What you should think about before Expatriating....

What's the one thing you hear people say all the time? Move to XYZ... you could live in XYZ for a third or a half or even a quarter of what you pay in the States or the UK or Canada. And your mind goes 💥.. And you say.. for real? What am I waiting for?!?! Of course I'm gonna tell you to REALLY consider the move... And I'm gonna Do you an extra... (A solid- as they say) I'm going to give you a "Should I move there" Checklist to go through to verify and clarify for yourself if that equates to savings and a good time or savings and heartache and hardship. All too often we glamorize or we hear about all of the glamorization around packing up everything and moving abroad..Its so cheap and it's easy peasy.. Ehhhhhh... That's not entirely accurate... A little background on me if you don't know . I have been abroad over a year in my 3rd living country and I learned alot from my experiences as well as what I saw from others.. First..a quick exercise... Write down your WHY for relocating .. This is your cornerstone when times get dicey... When you may be ready to throw in the towel and quit. Don't quit.. let's go thru this list.. *Checklist*

Calculate your current housing expenses Rent/mort Gas/elec Water Internet Maintenance Lawn care Cleaning Laundry Now let's talk about What determines the prices you hear people rave aBout? Infrastructure Matters y'all! Are the roads paved Are they walkable What's the median age of homes/apts in that area. Do locals reside there also? Location matters! How close is this low price housing to amenities you require (shopping, nature, main roads, hospitals etc.. ..) Are Uber/bolt or taxis or local tansport vehicles available? Type of housing Studio 1 bdrm 2 bdrm Etc... Year house was built- if its older or been vacant you may experience unexpected issues.. be aware and ready. Hot water access Water tank location Generator How often power outages occur and for how long? Is wifi an underground hard line? Is has from tanks or line in the ground? Security of property Bugs/rodents Are there screens on the window?

**New ADD- Garbage disposal/pickup- where and does it exist. If they dump on the property just know this will attract animals and bugs.. period!! Does it come with AC Are there ceiling fans especially in the kitchen Furnished /unfurnished What does that actually mean? If it's unfurnished what do you have to have? Bed, dresser (most of these places do not have closets but may have built in shelving with drawers and a rod for hanging items) Refrigerator, stove, microwave (optional), Washing machine (hook up and line) *Dryers are often not a thing unless you get a combo unit Tv do you need one Table chairs Couch shelving Window coverings kettle Pots/pans Dishes Silverware Cutlery Prep & storage bowls Other kitchen knick knacks Blender Mop/broom Bedding -how much does that stuff cost Mattress cover Pillows Towels - what is the quality for the price Hangers (Check quality before you give all your stuff away or sell it) Delivery of those bulky items

Is house insulated Is it caulked properly Is there a shower stall and border on floor to trap water Are there sink stoppers (seems petty till you don't have any and kind find any)

Is house security and cleaning required on premises? Now I'm going to take you through calculating the cost of accomodations per night multiply ❌ 30 days ❌12 months Let's do the quick math.. $15p/n ❌30 =$450❌ 12=$5400 $25p/n ❌30=$750❌ 12=$9000 $30p/n ❌30=$900❌12=$10,800 $50p/n❌30=$1500❌12=$18,000 $100p/n❌30=$3000❌ 12=$36,000

ADDS UP QUICK huh? Take this table and calculate what you want to spend to be a cpl steps above comfortable. The trick is to negotiate.. often you can drive the price lower if you are signing a longer lease and if a place had been vacant a while

JUST REMEMBER to consider your Visa requirements. Most places will not return rent just because you have to leave the country due to visa expiration etc .. These are some basic things that drive price lower or higher..

Get yourself a Great travel Consultant with boots on the ground, experience in that location or definite team available to assist. Get all the details ...

Next time someone says you can get this 7 bedroom house for $300 per month... Now.. you can intellectually determine if the final cost is in fact lower..

Toodles and Noodles Peace and hair grease!