I love Canada but I agree with all the reasons that you mentioned, especially the cost of living and the weather. When we first moved to Canada it was like a winter wonderland and we loved the snow. Now that we're getting older, we are dreading the winter months. My plan is to be a snowbird but I have yet to convince my husband 😃I'm looking forward to your visit to Canada so I can personally meet you both!
It will be fantastic to meet ip for sure! We should be back next summer! Leaving was bittersweet, but we don't miss all the much other than family and friends... and the variety of restaurants and food!!
Yes! We live in the GTA and the past few years have been so grey and gloomy during the winter! We are 56, just sold our home, and heading to Europe for a month, followed by spending the winter in the west hitting as many ski slopes as possible, while we still can!We plan to keep our costs low by travelling in a campervan for part of the year and then travelling internationally part of the year. Love your videos and hearing about your adventures. Enjoy your travels!
That sounds like an epic adventure!!! It would be fun to get Gean on a ski slope, and me too! I haven't skied in years! We are so happy that you're enjoying the video, and we will keep you posted on the travels as well...and we joke you do the same, keeping us updated! Enjoy your time in Europe! 😊
I loved this video! You both are clearly 'each others' person' 🙂 I am heading down to Brasil this week for a quick trip. I cannot wait!! The mornings here in Hamilton are cool now that we are in September. Wishing you both well and glad to hear all is well with you there in Brasil. Craig in Hamilton
@@FIREWeGo I leave on Thursday! Fly into SP but final destination is Belo Horizonte. A few days on the side in Ouro Preto and then sadly coming back home. It will be a quick trip but cant wait for the famous Mineiros hospitality and cuisine ☺ I wish there was time to take you both out to dinner in Joao Pesoa, but we can plan for that next time.....!!
That sounds like a great trip! Gean says to go to Mercadao in Belo Horizonte, try "feijao tropeiro", or "jilo for figado" at the Mercadao. Don't be intimidated by its look. It is delicious. Also, try "pao de queijo" and "cachaca" shots. In Ouro Preto, wear shoes going out due to the cobblestones. If you are into history, you will have a great time. I can't wait to make it there too!!
@@FIREWeGo Thank you Gean 🙂 I am an adventurous eater, and the Mercado Central is one of the first stops being planned! I will eat anything and of course, do a shot (or two ) of Cachaca. We love history and will be doing lots of exploring, so I appreciate the insight on the proper footwear! We have emailed back and forth before, so I will send you some pictures when back. Really looking forward to a good Caipirinha and the fresh fruit that we dont get here. Goiaba, Maracuja, Mamao, etc......cant wait.....for so many things.... Life is good and great to see both blazing the trail. I found you by accident. I had done a trans Atlantic cruise in April and I was watching youtubers and came across your cruise. So glad I found you because being Financially Independent in my early 50s was hard work, but such a blessing when I am finally able to pull the trigger in a few months. Love to see all your videos - Travel and Finance. And the fact you are Canadians makes it even more applicable. Saude 😊🍻
Lol, Gean is looking now at the Mercado Central and salivating over the food! He is suggesting Bar Da Lora is a good one at the market for figado com gilo! And yes, please send lots of pictures, we would love to see them!
Italy actually shuts down for August. Hard to find contractors or buy somethings etc. Our small town in Alberta still closes a lot of stores on Wednesdays. It’s wonderful for just relaxing. Cheers and Enjoy the slow pace of your travels.
Great video as always. We like the idea of leaving Canada during the colder/winter months and coming back in the summer. After moving to the east coast you appreciate the summers a lot more. Growing up 1.5 hours south of Toronto those summers are too hot and humid. Hopefully one day we cross paths traveling the world!
The east coast is definitely a place that we want to visit. Neither of us have actually made it there yet! We would definitely love to meet up one day! Do you guys have plans to travel anytime soon again?
@@FIREWeGo When you make it this way let us know :) We just got back from 2 weeks in Ireland. Next trip will be in Nov or Dec and going to spend 3-4 months in Colombia!
Another sweet part of your story is the life you have together. To have found each other…wow…you won the relationship lottery. All this early retirement stuff is icing on the cake.
All power to you, best decision ever, you will see and time will tell. There's so many places that you can live so much better than here. Wish all the best.
I agree. I think a lot of Canadians are in your situation. We plan to do the same. In our "go-go" stage, we'll have extra money to travel.. and in our "no-go" years, we can even afford help or nursing aides with our savings in other countries. Not gonna happend in canada- because its expensive.
That is true. We have already decided that care as we age will e far too expensive in Canada, and in countries like Mexico, Thailand, and Brazil, are more affordable. When are you guys planning to head out and travel??
