Our economy struggling with uncertainties, housing issues, foreclosures, global fluctuations, and pandemic aftermath, causing instability. Rising inflation, sluggish growth, and trade disruptions need urgent attention from all sectors to restore stability and stimulate growth.
Totally wrong evaluation of the US and world economies today. I’m retired, Living in Sicily, Travel 4 mos. A year to 1 country at a time. I have NO pension, or inheritance or 401. SS and a lease to own on a condo I sold. Fortunately, I am now a dual citizen, so healthcare, I get in EU. No worries for healthcare is pretty much everything. ’m living the dream. You can do whatever you set your mind to do. 😊
@Stephine-un5zs if you look at charts compared to other currencies, the dollar still out performs them. Meaning it's devaluing slower then other currencies nice try tho
@Stephine-un5zsThe dollar has been gaining strength against the currencies of other major economies. The dollar is strong because the US economy is healthier than those of many other countries and because the Federal Reserve keeps raising interest rates
I just turned 65 (retired at 42) and after over a year of traveling in Europe of the last 2 years I am strongly considering living there. It's never too late!
I never looked back either. Safety, walkable, high quality food, low cost and never ending historical sites are all great reasons to live in Eastern Europe.
I agree with all of the reasons that you mentioned. We are in Braga, Portugal. Our cost of living is 50% less than in the US. We love the slow life style. Thank you for another great and informative video!
I am Ukrainian My husband is an American from Maryland. We do much sailing so we bought a lovely apartment on the Black Sea. Since the war against Russia we left. We debated returning to the States. We did check out Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and Sardinia. We fell in love with both Slovenia and Sardinia. We decided on Sardinia because it's a better fit for our lifestyle. My husband speaks Italian and I speak Ukrainian, Russian, Englislh, and Slovene so Slovenia is still in the running. )))
We love Slovenia. It is a beautiful country and we are so excited. We get to spend over a month there this summer. Sardinia is on our list in the future! I have actually dreamed of seeing that beautiful island for well over 10 years. Thanks for watching :)
We left and retired in Colombia after taking an early retirement at 52 and 51. It’s been a great retirement for 10 years . Montevideo looks beautiful. Definitely on the list for a visit.
That sounds fantastic! We have a family member in Colombia. She has been there for over four years and loves it. If you ever want to do an expat interview, we would love to do that with you. We spent almost ten months in Ecuador. We had plans to do a South American tour, but Covid destroyed those plans. Thanks for watching:)
Unlike a lot of people, this has been our plan since 2008. We have loved travel nearly our entire lives and knew we would eventually live abroad. Thanks for watching:)
Exit is the key word,,,lol,,,,I’m 66 years old,,,now,,,,I used to live in swabach Germany in 1969 to 1972,,,,been in the states since then,,,loll,,,,I waited on full social security 🎉🎉🎉🎉November 1st,,,I’m out off here,,,,lollll😂🎉🎉🎉🎉
I have to say, thank you both, we are in Greece right now and decided to go to Saranda Albania because of you guys lol. We are excited to go and explore. We are from the states and travel in our van all over the states. I think we are spending a lot more on this trip and cost of living because we are just go for a few days in each place but trying to talk my husband into slow travel in Europe and especially Eastern Europe. So thanks for what you are doing. Maybe someday we will be over here full time. I feel so much less stress here then in the US.
We will be releasing a video this week on slow travel by car in Europe: how we pack Our way of traveling is very different to many others. I’m so glad you are getting a chance to see these beautiful countries. Thanks for watching:)
If you are 61 and 71 and still working, you need to stop. Get off the bandwagon and go. Forget the kids and grand kids, you can talk on zoom. You have one life. When someone gets to 71, you are on borrowed time and nobody sat on their deathbeds and wished they saw worked or saw grandkids more. Not one expat in your age group has said they didn't wished they had done this, they all wished they had done it sooner.
Definitely you need to stop working and start exploring the world NOW!! I was 58 and wish I had began my affordable long term slow travel sooner. You will figure out ways to make it work!
I think a lot of people think that especially in Canada and the US. I do believe many members of our family feel this way. Oftentimes, if the friend or family member travels, they quickly realize this is not true. The world has so much to offer. Thanks for watching:)
Oh yeah, The cost of living in US owning a home is costing me between $6 to $7000 per month. And the costs keep increasing. Simply stewarding senior dog out and then, I am out of the states. For now, watching videos like these allows me to observe and appreciate your sharing your experience 🙏🏻
We took our senior dog with us to Ecuador. She made it for six months and we were so glad we had her along:) The costs are definitely increasing, and it is just so sad. Thanks for watching and best of luck on your future travels!
I’m so ready to go! We had planned to do the same as you, then a major health crisis occurred, followed by the lockdown. Now, it’s just me, but I am still even more determined to go. It’s not that the US is terrible, it’s the call of the world! Like you, I have lived all over the country, traveled outside the US many times. I want less emphasis on “things”, and more on a life with friends, beautiful sights, and experiences. I may be older, but I’m far from ready to quit living!
I am so sorry to hear you are alone in the journey now. We interviewed an 81-year-old nomad who is living his best life abroad. He is living on $18k per year and enjoying his life. We do hope you are able to fulfill your dream and move abroad. Best of luck. Thank you for watching:)
Another wonderful video, Warren & Julie! We moved to Turkey from the US over a year ago and have been enjoying all the sites and the travel ability it has afforded us. You make many good points in your video and always have such great advice. Can’t wait to see more from you guys and hope you’ll come back to Turkey one day. Thanks!
I am 47 and my wife is 49. We plan to fully retire in 3 years after our youngest goes to college. Our plan is to move to Europe with our pup and car-travel like you guys. Love this life style.
Thank you for this channel! Many people can’t afford to live in the United States and need this information. My wife and I are very fortunate not to need to leave the United States but recognize that we’re not typical.
🥇 Excellent points, fantastic illustrations going along with them…if I wasn’t already convinced, this would surely do it! And the backdrop is also extremely alluring 🙌
I've been to 40 countries as an expat and always planned to retire somewhere in Asia or Europe. But I've been able to reduce my living expenses to $1800 a month (including rent) and it's hard to find anywhere else I can live on less. Now my strategy is to keep the US as my low-cost home base and still travel for 4-6 months. But I have no illusions...every country has its problems including politics.
I am glad you have been able to reduce your living expenses. That's quite an accomplishment. You are correct, every country has its problems. Thanks for watching:)
Warren and Julie excellent video this really resonated with me. I was also in the Air Force stationed in Germany 95-98 and loved it. Hoping to retire in a couple years then slow traveling like you two. Thanks so much for putting out your videos they can often times have a huge impact.
Hi. I started my YT journey last month. The Slow travel Expat YT were all my inspiration. I want document my 5 year journey to my own financial independence so other can learn and have hope they can do it too! Thank you for your videos and sharing your life!
We LOVED Albania! We took a trip there in 2015 and all I heard from my coworkers was "oh you shouldn't go there. Haven't you seen 'Taken'? " (no I hadn't but it wouldn't have changed my mind, it's a movie!). I came back with so many stories of the wonderful people and places we visited. We definitely have Albania on our list of places to visit and stay longer next time.
What a great story! I took a trip with a friend in 2017 to Albania, Montenegro and Serbia and everyone thought I was crazy when I was telling them about how I would be traveling by car and seeing these great countries. As two women traveling alone we felt completely safe. It was a wonderful time. Thanks for watching :)
We are 71 and 73 wishing we had made the move 4 years ago. Life and family responsibilities put a kink in our plans. At our age we are concerned about aging in Europe and not having family there. When I was younger I did quite a bit of travel on my own. It just feels different now.
I'd give you a 100 'thumbs up' when you said you don't want to be "political", if I could. That is just one of the reasons we are looking to move abroad. Glad we found your channel.
I agree. Europe called to me. So much so. I'm now a dual US/Italian citizenship. I'm retired living on my SS snd a lease to own condo, I sold in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. LOVE Kotor. Spent 10 days there of 30 days in Montenegro. I would easily live there a few months a year, no problem, in spite of not liking cats😊. You guys are exactly right on the whole reason to live in Europe. I travel 3 or 4 months a year, 1 month at a time in 1 country at a time. Live is beautiful. Well have to catch up somewhere some time, compare notes. I have a friend who owns a 43 ft. Sailboat, in herzeg-novi. We'll go sailing.
Kotor is such a magnificent city, and it is great that you love it despite not liking cats, lol. Congratulations on the dual citizenship, that is quite an accomplishment. We would love to catch up if we cross paths with you and sailing sounds like great fun! Thanks for watching:)
That's great ~ yes, it is definitely possible! 😍 Your number one is so relatable. What a blessing. Thank you for such great and practical info. Totally agree about preconceived impressions...live and learn!
Not retired because we both love our work. (I get paid *a lot* of money to travel and go to concerts). But we sold both of our San Diego properties and moved to Europe. Definitely a good decision.
Great video! We retired from the US to SE Asia last year for similar reasons . Will have to do some slow travel to Europe at some point…looks like a wonderful place! Cheers! -Javier and Fon
Just early retired five months ago and we're kicking the travel/moving abroad experience around. We have a middle-schooler still at home, so education while traveling will be a big consideration. Really enjoying your videos. My Dad was stationed at Zweibrucken in the early 70's (when I was two to five years old.)
Congratulations! I am sure having a middle schooler with you is a bit of a challenge just like our little dogs. Thanks for watching:) That is really interesting to hear your father was stationed there.
WOW!!! THANK YOU!!! Again...a beautiful heartfelt video. And I'll confess publicly I am one of the fools who believed the negativity re: Serbia. So glad you have opened my eyes. Not just Serbia but on other things. And I want to say one other thing... I know it's impolite to comment on someone's appearance. But since you brought up the topic of aging well and extending one's lifespan.... I have followed you both for years. And you both look better, hotter and healthier than ever. The American Stress factor is a killer. Unfortunately for me I keep getting sucked back in. My apartment in Manhattan sits empty months on end but I can't seem to make a clean break. Anyway all this to say you both are a treasure. In closing, 2 final words... Marigold Hotel. 😉
Thanks for the extremely kind words! We appreciate them and we truly appreciate you watching us! I hope you can break free at some point. Maybe you should sell the apartment and just not look back. Serbia is a wonderful country. We are grateful we gave it a chance in 2017 and again many times after.
“The American stress” is what I am so tired of. Work, politics, all of it. I’m 56 and my wife is 58. We’re trying to get ready for at least 6 months in Europe and then 6 months in the US. Learning as much as possible. I write this as I am on another business trip searching for the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m fortunate to have a good job but honestly I don’t want to do this anymore. This particular video verified a lot of my thinking. I’ve traveled to 49 states and 18 countries for work and vacation. There is so much more to experience!
@@scottdiussa5659 your message gives me PTSD I had so many work trips myself, I totally feel for you and understand working towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck and God Speed.
Really enjoy your videos. We have slowly started our slow travel adventures and are loving it. We are from the UK but have lived in Turkey for seven years, we also have a family bolt hole in Spain so our plan going forward is to sell our property in Turkey and spend 2x90 days in Spain 3 months in the Balkans and 3 months in SE Asia with the occasional short trip back to the UK
Newer subscriber here. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. Y’all are doing exactly what I’d like to do: a slow travel retirement overseas. DH and I are tired of the proverbial rat race and constantly talk about retiring at 59-1/2. While slow travel retirement would totally be my jam, I think DH may take some convincing, but I think he’d come around to it and end up loving it! 😊
I will be going to Romania for the first time in July and actually plan on being in Albania or Montenegro in September. Looking forward to it. May consider staying if I like it
📣 WOOOW! Very good video! Thanks for sharing this! 👋🏼 I am a Small Struggling Travel Channel and this video really inspire me to up my self and make better content ☺️
Great video guys. We are both 48 yrs old and early retired. Looking at slow travel and home-basing from a foreign country like you did. We have a 4yr old/12lb Havanese dog. Scared to travel with her but she is healthy and we have no excuse. Thinking Latin America first since we both speak English. Thanks for the inspiration and continue with the great content.
The size of your dogs will make it quite easy. We certainly recommend it! It is amazing how many people speak English in many countries. Thanks for watching. I have a few blogs you might enjoy as one shows several surprisingly pet friendly countries in Europe and another is about traveling with dogs internationally. Check out the website:) warrenjulietravel.com
Great video! New subscriber here. I just retired early (age 56) and my husband retired 3 years ago (he's now 59). I was an Army brat and was born in Germany and spent nearly half of my childhood/adolescence in Germany. I just loved it, and I remember those years with great fondness. My husband and I have discussed the possibility of becoming expats, but we are pretty far apart on climate preferences (I like a sunny Mediterranean climate and he prefers a cooler/wetter climate like N. Europe/Great Britain/Ireland). We are both apprehensive about not knowing the language - like most Americans, we only speak English fluently. From other YT videos I've seen, in the bigger cities anywhere in Europe you can get by with English only. I know when I lived in Germany I picked up enough German to have basic conversations so I suppose that would come with time after settling. I follow JP and Amelia's channel; they have been slow traveling around Europe the last six months, and they really enjoyed their recent visits to Albania and Montenegro for many of the reasons you explained. Both look like very interesting places to visit. I am looking forward to diving into your video catalog and learning more about your expat lifestyle! You both look very relaxed and happy!
Thanks for subscribing:) Once you dive into our videos you will see that Warren and I have EXTREME differences in our likes and dislikes of weather. As a matter of fact, there was a part that was cut out of the video because we got off topic and never circled back, but the reason we travel as we do is because we cannot agree on climates. In 2008, we devised our plan to retire abroad within 12 years and we succeeded in March 2020. We have been slow traveling Europe for over three years and educating people on the Schengen since 2021. I am sure our other videos will educate you more on our lives, but from the beginning we have said we scouted the perfect place to live starting in 2009 and by 2016 we knew there just wasn't a perfect country to suit both of us and our polar opposite needs, so we chose them all! I like the cool weather, mountains and a quieter life. Warren loves hot weather and the beach, bustling cities and crowds. As I said, polar opposites. Thanks for watching:)
I am Austrian and to be frank I prefer to spend my holidays in other Western European countries. The Balkans are fine but public transportation and the roads of Montenegro leave a lot to be desired. I do like two Balkan countries, Slovenia and Croatia. It really won't break the bank if you come west.
With you being Austrian, you don’t have the same hurdles we have with the Schengen. We have to balance our time in all 29 of those countries, so the majority of our time cannot be spent in one of those locations. We definitely get much more time in the Balkans because we do not have to deal with the limitations of the Schengen. The real reality is we spend more time in this area not because of budget but because of time allotment.
@@WarrenJulieTravel Wow Germany! Just curious, why? In one video you got into with some guy because he retired to Switzerland. Germany is also an affluent country.
@@JackDolan-sn6qi first off understand we are living way below our means. The guy you mentioned came off as condescending, pompous and negative about other locations. We don’t see a reason to max out when we are happy with our travel life, and don’t skimp on what we desire. The main reason we don’t spend more time in those “affluent”countries is they are Schengen, we get 90 days every 180 to visit the group of 29 countries. Why Germany? I was stationed there in my military days when I was young and I hope to recall some of my language skills. We will spend a month in the North for Julie’s cool summer, and a week where I was once stationed. Ireland we hope to see at some point but pet travel there is more of a headache. We may do a pet sitter with our dogs at some point and fly for a stay without them eventually.
Albania is a Muslim country. I am a widow. My husband died as we were living in France. I still do. France is good but not so great without my husband. I who would like to meet someone again. Not sure about living in Albania which is a Muslim country. I do not speak Albanian.
You really don't need to speak Albanian to live in many parts of Albania. I am very sorry to hear you lost your husband. We hope you find a place that makes you happy again. Best of luck in your travels. Thanks for watching:)
Excellent video, Warren & Julie! We too love the cafe culture. And we miss the conversations we used to have in the States. Our plans to return to Europe will materialize this fall after we sell our PDX condo. Maybe set up a safe house for our Ukrainian friends, if needed. Thank you! Dean & Cindy
Hey Warren and Julie, will you be traveling to Asia or SE Asia? It would be good to get your take on Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. Your channel is great, keep it up!
We have discussed this at length and for us right now with our pups, it is extremely difficult. Prior to retirement, we visited Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines. We considered going to Japan next year, but for now, we are quite happy in Europe and have decided to stay put for a while. We have asked some of our friends who are in SE Asia etc for video footage and their stories, and we hope they will eventually do it for our audience. Thanks for watching:)
The property taxes I pay on my home in Croatia is a fraction of the US and at least I can see where the tax money goes. Can't say that about my place in the US.
@birdlover7776 Serbs love scamming foreigners, especially English-Speaking. If youre US, people will harass you about US role in 1999 when Serbs slaghtered over 8,000 Bosnians.
I was at Ramstein Air Force base and didn't like Germany at all, but I admit, it was the late 1960s and the early 1970s. But glad you did!! I want to eat well, too. I so desperately want healthy, nutritious food and it's so hard to get here in Southwestern Utah--I mean, Walmart??!! How I long for large, outdoor markets and eating fresh every day. My undergraduate degree is in archaeology and would love to explore the history and art of European countries. I remember how wonderful my slow life in Maine was (where I was born and raised in the 1950s and 1960s); wish I could go back to that quiet, joyful place. Oh! What about heat and wildfires in the summer? I subscribed!!
I live in the US, speak 4 languages and grew up (and could be home again) in 2x European countries. There are 2x main reasons I do NOT consider to moving back to Europe. 1. Lack of health care choices and services in the ‘affordable’ parts of Europe. 2. The ‘issue’ between R & U, which creates a lot of uncertainty.
Great video, thanks for sharing. Media is usually driven by politics, so they have to show that the rest of the world is evil, and we are the best. Anyways what is surprising in your clip is the cost of living. We were always told europe is super expensive and very high taxation.
We slow travel and don't have residency in a European country. We pay taxes in the US. Our cost of living in Europe has really surprised us too, but as we said we don't live in Paris or Berlin or Rome. If we lived in one of these cities, we could certainly not do it on the budget we have for the past several years. Sadly, yes, media is driven by politics. We enjoy being away from it all. We do have a plethora of videos on our costs throughout Europe. You may wish to watch a few. Thanks for watching:)
I'm seriously considering selling my mobile home next spring and trying out Albania. I own my place but spend 630 a month on HOA and land lease. It's cheap for southern CA but I know I can live cheaper in Albania or Greece. You can put 35k euros in bank account and get residency in Greece.
$630 per month would pay for a long-term lease in Albania. The summers are more expensive, but there are people who will rent 12 months. Thanks for watching:) Best of luck.
You guys have really come a long way since you were here, and we are proud of this latest video. We are curious, given monthly expenses, and your yearly budget, hope much you draw from your retirement savings, and from what you make from your You Tube channel and other sources of income (like for instance what you make from being a travel insurance broker). Because you probably actually “work remotely”, like digital nomads, which is totally different than those of us who are retired abroad. Thank you for your input regarding this inquiry!
We definitely do not refer to ourselves as digital nomads. We are retired but have found this hobby to be rewarding and fill some of our days. If it starts to feel like work, we will definitely take a break and reconsider if it's worth continuing. Most people sign up without needing assistance through our website. I do assist those who need more attention. We certainly do not live on this income or that of YT. The amount we receive varies greatly month to month and is not something you would call a consistent stream. Some months we may receive $500 combined and other months $1500, though those are rarer. On average, we probably have about $1000 from all sources, YT and insurance. We may do a video on how much YT pays. We don't dare try to average this out to an hourly rate because that would be demoralizing, lol. This is a hobby. If we did this for income there are a lot more things we could do for a lot more money. We enjoy the gratitude we receive from our viewers, and it keeps us motivated. The biggest perk is we are constantly meeting up with viewers and having time to socialize and have a coffee etc. We have met wonderful people through our channel as we have traveled. We do talk every month whether or not we will continue the channel or not continue it. Sometimes, some of these videos can be upsetting. We shared our best months income on a FB post not long ago. We hope you guys are doing well:)
@@WarrenJulieTravelI’ve not been here for long, but I have LOVED finding you and your channel! Our house is up for sale, and taking this time to organize the multitudes of info I’ve collected over the past few years relating to each country, visas, locations, sites, etc., and get caught up on all the medical visits we couldn’t make during covid. We’re just off a lake in a rural area with a ton of pricey vacation homes, so the value has almost tripled, but slower to sell so trying not to waste this dead time - all while keeping everything tidy for showings, so can’t drag out too much sewing and such! Lol But have downsized already with just some collectibles to post and sell, so trying not to be too impatient. But my 81 yr old mom and I are READY TO GO!!! Thank you for sharing so much wonderful info!
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Love the scenery behind you. So peaceful. The US has too much stress and obsessing over the best greatest thing. Maybe it’s an aging thing 😊 I sensed in your videos it’s more relaxed. What’s the weather like? Thanks for sharing.
We love Montenegro and it is a much slower pace of life there. That is across the street from us, and it is quite peaceful other than the summer months. Thanks for watching:)
I understand your points as to why you left the USA. For me, money was never the issue. I always planned to move to Greece. I am of Greek ancestry. I also love sailing the islands. We live on our boat. My wife is Greek. I also speak Greek fluently. Frankly I'm of the opinion that to know and understand a people one must live there and learn the language. I know many American expats who befriend other expats. Nothing wrong with that, it's just not for me.
We do our best to learn words in each language of each country, but it’s quite tough. It sounds like you have a lovely existence. Thanks for watching:)
I’m glad I found this💓 I’ve been thinking about living abroad for years. I have a military pension- not much but something. Would be nice if it stretched further.
16:39 Love that sailboat ⛵️ in the background. 😊 what great points. 👍 I have / had similar thoughts about Eastern Europe. Your videos are helping change that. Thanks 😊 For some reason I thought your car was called Tabby not Abby. 😳🤔 Or it's just my bad hearing. Either way your videos on how you came to own and be able to drive a vehicle are very insightful. 👍
Abby is short for the Abyss because she has so much storage space:) That sailboat really is beautiful. I am glad you are enjoying the content and getting something out of it. Thanks for watching.
Im wondering if your international health insurance covers the over-70 seniors? I’d like to drop my Medicare in favor of an international plan. Thanks, and great and inspirational videos 👍
I normally don’t encourage dropping Medicare. There are plans for over 70 but they get pricier with age unfortunately, and can have limitations. The plus side is medical out of pocket is much lower than in the states in most locations so the limitations are typically not stressful unless you seek treatment in a high price country like the US. Adding US coverage ratchets the price up in an international plan considerably.
I agree with you guys our life style here in us not healthy and I am trying my best to get out of here. I will reach out to you for insurance information
My wife and I, US citizens, are retired and also doing slow travel. We own a home in Spain. We can only stay for 3 months in the Schengen then have to leave for 3 months. So no we are in Turkey, Ireland, then Scotland and UK for 3 month’s before returning to our home in Spain. We have no desire to be students, business or be employed in order to have a resident visa. On the other hand we are considering applying for residency in Spain so we can stay as long as we want. Do you have any videos and/or info to that effect? Great videos by the way. You, as a couple, along with others doing the same provide excellent information. Great job.
Thanks for watching. We have not done residency videos in Spain. We have them in several countries but Spain is not one of them. Just FYI, we just started a new Schengen shuffle house swap group on Facebook. I mentioning it in the event you wanted to consider something like that. Our goal with this group is to help facilitate people like ourselves who own a homebase and shuffle in 90 in the 180 we own in Montenegro. We already have two house swaps. This group is not for profit. There is no membership fee. It’s called WJT Schengen House Swap We did a video about it too. Live Abroad For Free? Try Home Swapping For 30+ Days! | WarrenJulieTravel.com ua-cam.com/video/u7lJUCaN75w/v-deo.html
Thank you for the informative video. That view of the lake is so relaxing . How much time should I plan for downsizing, selling my house and getting rid of stuff ? One year?
It really depends on how quickly you can sell the house. Once we started our process, we left in six months. It was a plan since 2008, but the finalization came in 2019. Thanks for watching:)
but a difference is you have each other. For a single person, the constant travel keeps one from forming solid friendships. You are much more lonely if single (even often living in america this i a problem for retired singles). So how would THAT part be managed for single travelers? Even you must sometimes miss having other friends, yes?
We know a lot of singles that thrive traveling, and we’ve seen couples fail. Sometimes having a mate limits you from doing what you want to do, or doubles the chance one of you will be home sick etc. however having someone to share the adventure with and experience is a plus in our situation. This said you can always look for a like minded person to join you to get your feet wet. Here is a video we did about loneliness and travel you should watch. Overcoming Loneliness and Boredom: Expat Life Hacks ua-cam.com/video/zRrf5cOYUuA/v-deo.html
Excellent video. Another eye-opener. Thanks!! Born and raised in the USA but now in mid-60's and pretty sure there's now a better place to play out the home stretch. btw, it would be great if you could do a video about income tax considerations in a situation like yours (ie living in multiple countries). I assume you are still US citizens but wondering how your travels impact which country(ies) wants your income taxes? 😀
Thank you for watching our channel, please feel free to look at our extensive library of over 300 videos on these topics. They are quite extensive. Thank you.
How do you avoid having to leave the Schengen zone every 90 days? Do you have a dual citizenship that allows you to stay? If not, where do you go for the additional 90 days?
We stay for up to 90 days in the Schengen and then "shuffle" to a non-Schengen country for another 90 days. It is important to have a third country in the mix. Thanks for watching. We do have a lot of content on this subject as we have been doing it for over three years.
Yes, I am sure we could appreciate a country and it’s culture if we knew the language, but that would be nearly impossible for us to do with the lifestyle we leave. We would have to know dozens of languages. Thank you for watching.
@@WarrenJulieTravel,a couple.I just think you are missing out on a lot.If your truly want to learn about a country and its people stay 3 months. That's a start. If memory serves you own a property in Montenegro, that should be incentive to learn the language. What about Serbia and Bulgaria? You thought they had investment potential.
We people from Serbia welcome all good people even Americans and a lot of people speak english, Warren and Julie such a nice couple me and my wife we also retired and now travel around Europe and don't listen to the mainstream media, Croatia Montenegro and Bosnia also very hospitable so feel free and travel South East Europe good people are the same worldwide
Actually, while living in the US, I found that being neutral was not accepted. You are forced to have an opinion and others ram their philosophies down your throat. For example, why am I required to address certain people in a plural form forced to call a single being they or pretending not to notice that a man dressed as a woman is actually still a man... And so on. So no, there are places where being apolitical doesn't fly.
I love traveling. I love the concept of slow travel in retirement but I doubt I’d ever permanently leave the US. 1. We have lifelong health insurance thanks to military service. 2. Our children and parents are here. (Well, most of them. One daughter lives in the UK.) We’re in the sandwich generation. Our family relies on us and I see that increasing as our parents age. 3. We can afford to maintain our home base and slow travel. We hate the political issues but we know that’s present in many countries. If you choose to ignore it, that’s a benefit of not being completely tied to any country and personally affected by their laws. We have children and hopefully grandchildren who live in the US. We will stay as engaged as we need to be to make sure they can have the same rights and experiences of freedom that we did. I do hope, if you are still US citizens, you still exercise the right to vote.
We can afford a prolonged stay in France:) We have lived on less than $3k per month, but that is not our budget. Brittany was considered for our summer this year, but we chose to stay in Germany. Thanks for watching.
My wife and I would love to do what you are doing. I just retired and my wife is 10 years younger than me, which is fine, she is ready to pull the plug and retire. My question is around our two small dogs. We would never leave them or give them up. That will never happen, as I'm sure you understand. As a practical matter how difficult will it be taking them with us, and going from country to country? Thanks...
It is a bit more challenging with dogs than without; however if they are small and can be placed in backpacks or small carriers, it will be much less difficult than our situation. Our friends are traveling with two dogs who are small enough to travel inside of the aircraft. They have had no issues taking theirs in public transportation. One of our dogs grew larger than we expected, so we had to change our plans and drive throughout Europe. I would never suggest you leave your fur babies behind and in the same sentiment I would never let having them stop me from taking the leap. We had completely different plans before adopting Arya, but I think the lifestyle we have now is very special and I feel blessed to have it. Obviously, there are more costs involved with dogs along, but our veterinary bills have been 10% or less here than the cost in the US. Thanks for watching:) We have done videos on this subject and I have written a blog about it. The videos are not our best work, but they are helpful.
Understand it is doable once you are in Europe , but how did you manage to fly your dog ? We can’t find any airlines to fly our dogs due to their size . Dogs basically have to be the size of a cat to travel .
Where are you starting your journey? Which state? My suggestion is to look for your easiest route. For example, we flew from Ecuador to Florida to say goodbye to family and friends. We picked up a one-way car in Florida and drove it to JFK where we flew direct into Serbia. Now, this is not possible with a larger dog because they don't offer cargo, but plenty of airlines will offer it. The thing to focus on is your easiest country to land in and then move from there. I hope this helps. We have friends who flew from Dallas Texas to Sofia Bulgaria with an 80-pound dog, so I know it is possible.
@WarrenJulieTravel my dog is 20lbs, could she fly in the plane with me? I wouldn't want to put her in cargo for thar long. I've read horror stories of dogs dying in cargo.
You make think this is crazy but consider sending them over on the Queen Mary2. The upside is you get to go too! That was my plan until my beloved Cleo crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
You might not like to hear this, but sometimes you have to give up your dog to make life happen. That is what we did, left her with family as their new pet. We would not let life be put on hold for a pet.
If I’m hearing correctly it sounds like your monthly costs do not include rent or a mortgage. Do you have a sense for what you would be paying to rent your current home? I think you’ve mentioned it in other videos, but I can’t recall the figure and am curious what to budget.
Please watch our annual or four year budget video. We add $1200 to our monthly budget in Montenegro minus utilities when explaining an annual cost. For Montenegro as a couple $2400 would give you an equal quality of life if renting. If single $1800 would suffice.
@@WarrenJulieTravel I have watched those. I’m asking if the $2,939 four year monthly average you quoted includes time spent in the property you own in Montenegro rent free, and if so how many months of the four years did you spend in a house you own?
@@stancimarch3236 we spent 8.5 months in our home total through 2023 over three full years 36 months in Europe (2021-2023) We should exclude our 2020 in South America, while we owned we were not on the continent. We have been here two months so far in 2024, and intend to be here more often going forward. We expect to spend around five months in 2024, and intend to spend a similar time going forward. This may be more information than you asked for. But to be clear that monthly total you are asking about doesn’t reflect the savings of staying in our home, that total reflects averaging in an average Airbnb rate. We give two totals in our 2023 video to reflect both scenarios.
@@WarrenJulieTravel Perfect! Yes, this is what I was wondering about: "...that total reflects averaging in an average Airbnb rate." Thank you for being so gracious with my question. Love following your channel!
I have to smile, welcome to our channel. We talk about it in almost every video, please pick one. We also just did a video a week ago on international health care. As a licensed US agent representing several carriers you can go to our website www.warrenjulietravel.com and run quotes for options. In a nutshell shell we have $1M coverage a $2500 deductible $240 a month on both of us.
Our economy struggling with uncertainties, housing issues, foreclosures, global fluctuations, and pandemic aftermath, causing instability. Rising inflation, sluggish growth, and trade disruptions need urgent attention from all sectors to restore stability and stimulate growth.
Cynthia, why do you think Europe isn't also experiencing these problems?
Totally wrong evaluation of the US and world economies today. I’m retired, Living in Sicily, Travel 4 mos. A year to 1 country at a time. I have NO pension, or inheritance or 401. SS and a lease to own on a condo I sold. Fortunately, I am now a dual citizen, so healthcare, I get in EU. No worries for healthcare is pretty much everything. ’m living the dream. You can do whatever you set your mind to do. 😊
@Stephine-un5zs if you look at charts compared to other currencies, the dollar still out performs them. Meaning it's devaluing slower then other currencies nice try tho
@Stephine-un5zsThe dollar has been gaining strength against the currencies of other major economies. The dollar is strong because the US economy is healthier than those of many other countries and because the Federal Reserve keeps raising interest rates
@@michaelacton6246,the problem is negative news reporting and reviewers who feel compelled to rationalize why they left.
I just turned 65 (retired at 42) and after over a year of traveling in Europe of the last 2 years I am strongly considering living there. It's never too late!
We completely concur! Best of luck on your travels:)
I never looked back either. Safety, walkable, high quality food, low cost and never ending historical sites are all great reasons to live in Eastern Europe.
Well said! Thanks for watching:)
I agree with all of the reasons that you mentioned. We are in Braga, Portugal. Our cost of living is 50% less than in the US. We love the slow life style. Thank you for another great and informative video!
We have heard Braga is beautiful. We are planning to check out the Azores and Madeira this winter. Thanks for watching:)
However, depending on your visa, for most Americans, Portugal taxes even your pension.
I am Ukrainian My husband is an American from Maryland. We do much sailing so we bought a lovely apartment on the Black Sea. Since the war against Russia we left. We debated returning to the States. We did check out Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and Sardinia. We fell in love with both Slovenia and Sardinia. We decided on Sardinia because it's a better fit for our lifestyle. My husband speaks Italian and I speak Ukrainian, Russian, Englislh, and Slovene so Slovenia is still in the running. )))
We love Slovenia. It is a beautiful country and we are so excited. We get to spend over a month there this summer.
Sardinia is on our list in the future! I have actually dreamed of seeing that beautiful island for well over 10 years.
Thanks for watching :)
🇺🇦 ❤
🇺🇦 ❤
@@WarrenJulieTravel,Slovenia is beautiful however it is tough to beat Sardinia.
We left and retired in Colombia after taking an early retirement at 52 and 51. It’s been a great retirement for 10 years . Montevideo looks beautiful. Definitely on the list for a visit.
That sounds fantastic! We have a family member in Colombia. She has been there for over four years and loves it. If you ever want to do an expat interview, we would love to do that with you. We spent almost ten months in Ecuador. We had plans to do a South American tour, but Covid destroyed those plans. Thanks for watching:)
The new retirement for US folks.
Make the money in the US while you have good health and then exit it to live outside of it.
Unlike a lot of people, this has been our plan since 2008. We have loved travel nearly our entire lives and knew we would eventually live abroad. Thanks for watching:)
Exit is the key word,,,lol,,,,I’m 66 years old,,,now,,,,I used to live in swabach Germany in 1969 to 1972,,,,been in the states since then,,,loll,,,,I waited on full social security 🎉🎉🎉🎉November 1st,,,I’m out off here,,,,lollll😂🎉🎉🎉🎉
After 2 years in Albania I share your opinion that it living in the US in the 50s and 60s. Friendly, warm, and safe
Thanks for watching. I truly hope it never changes:) We love the Balkans.
After one year was it difficult to get residency? Do you have to learn the language to get a car there?
I have to say, thank you both, we are in Greece right now and decided to go to Saranda Albania because of you guys lol. We are excited to go and explore. We are from the states and travel in our van all over the states. I think we are spending a lot more on this trip and cost of living because we are just go for a few days in each place but trying to talk my husband into slow travel in Europe and especially Eastern Europe. So thanks for what you are doing. Maybe someday we will be over here full time. I feel so much less stress here then in the US.
We will be releasing a video this week on slow travel by car in Europe: how we pack
Our way of traveling is very different to many others.
I’m so glad you are getting a chance to see these beautiful countries. Thanks for watching:)
We are 67 and 71 , still working, planning to do something like this. It’s never too late. My biggest concern is missing kids and grands.
We keep up with our son via texting, Facetime, Skype and he visits us in different countries each year. Thanks for watching:)
If you are 61 and 71 and still working, you need to stop. Get off the bandwagon and go. Forget the kids and grand kids, you can talk on zoom. You have one life. When someone gets to 71, you are on borrowed time and nobody sat on their deathbeds and wished they saw worked or saw grandkids more. Not one expat in your age group has said they didn't wished they had done this, they all wished they had done it sooner.
@@JayandSarah That sounds like a plan. WE have to sell our house first so we have money to live on. Thankfully, our heath is great.
@@JayandSarahYou are so right. Children have their own life and years before retirement. You are definitely short changing yourself.
Definitely you need to stop working and start exploring the world NOW!! I was 58 and wish I had began my affordable long term slow travel sooner. You will figure out ways to make it work!
When I discuss moving abroad, my family thinks I am crazy and they all think no country in the world is better than the U.S. lol
The US brainwashing. There are so many places better than here in the US.
I think a lot of people think that especially in Canada and the US. I do believe many members of our family feel this way. Oftentimes, if the friend or family member travels, they quickly realize this is not true. The world has so much to offer. Thanks for watching:)
They clearly aren't paying enough attention to what is Actually going on here then
Oh yeah, The cost of living in US owning a home is costing me between $6 to $7000 per month. And the costs keep increasing. Simply stewarding senior dog out and then, I am out of the states. For now, watching videos like these allows me to observe and appreciate your sharing your experience 🙏🏻
We took our senior dog with us to Ecuador. She made it for six months and we were so glad we had her along:) The costs are definitely increasing, and it is just so sad. Thanks for watching and best of luck on your future travels!
MOVE!
My mortgage hazard insurance just jumped from $103 per month to $400 !!!!!!! House is up for sale!
@@leapintothewild wow! 😮
I’m so ready to go! We had planned to do the same as you, then a major health crisis occurred, followed by the lockdown. Now, it’s just me, but I am still even more determined to go. It’s not that the US is terrible, it’s the call of the world! Like you, I have lived all over the country, traveled outside the US many times. I want less emphasis on “things”, and more on a life with friends, beautiful sights, and experiences. I may be older, but I’m far from ready to quit living!
I am so sorry to hear you are alone in the journey now. We interviewed an 81-year-old nomad who is living his best life abroad. He is living on $18k per year and enjoying his life.
We do hope you are able to fulfill your dream and move abroad. Best of luck. Thank you for watching:)
Bless you and your dreams. Definitely any age can do this.
Another wonderful video, Warren & Julie! We moved to Turkey from the US over a year ago and have been enjoying all the sites and the travel ability it has afforded us. You make many good points in your video and always have such great advice. Can’t wait to see more from you guys and hope you’ll come back to Turkey one day. Thanks!
Thank you very much for the kind words. I’m so glad you are enjoying Turkey. We appreciate you watching us:)
Where did you move to in Turkey? I have friends that moved there. I also loved so many locations there too.
I am 47 and my wife is 49. We plan to fully retire in 3 years after our youngest goes to college. Our plan is to move to Europe with our pup and car-travel like you guys. Love this life style.
Three years will go quickly! Best of luck. We enjoy it and think you will too. Thanks for watching:)
Thank you for this channel! Many people can’t afford to live in the United States and need this information. My wife and I are very fortunate not to need to leave the United States but recognize that we’re not typical.
Our pleasure! Thank you for watching!
🥇 Excellent points, fantastic illustrations going along with them…if I wasn’t already convinced, this would surely do it! And the backdrop is also extremely alluring 🙌
Thanks glad you liked it. Yes the location is across the street for us.
I've been to 40 countries as an expat and always planned to retire somewhere in Asia or Europe. But I've been able to reduce my living expenses to $1800 a month (including rent) and it's hard to find anywhere else I can live on less. Now my strategy is to keep the US as my low-cost home base and still travel for 4-6 months. But I have no illusions...every country has its problems including politics.
I am glad you have been able to reduce your living expenses. That's quite an accomplishment. You are correct, every country has its problems. Thanks for watching:)
How do you manage to keep U.S. as low cost home base?
U shall live handsomely in south east asia with $1800 a mnth expenses😅
Often you don't see the problems as a tourist, but only when you live there.😊
@@Unhappy_Nomad_Client What problem do you have in mind? Problems are everywhere. Lol
Warren and Julie excellent video this really resonated with me. I was also in the Air Force stationed in Germany 95-98 and loved it. Hoping to retire in a couple years then slow traveling like you two. Thanks so much for putting out your videos they can often times have a huge impact.
Thank you very much for the comment.
We appreciate it.
Thanks for watching:)
Best of luck.
Hi. I started my YT journey last month. The Slow travel Expat YT were all my inspiration. I want document my 5 year journey to my own financial independence so other can learn and have hope they can do it too! Thank you for your videos and sharing your life!
Best of luck! Thanks for watching:)
We LOVED Albania! We took a trip there in 2015 and all I heard from my coworkers was "oh you shouldn't go there. Haven't you seen 'Taken'? " (no I hadn't but it wouldn't have changed my mind, it's a movie!). I came back with so many stories of the wonderful people and places we visited. We definitely have Albania on our list of places to visit and stay longer next time.
What a great story!
I took a trip with a friend in 2017 to Albania, Montenegro and Serbia and everyone thought I was crazy when I was telling them about how I would be traveling by car and seeing these great countries.
As two women traveling alone we felt completely safe. It was a wonderful time.
Thanks for watching :)
We are 71 and 73 wishing we had made the move 4 years ago. Life and family responsibilities put a kink in our plans. At our age we are concerned about aging in Europe and not having family there. When I was younger I did quite a bit of travel on my own. It just feels different now.
It’s not too late! We have 81, 83 and 85 years old friends doing this. We have done videos with all 3.
You both are SPOT ON!
Thank you. Thanks for watching:)
I'd give you a 100 'thumbs up' when you said you don't want to be "political", if I could. That is just one of the reasons we are looking to move abroad. Glad we found your channel.
Thanks 🙏 and thank you for watching:)
This video really hit home… thank you!
Wonderful. Thanks for watching:)
Thank you so much for doing these videos. I’m learning so much.
You are very welcome! Thank you for watching:)
Great video Warren and Julie. Liane and I hope to see you in Europe soon. 😊
That would be wonderful!
If it’s in Montenegro our house is open to you guys!
We will be in Florida in late March and April.
I agree. Europe called to me. So much so. I'm now a dual US/Italian citizenship. I'm retired living on my SS snd a lease to own condo, I sold in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. LOVE Kotor. Spent 10 days there of 30 days in Montenegro. I would easily live there a few months a year, no problem, in spite of not liking cats😊.
You guys are exactly right on the whole reason to live in Europe. I travel 3 or 4 months a year, 1 month at a time in 1 country at a time. Live is beautiful. Well have to catch up somewhere some time, compare notes. I have a friend who owns a 43 ft. Sailboat, in herzeg-novi. We'll go sailing.
Kotor is such a magnificent city, and it is great that you love it despite not liking cats, lol. Congratulations on the dual citizenship, that is quite an accomplishment. We would love to catch up if we cross paths with you and sailing sounds like great fun! Thanks for watching:)
That's great ~ yes, it is definitely possible! 😍 Your number one is so relatable. What a blessing. Thank you for such great and practical info. Totally agree about preconceived impressions...live and learn!
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching:)
Not retired because we both love our work. (I get paid *a lot* of money to travel and go to concerts). But we sold both of our San Diego properties and moved to Europe. Definitely a good decision.
It sounds like a unique job! Europe is a good decision
Go to the Azores, lived there back in the 80's loved the whole place
We are definitely looking into it. We have a few logistics to work through, but it is at the top of the list! Thanks for watching:)
Great video! We retired from the US to SE Asia last year for similar reasons . Will have to do some slow travel to Europe at some point…looks like a wonderful place!
Cheers! -Javier and Fon
Thank you for watching:) We highly recommend you check this beautiful part of Europe out.
Just early retired five months ago and we're kicking the travel/moving abroad experience around. We have a middle-schooler still at home, so education while traveling will be a big consideration. Really enjoying your videos. My Dad was stationed at Zweibrucken in the early 70's (when I was two to five years old.)
Congratulations! I am sure having a middle schooler with you is a bit of a challenge just like our little dogs. Thanks for watching:) That is really interesting to hear your father was stationed there.
WOW!!! THANK YOU!!! Again...a beautiful heartfelt video. And I'll confess publicly I am one of the fools who believed the negativity re: Serbia. So glad you have opened my eyes. Not just Serbia but on other things. And I want to say one other thing... I know it's impolite to comment on someone's appearance. But since you brought up the topic of aging well and extending one's lifespan.... I have followed you both for years. And you both look better, hotter and healthier than ever. The American Stress factor is a killer. Unfortunately for me I keep getting sucked back in. My apartment in Manhattan sits empty months on end but I can't seem to make a clean break. Anyway all this to say you both are a treasure. In closing, 2 final words... Marigold Hotel. 😉
Thanks for the extremely kind words! We appreciate them and we truly appreciate you watching us! I hope you can break free at some point. Maybe you should sell the apartment and just not look back. Serbia is a wonderful country. We are grateful we gave it a chance in 2017 and again many times after.
Perhaps begin with more time in the Catskills ..
“The American stress” is what I am so tired of. Work, politics, all of it. I’m 56 and my wife is 58. We’re trying to get ready for at least 6 months in Europe and then 6 months in the US. Learning as much as possible. I write this as I am on another business trip searching for the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m fortunate to have a good job but honestly I don’t want to do this anymore. This particular video verified a lot of my thinking. I’ve traveled to 49 states and 18 countries for work and vacation. There is so much more to experience!
@@scottdiussa5659 your message gives me PTSD I had so many work trips myself, I totally feel for you and understand working towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck and God Speed.
Really enjoy your videos. We have slowly started our slow travel adventures and are loving it. We are from the UK but have lived in Turkey for seven years, we also have a family bolt hole in Spain so our plan going forward is to sell our property in Turkey and spend 2x90 days in Spain 3 months in the Balkans and 3 months in SE Asia with the occasional short trip back to the UK
That is awesome! Thanks for watching:) check out our house swap group if that’s of interest. It is slowly growing.
my wife and I are getting ready.
How exciting! Enjoy your travels!
Thank you for talking about the change in lifestyle. We need reminders that American lifestyle of working and owning, IS very American.
You must do that to live there. It used to be a capitalist country before the WOKE LEFT turned it into communism and Socialism.
Well said! As we said, it’s about living to work in the US.
Our mindset has completely shifted in the past four and a half years.
Newer subscriber here. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. Y’all are doing exactly what I’d like to do: a slow travel retirement overseas.
DH and I are tired of the proverbial rat race and constantly talk about retiring at 59-1/2.
While slow travel retirement would totally be my jam, I think DH may take some convincing, but I think he’d come around to it and end up loving it! 😊
It really is such a unique life. Keep working on him:) Thanks for watching!
@@WarrenJulieTravel thank you for the reply! Tell your sweet doggos I said hi! 👋🏼 🐶
Completely agree with everything you said!
Thanks and thank you for watching:)
Very good video. We are planning on doing a 4-6 month slow travel starting in November :)
Thank you! We appreciate it. Thanks for watching:) Best of luck on your new ventures.
I will be going to Romania for the first time in July and actually plan on being in Albania or Montenegro in September. Looking forward to it. May consider staying if I like it
Great places! Enjoy your travels:) Thanks for watching.
I loved Romania. Stay away from Serbia they hate US and British.
Well said. Thank you. I'm going back to Europe for my retirement.
Wonderful! Best of luck in your travels. Thanks for watching:)
Great Video!!! Café culture is definitely one of our top reasons for moving to Europe.
It really is! We feel so very blessed to have the opportunities we do to be in this part of the world:)
📣 WOOOW! Very good video! Thanks for sharing this! 👋🏼 I am a Small Struggling Travel Channel and this video really inspire me to up my self and make better content ☺️
Thanks for watching:)
@@WarrenJulieTravel ❤️❤️
Great video guys. We are both 48 yrs old and early retired. Looking at slow travel and home-basing from a foreign country like you did. We have a 4yr old/12lb Havanese dog. Scared to travel with her but she is healthy and we have no excuse. Thinking Latin America first since we both speak English. Thanks for the inspiration and continue with the great content.
The size of your dogs will make it quite easy. We certainly recommend it! It is amazing how many people speak English in many countries. Thanks for watching. I have a few blogs you might enjoy as one shows several surprisingly pet friendly countries in Europe and another is about traveling with dogs internationally. Check out the website:) warrenjulietravel.com
Great video! New subscriber here. I just retired early (age 56) and my husband retired 3 years ago (he's now 59). I was an Army brat and was born in Germany and spent nearly half of my childhood/adolescence in Germany. I just loved it, and I remember those years with great fondness. My husband and I have discussed the possibility of becoming expats, but we are pretty far apart on climate preferences (I like a sunny Mediterranean climate and he prefers a cooler/wetter climate like N. Europe/Great Britain/Ireland). We are both apprehensive about not knowing the language - like most Americans, we only speak English fluently. From other YT videos I've seen, in the bigger cities anywhere in Europe you can get by with English only. I know when I lived in Germany I picked up enough German to have basic conversations so I suppose that would come with time after settling. I follow JP and Amelia's channel; they have been slow traveling around Europe the last six months, and they really enjoyed their recent visits to Albania and Montenegro for many of the reasons you explained. Both look like very interesting places to visit. I am looking forward to diving into your video catalog and learning more about your expat lifestyle! You both look very relaxed and happy!
Thanks for subscribing:) Once you dive into our videos you will see that Warren and I have EXTREME differences in our likes and dislikes of weather. As a matter of fact, there was a part that was cut out of the video because we got off topic and never circled back, but the reason we travel as we do is because we cannot agree on climates. In 2008, we devised our plan to retire abroad within 12 years and we succeeded in March 2020. We have been slow traveling Europe for over three years and educating people on the Schengen since 2021. I am sure our other videos will educate you more on our lives, but from the beginning we have said we scouted the perfect place to live starting in 2009 and by 2016 we knew there just wasn't a perfect country to suit both of us and our polar opposite needs, so we chose them all! I like the cool weather, mountains and a quieter life. Warren loves hot weather and the beach, bustling cities and crowds. As I said, polar opposites. Thanks for watching:)
I am Austrian and to be frank I prefer to spend my holidays in other Western European countries. The Balkans are fine but public transportation and the roads of Montenegro leave a lot to be desired. I do like two Balkan countries, Slovenia and Croatia. It really won't break the bank if you come west.
With you being Austrian, you don’t have the same hurdles we have with the Schengen. We have to balance our time in all 29 of those countries, so the majority of our time cannot be spent in one of those locations. We definitely get much more time in the Balkans because we do not have to deal with the limitations of the Schengen. The real reality is we spend more time in this area not because of budget but because of time allotment.
Agree, Serbia is the worst.
You should check out Ireland. It is definitely one of the most popular countries to visit both for business and tourism.
We considered it this summer, but we have changed our itinerary and are now heading to Germany and Slovenia.
Thanks for watching :)
@@WarrenJulieTravel Wow Germany! Just curious, why? In one video you got into with some guy because he retired to Switzerland. Germany is also an affluent country.
@@JackDolan-sn6qi first off understand we are living way below our means. The guy you mentioned came off as condescending, pompous and negative about other locations. We don’t see a reason to max out when we are happy with our travel life, and don’t skimp on what we desire. The main reason we don’t spend more time in those “affluent”countries is they are Schengen, we get 90 days every 180 to visit the group of 29 countries. Why Germany? I was stationed there in my military days when I was young and I hope to recall some of my language skills. We will spend a month in the North for Julie’s cool summer, and a week where I was once stationed. Ireland we hope to see at some point but pet travel there is more of a headache. We may do a pet sitter with our dogs at some point and fly for a stay without them eventually.
Me too I left the United States 🇺🇸 Las Vegas Nevada. Im happy 😊 Australia 🇦🇺 Sydney. Never when back to US.
Oh wow! I’m glad you are enjoying Australia.
That’s for watching:)
May I ask how you’re able to stay permanently in Australia? Thankyou.
Albania is a Muslim country. I am a widow. My husband died as we were living in France. I still do. France is good but not so great without my husband. I who would like to meet someone again. Not sure about living in Albania which is a Muslim country. I do not speak Albanian.
You really don't need to speak Albanian to live in many parts of Albania. I am very sorry to hear you lost your husband. We hope you find a place that makes you happy again. Best of luck in your travels. Thanks for watching:)
1 year in Albania 🇦🇱, best plan! 😊
Albania is a great plan. Thanks for watching:)
Excellent video, Warren & Julie! We too love the cafe culture. And we miss the conversations we used to have in the States. Our plans to return to Europe will materialize this fall after we sell our PDX condo. Maybe set up a safe house for our Ukrainian friends, if needed. Thank you! Dean & Cindy
We wish you luck on the sale of the house:) If we cross paths, we will certainly be happy to meet up! Thanks for watching.
Hey Warren and Julie, will you be traveling to Asia or SE Asia? It would be good to get your take on Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. Your channel is great, keep it up!
We have discussed this at length and for us right now with our pups, it is extremely difficult. Prior to retirement, we visited Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines. We considered going to Japan next year, but for now, we are quite happy in Europe and have decided to stay put for a while. We have asked some of our friends who are in SE Asia etc for video footage and their stories, and we hope they will eventually do it for our audience. Thanks for watching:)
@@WarrenJulieTravel Best wishes
excellent points!
Thanks
Thank you for watching:)
Another wonderful video!. I have planned my escape from America for many years and should be out by 2025. Maybe we'll clink glasses someday. Cheers!
That will be here soon! If we cross paths, we would love to meet up. Thanks for watching:)
The property taxes I pay on my home in Croatia is a fraction of the US and at least I can see where the tax money goes. Can't say that about my place in the US.
I am sure it is very similar to ours in Montenegro. Unfortunately, the US has become very expensive. Thanks for watching:)
Croatia has great beaches. Stay away from Serbia.
@@stevan2399why… what’s up with Serbia?
@birdlover7776 Serbs love scamming foreigners, especially English-Speaking. If youre US, people will harass you about US role in 1999 when Serbs slaghtered over 8,000 Bosnians.
Thanks for this video. The best yet.
Wow, thanks!
Another great video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I was at Ramstein Air Force base and didn't like Germany at all, but I admit, it was the late 1960s and the early 1970s. But glad you did!! I want to eat well, too. I so desperately want healthy, nutritious food and it's so hard to get here in Southwestern Utah--I mean, Walmart??!! How I long for large, outdoor markets and eating fresh every day. My undergraduate degree is in archaeology and would love to explore the history and art of European countries. I remember how wonderful my slow life in Maine was (where I was born and raised in the 1950s and 1960s); wish I could go back to that quiet, joyful place. Oh! What about heat and wildfires in the summer? I subscribed!!
The heat and wildfires seem to be mostly in Greece.
Thanks for watching and subscribing:)
I would love to retire abroad.
I hope it comes to fruition for you:)
Thank you for watching!
I live in the US, speak 4 languages and grew up (and could be home again) in 2x European countries. There are 2x main reasons I do NOT consider to moving back to Europe.
