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International Living's 2015 Retirement Index
The Worlds Top 10 Retirement Havens
Dear Reader,
Where in the world is the best place to retire? Mexico? France?
Thailand?Maybe, Italyor Ecuador? The list of possibilities is
endless. And it is all, ofcourse, based on personal preference. One
mans paradise can be another manshell.
We here at International Living have been in the business of
scouring the globefor the best retirement destinations for over 30
years. We know a goodretirement location when we see one. And thats
where wed like to help you.
The world is always changing. And opportunity shows itself in
new places all thetime. Thats why every year we take stock of the
climate, cost of living, safety,infrastructure, accessibility of
health care, and more, to compile our AnnualGlobal Retirement
Index. We look specifically at the best opportunitiesworldwide for
retirement living.
How does International Living determine its rankings? IL editors
compile,weigh, rank, and rate a series of criteria including cost
of living, infrastructure,health care, ease of integration, real
estate, special benefits, climate, etc. This isa qualitative
assessment based on real-world data gathered on the ground.
In this report we give you our top 10 Retirement Havens and the
reasons whywe think these are the best places to consider if you
are planning a retirementoverseas.
Yours sincerely,
Jackie FlynnPublisher, International Living
P.S. Our full and complete 2015 Retirement Index is available in
the pages ofour monthly publication International Living Magazine
and on our informationpacked website.
Follow this link to find out how International Living can help
you find your topretirement haven and live a happier, healthier
life today.
#10: Thailand
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Picture yourself wandering through gilded temples...exploring
Bangkoks hiddencanals by long-tail boat...riding an elephant down
jungle trailsmeeting Hmonghill-tribe villagers, and
treasure-hunting for hand-loomed silk, teakwoodcarvings, and exotic
curiosall at a fraction of the price youd pay back home.
Now lets spin the kaleidoscope to white-sand beaches, swaying
coconut palms,and an evening chorus of cicadas. Rising from jade
and turquoise waters arescenes from an oriental fairy tale: a
myriad of islands girdled by coralgardens...bizarre limestone
outcrops smothered in spinach-greenvegetation...incredible sunsets
with a slow-burning sun dipping into the sea likea giant red
lantern.
Thailand has a lot of options. Some foreign retirees choose to
live in the hubbubatmosphere of Bangkok. Some live in the north of
Thailand where life is quiet,peaceful, and very inexpensive. Others
choose the south for its beautifulbeaches.
Living in Thailand is unbelievably cheap. There are many places
where you candine well and still leave the table with change from
$5. In fact, go north, andyoull also find that 20-baht noodle
stalls still existthats just 60 cents!
You can rent a really nice place just about anywhere in the
country for just $500a month. We know of one expat who pays $222 a
month for his beachsidebungalow with air conditioning, hot water,
and Wi-Fi. A full check-up in amodern hospital by an
American-trained doctor will cost you less than $40.
#9: Portugal
One of the smallest countries in Europe, Portugal is one of
Europes best-keptsecrets. Many fall in love with this little
country due to its near flawless weather,abundance of golf and
water sports, and superb fresh food.
The relatively low cost of living is also a big draw for those
who choose to livein Portugalcompared with other European nations,
goods and services are stillbargains. The locals are warm and
welcoming to foreigners making living herevery enjoyable.
If your dream European retreat includes golden sand
beachesalmond grovespicturesque castlesand little frontier towns on
wooded hilltops then Portugal is
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the place for you. Slumbering abbeys, pilgrim shrines, and
ancient castle townsare dotted inland while traditional fishing
towns of narrow alleys and old housesstand proudly on the
coast.
A two-bedroom house on The Silver Coast can be bought for
$96,000 while thesame price could get you a three-bedroom house
with a yard among the olivegroves and vineyards of Alentejo. Rental
properties vary in price from $190 to$918 per month depending on
where you are in the country. In cosmopolitanLisbon expect to pay
on average $900 for a one-bedroom property, while in thesmall town
of Estremoz $200 will get you a two-bedroom home.
