the US appears to be doing is out-sourcing a certain percent of its elder care and the real estate hustlers are promoting places where they can contract to sell or rent at one lower price and charge more than local rents to people from the US or Europe.  The countries are continually raising the minimum monthly income.  You have an Irish passport, but if you didn't, the annual minimum there is 50,000 Euros per person with a savings account on top of that equivalent to the cost of an Irish house (probably 250K Euros or more these days).  

 

All places that have relocation services you pay for will lie.  International Living tries to hustle lower income people into investing any equity they had in a US house into a house here, and the Nicaraguan expat community and probably others beat on them enough that they're now advising renting for at least six months before buying.  Most people leave after three years.  

 

Don't know what you get per month, but anything that's heavily promoted as a paradise for retirees is likely to be over priced and with higher crime and often nastier crime than stable communities with more nationals with some money.   Some of these con artists will lie about the income requirements, or the need to get legal residency (one such character did finally get legal residency himself after telling new comers that they didn't really need it).

 

My guess is that you can find a place in Italy where crime is manageable (about how I describe Nicaragua --  don't go out at nigh alone, have a dog, watch what the locals are doing) and where people don't automatically assume this new rich American is their personal walking ATM.   Look at places that are neither high tourist or high expat residents already and have a way of making a living that isn't just agriculture for less expensive but stable places to live.   They're not going to be the heavily promoted places, but some of them are amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ed Rooney]

A very thoughtful, informative post, MizBrown. Thanks.

 

My basic problem with Central and South America is the unstable element. I did several photo shoots in Venezuela, including 3 for PanAm and one for AmEx. Back then, V was the most stable place. ??? I'm not looking for Shangri La. I'm ready to compromise. 

 

Portland, Oregon was a good idea 10 to 15 years ago. Too expensive now, almost as bad as Seattle.

 

This allergy-asthma I have is the worst for me in 30 years. I can't think straight.

Edited May 24, 2019 by Ed Rooney

[John Mitchell]

Latin America definitely doesn't do stability well. Mind you, I wouldn't call the US or much of Europe particularly stable these days. That said, Ecuador is very inexpensive, at least it was when I was last there in 2005, and Quito is an agreeable and photogenic city. There seem to be a lot of older American expats hanging their Panama hats there now. Ecuador also uses US paper money and mints its own versions of dimes, quarters, etc. You're right about Washington and Oregon. Both very pricey now.

 

My hay fever is starting to subside. Hope yours is too.

Edited May 24, 2019 by John Mitchell

[Ed Rooney]

My hayfever and cough-variant asthma have added bronchitis to the mix. 

[NYCat]

Oh  dear. Get thee to a doctor. Anti-biotics seem to be in order.

 

Paulette

[Betty LaRue]

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve had what you’ve got, Ed, I’d be back in St. Croix right now.  I’ve been plagued with it since a child. Went into pneumonia twice by age 5.  Sometimes I get off light, but when I don’t, it always goes to my chest.  Antibiotics, prednisone, expectorant, inhaler, and prescription cough syrup, what I had to take every time. And usually I have a month of coughing before I’m well.

I echo Pauline. You need a doctor.

The difference between a severe head cold and hay fever sometimes is hard to differentiate, especially us hay fever sufferers.  Hay fever will rise and fall, sometimes better, other times worse. A severe cold starts, steadily gets worse until you think you’ll blow your nose off. Finally it will hit its worst and sort of crest, then you’ll notice a pretty good improvement rather suddenly. Not gone, but better. Hay fever gets better then bam! You’re back at your worst again.

Both cause asthma, (for us who have asthma) wheezing and coughing. But the severe cold tends to more often cause a secondary bacterial chest infection that requires antibiotics. Not saying hay fever can’t also, but just sayin’. I’ve done both more times than I can tell.  I never knew I had hay fever as a child, not until a doctor told me the supposed cold I had for 2 weeks was allergy. I was in my 20s. People thought if you blew your nose, it was a cold. Period.  Doesn’t really matter, you need medications. Pneumonia is a real threat. 

Betty