Today I received the final edition of the “Retire for Less in Costa Rica” Newsletter. This wonderful couple, Paul & Gloria, are really retiring themselves now and it is about time! I have recommended them many times and they are keeping their website up for awhile, so check it out now if you haven’t before. They give the most practical advice of anyone on retiring in Costa Rica and they will be greatly missed, though maybe I will get to see them again for other reasons or socially. I hope so. They will be dividing their time between Costa Rica and Mexico which is an unusual way to retire, but very interesting.
In their last newsletter they included a summary of their philosophy over these 12 years that has not changed. I will try to copy it here:
What is the Retire for Less Philosophy?
Sometimes we tell people that we live the “retire for less lifestyle,” or perhaps we notice that others are also living in a similar way. So what exactly is it?
Conserve, simplify, enjoy. These three words sum up the Retire for Less Philosophy or lifestyle. We believe one can:
- Enjoy the simple things in life
- Discard some old beliefs regarding retirement
- Count your cash, get your Social Security, and go where it’s cheaper
- Reinvent yourself and begin a whole new, adventurous phase of your life
- Look at your life differently, embrace the new culture, and try not to be ethnocentric
- Scale down, live within your means, and learn to have fun, fun, fun!
- Conserve energy, go green, and live without air-conditioners, heaters, dehumidifiers, and cars, as much as possible
- Live without debt, reduce expenses, and reduce expectations
- Save money, spend less, use less, and be satisfied with less – less is more
Conserve, Simplify, and Enjoy! Read our entire Retire for Less Philosophy here.
They will be missed and have certainly helped a lot of people retire here and elsewhere. Now I will just continue my very simple life in Costa Rica, not owning anything including a car. Zero debt. Walking almost daily. Enjoying the simple things of life in a simple country that puts people and nature above industry and money. Where nature is king and we will be carbon neutral in a year or so! (99% of electricity now.)
¡Pura Vida!
I too received their last blog this morning. I understand but it feels as though one of my links with your beautiful country has vanished. —- now for a bit of personal panic—- Charley I hope you continue writing your blog for a long time. It is how I start my day and reminds me that there is a place where nature is valued, medical care is a human right and the government , though not perfect, seems to believe it is there to serve its citizens.
Yes Steve – it is like losing an old friend – but they worked too hard at it and made it into a job, plus they tried to make money with tours and book-sales, etc. They need to enjoy life now!
My blog is different I do it when I want to and just for fun and mostly about nature and about living here. I’m not trying to sell anything, not even the photo books which are also just for fun! As Paul & Gloria have been recommending, I live simply, own nothing, owe nothing, and just live in nature on my retirement income. I plan to die broke with a smile on my face! 🙂