Retire In Mexico Live Better For Less Money by Dru Pearson

But why Mexico, you might ask? The reason so many Americans and Canadians choose Mexico is because they can drive to Mexico in a car. A bigger reason is that Mexico is a bargain compared to the USA and Canada. But there are also a large number of Europeans in Mexico. Mexico is rich with history, steeped in culture, having perhaps a more pronounced culture than any other nation in latin America with the exception of Brazil and Argentina. Mexico has great food, great architecture and many areas with an excellent climate. Mexico is also modern, with better highways than many parts of latin America and an infrastructure that allows foreigners to connect via telephone and internet to the rest of the world. This level of infrastructure isn't available in Nicaragua, nor in Guatemala, and this is a very important determining factor for the retiree who doesn't want to be inconvenienced by inconveniences. 

Mexico is also a healthier place to live because of the food. Fresh fruit and vegetables are always in season and taste so much better in Mexico that you eat more of them. In fact, unlike North American produce that is picked green and allowed to ripen in transit, Mexican produce is picked at its peak and sold in the market the very next day. And little or no preservatives are used in processed food which means you´re ingesting fewer chemicals. 
You will find that life is so much more enjoyable because you finally have time to pursue your hobbies and develop your talents. People who move to Mexico finally have time to prepare the recipes they´ve been saving from gourmet magazines, put the box of photographs into albums, or garden to their hearts´ content in this land where flowers grow all year long. Others develop new interests and discover latent talents when they take a ceramics or watercolor class. There are also innumerable opportunities for volunteer work. Where the author lives in Ajijic, the expatriates maintain a school teaching English and computer skills, manage the only library in town for Mexicans, run a housing facility for the elderly, and assist children who were born with handicaps.
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Retire In Mexico Live Better For Less Money

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For people who love to socialize, there´s probably no better place in the world to make friends. People who don´t work have more time to party! But, even more than that, expatriates, because of their adventurous natures, seem more gregarious than their American/Canadian counterparts. Then, too, expatriates find themselves thrown into a world where they must cooperate and share information in order to survive.

There´s less stress here, too. If you can adjust to the manana attitude and remember that manana doesn´t necessarily mean tomorrow, it just means not today, you will realize that everything will eventually get done that needs doing and with far less frustration. Rather than worrying, go to the plaza, sit on a bench, and watch village life pass before your eyes. You will see a family out for a stroll, a little boy riding on his father´s shoulders while Mom buys her daughter a balloon, you´ll notice the teenage girls going one direction in the plaza while the boys pass the other way, all of them casting furtive glances at the ones they like, and you´ll see old friends who will sit down with you for a chat because they´re in the plaza doing the same thing you´re doing - enjoying life!
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Retire In Mexico Live Better For Less Money Table Of Contents

Part 1- Decisions  Decision to Retire Early  Choosing Mexico  Part 2 - Will You Be Happy in Mexico?  Climate  Affordable Luxuries  Healthier Environment  Never a Dull Moment  Holidays Celebrated Mexico-Style  Assisted Living Facilities Excellent and Inexpensive  Fascinating Places to Visit  Misconceptions About Mexicans	Part 3 - Aspects that Might Take Adjustment Time  Mexico Seldom Quiet Dogs, Dogs, Everywhere  Cobblestone Streets and Parking  Scorpions  Armed Guards  Part 4 - Location Possibilities  Mazatlan - Pacific Coast Beach Town Puerto Vallarta - Pacific Coast Beach Town  Baja - The Desert with an Ocean  Guadalajara - Second Largest City in Mexico  San Miguel de Allende - Colonial Charmer  Oaxaca - Southern Mexico  Ajijic-Lake Chapala - Largest Lake in Mexico
Part 5 - Choosing Your Location  Getting Around by Taxi and Bus Women Traveling Solo  Finding Accommodations  Items to Tuck in Your Suitcase  How to Handle Money  Where to Get Information  Part 6 - Learning More About Mexico Annotated List of 26 Websites  Part 7 - Mexican Paperwork  Tourist Visa FM-3  FM-3 Application Process  FM-3 Renewal Process  Car Insurance  License Plate Confusion  Banking  Necessary Papers for Crossing the Border.	Part 8 - Packing  What to Pack  Packing Dos and Don´ts  Preparing the Menaje de Casa  What to Expect at the Border  Part 9 - Crossing the Border Advance Preparations Map Assistance  Border Crossing Points - Hours of Operation  Three Steps to Get Across  Part 10 - Driving in Mexico Driving Suggestions Kilometers vs. Miles  Don´t Drive at Night  Buying Gas  Mordidas/Bribes  Accident Protocol
Part 11 - Choosing a Rental  Real Estate Agents  Word of Mouth  Village or Country Life  Lease - Important Questions to Ask  Before You Move In  My Renting History  Other Options  Pros and Cons of Buying Real Estate  Part 12 - Settling In  Domestic Help How to Find a Housekeeper or Gardener  Instructing Your Maid  Sample Housekeeper´s Workload  Necessary Cleaning Supplies  A Few Precautions  My Cost of Living Figures  Internet Sites for Cost of Living Examples  Internet Sites for Rentals in Mexico.	Part 13 - Ways to Save Money  Handling the Mail Fresh Produce Bargains  Finding Fresh Bread and Rolls  Where to Go for Meat and Poultry  Cleaning Supplies  Building Supplies  Saving on Utility Costs  Don´t Drink the Water  Medical Insurance  Dental Care  House Insurance  Security Concerns  Internet Service  Cable, Satellite and Star Choice Television  Automobile Costs  Personal Care Luxuries  Part 14 - Quality of Life Personal Narratives " Perpetual Spring " Climate  Freshest Food  Time for Hobbies  Less Stress

Retire In Mexico Live Better For Less Money by Dru Pearson