1. Lack of health care choices and services in the ‘affordable’ parts of Europe.
2. The ‘issue’ between R & U, which creates a lot of uncertainty.
It is important that you do what is right for you. We love it in so many parts of Europe and we are so happy to be here.
Thanks for watching :)
Great video, thanks for sharing. Media is usually driven by politics, so they have to show that the rest of the world is evil, and we are the best.
Anyways what is surprising in your clip is the cost of living. We were always told europe is super expensive and very high taxation.
We slow travel and don't have residency in a European country. We pay taxes in the US. Our cost of living in Europe has really surprised us too, but as we said we don't live in Paris or Berlin or Rome. If we lived in one of these cities, we could certainly not do it on the budget we have for the past several years.
Sadly, yes, media is driven by politics. We enjoy being away from it all. We do have a plethora of videos on our costs throughout Europe. You may wish to watch a few. Thanks for watching:)
The reason I do not go to Serbia is because they smoke and 2nd hand smoking is everywhere in the coffee culture.
Yes, smoking is very prevalent throughout Europe.
I'm seriously considering selling my mobile home next spring and trying out Albania. I own my place but spend 630 a month on HOA and land lease. It's cheap for southern CA but I know I can live cheaper in Albania or Greece. You can put 35k euros in bank account and get residency in Greece.
$630 per month would pay for a long-term lease in Albania. The summers are more expensive, but there are people who will rent 12 months. Thanks for watching:) Best of luck.
You guys have really come a long way since you were here, and we are proud of this latest video. We are curious, given monthly expenses, and your yearly budget, hope much you draw from your retirement savings, and from what you make from your You Tube channel and other sources of income (like for instance what you make from being a travel insurance broker). Because you probably actually “work remotely”, like digital nomads, which is totally different than those of us who are retired abroad. Thank you for your input regarding this inquiry!
We definitely do not refer to ourselves as digital nomads. We are retired but have found this hobby to be rewarding and fill some of our days. If it starts to feel like work, we will definitely take a break and reconsider if it's worth continuing. Most people sign up without needing assistance through our website. I do assist those who need more attention. We certainly do not live on this income or that of YT. The amount we receive varies greatly month to month and is not something you would call a consistent stream. Some months we may receive $500 combined and other months $1500, though those are rarer. On average, we probably have about $1000 from all sources, YT and insurance. We may do a video on how much YT pays. We don't dare try to average this out to an hourly rate because that would be demoralizing, lol. This is a hobby. If we did this for income there are a lot more things we could do for a lot more money. We enjoy the gratitude we receive from our viewers, and it keeps us motivated. The biggest perk is we are constantly meeting up with viewers and having time to socialize and have a coffee etc. We have met wonderful people through our channel as we have traveled. We do talk every month whether or not we will continue the channel or not continue it. Sometimes, some of these videos can be upsetting. We shared our best months income on a FB post not long ago.
We hope you guys are doing well:)
@@WarrenJulieTravelI’ve not been here for long, but I have LOVED finding you and your channel! Our house is up for sale, and taking this time to organize the multitudes of info I’ve collected over the past few years relating to each country, visas, locations, sites, etc., and get caught up on all the medical visits we couldn’t make during covid. We’re just off a lake in a rural area with a ton of pricey vacation homes, so the value has almost tripled, but slower to sell so trying not to waste this dead time - all while keeping everything tidy for showings, so can’t drag out too much sewing and such! Lol But have downsized already with just some collectibles to post and sell, so trying not to be too impatient. But my 81 yr old mom and I are READY TO GO!!! Thank you for sharing so much wonderful info!
I lost over $75k when everything started to tank. Not because I was in an exchange that went belly up. I was just stupid to hold and because that's what everyone said. I'm still responsible. It just taught me to be a better investor now that I understand more of what could go wrong. It took me over two years of being in the market, I'm really grateful I found one source to recover my money, at least $10k profits weekly. Thanks Patricia Annie Brooks
Wow. I'm a bit perplexed seeing her been mentioned here also Didn’t know she has been good to so many people too this is wonderful, i'm in my fifth trade with her and it has been super.
You trade with Annie Brooks too? Wow that woman has been a blessing to me and my family.
YES!!! That's exactly her name (Annie Brooks) so many people have recommended highly about her and am just starting with her from Brisbane Australia🇦🇺
I'm new at this, please how can I reach her?
Her good reputation already speaks for her .I’m also one of the beneficiary of Annie Brooks. So happy I gave it a trial after being skeptic of the process.
Love the scenery behind you. So peaceful. The US has too much stress and obsessing over the best greatest thing. Maybe it’s an aging thing 😊 I sensed in your videos it’s more relaxed. What’s the weather like? Thanks for sharing.
We love Montenegro and it is a much slower pace of life there. That is across the street from us, and it is quite peaceful other than the summer months. Thanks for watching:)
@@WarrenJulieTravel What's the best month to visit to escape the crowds and have nice weather? I assume winter is quite cold.
October is perfect and April and May
I understand your points as to why you left the USA. For me, money was never the issue. I always planned to move to Greece. I am of Greek ancestry. I also love sailing the islands. We live on our boat. My wife is Greek. I also speak Greek fluently. Frankly I'm of the opinion that to know and understand a people one must live there and learn the language. I know many American expats who befriend other expats. Nothing wrong with that, it's just not for me.
We do our best to learn words in each language of each country, but it’s quite tough.
It sounds like you have a lovely existence.
Thanks for watching:)
Hello guys., I just admire your enthusiasm., 👍 Thank you for sharing your experience with us 🙏 I’m planning to do the same .,,
Best of luck! Thanks for watching;)
I’m glad I found this💓 I’ve been thinking about living abroad for years. I have a military pension- not much but something. Would be nice if it stretched further.
I hope it works out for you to move abroad. Best of luck!! Thanks for watching:)
16:39 Love that sailboat ⛵️ in the background. 😊 what great points. 👍
I have / had similar thoughts about Eastern Europe. Your videos are helping change that. Thanks 😊
For some reason I thought your car was called Tabby not Abby. 😳🤔 Or it's just my bad hearing. Either way your videos on how you came to own and be able to drive a vehicle are very insightful. 👍
Abby is short for the Abyss because she has so much storage space:) That sailboat really is beautiful. I am glad you are enjoying the content and getting something out of it. Thanks for watching.
❤
Thanks for watching:)
Im wondering if your international health insurance covers the over-70 seniors? I’d like to drop my Medicare in favor of an international plan. Thanks, and great and inspirational videos 👍
I normally don’t encourage dropping Medicare. There are plans for over 70 but they get pricier with age unfortunately, and can have limitations. The plus side is medical out of pocket is much lower than in the states in most locations so the limitations are typically not stressful unless you seek treatment in a high price country like the US. Adding US coverage ratchets the price up in an international plan considerably.
Oh my...you're giving out the secret!!!😅
Thanks for watching:)
I agree with you guys our life style here in us not healthy and I am trying my best to get out of here. I will reach out to you for insurance information
We wish you luck! Thanks for watching:) I appreciate your consideration for insurance through me.
My wife and I, US citizens, are retired and also doing slow travel. We own a home in Spain. We can only stay for 3 months in the Schengen then have to leave for 3 months. So no we are in Turkey, Ireland, then Scotland and UK for 3 month’s before returning to our home in Spain. We have no desire to be students, business or be employed in order to have a resident visa. On the other hand we are considering applying for residency in Spain so we can stay as long as we want. Do you have any videos and/or info to that effect? Great videos by the way. You, as a couple, along with others doing the same provide excellent information. Great job.
Thanks for watching. We have not done residency videos in Spain. We have them in several countries but Spain is not one of them.
Just FYI, we just started a new Schengen shuffle house swap group on Facebook.
I mentioning it in the event you wanted to consider something like that.
Our goal with this group is to help facilitate people like ourselves who own a homebase and shuffle in 90 in the 180 we own in Montenegro. We already have two house swaps.
This group is not for profit. There is no membership fee.
It’s called WJT Schengen House Swap
We did a video about it too.
Live Abroad For Free? Try Home Swapping For 30+ Days! | WarrenJulieTravel.com
ua-cam.com/video/u7lJUCaN75w/v-deo.html
Have you tried Moldova? It's dirt cheap. The food is delicious and the wine is superb.
It’s on our list. We hope to visit in 2025:)
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Technically on paper my husband and I are millionaires. We are not staying in the US.
There’s a beautiful world out there to explore! Thanks for watching:)
I am 42.... I hope to retire at 50.... I just wish I could do it sooner.
It will happen before you know it! Time flies. Best of luck. Thanks for watching:)
Thank you for the informative video. That view of the lake is so relaxing . How much time should I plan for downsizing, selling my house and getting rid of stuff ? One year?
Even faster 6 month
It really depends on how quickly you can sell the house. Once we started our process, we left in six months. It was a plan since 2008, but the finalization came in 2019. Thanks for watching:)
but a difference is you have each other. For a single person, the constant travel keeps one from forming solid friendships. You are much more lonely if single (even often living in america this i a problem for retired singles). So how would THAT part be managed for single travelers? Even you must sometimes miss having other friends, yes?
We know a lot of singles that thrive traveling, and we’ve seen couples fail. Sometimes having a mate limits you from doing what you want to do, or doubles the chance one of you will be home sick etc. however having someone to share the adventure with and experience is a plus in our situation. This said you can always look for a like minded person to join you to get your feet wet. Here is a video we did about loneliness and travel you should watch. Overcoming Loneliness and Boredom: Expat Life Hacks
ua-cam.com/video/zRrf5cOYUuA/v-deo.html
Excellent video. Another eye-opener. Thanks!! Born and raised in the USA but now in mid-60's and pretty sure there's now a better place to play out the home stretch. btw, it would be great if you could do a video about income tax considerations in a situation like yours (ie living in multiple countries). I assume you are still US citizens but wondering how your travels impact which country(ies) wants your income taxes? 😀
Thanks for watching:) we will keep that video idea in mind.
Best of luck to you.
I am planning to do the same as you did. Would be grateful if you can share your details in all counties that you stayed before.
Thank you for watching our channel, please feel free to look at our extensive library of over 300 videos on these topics. They are quite extensive. Thank you.
How do you avoid having to leave the Schengen zone every 90 days? Do you have a dual citizenship that allows you to stay? If not, where do you go for the additional 90 days?
They do the Schengen shuffle, watch their videos.
We stay for up to 90 days in the Schengen and then "shuffle" to a non-Schengen country for another 90 days. It is important to have a third country in the mix. Thanks for watching. We do have a lot of content on this subject as we have been doing it for over three years.
Imagine how much you would appreciate a country and its culture if you knew the language.
Yes, I am sure we could appreciate a country and it’s culture if we knew the language, but that would be nearly impossible for us to do with the lifestyle we leave. We would have to know dozens of languages. Thank you for watching.
@@WarrenJulieTravel in Europe many offers us are multilingual. Don't you Americans have a saying, can't means won't?
@@DaphneProst have you ever watched any of our videos besides one? I really don’t think you understand what we are doing and our lifestyle.
@@WarrenJulieTravel,a couple.I just think you are missing out on a lot.If your truly want to learn about a country and its people stay 3 months. That's a start. If memory serves you own a property in Montenegro, that should be incentive to learn the language. What about Serbia and Bulgaria? You thought they had investment potential.
We people from Serbia welcome all good people even Americans and a lot of people speak english, Warren and Julie such a nice couple me and my wife we also retired and now travel around Europe and don't listen to the mainstream media, Croatia Montenegro and Bosnia also very hospitable so feel free and travel South East Europe good people are the same worldwide
Thank you for the kind words:) We love Europe and especially the Balkans. Thanks for watching.
Come to south east asia to retire.Cheap n good amenities in tropical climate😊
@@kamrulz659 too humid too hot for me
Serbs want Americans to leave.
@@Unhappy_Nomad_Client Arogant Americans yes
I am selling my house in USA and will move to Europe. I am from Europe originally.
Best of luck. Thanks for watching:)
You don't need to be political no matter where you live. What about family? I really want to live abroad and slow travel around Europe & Asia.
It’s dangerous for America to not be political in the US today.
Our family is in many states. Our son is in Florida and has visited us abroad on several occasions.
Actually, while living in the US, I found that being neutral was not accepted. You are forced to have an opinion and others ram their philosophies down your throat. For example, why am I required to address certain people in a plural form forced to call a single being they or pretending not to notice that a man dressed as a woman is actually still a man...
And so on. So no, there are places where being apolitical doesn't fly.
@@Jughead24perhaps rural areas or in states isolated from the greater world, and life…as it is around the world …
@@webwhisper2701 I live in between rural Greece and seaside Thailand ....
Because the West is dead🙂
what a nice video! informative, I wish I could have early retirement in the future too! btw, you moved to Europe with dogs and what about your kids?
Thank you for watching. Our family visits us in Europe. They are grown adults:)
I love traveling. I love the concept of slow travel in retirement but I doubt I’d ever permanently leave the US. 1. We have lifelong health insurance thanks to military service. 2. Our children and parents are here. (Well, most of them. One daughter lives in the UK.) We’re in the sandwich generation. Our family relies on us and I see that increasing as our parents age. 3. We can afford to maintain our home base and slow travel.
We hate the political issues but we know that’s present in many countries. If you choose to ignore it, that’s a benefit of not being completely tied to any country and personally affected by their laws. We have children and hopefully grandchildren who live in the US. We will stay as engaged as we need to be to make sure they can have the same rights and experiences of freedom that we did. I do hope, if you are still US citizens, you still exercise the right to vote.
This life is right for everyone. For us, it works well.
Thanks for watching.
Pity you cannot afford a prolonged stay in France. Our cafe culture is the best.
We can afford a prolonged stay in France:) We have lived on less than $3k per month, but that is not our budget.
Brittany was considered for our summer this year, but we chose to stay in Germany.
Thanks for watching.
@@WarrenJulieTravelGermany and France far exceed the FSU.
Pension from US is good enough for Europe. But people from Europe have very small pension there..
Sadly, that’s true
Thanks for watching:)
My wife and I would love to do what you are doing. I just retired and my wife is 10 years younger than me, which is fine, she is ready to pull the plug and retire. My question is around our two small dogs. We would never leave them or give them up. That will never happen, as I'm sure you understand. As a practical matter how difficult will it be taking them with us, and going from country to country? Thanks...
It is a bit more challenging with dogs than without; however if they are small and can be placed in backpacks or small carriers, it will be much less difficult than our situation.
Our friends are traveling with two dogs who are small enough to travel inside of the aircraft. They have had no issues taking theirs in public transportation. One of our dogs grew larger than we expected, so we had to change our plans and drive throughout Europe.
I would never suggest you leave your fur babies behind and in the same sentiment I would never let having them stop me from taking the leap.
We had completely different plans before adopting Arya, but I think the lifestyle we have now is very special and I feel blessed to have it.
Obviously, there are more costs involved with dogs along, but our veterinary bills have been 10% or less here than the cost in the US.
Thanks for watching:)
We have done videos on this subject and I have written a blog about it. The videos are not our best work, but they are helpful.
Understand it is doable once you are in Europe , but how did you manage to fly your dog ?
We can’t find any airlines to fly our dogs due to their size . Dogs basically have to be the size of a cat to travel .
Where are you starting your journey? Which state? My suggestion is to look for your easiest route. For example, we flew from Ecuador to Florida to say goodbye to family and friends. We picked up a one-way car in Florida and drove it to JFK where we flew direct into Serbia. Now, this is not possible with a larger dog because they don't offer cargo, but plenty of airlines will offer it. The thing to focus on is your easiest country to land in and then move from there. I hope this helps. We have friends who flew from Dallas Texas to Sofia Bulgaria with an 80-pound dog, so I know it is possible.
You can't buy a seat for them?
@WarrenJulieTravel my dog is 20lbs, could she fly in the plane with me? I wouldn't want to put her in cargo for thar long. I've read horror stories of dogs dying in cargo.
You make think this is crazy but consider sending them over on the Queen Mary2. The upside is you get to go too! That was my plan until my beloved Cleo crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
You might not like to hear this, but sometimes you have to give up your dog to make life happen. That is what we did, left her with family as their new pet. We would not let life be put on hold for a pet.
If I’m hearing correctly it sounds like your monthly costs do not include rent or a mortgage. Do you have a sense for what you would be paying to rent your current home? I think you’ve mentioned it in other videos, but I can’t recall the figure and am curious what to budget.
Please watch our annual or four year budget video. We add $1200 to our monthly budget in Montenegro minus utilities when explaining an annual cost. For Montenegro as a couple $2400 would give you an equal quality of life if renting. If single $1800 would suffice.
@@WarrenJulieTravel I have watched those. I’m asking if the $2,939 four year monthly average you quoted includes time spent in the property you own in Montenegro rent free, and if so how many months of the four years did you spend in a house you own?
@@stancimarch3236 we spent 8.5 months in our home total through 2023 over three full years 36 months in Europe (2021-2023) We should exclude our 2020 in South America, while we owned we were not on the continent. We have been here two months so far in 2024, and intend to be here more often going forward. We expect to spend around five months in 2024, and intend to spend a similar time going forward. This may be more information than you asked for. But to be clear that monthly total you are asking about doesn’t reflect the savings of staying in our home, that total reflects averaging in an average Airbnb rate. We give two totals in our 2023 video to reflect both scenarios.
@@WarrenJulieTravel Perfect! Yes, this is what I was wondering about: "...that total reflects averaging in an average Airbnb rate."
Thank you for being so gracious with my question. Love following your channel!
We appreciate you watching us:)
Im waiting till November and make my move full social security,,,and sell everything my house and all the materialistic things,,,lol,,,,😊
How exciting! Best of luck. Thanks for watching:)
What do you do about healthcare?
I have to smile, welcome to our channel. We talk about it in almost every video, please pick one. We also just did a video a week ago on international health care. As a licensed US agent representing several carriers you can go to our website www.warrenjulietravel.com and run quotes for options. In a nutshell shell we have $1M coverage a $2500 deductible $240 a month on both of us.
Hello.First time I watch your video .Can I ask where exactly you are located in Europe?
We home base in Montenegro, Kotor Bay is behind us. Montenegro is a small country in Europe on the Adriatic.
Grown Kids how do you do that? Do they visit you?
Yes, our son has visited us in three countries. Next year we will be there to see him in the US.
… most kids as they grow up - live their own lives …