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Hi,
How about starting a “sticky” for FAQ’s for newbies thinking about retirement in CR?Lurkers – please respond, the more opinions and experiences from different points of view are valuable.
Some background: we will be making our first trip to CR early 2011 to see if we will like retirement in CR. We are on a three year plan to make our decision. If we don’t find a place overseas to retire, it means I’ll work until I die! (Yes, we are paying now for our high living mid-life!)
We will be living a modest standard of living: probably spending no more than $150,000 on a home and will be Pensionados that would like to integrate.
Please help – and be patient with my simple-minded questions. I truly have spent a lot of time on the forum to try to find these answers…
1. What are your guilty pleasures in CR?
2. What do we take for granted in the U.S. that might be missing in CR?
3. How do you connect with expats and locals? (We are not church-goers.)
4. Do you go to the local market everyday?
5. Is internet shopping viable? ie: Amazon.com? I’ve read their Global Shipping FAQ’s but do fees and duties make it not afforadable?
6. Is “tico-time” real? ie: “I’m on my way” means 2-3 days later? I’m not a Type A, so this isn’t a deal-killer.:wink:
7. Since I’m still working, our visits will be limited to a week or two at a time (or three weeks at most) per year. Is this realistic to find an area and locate a home to buy/rent?
8. What should we be doing the next 36 months to prepare ourselves for a successful CR retirement? (HAR, there’s a loaded question!:D ) so I’ll end this round on that doozie!
I welcome private messages with advice and ideas.
Thanks in advance.
1. CHICHARONES
2.Not being from the United States, I cannot answer that questions.
3. & 7. You make contact by communicating.
Try one or more language schools with ‘home stays’ in different areas of the country. Your family will show you the local scene and may even have an ‘uncle/aunt’ with a property to sell. Use the week ends to view properties for sale…there are English speaking real estate agents in all areas.
4. Local markets are usually held weekly, but grocery stores have most essentials.(Maybe not U.S.A. essentials?) If you are in the country, the neighbours probably have eggs and fruit.
5. ??
6. YES
7. LEARN THE LANGUAGE!! Attend at least one seminar by ARCR.
Visit different parts of the country.4. We do not go to the local market every day, but we could.
5. Internet shopping is entirely possible. You can enroll as a customer of one of the mail and freight forwarding companies that work out of Miami and have mail and packages sent there to be forwarded to you. Or for big items, http://www.shipcostarica.com will put them in a consolidated containerized load and bring them in.
Plan to turn off all the paper mail you can.
6. Not unlike some Americans, some Costa Ricans show up on time and others do not.
8. Consider carefully your real needs and your wants. What’s truly important about where you live? Look for such places. Make a number of trips here and stay for as long as possible.
Take the time to learn Spanish as well as you can. While it’s not absolutely critical to speak the native tongue, it’ll sure make things go more smoothly.
Don’t assume anything.
Costa Rica isn’t as cheap as you may have heard.
The national health system, the CAJA, has some shortcomings. Don’t assume that it’ll meet all your expectations.
Think about what’s really important to your life in retirement and be sure you can find those things here.
Think about the physical stuff you’ll want here — household goods, tools, a vehicle, etc. Start cleaning out the stuff you won’t bring and acquiring the things that’ll be difficult to find or expensive here. Plan to ship a container, so start making contacts with container shippers based in Costa Rica.
[b]David C.Murray[/b] I liked your response [i]”The national health system, the CAJA, has some shortcomings. Don’t assume that it’ll meet all your expectations”.[/i] Perfect! Everyone take note.
