Moving Forward

I am continuing to move forward on my plans. 

Have you ever opened your savings account on line?  Not as easy as it sounds.  I went into my checking account and did all the paperwork on the site for my savings account.  Next they say they will withdraw two small amounts and email you when it is done to first make sure it is you who is pulling the money.  They did the 2 small withdrawals but never emailed.  Still have not emailed me about it.  I did find it by checking back on my account. 

Next I OK'd the amounts.  Then it took another 3 days before they actually withdrew the full amount to open the savings account.  This took a total of one week to "electronically" move my money from one location to the new one!  I thought doing things on line were supposed to be faster.  Not so.

I am watching for a good deal on air tickets to go down in May and take George's tour.

Everyday I watch the news about what is going on in Washington, and everyday it makes me even more sure I want to get out of here while I still can.  An added motivation!

Cheers,
Claudia

Learning More

I just finished reading "Unraveling the Mysteries of Moving to Costa Rica" by Arden Rembert Brink.  This book is full of information and experience.  It takes you all the way through her information gathering to make the decision to move and the move its self.  I feel I know so much more than I did a week ago.  At least I know a lot about what I will be facing.

The number one thing I can see that will slow me up is money!  It's not the money once you get there it's the money to get there.  It will cost around $15,000 to move my house and car. 

You might ask, why would you move all your belongings?  They do have most of these things in Costa Rica, but they are expensive.  Food and housing are very inexpensive.  All the goodies that go in your house are not.  Most items you will pay double what you pay in the States. 

The packing for the move is not all that bad.  You just have to pack everything very well and wrap your furniture in moving blankets then shrink wrap.  I've moved sooooo many times I am an expert at packing.  The shipping company delivers the container to your home.  You can load it or hire someone to do it.  Every thing has to be loaded in tightly floor to ceiling.  Once all your belongings are on your car is then loaded.  The shipping company comes back, picks up the container, trucks it to the port, and is then loaded on a ship headed for Costa Rica.  It's more involved than I described it, but that is the general idea.

You do have to have an inventory of boxes (not the items in them), and they all have to be numbered so customs will be able to match the number with your list.

I can handle all this.  My key word for the day is save save save!

Cheers,
Claudia

WORKING MY PLAN

Keeping my eye on the mark.  Make a plan and work it.

I sat down several nights ago and started my Costa Rica or bust success list.  I am on a 17-24 month plan to retire in Costa Rica.  Well, semi-retire.  I'll have to find something to do to supplement my pitiful social security.

First step...plan an information gathering trip to Costa Rica.  Done.  Will be there in late spring.

Second step...Take Spanish.  Almost done.  When I get back from my trip and know for sure Costa Rica is for me I will be bidding on Ebay for the full Rossetta Stone Spanish Course.  Ole'

Open a specific savings account.  Spend money on nothing except the life giving essentials (Going cold-turkey!).  Will be at the bank tomorrow.

Build my Ignite (Stream Energy) business!

It's a start!  Head down and engines revved!

Cheers,
Claudia

Retirement

It has become pretty obvious that I will not ever be able to retire in the United States. There was a little known fact to me that if you are a stay at home mom and work most of your life in that world you have no social security! There is evidently no monetary value to being a home keeper and mother. Thank God I did work outside the home a little, or I would have zero!

What to do? I have been looking for some place where I can make a little extra money plus my social security and still be able to keep a roof over my head and eat. I am very close to choosing Costa Rica.

I am going there in April or May to visit a friend of my father's who has lived there for 9 years. He loves it and would never consider leaving. He has sent me pictures that make the decision pretty easy! The picture of the birds at the top of my blog was taken from his window.

Have you ever considered something like this? Any ideas or suggestions?

Cheers,
Claudia