global $user_info; { echo '
Sosua girls
'; }

Author Topic: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire  (Read 1643 times)


Viva La Vega

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1633
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2022, 08:14:27 AM »
That's the plan.

My housing will cost about 35% less than i am paying now (for a house with a pool vs a condo), health insurance will cost about 75% less than I am paying now (already purchased, good to have even for just a regular visitor), groceries probably 50% less than where I am. Drinks and going out way less... But I go out more.

The kicker is how I will be able to afford our hobby!

That top ten list is fair, i could have chosen any, but for me North Coast DR ticks more boxes than the rest.


tugboaboat5393

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7496
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2022, 02:44:02 PM »
https://dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2022/02/13/dominican-republic-in-top-10-best-places-to-retire/?fbclid=IwAR26ntI-nXxVuGFjo2cC8Q02rmiIF9thqaSidektUPttNgeZbEFFpxxcqTs
The Big question how to afford chicas  Easy peasy   First as your there,it going to be  saturation spanish meaning make an honest attemp to learn  make friends with a local  or buy a non pro chica lunch or a drink to sit with you  some Hattian chicas can speak 3 different languishes  French Kreole english and espanol,  your going to go from vacation full ahead mode  to dead slow local mode,, discount pussy or you could grab a few non pros or repeat chicas when there dead ass broke loan them the money that is to be paid back in full your charge them intrest  fee   or a pussy fee  or hook up with a non pro  that has a job,,,,,some expats have this down pat,,,Lets say you have on line remote work  on your down time chill at a local cafe or bar and  hunt for newbie fresh of the bus chicas.. best of luck

Dothedamthing

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 737
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2022, 11:36:53 AM »
That's the plan.

My housing will cost about 35% less than i am paying now (for a house with a pool vs a condo), health insurance will cost about 75% less than I am paying now (already purchased, good to have even for just a regular visitor), groceries probably 50% less than where I am. Drinks and going out way less... But I go out more.

The kicker is how I will be able to afford our hobby!

That top ten list is fair, i could have chosen any, but for me North Coast DR ticks more boxes than the rest.

I'm in the process now of getting my residency now. I will also be residing on the North coast because I'm an avid saltwater fisherman and I will have access to VA facilities. I'm also planning to purchase health insurance to supplement my VA healthcare this year so I will have full coverage by time I move there.

With the cost of living in the US is approximately 70% more expensive for me being on a fixed retirement income it's a win-win. I get to maximize my spending power and improve my quality of life for less. I stay in country for 1-3 months at a time and I have never spent over $2400 US dollars in a month. That $2400 includes my fun budget. My rent, utilities, food, ect... is about $1200 a month. That leaves me $1200 to play with, approximately $40 a day. I'm not screwing every day so that unused money rolls over on days it's not spent. Also the longer you stay you will start getting better prices and you start to meet non pros like Tugboat said.

If you do the math with an average cost being about 2500 to 3500 pesos or $44-$61 a person could have a chica every other day no problem. Now if you are a heavy drinker, bar hopper, and club going person then your budget will need to increase or your chica sessions will need to be further apart. But once you're there for a while your overall cost for toto will drop especially if you're outside of Sosúa and meet non pros. You adjust your fun accordingly.

For example let's say you're a vet like me with a 100% disability rating which is $3332 per month. You could easily live in the RD very comfortably and still have fun on your fixed income. You can save on average $900 a month. That's $10800 in the bank annually and if you have additional residual income like I do it's just extra in the bank. For me I will be able to rent, save to buy my land, and build my house cash money in less than three years. Once my home is built the rent I was paying is now going into the bank to speed up the savings recovery process. This how you can afford the hobby!
If you can't change the outcome of a situation then don't worry about it.

Viva La Vega

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1633
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2022, 12:55:50 PM »
Our parents generation could afford retirement. My step father retired at 55, and my mother at 50. He was a government clerk, she was a teacher, they just planned well, had great pensions and health care, and lived modestly.

Freedom 55 is a marketing concept pretty much dead for most now. I figure the only way i could enjoy 20 years of retirement is if i live past 90, so gotta get that fitness up!

Retirement is not necessarily a goal to target, but financial independence is something we all should strive for. The day that we no longer need to exchange time for dollars to survive.

Whether that is the pension, and a little residual income as Dothething is fortunate enough to already achieved or chipping away at the nest egg 4% a year (not a great plan, as inflation will be chipping at it also), something has to work for you, or you will always be working for you.

I have a monthly income target in my head, it's probably too high, but since i feel it is achievable i am gonna keep on working towards it.

There is a great book, The Four Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss. One of the things it talks about is the "Victory Lap" the step when you achieve financial independence but keep working because you enjoy it, or wish to keep building without going balls to the wall.

Covid set me back a fair bit, but I am working to get to that full on victory lap as soon as possible, to tell the truth, i have not worked very hard since i turned 50 so i kinda have been on one anyway, I just had to keep my finger in the pot these past 10 or so years.

Good luck to all, wherever we choose to live!

Dothedamthing

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 737
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2022, 06:17:10 PM »
Our parents generation could afford retirement. My step father retired at 55, and my mother at 50. He was a government clerk, she was a teacher, they just planned well, had great pensions and health care, and lived modestly.

Freedom 55 is a marketing concept pretty much dead for most now. I figure the only way i could enjoy 20 years of retirement is if i live past 90, so gotta get that fitness up!

Retirement is not necessarily a goal to target, but financial independence is something we all should strive for. The day that we no longer need to exchange time for dollars to survive.

Whether that is the pension, and a little residual income as Dothething is fortunate enough to already achieved or chipping away at the nest egg 4% a year (not a great plan, as inflation will be chipping at it also), something has to work for you, or you will always be working for you.

I have a monthly income target in my head, it's probably too high, but since i feel it is achievable i am gonna keep on working towards it.

There is a great book, The Four Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss. One of the things it talks about is the "Victory Lap" the step when you achieve financial independence but keep working because you enjoy it, or wish to keep building without going balls to the wall.

Covid set me back a fair bit, but I am working to get to that full on victory lap as soon as possible, to tell the truth, i have not worked very hard since i turned 50 so i kinda have been on one anyway, I just had to keep my finger in the pot these past 10 or so years.

Good luck to all, wherever we choose to live!

You guys are thinking correctly. Financial independence is the key but may be different for each person. Sit down and do a detailed plan to make sure it's feasible and will allow you to be comfortable for life. I only used one part of my income that is more common that some people have mentioned they have for an example of how just that amount could work.  After fighting VA for over 21 years with injuries, unknown illnesses and PTSD that started before I got out of the military I was awarded 100% total and permanent disability, so I got lucky. My plan was to continue to work but I decided to live and enjoy life and retired at 48 after a bout with colon and kidney cancer. I will be 55 this April and I have financial independence that works for me with a total non taxable income of $71k a year or $5925 per month. It's not what I was making while working but it's enough and about equal to a $100k job before deductions. I'm single and do well living in the southeast where costs are lower. Covid set me back a few years to make the move, but it will be soon. For me upon moving there my numbers will flip. I currently live off of 65% of my income and save 35%. Once there I will be spending about  35% and banking about 65% plus of my income yearly approximately $46k or more.

I will still own my home here in the states but Airbnb it when I'm not here to offset the mortgage and upkeep. In South Carolina as a 100% Veteran I pay no property tax on a home or vehicles. I live in a coastal tourist town so there is never a problem getting the house occupied. If you are young and regardless of how much money you make, you need to be planning for retirement now!! I started planning to be retired by 55 back in 1992. I have not tapped into my 401k and company stocks I own yet which was part of my 30yr retirement  plan. I'm going to let that money marinade a little longer because I don't need it yet. So I would say I'm on my victor lap and about to cross the finish line soon.
If you can't change the outcome of a situation then don't worry about it.

Dothedamthing

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 737
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2022, 10:16:52 PM »
My plan was to continue to work but I decided to live and enjoy life and retired at 48 after a bout with colon and kidney cancer.

There is a saying-- "there is no wealth, without health."

How was both cancers detected (e.g., blood screen, cat scan, symptoms, etc)?

I was married to a nurse and had been receiving my healthcare outside of VA except for my knee surgeries. Bloodwork and annual physical every year with no issues. After my divorce I started using VA healthcare since I had just received a 100% rating and moved to SC. So I had a total knee replacement back in Nov 2014 at age 47. The Pre OP of my bloodwork was fine but a month after my surgery my white blood cell count was high and I was borderline anemic. The first concern was an infection from the transplant but that was negative. So they figured I could have some internal bleeding maybe ulcers or something on that line. I was sent to an internal medicine specialist who recommended I have a full body scan and a colonoscopy done. Even though I had two colon guard negative tests within the last 3 years he wanted to be thorough.

So I had the full body scan done one day and the colonoscopy the next.  After the colonoscopy was finished I was told I had colon cancer and it was in the early stage and was at the beginning of the colon and small intestine junction. I was also told the scan found a nickle size growth on my right kidney. So they did a biopsy, which I had agreed to right before the procedure, to get a sample while I was under. That next week it came back positive for cancer.

So now I had to have a colon resection done that removed about a 4" section and attached it back to the small intestine and the growth removed from the kidney. Luckily it was on the outer wall of the kidney. It took me six months to recover fully because I was still recovering from the knee replacement. Had I not had the knee replacement I might not be here today. The cancer was about to break through my colon wall and would have spread rapidly into the rest of my body. My doctor said that I would have never made it to 50 to receive my first colonoscopy. He has been advocating the VA for years that colonoscopies should be done every 3 years starting at age 35. He said 50 was the recommended age because that's when studies showed it was found not when it was started. The CDC recommends 45 now but my doctor still insists on no later than 40 if possible.

Now I have a colonoscopy and full body scan every 2 years. After going through that I decided that I would enjoy my life. I was in a position where I'm single and the amount of money that was available to me would suffice if I retired. Since then I enjoy life and do what I want when I want.
If you can't change the outcome of a situation then don't worry about it.