Living in Portugal is relatively cheap compared to its European
counterparts.Utilities usually run from between $110 and $150 a
month including water andgarbage. You can still get a coffee for 75
cents and a three-course meal atlunchtime, often with a carafe of
table wine, will cost around $12.
Romance, culture, and adventure awaits you in your ideal spot in
Portugal.
#8: Colombia
Located at the tip of South America, Colombia is where the
Pacific and theCaribbean collide with the Andes and the Amazon. Its
a country that is morebeautiful, dramatic, and diverse than nearly
any other. It offers sparklingcolonial cities in the highlands and
world-famous (and safe) resorts along theCaribbean. Cartagena, a
walled colonial city on those turquoise shores, is one ofSpanish
Americas most beautiful enclaves.
Whats more, Colombia boasts beautiful areas where the cost of
living is thelowest youll find anywhere in South America. Just
three hours from Miami,Colombia welcomes non-stop flights into
Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena.
Colombia has a lot to offer International Living readers.
Critical thingslike lowcost of living, inexpensive properties, and
a colorful and diverse culture. Thereisnt a single segment of the
IL membership concerned with climate, culture,and lifestyle that
couldnt find their niche in Colombia.
Colombia offers something that will appeal to just about
everyone. And youllfind that Colombia is a more-developed country
than most in Latin America,with the infrastructure, modern
products, and services youd expect in a countryon the move.
Colombia can offer you a sophisticated, modern, urban scene or a
cabin in aremote section of deserta colonial walled city by the
sea, or a sleepy Caribbeanbeachside townspring-like weather high in
the Andes, steamy tropics, or theperfect weather in betweenNorth
American enclaves or indigenous outposts.Unless youve got your
heart set on snow, youre almost certain to find yourideal spot in
Colombia.
#7: Spain
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Picture a sun-drenched, white house with a shady courtyard,
perched on a cliff-top site in Spain. With the deep blue sea beyond
and an olive grove nearby, itsthe stuff of which fantasies are
made.
Beachesmountainsfabulous citiescracking festivals, and, of
course,guaranteed sunshine. Its not surprising that Spain is the
most popular countryfor Europeans seeking a home overseas.
First, theres the culture. From the Neolithic cave paintings at
Altamira to thePhoenicians, the Romans, the Visigoths, and Moors,
Spains roots are rich andmulti-layered. In Spain youll find stone
hamlets clinging to the Pyrenees greenslopes, sun-baked villages in
La ManchaDon Quijotes territory cheerfulseaside towns, and dreamy
Moorish palaces. The food and wine are superb,there is a fiesta
someplace every day, and siesta (with a long, leisurely
lunchpreceding it) is still a custom.
Many retirees flock to southern Spains beach towns. The Costa
Blanca andCosta del Sol have large expat communitiesand
English-speaking services thatcater to them. English isnt widely
spoken in all of Spains 17 regionsbut youcan manage with only a
smattering of Spanish in many resort towns along theCostas.
And these towns are a great jumping-off point for exploring the
rest of thecountry, one of Europes largest and most diverse:
Madrid, with its world-classmuseums; the vast interior, with its
endless plains, sun-baked villages, and spiritof Don Quijote; and
northern Spain, with its rolling green mountains and
rockycoast.
Northern Spain is famous for the pilgrim route, the Camino de
Santiago, as wellas being one of Ernest Hemmingways favorite
European haunts. This part ofSpain has a lot to offerthe stunning
Pyrenees, the beaches of the Basquecountry, bull running in
Pamplona, and a quality and cost of living that is nearimpossible
to beat. This is also Spains wine country, so if you enjoy the
oddtipple, youll be in heaven here.
#6:Malta
Dont be embarrassed if you cant pinpoint Malta on a map. Its not
oneveryones radar, and mostly unheard of by Americans. Malta is
anchoredalmost in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, 60 miles
from the Italian island
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of Sicily, which is linked to Malta by a regular 90-minute ferry
service. There is amodern airport at Luqa (on Malta) with flights
to numerous other Europeancountries. Rome is just one hour away by
plane.
