Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
The major group of people who molest children are not strangers, but friends and relatives of the child.
Koty, a B&B should not be part of your home under any cirumstances. If you have to make it part of your home then it is a boarding house not a B&B. Most B&B’s have their personal accommodations private.
You can decide what type of business you want. This is not a business you just go into because it sounds good. You need to know something about it. You can have a place where anyone and everyone just drop in when ever they want. Or you can make it exclusive, by saying reservations only, all guest that stay with us have to be included by name in the reservation.
Do not allow fear to determine your life. Fear kills more people then drugs, cancer, heart attacks and diabetes. In fact it causes these things.
Why would you bring a banana to Costa Rica. No fruit, most countries will not tolerated you bringing fruit in.
Every year I return home and every year I get on the air plane with boxes of everything that is possible to carry. The will allow anything to come threw but cow (smile)and some people have managed to bring that. I am a suspicous person and they always check me. It never fails, we bring everything, just everything. If you like chocolate, bring it with you, if you like cake mix bring those 75 cent boxes of cake mix with you.
They do not have cake flour, Calumate Baking Powder is expensive here. Borax for ants, pack it. I dont even know what they call it here. You know the 20 mule teem stuff. Jerky, if you like jerky, bring some, sausage such as smoked polish or other seasons sausages, you can bring it, cheeses, bring them. Cajun seasoning that I need, bring that. You can bring it and it is worth paying extra weight, you will still save money. Bring some good corn seeds, collard green seeds, swiss chard. The las trip I purchased grass seed, I needed grass that grows in the shade. If you use support hose, bring them, if you use blood pressure machines and all that stuff, bring them because they are expensive here.
I have got to go to bed, it is late and I am sleepy. Just bring everything, if you bring meat pack it in hot ice. Many people do that and they never bother them.
Poultry seasoning, this time of year.
You just need to take time get good quality workers. We did not speak Spanish and they did not speak English but we managed. We pay a very good salary and so we have not had turn over. We take a loss or have taken one because we offer our workers steady work. We have managed to make them feel that our success is theirs.
Charles and I do not work hard, we got staff to do the work. We are retired and have no intention to work hard. I love to socialize and Charles enjoys me talking to others so I will not talk his ears off. We offered three people who had not job, good jobs.
We, have lived overseas before and knew what to expect. Neither of us get frustrated because our Spanish is okay and better today then it was 4 years ago, but I just keep talking until they give up and agree with me.
Do not worry about speaking Spanish, you know how to speak money and you will know when you are being snowed or over charged. Our workers have helped us a lot, we appreciate it very much.
I have no intention to work at this age, people need jobs here and we sure know how to put people to work. Good, quality people. We are members of the local church here and that has been our connection. We have established ourselves in the community. That is as important here as it is at home.
Okay, and you are certainly welcome. Let me know when you hit the ground in Costa Rica. Sure hope your transition will be a pleasant one.
In Costa Rica they have private schools that are not the North American or European expensive private schools. We sent our grandson to one and it was about $125.00 per month . It was great, he learned the language very well but some customs were more difficult for him to adjust to. When you come, ask in your community and someone will direct you to a private school.
The school year starts in February for most schools, so if you come in April, that will be late and may be a problem. It will mean your children would be going to school almost a year without a break.
Furst moving here with children that old are you going to live around other North Americans with children. If you are not dont even worry about healtcare, your children will make you choose to return home. It is very difficult for children to come out of the 21 century and move back. When they find out no bowling, no rollerskating, not local Taco bell, let alone no all you can eat buffet. Well, you can try it, but it is not going to work, they are to old, if 6 and 7 sure a possiblity.
Now you can call that negative and not a positive. Coming to Costa Rica for a few months can be an expensive vaction. Come here and live, find out how you would live and answer all the questions you have yourself, before cashing in selling everything, shipping cars and coming over.
The time frame for those who come over in your category, unless their job sent them here and everything is set up for them, the time frame is about 7months.
You can check those statistics. My grandson came and stayed for 4 months and he let us know that he enjoyed us but that there is nothing to do in Costa Rica. In comparison he is correct. Gymnastics, movies, music lessons, dance lessons, football, basketball etc. Well try it.
Marcia, just go to your champva office in your area. They will fill you in on everything that you will need. Also if you are getting a pension from the military, they will pay it over here now but only in Colones. So, check on that and please do not forget VA. If you have ChampVa you may not have to pay that 25%. You are covered under both systems.
Anything just ask. Jenny
Most Costa Ricans that try BBQ love it, along with baked bean and potato salad. If someone opens a BBQ shake, I am sure they will get customers. BBQ chicken wings are a constant request when we have celebrations with our TICO friends. Chocolate cake and BBQ chicken wings. The only problem is you can not spice them up to much.
Love good BBQ, please keep us posted. Where is that place located in San Ramon that has Ham? Do you have a telephone number for the butcher shop? We thought you could only get ribs from PSM but we found a local butcher that sold them for half the cost.
Last year someone quoted me the price of ham and I almost had a smoke house built (smile).
Marcia, what sort of questions were you asking. My husband and I use ChampVa. You can fire away, I think perhaps I can answer most of your questions. A few statemenst, make sure your information in DEERS is current and you can even notify them that you are moving to Costa Rica. It is not necessary but they may have some information available for you.
When you move to Costa Rica you will be covered under TRI-Care standard so that means you will have to pay 25% of the first $1,500 for single and $3,000 for married or family. The 25% is not bad because cost in Costa Rica are so much lower. That would include payment for medication also.
It is funny,Marcia if the doctor is paid directly his charge is about $35.00 and if he is paid through ChampVa they are paid $75.00. I hate that part. So sometimes I just pay and send the bill in for reimbursement. My medical needs are not very great, but I have used the service and it is comforting to know it is available.
You have to sign up for medicare when you get 65 or you will not be covered. You have no choice even if you do not intend to ever return to the United States and medicare does not cover medical cost out of the USA.
We have had some problems with the administration because one organization that was handling the ChampVa was found in a fraud situation. More or less their hands in the pot. So that put a wrench in the system for a while.
Jim and Jo Ella are very nice people and you can reach Jo Ella by E-mail. If you would like that e-mail address, let me know.
Did someone say B&B for sale. Got one doing business in good shape, well known, great client referral base. Waiting for the right offer. We will just wonder off into the Sunset. Just a cool $650,000 , we are not greedy. Put it in a brown paper bag and come on. All we need to take are the two suitcases we came to Costa Rica with. We will even throw in the 12 passenger mini van, pots and pans, license, telephone pbx system, highspeed internet, 3 excellent workers. All I need is Charlie, he has been my mate for 45yrs and I have to keep him with me.
Serious, I wish you the best in finding the B&B you want to purchase. We have been doing business now for over 4 years and it has been very intersting and a lot of fun.
You may not find a B&B for sale on the internet, but within each area there are B&B’s some need minor repairs and some need total renovation. There is one close to me that is actually a hotel, it is not making any money and it is poorly managed. Location, is excellent and I think if someone made a good offer the guy would sale. It has 12 rooms and one apartment a conference room, swimming pool and gym. It needs good management , the owner is Tico, he is in the USA and trying to run the business from the US.
The name of the place is Healthy Day Hotel in Grecia. It may be worth checking out. It is beautiful but it needs updates and repairs. The reputation is not so great but that can be worked out, if the price is right, it has a great location.
The best deals are not necessarily the ones you see advertised. Real good ground work and patiences will get you a great deal on a B&B. Many people start this business but find that they really don’t like people very much, or they can not afford it any longer and a lot of other reasons. It may take you 3 months or more to find that great location and good deal but it is here. Believe me, there are some deals here. We love to share our experience and information.
Please dont let what Scott said to me be misunderstood. He was not talking about stopping the wonderful news and good information about the subject. The subject was and is financing, and not my error, that was the subject that was discontinued. I accepted the correction and Scott was saying lets move on. Our purpose is to help each other and not to argue.
Ive accepted the correction and agree, lets move on with great information as you have done. The information on financing is very important, so please dont allow what I did or say stop others from getting valuable information.
Jenny
Just make an offer and you would be surprised. Nothing is impossible, if you dress it up and present a proposal. You will be surprised. There is opportunity, you just have to ask and make an interesting offer, and be confident.
Some people that have offered have been successful. There is a guy in our community that purchased a house and the owner a Tico is financing him. He put about 35% down and the loan is 8% over a 5 year period.
Another farmer in our community has 160 acers for sell and he is willing to accept 50% down and payments over a period of years. Not many people are purchasing large amounts of land. So if they get someone to make them a serious offer they will accept it. I guarnatee you