And definately visit often and for an extended time [b]before[/b] making this big decision.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]4. We do not go to the local market every day, but we could.[/quote]
It actually can be entertaining[quote=”DavidCMurray”]5. Internet shopping is entirely possible. You can enroll as a customer of one of the mail and freight forwarding companies that work out of Miami and have mail and packages sent there to be forwarded to you. Or for big items, http://www.shipcostarica.com will put them in a consolidated containerized load and bring them in.[/quote]
We have family in the States who can forward the small stuff by mail or friends who are back and forth who can bring in books and some of the items that are inconvenient to mail.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Plan to turn off all the paper mail you can.[/quote]
A necessity.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]6. Not unlike some Americans, some Costa Ricans show up on time and others do not.[/quote]
Kick back and relax and go with the flow. Learn Spanish and make friends with some of the Ticos. Some will try to take advantage of you financially so a good Tico friend can prove to be a great value. If I find I can’t depend on someone my Tico friends can help me find someone else.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]8. Consider carefully your real needs and your wants.[/quote]
There are some appliances that are very expensive to buy and repair here. Dryers, freezers and such. We gave up our American washer and now use a Tico washer which is different but we use an American gas dryer when it is necessary. We brought a small chest freezer but they aren’t economical unless you can find decent prices on frozen goods (meat) and keep it mostly full.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Make a number of trips here and stay for as long as possible.What’s truly important about where you live? Look for such places.[/quote]
One in a million shot – My wife and I came down here for ten days, fell in love with the country and the people, found our dream home and signed the contract to purchase within that time. Three years after moving permanently we are totally happy with our situation.:D[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Take the time to learn Spanish as well as you can. While it’s not absolutely critical to speak the native tongue, it’ll sure make things go more smoothly.[/quote]
I’ll second that. We came here with no Spanish but my flexibility and ability to communicate in other ways compensated. Ticos laugh at my Spanglish but it works.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Don’t assume anything.[/quote]
Ditto[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Costa Rica isn’t as cheap as you may have heard.[/quote]
Since January the falling exchange rate has cost about 14% of income from 580 colones to the dollar down to 500. You need to consider the possibility of seeing your purchasing power reduced.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]The national health system, the CAJA, has some shortcomings. Don’t assume that it’ll meet all your expectations.[/quote]
Expectations? Better not have any of those concerning Caja. Wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a week in the main hospital. She needed blamket, pillow, wash cloth, soap, toilet paper, fan (no air conditioning), CD player, bottled water, fork (hospital furnishes spoons only).
UPSIDE: she is cancer free. Many doctors are schooled or intern in the States and can communicate in English. Don’t expect nurses or other help to speak English.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Think about what’s really important to your life in retirement and be sure you can find those things here.[/quote]
If you can’t deal with the Tico diet (rice, black beans, pork, chicken, fruit and vegetables) and are into the American diet it can be quite expensive. Beef here is poor quality unless you pay an arm and a leg for it. I recommend trying a variety of Tico dishes. You might find the the bland sounding rice and beans can be quite tasty and interesting.
My wife has a taste for hamburgers (McDonalds or Wendy’s) Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell and such. She is slowly giving up a lot of that in favor of certain Tico dishes but will never be free of “cosas Americano”.[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Think about the physical stuff you’ll want here — household goods, tools, a vehicle, etc. Start cleaning out the stuff you won’t bring and acquiring the things that’ll be difficult to find or expensive here. Plan to ship a container, so start making contacts with container shippers based in Costa Rica.[/quote]
I brought an entire wood shop and metal working shop and a 1980 Datsun pickup but we gave up some of the household furnishings we should have brought. Our 40′ container cost between $9,000 and $10,000 door to door. We paid $160 per month to store our goods until we closed on the house but brought the pickup out immediately for transportation.Other thoughts: I deal with most needs and have picked up a bit of Spanish. My contact with Americans is almost exclusively through the internet. In Costa Rica it is solely through the welovecostarica.com web site. I know many of the expats here although we have never met face to face.
My wife has a need to see and talk to Americans and has joined a women’s group called Newcomers. Some of the “Newcomers” have been here for 20 years or more. Some are Ticas and other nationalities but all speak English.[quote=”anneliseped”]1. CHICHARONES[/quote]
and Arroz con Pollo, Gallo Pinto and eggs for breakfast. Chifrijos.[quote=”anneliseped”]2.Not being from the United States, I cannot answer that questions.[/quote]
Family. I communicate with the kids, grandkids, brothers and sisters through Facebook. I don’t miss much else but I am not considered “normal”.:wink:[quote=”anneliseped”]3. & 7. You make contact by communicating.