The Republic of Malta isnt a solitary island, but an archipelago
of three islandsand three islets. Not surprisingly, the names of
the islets mean nothing to mostpeople, as they are little more than
rocks in the ocean. (In case yourewondering, theyre called Filfla,
St. Pauls Island, and Cominotto.) Filfla wasused for target
practice by the British navy, so it is probably even smaller than
itused to be. While Comino is classified as one of the three
islands in the Maltesearchipelago proper, it is also minuscule:
just a few square miles in size andhome to just one summer-season
hotel and five farming families. However,there are 31,000 people
living on the green and rural island of Gozo. This islandis one of
the best-kept secrets in the Mediterranean, a place where time
reallydoes seem to have stood still.
Until independence was granted in 1964, Malta had been a British
colony for150 years. Many trappings of the Empire remain: scarlet
phone-boxes, blue-lamp police stations, pillar-boxes bearing Queen
Victorias insignia, cricket andbowling clubs, caf s serving warm
beer and roast beef dinners, troops of neatlydressed boy scouts,
driving on the left-hand side of the road...
And theres no language barrier here. Just about everybody on
Malta speaksEnglish as well as Maltese . Both are official
languages. Similar to Arabic, butwritten in the Latin script,
Maltese is a Semitic language. It also embraces bits ofFrench and
Italian.
#5:Costa Rica
If youre ready for la pura vida, the pure life, you might want
to consider aCosta Rican retirement. This country of just over 4
million is tucked betweenNicaragua to the north, Panama to the
south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, andthe Caribbean Sea to the
east.
Costa Rica has a lot going for itits a nature-lovers dream, with
green-carpetedmountains, oh-wow volcanoes, and that blue, blue
ocean.
Its got top-quality, affordable health care and is known as one
of LatinAmericas most peaceful nations (it has enjoyed over 60
years of uninterrupteddemocratic rule). Costa Rica has a wide
variety of inexpensive housing, alongwith a wealth of every
imaginable activity to keep you busy and happy.
Long stretches of deserted and undeveloped beaches, on the
Caribbean andPacific Coastsdense jungles teeming with exotic
wildlifetowering volcanoes,lush green valleys, and hundreds of
crystal-clear lakes, rivers, streams, andwaterfallsmesmerizing
sunrises, sunsets, and star-filled evening skiesallthese things,
and much more, are drawing people to Costa Rica.
Columbus called Costa Rica the rich coastand it still is, with
Caribbeanbeaches and Pacific shoreline thatll take your breath
away. But this nation hasmuch more to offer, too: a year-round
tropical climate, modern cities,rainforests, lush valleys and
majestic mountains.
With its slower pace of living, warm, welcoming climate,
healthy, fresh foodsand reputation as one of the greenest, cleanest
countries in the world its no
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wonder Costa Ricans are considered among the happiest people on
the planet.
#4:Malaysia
Conjuring up all the mysteries of Asia, Malaysia is a former
British colony. Thesultans, head-hunters, pirates, and gin-swilling
English rubber planters of theVictorian age have long since gone,
but the country remains as colorful as ever.Beyond the lofty
skyscrapers of the capital, Kuala Lumpur, its dramatic canvas
isembroidered with tropical beaches, mountains, dense rainforest,
and vividlygreen tea plantations.
Influences from across Asia and beyond have melded together here
to create anextraordinary cross-cultural melting pot of customs,
dress, architecture, andcuisine. Along with foreign expats from
around the globe, the country is hometo Malay Malays, Chinese
Malays, Hindu Malays, and Sikh Malays.
The countrys diverse ethnic mix makes being a stranger here
easy. Whether youlive in bohemian Penang or Kuala Lumpur, the
countrys hip capital, youll meetfriendly locals who are happy to
stop and chat and welcome you into theirhome. People are accepting,
just ask the international mix of expats all on thesame journey as
you, and happy to share.
You certainly wont go short of anything in Kuala Lumpur (KL), or
the otherpopular expat hangout, Penang Island. Malaysia has both
public and privatehealth care with medical expertise on a par with
western countries. Mosthospitals and health care facilities are
staffed by English speaking professionalswith international
qualifications. Internet coverage here is on a par with servicesin
France and Italythe cost of living is cheap and its easy to live
here (Englishis widely spoken). And with some of the worlds most
stunning white-sandbeaches, theres a lot of like about
Malaysia.
#3: Mexico
With its moon-lit fiestas, languid white-sand beaches, ancient
colonial towns setin the rugged SierrasMaya pyramids rising from
the misty Yucatan junglelittle silver mining towns where the
winding streets seem to run straight up intothe cloudsweekly
markets where just a few dollars can fill your shopping bagto the
brim with fresh fruits and vegetablesfishing villages where the
boatsland in the morning with the giant snapper youll have for
lunch, sauted withgarlic or simmered in a Diablo sauce that will
make you call out for another ice-
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cold cerveza. Or buy the whole fish right off the boat for a few
bucks (plus the50 cents you pay the fishermans son to carry it home
for you) and cook ityourself.
Its no wonder so many retirees are starting new lives in
Mexico.
Whether your vision of the ideal retirement involves shopping,
fishing,sunbathing, diving, biking, mountain climbing, parasailing,
collecting crafts,visiting archeological sites, partying, going to
concerts, attending the theater, orfine dining in Mexico has all of
these activities, and more.
Stately Spanish colonial cities in Mexico are steeped in
tradition, and soaringbaroque church spires overlook gracious
squares. Here you can dine in elegantcafs, and browse upscale shops
on the very spots where the heroes of theRevolution declared
independence from Spain and forged a new country. For allthese
reasons, and many more, Mexico is one of the worlds top
destinations forthose dreaming of a relaxed and romantic new life
abroad.
Wherever you go in Mexico, the people will charm you, the
natural beauty willseduce you, and the remarkably affordable cost
of living will entice you to stay.
Whether your dream retreat is a graceful colonial home with
lavish gardens, asimple beachfront bungalow where you can prop up
your feet on the rail andwatch the tide roll in, an expansive
hacienda with enough acreage for horses toroam, or a cliff side
villa with sunset views and cool, steady breezes, you arelikely to
find it in Mexico.
Whatever your motives for settling in Mexicowhether you hope to
escape thefast pace of life up north, enjoy a better lifestyle for
less than youd pay athome, or discover a safe haven where the crime
rate is low and you can enjoy asmall-town existenceyoure likely to
find your quality of life improved in thiscountry.
#2: Panama
When it comes to attractive retirement destinations, Panama is
at the top of ourlist. Its the only country in Central America with
a true First World city. Butunlike most South American capitals,
Panama City is only two-and a-half hoursby plane from Miami. (And
lets not forget that, unlike some places closer to theU.S. border,
Panama is hurricane free).
No matter your taste in lifestyle, Panama has something to suit
you. You couldchoose to live in a sleepy mountain townor by a
tropical beach listening to thecalls of parrots and toucans. You
could take in a play, see an opera, or samplethe finest cuisines in
a First-World, culture-rich capital cityor tend to your ownorganic
farm in a little rural village
The best part is, wherever you choose to live in Panama, a
change of scenery isalways on your doorstep, should you want it.
Though its smaller than SouthCarolina, Panama packs a surprisingly
large variety of landscapes into one tinycountry.
Panama offers a very comfortable retirement solution, in part
because the nationis much more developed than most visitors expect.
Many are shocked by themodernity of Panama and the clusters of
skyscrapers that define Panama Citysskyline. All of the amenities
one could wish for are readily available.
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In Panama, you will enjoy the benefits of a developing economy
where you canstill take a taxi across town for a buck or two, get
your haircut for a couple ofdollars, or enjoy dinner for two with a
bottle of wine at one of the finestrestaurants in Panama City for a
mere $40. There are also lots of activities foryou to enjoy, from
jazz clubs to art openings to English-language theaterperformances.
You may be wondering what you will do when you retire...but
inPanama, you will never find yourself bored.
Outside the city you will find the true treasures of Panama.
There are beautifulbeaches everywhere, with the Atlantic Ocean on
one side and the Pacific on theother. But theres more to Panama
than a sophisticated city and gorgeousbeaches. There are rolling
green tropical mountains, fertile farmlands, lushrainforests, and
small towns where foreign visitors are made to feel like
family.There truly is something for everyone in Panama.
Panama is safe, stable, and friendly. And it boasts the best
health care andinfrastructure in Central America. But these are
only the bold headlines. As youtake time to learn more about
Panama, youll find it keeps looking better andbetter. Its climate
is unrivalled in the world, with tropical rain forests,
temperatemountains, and warm, tropical white- sand beaches. Its
wildlife is abundant,with most of the bird species in North
America, and its pristine natural setting isan eco-tourists dream.
No wonder that the Smithsonians Tropical ResearchCenter is located
in Barrio Colorado.
And then theres the countrys famed Pensionado Program, which
helped putPanama on the map as a retirement destination in the
first place. Regardless ofage, you just need a government or
corporate pension of at least $1,000 permonth and residence here is
yours. This government-backed program willvirtually pay for your
retirement. It helps subsidize your hospital visits andmedicine,
sales tax on your car, and property tax on your house. It provides
forheavily discounted travel. Your food is cheaper in restaurants
and so are yourhotel stays and theatre tickets.
And the winner is..
#1: Ecuador
From snow-capped volcanoes to dense Amazon junglesun-drenched
Pacificbeaches to the famous Galapagos Islands, Ecuador offers
something foreveryone and at prices unheard of for years in North
America and Europe.Whether you want to live, invest, vacation,
retire, or simply relax in Ecuador,youll find the perfect
combination of climate, culture, and affordability to makeyour
dreams come true.
In Ecuador the weather is always perfectabout 77 F during the
day and 50 Fat night. In a single days drive, you can go from a
sophisticated city with truecultural appeal to a tranquil
pine-studded mountain hideawayor an alpineretreat where you can
bask in warm thermal waters under a starlit skyor lushrainforest
jungles full of exotically colored birds and flowersor pristine
beacheswhere the only footprints are yours.
Its hard to pinpoint the best reason for coming to Ecuador. Its
breathtakingnatural beauty is certainly a huge draw. But the real
clincher for most people isthat it is an incredibly affordable
place to live. Whether you decide to live in the
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bustling capital of Quito, the pretty expat favorite of Cuenca,
or on the shores ofthe Pacific in one of the countrys many beach
towns, youll find that yourmoney will go a lot further than it does
at home.
There are so many benefits to living in Ecuadorlow cost of
living but with nolifestyle sacrifices, affordable real estate
(whether youre renting or buying),good-quality, inexpensive health
care, and a quality of life thats hard to beat.
Ecuador is gentlesafehealthyprivatecivil. As one expat put it:
Its like weare living in the U.S in the 1950s. Youre guaranteed a
quality of life that justplain doesnt exist anymore in the States.
Up north, violence, materialism, andincreasingly intrusive
government policies have whittled away the last vestigesof the
American Dream. Yet here youre guaranteed a truly
extraordinarylifestyle. And that makes Ecuador the perfect place to
retireor reinventyourself. Youll find like-minded company when you
do.
All of these things combined, make Ecuador our 2015 Annual
GlobalRetirement Index winner.
Making money overseasIf youre interested in finding a way to
fund your life overseas, there are a wholehost of jobs that you can
do from anywhere in the world. These are jobs thatyou can do from
the front porch of your beach housejobs that allow you towork in
the morning, leaving the afternoon free for relaxing,
reading,snorkeling, sailing
These days, the world is more interconnected than ever and the
possibilities fora portable paycheck are almost never-ending. You
dont need an MBA orthousands upon thousands of start-up cash to
create a business for yourself thatcan easily fund your life
overseas.
Free Fund Your Life E-letter & Report:
If you'd like to learn more about flexible, work-anywhere ways
you can pay foryour life overseas, sign up for Fund Your Life
Overseas, a free e-letter fromInternational Living.
Join our Fund Your Life Overseas e-letter today, and you'll hear
from us fivetimes a week, telling you about ways to earn income
that lets you liveanywhere, travel anytime and give you the funds
to make your overseasdream real.
Just enter your e-mail address below and we'll also send you a
FREE report:Fund Your New Life Overseas With These 6 Portable
Careers.
Yes! I'm interested in ways I can earn an income overseas.
Email: Enter Your Email Here
Sign Me Up
No spam pledge. We value your privacy. You can unsubscribe at
any time.
Here are just some of the ways you can earn an income
overseas:
Travel writing: Of all the kinds of writing you can dofiction,
academic,marketing, technical, etc.travel writing is the most
funand the mostrewarding. Perhaps you already took a long vacation
this year. You might find ithard to explain to that voice in your
headthe one that monitors your bankaccountthat youre going to take
another. But if you can make enough moneyselling a story about your
trip to cover its costor at least defray, say, the costof the
airfarewell, then, that is not such a bad arrangement.
Take Sandra Kennedy. She retired from teaching and wasnt sure
how shedkeep myself busy. But now here she gets paid to travel,
take pictures along theway, and write about what she recommends
other people do and see. She findsit hard to believe its even a
real job!
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Sandra has stayed at lavish haciendas, eaten the freshest foods
in Ecuador,gotten to know the smiling, helpful locals. Shes been to
a Shaman healingceremony, rode horses in the Andes and learned to
weave. And then she satsipping fresh mango juice, relaxing by the
pool. Sandra takes notes and photos along the way and spends a few
evenings writingup her impressions while theyre fresh in her mind.
Once shes back home, sheputs them into proper sentences and then
finds an editor who will pay her forthem.
Five-years on, and Sandras portfolio is filled with travel
articles andphotographs from Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Portugal,
Uruguay, Argentina,Alaska, Maine, Oregon and Washington. And many
of those articles came out oftrips she enjoyed for next-to-nothing
or even free.
An online business: Did you know that theres a great way to make
moneyfrom the comfort of your own home anywhere in the world, doing
exactly whatyoure doing now?
When Larry and Beatriz visited Medellin, Colombia they fell in
love and knewthey had to live there.Luckily for them, they were
easily able to use their existingskills to create a business
opportunity that translated from Coral Springs toColombia.
At first, it was every two months. Then once a month. But that
wasnt oftenenough for Larry Snyder. So in 2008 he packed his bags,
and he and hisGerman shepherd, Hans, took a one-way flight to
Medellin, Colombia.
I started traveling to Colombia with my girlfriend Beatrizwhos
now my wife.She was making frequent trips for her clothing business
in Florida. My work as anurse in the Coral Springs E.R. meant I
could schedule six days back-to-backand then take eight days off,
Larry says.
Beatriz started her own clothes manufacturing company in
Colombia and Larryhad an online business offering continuing
education to nursessomething hecould run from anywhere. So he went
back to America and cleaned out thehouse.As a registered nurse,
Larry knows about health care and hospitals so heturned his
existing skills into an online business he can run from anywhere.
Andhe couldnt be happier.
Photography: Walk into your back yard, kneel down, and snap a
photo of aflower in your gardenor capture a shot of your
grandchildren playing with afootball. Did you know that these
photos could earn you $25$50even $150or more for each one?
Imagine if, every time you went on vacation, with your camera in
tow, youcould make up to $800 for those pictures you snap.There is
no great secret tobreaking into photographyeven if you have no
experience and only use asimple point-and-shoot camera, it can
still be a way to fund a new, morerelaxed, and fun lifestyle.
Photos are used everywherenewspapers, magazines, billboards,
websites,technical manuals, and almost any published material.
Someone has to takethose pictures. Why shouldnt that someone be
you?
Take David Morgan. He wasnt any hot-shot photographer when, with
a Vivitarcamera in hand, he traveled across Asia for six months. He
dined with the PrivyCounsel to the King of Thailandmet the late
Mother Teresaand shook handswith the Dalai Lama. He took a
week-long, four-wheel-drive journey acrossTibet. He went trout
fishing in a pristine mountain stream in Bumburet, ahidden valley
in the Hindu Kush. He also got to see secret religious
ceremoniesrarely witnessed by outsiders.
The icing on the cake was that he found a textbook publisher who
needed thephotos from his trip. Not only did his connections save
him money, but heactually made moneyover $6,000! Whats more, a few
years later, thepublisher offered to pay him again when the book
went to a second edition.
Photography really can open up the world to you. As a working
photographer,you can pickup-and-go any time you chooseget on a
flight to any number offar-flung destinationsand enjoy the freedom
of the photographers life.
A money-making website: The Internet is one of the most powerful
money-making tools you could ever hope to have at your disposal.
Sure, its useful for
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staying connected and keeping on top of whats happening in the
world, butbeyond that, it holds the key to a global market place
that you can tap into withfantastic results.
A few years ago Nick Osborne decided to try his hand at creating
a website thatwould make him some extra money. His idea was simply
to create aninformational site that would make money through people
clicking on ads andother money-making links. Here is Nicks
story:
When it comes to retirement income, I want the money coming in,
regardlessof where I live.Having a money-making website gives me
that flexibility. I can do this fromanywhere in the world. All I
need is a laptop and an Internet connection. If Ichoose to retire
abroad permanently, I just have to make sure I have Internetaccess.
And if I decide to spend a year or more traveling the world, I can
justplug in at hotels or cafes along the way.
I didnt want to go into business and have to source and ship
products, ordeal with customers. I just wanted to write informative
pages, and make somemoney with ads.
The site I created was CoffeeDetective.com. As its name suggest,
its aboutcoffee. Im not a coffee professional, and have never
worked in the coffeebusiness. I just like coffee. I wanted to write
about something that interestedme, and see if I could make some
money along the way. The site has been upfor almost five years. It
now gets over 3,000 visitors a day. And this month itlooks like the
site will be making me about $6,000.
Copywriting: Why exactly did you buy a whole caseload of
nutritionalsupplement made from the oils of mold-infested Bolivian
tree bark? Spend$3,000 to drink foul-tasting mares milk whilst
undergoing the Spartan regimeof a yoga retreat in Outer
Mongolia?
Undoubtedly, it was because some devilishly clever person
persuaded you to. Itwas something that you simply had to have...had
to experience.
The big earners of the writing market are copywriters.
Effectively dream sellers,many of them can earn fantastic money. By
writing letters for the direct mailmarket (you and I might call it
junk mail or spam), they persuade consumers tobuy companies
productshealth products, financial products,
self-improvementproducts, and travel products. You name it, and you
can bet theres a copywriterinvolved somewhere along the line.
Hospitals use copywriters, charities use copywriters. Whenever a
business ororganization needs to pro-mote itself (through a press
release, leafleting, online,a newsletter, or other forms of media),
it also generally hires a copywriter.
Paul Hollingshead went from making $6.50 an hour stacking
shelves in agrocery store to making $400,000 a year as a
copywriter. Paul works a fewhours a day. He writes one, maybe two
letters a month. Recently, he movedwith his family to a little
historic town in the Vermont countryside. He have nobosses, no
commute. He writes from a little cottage steps from his house,
wherehe is surrounded by peace and quiet. For a break, he says hell
walk over to theold Inn across the street for lunch...grab a coffee
at the local market...
A top-notch copywriter can easily command $8,000 per letter.
Imagine getting$96,000 in fees each year just for writing 12
letters. But thats only the start ofthings. But, before you get
carried away, note that not all copywriters earn quiteas much. To
get a six-figure income, youll first need to establish a track
record.Of course, there are many countries in the world where that
kind of money goesa long way. And again, its another wonderful
career you can do from anywherein the world.
7 Great Retirement Towns YouveNever Heard of
Retirement these days the message is always: Work longer scale
back yourplans or never retire at all.
But therea a solution almost nobody is talking about.
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7 Great Retirement Towns You've Never Heard of
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International Living's 2015 Retirement IndexThe Worlds Top 10
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