@@FIREWeGoyoure from Toronto, we are in Vancouver- 2 of the most expensive places in Canada. We're from the Philippines, we plan to settle there in our no-go days. But for now, we want to see as many places as possible- were still working now but were travelling a lot, recently in Europe. When we retire which is quite near, we are considering staying several months in Portugal, Panama or like you, in Thailand .
All totally valid reasons, and I like what you said near the beginning, Canada is still a great place to come start a life, build wealth or a business or just to become successful. I really feel like there is a trend hating on Canada lately and a lot of people are leaving. There are lots of reasons to leave especially for those of us who have built our lives up to a point we can be self-dependent traveling or living in other countries. Hopefully one day Canada can turn around and become a little bit more of the place we all once knew and loved.
This is so well said, and we could not agree more. Canada has defiprovided both of us with the opportunities and ability to achieve what we have, and for that, we will forever be grateful for! And we may return part-time at some point... though definitely not for the winters!
Love your channel. I will be retiring with a full pension in a few years at 52 years old and I have no financial worries. I hear 100% what you are saying and agree with all of it, but I still believe in this country and am not ready to give up on it yet. Just hoping new political leadership in another years will help bring Canada back to the great country it once was.
Thanks so much! It's great to hear from you 😊 We definitely will never give up on Canada, and we totally agree that it is an amazing place to live! One day, we may return, but we doubt that it will be full-time (mostly because of winter!)
I am the same as you. I am 54 and retiring in 2025. I am a born and bred Canadian and I have to get out of here to see the rest of the world but to escape the craziness of the last decade. I really hope we get a change in the next election. Best of luck with your retirement and happy to hear others think the same way I do.
@macdaddymgiarc congrats on retiring in the next few months!!! Those months are going to fly by, and you're right too, so many places to see and explore!! Best of luck to you as well!
Time Freedom OVER everything else. You both wanted to be free to spend your time however and wherever you want without the financial burden of a home. It all makes sense to me. It’s great to see you both living your best life 😁
Olá! Eu sou brasileira e morando nos Estados Unidos. I am also passionate about retiring early, and living a life of balance now. I have been thinking of the possibility of retirement in Brazil because our money would go further there. So glad I came across your TH-cam channel.
We are so happy you did as well! It's true, our dollars do go far further here in Brazil than back home (the US is when better than Canada!) We are loving it in Joao Pessoa, have you ever been?
@@FIREWeGoI have never been to João Pessoa. Unfortunately, I never had the chance of traveling much in Brazil when living there because my family didn’t have extra income for trips besides going to visit family every year for the holidays. Now, when I do fly back home, I just have time to stay home and visit family because the time is so limited (2 weeks vacation per year, trying to split between visiting family in the US and in Brazil 🤷🏾♀️). I am a nurse, so I even thought about the possibility of only working per diem when I reach my magical FIRE number so I can spend half of my time in Brazil and in the US. I don’t know if you have a video on it, but how complicated is the process of purchasing a place in Brasil while living abroad? If we purchase a place in Brasil, we would prefer in a beach city…we love the ocean.
At 60, I am very close to retiring with my California teaching pension, and I am wishing I had known so much earlier about the possibilities I had available! Twelve years ago my daughter moved to Germany to be an au pair for a year after college and wound up marrying a Germany man and staying permanently. She opened my eyes to travel because it's so easy from there - we've traveled together and separately now about twice a year since then - and my retirement plans changed at that point. California is hard on a single-income wallet and I can't afford to live here on a pension. But I can elsewhere. And I can move where I can actually enjoy my life and still be able to travel! Or maybe I'll be a slow traveler - who knows? I will always call my state my home, but there's a big world out there that's waiting for me to discover it while I still can!
Travel has a way of opening you to new and wonderful possibilities! We can imagine that California can be very expensive as well. The fact that you are open to traveling around, seeing new and exciting places (at a lower cost than staying in California!), will definitely help you manage your expenses! We have already seen a massive difference since being in Brazil 😊 Thank you so much for reaching out!
You have to either embrace winter or move :) I personally like all four seasons and I have little time for those who complain. When I lived abroad I missed the seasons. So now I know that when I retire, I will have to mix things up by spending some time overseas and some time in Canada in all our wonderful seasons. Good for you for choosing to live life on your terms.
It's true! There's no point in complaining. Just change what you don't like 😊 The seasons are great, so we will be back to enjoy them for short periods of time, and then back to different places!
