We’ve all heard the commercials over the years and if you’re like me, you’d thought...yeah right!!!
We’d put our monies into savings accounts only to discover interest on our savings wasn’t going to get us anywhere (even with the new Canadian tax free savings accounts) and the little you do get from those glorified banking systems only seem to get lost come tax time.
We’re told pay off your debit and mortgages! But our pensions, unlike our parents and grandparents do little in our retirement when you can’t afford to pay for the ever increasing costs of hydro, cable, insurance, gas, oil, taxes and property taxes. And then there’s the decision fix the old car or fork over a small fortune for a new car that isn’t made as well as the old ones.
Maybe stock markets could be the answer? No, for us they were tooooo volatile.
Or the ever tooted RRSP’s? Now there was a joke we all took hook, line and sinker! Even if you’re money grew, you got hit come tax time when you want to withdraw your own cash! Not to mention that you’re told when you can and when you have to take it out.
And why is it that we go to an RRSP specialist, turn over our hard earned cash, wait and watch it loose money. Then we’re told, ‘That was last year! This is a new year,’ and without saying it, they mean, ‘don’t blame me, but let me try it again.’ No, that wasn’t going to work either.
Real Estate and income properties seemed the most secure. Buying and selling seemed to have worked over the years for us and we were helping the economic community by hiring Lawyers, Real Estate Agents, Insurance Agents, Mortgage Brokers, Home Inspectors, Movers...rehooking up television, internet/cable, hydro and gas. Yes, this seemed to work for us the ten times or so we sold and moved (not counting the misc. income properties we didn’t live in.)
So, taking hubs’ modest pension, selling our properties and selling off almost everything else, we found the way to get that lil’ slice of paradise...and no, not in Canada...in Mazatlan.
We didn’t purchase a new, expensive condo in the ever expanding ‘tourist area’. Nor did we choose the ‘fixer-uppers,’ been there, done that. Instead we choose a new house, yes big enough for 2 and a few guests, in a Mexican community on the hill.
Now, if it were up to hub alone, we would have just rented. Not a bad choice for many as the rents can be downright cheap by Canadian standards, but I like to own. Call it a flaw or a passion; it’s worked well for us over the years. When we got tired or bored, we’ve always just sold...made a few bucks, then looked for something else. It’s not for everyone, but it’s got us here, enjoying a tropical lifestyle we could never have had in Canada.
And as for giving up everything for the sun and sand everyday, there is one drawback...family and friends. A couple of generations ago that would be unheard of, but that’s offset by 2 things today...our vacations now are taken up north and then there’s Skype, the tool that keeps us in contact with all our loved ones everyday (when the internet is working that is)! In fact we end up talking to them more now than when we were living in the same neighbourhood and city.
Would we do all the moves, the packing, the unpacking and overtime shifts again?
In a heartbeat!!!!
Just a few thoughts from 2 Canadians living and loving it in Mazatlan.
Linda and Hubby
