Lower Cost, Healthier International Lifestyles (cont.)
By Peter Macfarlane
Chef Jacques, a seasoned radio and TV presenter, is also the charming and entertaining host of our Recipes for Success seminars which take place in offshore hotspots like Panama, Cancun and Lugano. I hope you will have the chance to meet him one day. Reading about international lifestyles is great up to a point, but there comes a time when you have to get on a plane, and go check it out in person.
That’s why we organize these events two or three times a year in popular retirement destinations like Mexico and Panama. You can be sure that these events are very informative and entertaining, and it’s worth repeating that we do not sell real estate and so our events are not sales pitches for real estate! I always say you can learn more in a relaxed stress-free environment, so that is just the kind of ambiance we seek to create at our events.
Medical insurance is also a major factor in the decision to live a more international lifestyle. Fortunately, health coverage generally costs less offshore, but is just as good. I personally have coverage from Lloyds of London which is arranged through a syndicate in Bermuda and administered from the US. It’s just like dealing with a US company, until you look at the much lower premiums! You can read more about it in the article on International Health Insurance options. You will for example learn the pros and cons of state and private healthcare providers, and the various domestic and international health insurance options.
What about investments? Although you can be sure that millions of families around the world live happily on much less money than you have right now, it will obviously help if you have some savings or capital to keep you going. You need this to produce income. These are not times for speculative investments, and only the brave are staying in the stock market right now. I would say you could afford to play with 10% to 20% of your savings in investments that promise potentially high returns. Otherwise stick with very conservative investments like gold, which is an excellent way to conserve purchasing power. We have an article on How to Invest in Gold Offshore and another article I recommend explains two secrets that you need to know before opening an Offshore Bank or Brokerage Account. There are certain investments you should avoid absolutely – retirees with savings in the bank are unfortunately a frequent target for investment scams.
Many readers these days frequently ask me about sustainable investments, and I know many of our clients are already participating in these. Here’s an example. More and more people I know are looking at eco-friendly resorts, with low water consumption and power from solar or wind energy. In popular retirement destinations like Mexico, Brazil, Spain and the Bahamas you can actually become a wind farmer! The deal is that you invest in the wind generation capacity, and the state will guarantee your income and profits over a period of about twenty years. We are preparing an article now for an upcoming issue of The Q Wealth Report that explains more fully how to participate in this. This is just an example of the type of topic we frequently cover in the newsletter and events. Another interesting investment with a social aspect is Microfinance – I call it fighting poverty with profits. With this win-win investment, you can help contribute to the economy of the country you are living in. Many people in developing countries such as Mexico, Brazil and Panama are hard working and intelligent individuals with excellent business ideas – but because traditional banks in these countries almost never give unsecured business start-up loans, they cannot bring their ideas to fruition. The microfinance business is changing this. Due to way it is run (essentially social networking, relying on peer pressure to ensure repayment) the bad debt ratios are very low.You can consider investing a portion of your company in microfinance institutions that pay excellent interest rates. There’s an article on this in issue 51 of The Q Wealth Report, available for download in the Members Area. If you haven’t joined yet, please consider it – details here. Actually we offer so much more than just a newsletter! Our Q Wealth Experts Panel is at your service, our office is here to answer your questions, and at Q Wealth Events you can learn more about living a healthy and wealthy lifestyle.
What do you do when you get there? If you are retiring, you might want to look at voluntary work such as helping local charities or orphanages. This is a way of giving something back to the society that is going to welcome you as a new member. If on the other hand you are planning to work, you should check out our article about International Wealth Creation, and maybe sign up for our free 12-part course by email called Secrets of the Super Rich. I hope you will find these articles helpful when deciding how to develop your existing or second career overseas. In each issue we try to keep up a healthy balance of including practical how-to information and at the same time more personal growth and wealth psychology inspiration. Because, as my colleague, friend and wealth mentor Richard Cawte who frequently writes for us says, “inspirations make life matter.”
Overall I hope this information has been useful to you, and serves as an introduction to the valuable member benefits that could be yours by joining us.
Peter Macfarlane is the Q
Wealth Reports non-resident banking expert, who also writes
about topics such as personal liberty and offshore wealth creation
opportunities. If you
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Return from International Lifestyles to Investing