Life is too short for rain and snow when you can live in shorts for 10 months of the year. I haven’t had to wear pants in 5 months and have had maybe 20 days with some rain in them. Far superior than being in Canada 🇨🇦
sounds like a great plan ... you can look into house sitting too, teaching ESL short term contracts and other side gigs to lessen you expenses as needed ... other than that as long as you are healthy, have decent health coverage etc it should be good ... after a quarter of century in Asia we came back to Canada so my daughter can finish high school and university .... also came down with Parkinson's Disease ...nonetheless so after my daughter finishes high school we shall see .... I can't handle Canadian winters either and it is expensive here ... in a few years would like to head back to Asia as a base and explore Europe more ....
The winters are tough for sure, and it is definitely expensive! We are sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but it sounds like you have a solid plan 🙂 And those ideas are great if we need to make a bit more to supplement, or even just fill some of our time! Thank you so much for reaching out!
You're right about the cost of living but in smaller cities it is still manageable.(at least her in Québec). I hope things goes the way that you dream of. :) Bravo!
Thank you so much! You right, it is far more affordable outside the main urban areas. There is always the possibility that we will return to Canada and stay during the nicer months and weather! 😉
Good summary and good points. Can you guys spend some time in future episods to expand on the topic of tax implications of non-resident of Canada and how you manage your Cdn brokerage accounts (assuming you still keep them in Canada) thanks. Love the big smiles on your faces😀
Ahhh, thank you!! In our case, even though we won't be in Canada other than to visit, we will remain tax residents of Canada for tax purposes. We actually did a video about this back in March, I think! 😉
New to your channel. I would be interested in additional tours of your Brazilian condo that you airbnb. My wife and I have 3 tiny home vacation rentals that will hit the market this year. These are three Central American countries water front tropical locations (Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize). I would be interested in financials, decorating, furnishings, and property management (etc). What is your expectations for the northern Brazil tourism market? I have been seeing some opportunities near Fortaleza BZ but haven't done anything there yet. We are early retirees but recently needed to pick up some gig work to make ends meet.
So, we were actually talking about making a few of these videos today! We are currently in Fortaleza, visiting family, and it is a nice area. But maybe we are biased now, but Joao Pessoa is great! We will try to get these out soon! Thanks for joining the channel! 😊
Thank you guys for sharing this. I had a question about your last video, but I decided to comment here since it’s more recent. What are your thoughts on being so concentrated in stocks? I understand the dividend strategy, but aren't you concerned about volatility (vs fixed income) now that you've decided to end your traditional working phase?
Thanks for asking! We do have quite a concentration in dicidend stocks. However, we do have a significant amount invested into growth stocks. I guess for us, we plan to be in lower cost of living places more often, so if the market becomes extremely volatile we will just go where life is a little less expensive, and ride it out! 😊
Thank you for saying positive things about Canada and keeping politics out of your video. I agree the costs to maintain a home in Canada affects your retirement plans. I’m nearing my retirement plan of 59 in two years time and I find myself often trying to make a decision of what I plan to do when I retire. I don’t think I will be able to afford the ongoing costs of home ownership while travelling. Anyways thank you for your video. Subscribed! From a fellow Ontarian!
Thank you for the lovely comment! Home ownership is so expensive. Perhaps you could look at a few different options, and see what you like! If you want to travel, see if you could rent your home for a year or two first, travel around, see if you find a location that you like! You can always sell later, or keep your home. Another option, a seasonal home in Canada (We have friends that do this, have a mobile home on the water in Prince Edward county in a three season park, then they head south to Mexico for the winter! The cost is much lower! You have many options, and your 2 years until retirement is going to fly by! Congratulations on that!
good video again. im in mid30s born and raised in GTA. Itching to get out and for most of my circle its the same. for reasons to leave like safety, inflation, cost of living, opportunities etc. the common thread is politics. i know you dont want to get the political side of the video but the reality is leadership determines the direction and growth of any country.
That's true. Politics does play a part. Another great thing about Canada is that every 3 or 4 years, we get to pick a government that we want, unlike some other places where even the choice of the majority isn't recognized. The GTA is such an expensive place right now. How are you finding it? Where would you like to go if you could?
@@FIREWeGo Yup, GTA is crazy expensive. Your point about those not in the housing market having a very difficult time owning a home is totally true. The mortgages people are taking on now is scary...considering Dubai/middle east or south east asia. Thailand has made a longer term visa easier albeit for a year.
I can understand your reasons for leaving your home country. The US currently has similar issues with inflation and cost of living. I'm in CA and was living in San Diego. It became the most expensive place to live in the state during 2023. I wouldn't retire there even as a multimillionaire.
@@FIREWeGo I'm currently looking at Thailand, Portugal, and Poland. I plan to scout Thailand in probably 5 months from now. I'll likely be traveling alone and have to make new friends because I'm the only one among my friends who retired early. