Counting Our Blessings Retired in Costa Rica

This is my 40th column for WeLoveCostaRica.com and I’m driven to reflect on our good fortune.

After my last column featuring Malcolm and Angela starting their adventure in Costa Rica, I had several emails from readers in the USA, including some former guests who had found their perfect retirement spots and returned home to realise their assets, but then the global financial crisis descended and they’re stuck with no light in sight.

All had a common theme – ‘still praying we’ll make it to Costa Rica when things get better’. Its really sad that good people who have worked hard all their lives now find their dreams shattered through no fault of their own; we feel for them.

Back home in the UK, the government is extending retirement dates so older people work longer, not because there’s a shortage of workers but as a mechanism to contain the pensions bill. And the Unions are taking on the Government about proposals to end the public service final salary pension scheme and introduce a ‘career average income’ (lower!) scheme instead.

So, work longer for a smaller pension! Private schemes are equally crippling, and crippled. Austerity measures (polite term for savage budget cuts!) are being made across public services and former colleagues who would love to come on holiday are tightening their belts for fear of redundancy. Hence, the global mess is hitting both our real estate and tourism and Costa Rica is feeling the pain.

On the reverse side of the immigration coin, those who want to leave are also having a hard time. I’ve often read articles on WeLoveCostaRica.com that imply that those who leave have somehow not succeeded in building happy new lives in Costa Rica, but that is not necessarily the case.

Just as we came here for an adventure in the third stage of our lives, there are people who want to continue their adventures elsewhere.

That dream is frustrated for close friends who can’t sell their property – a beautiful home, fantastic garden, in a perfect location and at a bargain price. As Scott’s newsletter last weekend illustrated, there are terrific properties for sale at bargain prices across the country, all just waiting for that one buyer who decides its their ‘perfect spot in paradise’ and has the money to close the sale.

Between news and emails from friends up north and over the pond, there’s hardly a week goes by when we don’t count our blessings.

We managed to sell up before the market crashed and take the leap into our adventure here, retiring early with (just!) enough money to survive until the final-salary pensions kicked in. And add to that, we post-war Baby Boomers had the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, and Women’s Lib and the Pill… and we had a ball!

Sure, we worked hard and paid through the nose for our mortgages and scrimped and saved when we had to, but with secure jobs, we never really feared for our survival.

Heaven only knows when the tides will turn but for now, we’ll keep our fingers crossed and keep sending positive vibes to all our friends who are determined to have their dream adventure in Costa Rica. Its wonderful and it will wait for you!

I hope you like the bugs, somehow they suit this column – metaphors for the B*******s who created all this turmoil ! (Which one’s the banker??)

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Written by VIP Member Sheelagh Richards. Sheelagh is originally from Scotland and her husband John who is from Wales are two inveterate British travellers who fell in love with Costa Rica, the beauty of the Talamanca mountain range and the perfect climate of the Rio General valley where they have established a small Bed & Breakfast called Casa de Los Celtas.

You can see more about John and Sheelagh’s very affordable B&B outside San Isidro here and photographs and prices here and you can also see a free online video interview with John & Sheelagh Richards here.

Please contact our Recommended Costa Rica Realtors working in the area: James Drews, Daveed Hollander and John Wieland, by using the simple form below and they’ll send you:

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.