Try one or more language schools with ‘home stays’ in different areas of the country. Your family will show you the local scene and may even have an ‘uncle/aunt’ with a property to sell. Use the week ends to view properties for sale…there are English speaking real estate agents in all areas.[/quote]
We stayed in B&B locations because we thought that was what we wanted to do. We found our home within ten days but that is highly unusual. I would say the longer your stays are the better your chances of finding something that suits you well. For $150,000 you probably wont find a large piece of land but with careful shopping you can find a small American style home. Our place cost about $2.00 per square foot for the land (acre size) and about $50.00 per foot for the house.
The further you are away from the popular places in the Central Valley the cheaper the property.[quote=”anneliseped”]4. Local markets are usually held weekly, but grocery stores have most essentials.(Maybe not U.S.A. essentials?) If you are in the country, the neighbours probably have eggs and fruit.[/quote]
Seems every town population 1,000 or more will have a Pali (grocer). Smaller places have the Pulperias which are guaranteed not to have American foods. Ticos walk or ride bicycles A LOT so there is usually a pulperia within walking distance whare you can find basic Tico foods. All of the towns have a feria or Farmers Market one day a week (the day varies from place to place) that are great for buying fruits aand vegetables.[quote=”anneliseped”]5. ??[/quote]
See David’s response.[quote=”anneliseped”]6. YES[/quote]
Depends on the person you are dealing with. Some can be prompt, others never.[quote=”anneliseped”]7. LEARN THE LANGUAGE!! Attend at least one seminar by ARCR.[/quote]
If you need the contact with English speakers and a social life I guess ARCR can be a benefit.
ARCR is one of those groups who acconplishes things for you behind the scenes. You never find out how things are done. I had an advisor and Attorney who allowed me the freedom of taking things into my own hands for my dealings with Migracion and INS (National Insurance) for my auto and home insurance. I have done the RTV (Reteve or annual auto inspection) with the help of a mechanic.
I am the type that enjoys the challenge of doing things myself and have a need to know how things are done. Not everyone is willing or able to do things like that.[quote=”anneliseped”]Visit different parts of the country.[/quote]
Climate is the key in Costa Rica. No matter where you are on the Pacific side you will get about 8 monthss of rainy season and 4 months of dry season (verano or summer) late November to late March. The dry season is tourist season and travel is more expensive. It will cost $1,000 to $1,200 to fly here in the tourist season and as little as $400 in the rainy season. I suggest you have to try it in the rainy season. Anyone can tolerate the dry season but the rainy season may be more than you want.[b]waggoner wrote:[/b]
“. . . a small chest freezer but they aren’t economical unless you can find decent prices on frozen goods (meat) and keep it mostly full.”
The secret to running a freezer or refrigerator economically is, in fact, to keep it full. When I was selling appliances, we used to counsel customers to fill their freezers with plastic bags of popcorn (styrofoam popcorn would work as well) to reduce operating costs. The more air that’s displaced the less that needs to be chilled.
Oh! And while fresh meats are readily available, frozen vegetables and processed foods are in very short supply. As compared to the U.S., you’ll be in for a surprise.
[b]waggoner wrote:[/b]
“Climate is key in Costa Rica.”
To that I would add that amenities are also critical. If your life revolves around live theater, or if you’re in need of specialty medical care, or if you’re a surfer, those amenities and conveniences should influence your choice of a location. Here in Grecia, we have ready access to basic medical care outside the CAJA system, good access to specialty care at CIMA Hospital, and the occasional live musical performance. But at 4,100 feet above sea level, the surfing is lousy. Figure out what’s important to you and see if you can get it where you’re headed.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]The secret to running a freezer or refrigerator economically is, in fact, to keep it full. When I was selling appliances, we used to counsel customers to fill their freezers with plastic bags of popcorn (styrofoam popcorn would work as well) to reduce operating costs. The more air that’s displaced the less that needs to be chilled.[/quote]
Thanks for the input David. It’s something I never considered.
I would think that popcorn would degrade over time but the styrofoam is a viable idea.
I can’t think of a reason why it would but does it make a difference whether filler is placed at the bottom or the top?
[quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”DavidCMurray”]The secret to running a freezer or refrigerator economically is, in fact, to keep it full. When I was selling appliances, we used to counsel customers to fill their freezers with plastic bags of popcorn (styrofoam popcorn would work as well) to reduce operating costs. The more air that’s displaced the less that needs to be chilled.[/quote]
Thanks for the input David. It’s something I never considered.
I would think that popcorn would degrade over time but the styrofoam is a viable idea.
I can’t think of a reason why it would but does it make a difference whether filler is placed at the bottom or the top?[/quote]
And they’re handy places to store bodies while you’re digging a hole in rocky soil!
Oops, sorry, wrong forum! Never mind…
Jack, if it’s bodies you’re planning to store, then we always counseled customers to go for the chest-type freezers (a minimum of seventeen cubic feet for adults, less for small children). It’s much more difficult to get a warm body to fold up and stay put while you slam the door on an upright freezer, and, because they have only a magnetic latch, sometimes they shift and push the door open unbeknownst to you. Then you’ll have a mess! Of course, this problem can be headed off with a tie-down strap, but then you’re giving away the secret.
And once rigor mortis has set in, unless you’ve preplanned it’s almost impossible to fold one up.
[b]waggoner wrote:[/b]
“I would think that popcorn would degrade over time but the styrofoam is a viable idea.” [and] “I can’t think of a reason why it would but does it make a difference whether filler is placed at the bottom or the top?”
Actually, the popcorn (popped, you understand) will keep for months and still be pretty fresh — fit to eat. [and] It shouldn’t make any difference where in the refrigerator or freezer you store the bags of popcorn. Displaced air is displaced air.
Dead bodies are not a recommended means of keeping a freezer running economically. The stored up heat at the beginning is very expensive to dissipate and it takes a long time. Other things might actually thaw for a while. So be prepared for a net increase in your electricity bill for the first billing cycle. Then it’ll drop off noticeably.
[quote=”DavidCMurray”]Jack, if it’s bodies you’re planning to store, then we always counseled customers to go for the chest-type freezers (a minimum of seventeen cubic feet for adults, less for small children). It’s much more difficult to get a warm body to fold up and stay put while you slam the door on an upright freezer, and, because they have only a magnetic latch, sometimes they shift and push the door open unbeknownst to you. Then you’ll have a mess!
[b]waggoner wrote:[/b]
“I would think that popcorn would degrade over time but the styrofoam is a viable idea.” [and] “I can’t think of a reason why it would but does it make a difference whether filler is placed at the bottom or the top?”
Actually, the popcorn (popped, you understand) will keep for months and still be pretty fresh — fit to eat. [and] It shouldn’t make any difference where in the refrigerator or freezer you store the bags of popcorn. Displaced air is displaced air.
Dead bodies are not a practical means of keeping a freezer running economically. The stored up heat at the beginning is very expensive to dissipate and it takes a long time, so unless you’re planning on very long-term storage, be prepared for a net increase in your electricity bill for the first billing cycle. Then it’ll drop off noticeably.[/quote]
All good points! I’ll discuss these with my shrink,,, errr,,, therapist on Friday.
2 years, 4 months, zero days, seven hours, thirty-four minutes till I can retire!
OK you guys! Back on topic:lol:
Enough with the dead bodies!Great input so far… thanks to those who have responded.
Lurkers! Please respond (even if it’s a PM) We’re looking for the in-depth answers to questions we don’t even know enough to ask!
Thanks to everyone so far.
[b]And I’m not jinxing myself by starting a retirement countdown![/b][quote=”GoingLikeSixty”]OK you guys! Back on topic:lol:
Enough with the dead bodies!Great input so far… thanks to those who have responded.
Lurkers! Please respond (even if it’s a PM) We’re looking for the in-depth answers to questions we don’t even know enough to ask!
Thanks to everyone so far.
[b]And I’m not jinxing myself by starting a retirement countdown![/b][/quote]OK, but altho I’ve seen every one of those questions discussed at (great) length in previous posts, NEVER have I seen an intelligent discussion of the pros/cons of storing bodies in chest-type freezers vs. a standup freezer until now.
[i]I’m just sayin’… [/i]
[quote=”GoingLikeSixty”]Hi,
How about starting a “sticky” for FAQ’s for newbies thinking about retirement in CR?Lurkers – please respond, the more opinions and experiences from different points of view are valuable.
Some background: we will be making our first trip to CR early 2011 to see if we will like retirement in CR. We are on a three year plan to make our decision. If we don’t find a place overseas to retire, it means I’ll work until I die! (Yes, we are paying now for our high living mid-life!)
We will be living a modest standard of living: probably spending no more than $150,000 on a home and will be Pensionados that would like to integrate.
Please help – and be patient with my simple-minded questions. I truly have spent a lot of time on the forum to try to find these answers…
1. What are your guilty pleasures in CR?
2. What do we take for granted in the U.S. that might be missing in CR?
3. How do you connect with expats and locals? (We are not church-goers.)
4. Do you go to the local market everyday?
5. Is internet shopping viable? ie: Amazon.com? I’ve read their Global Shipping FAQ’s but do fees and duties make it not afforadable?
6. Is “tico-time” real? ie: “I’m on my way” means 2-3 days later? I’m not a Type A, so this isn’t a deal-killer.:wink:
7. Since I’m still working, our visits will be limited to a week or two at a time (or three weeks at most) per year. Is this realistic to find an area and locate a home to buy/rent?
8. What should we be doing the next 36 months to prepare ourselves for a successful CR retirement? (HAR, there’s a loaded question!:D ) so I’ll end this round on that doozie!
I welcome private messages with advice and ideas.
Thanks in advance.[/quote]
In order, here’s my input:
1. Although most Costa Rican food is nothing special, fresh local fruits and vegetables are wonderful and inexpensive. Also, I love the Afro-Caribbean food in Limon province (pollo caribbeano, rice and beans, rondon,etc).
2. Personal safety and security.
3. My first couple of years here, I taught English at one of the private universites. The pay wasn’t great but it was a wonderful way to meet people. There are also plenty of volunteer opportunities in many areas of the country.
4. We go to the feria most Sundays. It’s fun and the prices and selection are better than in the supermercados.
5. Internet shopping from the US is expensive and unnecessary. Go native! Find what you need locally or learn to do without. (The one exception, for me, is reading material. English language books are hard to find and expensive. I have an Amazon Kindle and download new books over the internet.)
6. Tico Time is very real, but you’ll adjust.
7. Once you’ve decided on an area, you should be able to find a place to rent without too much trouble. Don’t consider buying until you are more familiar with the country.
8. The most important thing to do now is to begin learning and speaking Spanish as much as possible. Yes, you can live here without speaking the language but you’re really short-changing yourself if you do.
Good luck and best wishes!
I would like to add a couple of comments.
1. I was a contractor in the States and I have had a generally excellent experience here with my subcontractors vis a vis “Tico Time”. Compared with my long experience with construction in the States, I would say that my guys here show up generally on time and the quality of their work has been outstanding. In other words, about the same amount of general “my girlfriend, car, dog broke down and that’s is why I am late” occasional excuses. The same with other service providers.
2. We don’t like the concerns about theft. We were very clear that home break-ins were not uncommon, but living with the fact is not pleasant.
3. We recently had the opportunity to experience the care at CIMA Hospital on an up-close and personal basis. It is outstanding. But be aware: It is not cheap and you must pay in full before leaving the hospital.
4. I so agree about all the micro-climates in Costa Rica. We live in Atenas and live in a little pocket where we experience almost NO issues with mildew or mold which is very unusual in Costa Rica. A terrific plus of our house which we absolutely had no way of knowing until we moved in. We have looked all over the country for over eight years and I think that there are many places where we could happily live, but we are very flexible by nature.
5. Cost of living. Depending on your choices and needs, I am not sure that we are saving a great deal by living here. Maybe 15%, but I wouldn’t say more than that. Especially since the cost of housing has tanked in the States and the cost of housing here in Costa Rica has risen pretty dramatically since we first visited in 2002. If you want to live anywhere near good amenities, be prepared to pay higher rents. I know everyone has a different experience, but I would say that doing your homework on actual costs to live here is probably the most important research that you can do. That said, we LOVE living here!
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