Dothedamthing

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 737
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2022, 01:59:30 AM »
None of it is nice but anyone 45 and older or 40 if colon cancer family history is present needs to get checked.
If you can't change the outcome of a situation then don't worry about it.

Bat Man

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1666
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #8 on: February 20, 2022, 02:23:55 AM »
That's the plan.

My housing will cost about 35% less than i am paying now (for a house with a pool vs a condo), health insurance will cost about 75% less than I am paying now (already purchased, good to have even for just a regular visitor), groceries probably 50% less than where I am. Drinks and going out way less... But I go out more.

The kicker is how I will be able to afford our hobby!

That top ten list is fair, i could have chosen any, but for me North Coast DR ticks more boxes than the rest.

I'm in the process now of getting my residency now. I will also be residing on the North coast because I'm an avid saltwater fisherman and I will have access to VA facilities. I'm also planning to purchase health insurance to supplement my VA healthcare this year so I will have full coverage by time I move there.

With the cost of living in the US is approximately 70% more expensive for me being on a fixed retirement income it's a win-win. I get to maximize my spending power and improve my quality of life for less. I stay in country for 1-3 months at a time and I have never spent over $2400 US dollars in a month. That $2400 includes my fun budget. My rent, utilities, food, ect... is about $1200 a month. That leaves me $1200 to play with, approximately $40 a day. I'm not screwing every day so that unused money rolls over on days it's not spent. Also the longer you stay you will start getting better prices and you start to meet non pros like Tugboat said.

If you do the math with an average cost being about 2500 to 3500 pesos or $44-$61 a person could have a chica every other day no problem. Now if you are a heavy drinker, bar hopper, and club going person then your budget will need to increase or your chica sessions will need to be further apart. But once you're there for a while your overall cost for toto will drop especially if you're outside of Sosúa and meet non pros. You adjust your fun accordingly.

For example let's say you're a vet like me with a 100% disability rating which is $3332 per month. You could easily live in the RD very comfortably and still have fun on your fixed income. You can save on average $900 a month. That's $10800 in the bank annually and if you have additional residual income like I do it's just extra in the bank. For me I will be able to rent, save to buy my land, and build my house cash money in less than three years. Once my home is built the rent I was paying is now going into the bank to speed up the savings recovery process. This how you can afford the hobby!

Two questions:  Can you explain the process of getting residency in the DR? 

I like how you tracked your spending ruthlessy. I do the same. I just wished I downloaded that Big Trick Index that was going around. Some dude literally took the economist's Big Mac cost of Living index and added in pussy costs and calculated the cost of living for Mongers around the world. I do know he said that Armenia in the Coffee region in Colombia was one of the cheapest cost of living for mongers on a budget.

JayMillz

  • Devoted Contributer
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3292
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #9 on: February 20, 2022, 08:34:38 AM »

Two questions:  Can you explain the process of getting residency in the DR? 



You can Google this.  It's all on the Net about the different types of Visas and what it required to establish residency.  I would focus on the DR immigration website.
Sosua = (S)imps (O)r (S)uckers (U)sually (A)merican

bangoskank

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 395
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #10 on: February 20, 2022, 06:10:37 PM »
What VA facilities are in the DR? I was under the understanding that they are not official VA facilities, they just assist with VA claims. Can you get medication from them?

Dothedamthing

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 737
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2022, 06:59:29 PM »
@Bat Man
 Like JayMillz said it's readily available on the internet. But if you don't  like to read here is video info on the Residency process. She does a good job of answering questions and has quite a few on the topic. There are several lawyers and agencies that can assist you.
https://youtube.com/c/MariaAbreu

@Bangoskank
     Yes I have met a few Vets who have used it.  Here is information on the VA affiliated clinics there. One is a video that Taylor Made did. One is in Puerto Plata and the other will be in Sosúa. The one in Sosúa will be across the street from Kings on Pedro Clisante.
https://juvantedr.com/
https://militarybenefits.info/va-veterans-living-overseas/
https://youtu.be/UXDHf5j-WZw

If you can't change the outcome of a situation then don't worry about it.

MrStealYoChica

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 180
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2022, 08:20:09 PM »
Gentrification is about to get real. The whole work from home situation is making it worse. I would never move to these low income countries now. The prices are going to get higher real soon and turn paradise into little USA.

Bat Man

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1666
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2022, 06:51:04 AM »
Gentrification is about to get real. The whole work from home situation is making it worse. I would never move to these low income countries now. The prices are going to get higher real soon and turn paradise into little USA.
Simple just bounce to a new country. It will be a while before Africa gets "gentrified".

Bat Man

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1666
Re: Dominican Republic in top 10 best places to retire
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2022, 06:53:58 AM »
What VA facilities are in the DR? I was under the understanding that they are not official VA facilities, they just assist with VA claims. Can you get medication from them?

There's a couple, One in Santo Domingo, One in Santiago and One in Puerto Plata.

They can treat what you are rated for and dispense medications.  Yes they are contracted to the VA but not actual VA facilities.

 







MORE REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE

Click below to subscribe!

Sosua bars
'; }
SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal