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Christopher Howard's Award Winning Relocation
Retirement Tours |  |
Sign up for Christopher Howard's Award-winning Relocation/Retirement Tours NOW!
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Christopher Howard's Newsletter
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Greetings!
"Smaller is better! More on-the-ground experience, personal hands-on attention and in-depth information than other retirement tours and larger relocation organizations in order to meet your specific needs. See what it is actually like to live in Costa Rica." |
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Costa Rica Articles, News, Insider Information, Tours and Books
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Is it possible to retire in Costa Rica on Social Security?
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The answer is yes and no, depending on your lifestyle and the amount of your monthly Social Security check.
The maximum Social Security benefit depends on the age a worker chooses to retire. For a worker retiring at age 66 in 2010, the amount is $2,346. This figure is based on earnings at the maximum taxable amount for every year after age 21. If you fall into this category as a single person you can live very well here. If you are a couple with each person making the maximum amount, indeed you live like a king and queen.
Unfortunately, not everyone receives the maximum benefit from Social Security. According to Social Security the average monthly benefit for a retired worker was about $1,164 at the beginning of 2010. This amount changes monthly based upon the total amount of all benefits paid and the total number of people receiving benefits. If you are single and receiving an amount around the average benefit or less you may find it very hard to get by in Costa Rica. There are some people I have met who have survived here on less than $1,000 monthly but they really have to watch every penny. I know one gringo who got by on $600 a month but had to work under the table (which is illegal) to make ends meet. You CANNOT work here as a retired person or pensionado under any circumstances unless you have residency with permission to work. This is called Residencia Libre de Condiciones. If you are caught working illegally, you can be deported. With the new stricter immigration laws going into effect, it is not worth the risk.
To make matters worse for those receiving close to the average amount of Social Security, there hasn't been a cost of living increase for a couple of years. Given the fact that the cost of living has risen here and the dollar has lost its value against the colón (Costa Rica's currency), it is very hard to get by on $1,164 per month. The dollar was valued at around 585 colones at one time but in the past year has hovered around 500 colones to a dollar. Despite what other so-called retirement experts are saying on line, these numbers don't lie.
A single person can live cheaply in Costa Rica on Social Security and here is an example of how to do it. I know a couple of single men and women in the Heredia area who have mastered the art of living on less than $1500 monthly. They don't live in luxury nor do they live like paupers. Typically, they do not own an automobile but rely exclusively on public transportation which is very affordable. They don't own a home and rent small apartments. They do part of their shopping at the local weekend farmers' markets or ferias where they can stock up on a lot of fruits and vegetables like many Costa Ricans do. Some buy their clothes at second-hand clothing stores called, Ropa Americana. When they eat out they tend to eat breakfast and lunch at one of the small cafes or sodas in Heredia's Central Market. They go to bargain matinees and seek other inexpensive forms of entertainment. They use Internet cafés at less than a dollar an hour instead of owning a computer. For health care they belong to the Caja, the public health care system which costs them $50 dollars or less monthly for complete health coverage.
Most of these people are very happy with their simple lifestyle which they could never have in the States for the same price. When you take into consideration that most Costa Ricans earn far less than $1000 monthly and get by easily you can see that with $1500 monthly you will be able to live well. In the States or Canada a person would be below the poverty line with that income.
Here is an example of a budget for a single person who has no more than $1500.- Rent $200 to $300
- Electricity and water $20
- Cable TV $25
- Monthly Transportation $50
- Monthly public health insurance (medicines included) $50
- Food $200
- Entertainment $100 -$150
- Misc. $200
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A very nice letter from a client
| Joseph was one of the guests on my June retirement/relocation tour. As his testimonial will attest to, he was more than please with my time-tested Combination tour and services. Thanks for the fantastic review, Joseph.
The Richest and most informative tour experience of my life and well worth the cost
I was in a group that took Christopher Howard's Live and Retire in Costa Rica Combo Tour which covered both the beach areas and the Central Valley. This has been the richest and most informative tour experience of my life and well worth the cost. I heard that by completing this tour I would discover if Costa Rica residency is right for me. By the time we finished I felt entirely comfortable with joining the ARCR and pursuing a Pensionado Residency. I love the country so far and I've decided it's the right choice. The tour gave the information and tools to make this kind of life-altering decision with high confidence. After a little more time to sleep on it, I will probably stay here and do so without always wondering if some other place might suit me better.
This tour was all it was advertised to be and more. Chock full of solid facts and the right decision-driving data. I have been equipped and empowered to make my move successful and as economical as possible. At no time was there any pressure to buy real estate or anything else. Chris simply provided the exposure we all wanted to the local market and conditions. We found out what the various areas are like and their strengths and weaknesses. As a result I know where to look and how to find the living situation that will support the lifestyle I want here.
So I give Chris and his associates 5 stars out of 5 for the tour experience. I highly recommend this process if you are considering a move to this beautiful and magical country. You need a lot of information to make your decision a rational one. This tour will make it possible to know you aren't just being seduced by the emotional allure of Costa Rica, which is strong. Take this tour. You won't regret it.
Joseph Riden June 2012
joseph@josephriden.com
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Visit our bookstore online at www.costaricabooks.com
A wealth of unique e-books for anyone interested in
living, retiring, investing or visiting Costa Rica
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FREE Spanish lesson
|  What's the point?
In Spanish "punto" is generally defined as dot, spot, speckle, point in time or a location. However, it is also used in a variety of idiomatic expressions. Don't confuse the word "punto" word with "punta" which is a tip or point of an object.
Also don't mix up the terms above with "puto" or "puta". In Costa Rica the former is a promiscuous male and the latter is a "whore." But in Mexico "puto" refers to a male homosexual.
Expressions with punto:
A la hora en punto - sharp or on the dot (time). José llegó a las seis en punto. Joe came at six on the dot.
Dos puntos - colon
Estar a punto de - to be at the point of. La sopa está a punto de hervir. The soup is at the point of boiling.
Ganar puntos - to earn points (literally of figuratively)
Hasta cierto punto - up to a certain point. Me gusta hasta cierto punto. I like it up to a point.
Hasta tal punto que - to the extent that. El nińo me molestaba hasta tal punto que no tuve más remedio que regańarle. The child bothered me to the extent that I had no other choice but to scold him.
Poner los puntos sobre las ies - to dot the I's and cross the t's or get things straight or clear.
Por puntos - by points. El examen es por puntos. The test is by points.
Punto de vista - point of view or opinion
Punto débil or flaco - a person's weak point.
Punto y aparte - new paragraph
Punto y coma - semicolon
Puntos - stitches in clothing or sutures
Puntos a su favor -points in your favor (literally and figuratively)
Puntos en su contra - points against you (literally and figuratively)
Puntos suspensivos - a series of dots or suspension points....
Tiquismo (Costa Rican expressions):
- El talón de Aquiles - Achilles tendon or weak point. It is a synonym for punto débil or punto flaco above.
- Ese no es el punto - That's not the point
- Estar en punto muerto - a deadlock or stalemate. Las negociaciones están en punto muerto - There is a stalemate in the talks.
- Ser punto y aparte - to not agree or oppose. Estar en contra de is a synonym.
More FREE information on Costa Rican Spanish
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Costa Rica 2012 GDP Growth Forecast Raised to 5.5%
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(Bloomberg) Costa Rica's economy will expand faster than forecast this year, outpacing inflation for the first time in "recent memory," Nomura Securities International said in a report.
With almost all of the world's economies I shambles Costa Rica isn't doing to badly. In fact, as a whole Latin America is doing well.
Gross domestic product in Central America's second-biggest economy (Costa Rica) will climb 5.5 percent this year, up from an earlier forecast of 4 percent, Boris Segura, a Latin America analyst for Nomura, wrote today. Inflation should remain within the central bank's target of 5 percent, plus or minus one percentage point, the first time consumer prices are likely to trail below economic growth since 1992, the report said.
"For the first time in recent memory, Costa Rica is poised to show real GDP growth that exceeds its inflation rate," Segura wrote. "This speaks volumes about Costa Rica's macroeconomic stability." In addition, the local residential real estate market in the Central Valley is strong with financing readily available. Costa Rica is still a brand name and popular warm weather destination for tourists and retirees which make it a good place to invest. However, don't forget to do your homework and due diligence. Before making a purchase.
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Housing Freedom for Retirees in Costa Rica
|  I don't usually include real estate in my newsletter but this bargain is just too good not to feature.
With the U.S. and world economy still in shambles with no sign of recovery on the horizon, savvy retirees are looking to live abroad as a way to stretch their retirement dollars and improve their quality of life.
Costa Rica has been on the radar for years, but now, more than ever, it's becoming an option for anyone wanting a better lifestyle for a lot less. The country's stellar international reputation, unparalleled weather, affordable medical care, low home taxes, affordable hired help, cheap public transportation and reasonable utilities have all combined to make Costa Rica one of the best places in the world to vacation, live or retire. And it has been for many years now. For these reasons, more and more retirees are taking the necessary steps to relocate, and live in Costa Rica on a permanent basis as they see this as a place where they can have a prosperous future.
For more information, please click HERE |
 SPECIAL "FREE" BONUS FOR TOUR PARTICIPANTS!!! All people who sign up for the tour receive a FREE hard back copy of the 16th edition of the bestseller "New Golden Door to Retirement and Living in Costa Rica." At the conclusion of the tour they also receive FREE eBook copies of Christopher Howard's other one-of-a-kind bestsellers "Official Guide to Costa Rican Spanish," "The Official Guide to Real Estate In Costa Rica" and "The Official Guide to Costa Rica's Legal System for Tontos (dumbells)." |
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Almost 2000 pages of INVALUABLE insider information for FREE!
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"Specializing in Extraordinary Vacations to Costa Rica"
Sincerely,
Christopher Howard
Travel Author & Consultant
"The NEW Golden Door to Living and Retiring in Costa Rica"
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Call Chris TOLL FREE at 800-365-2342 / 877-884-2502 toll free
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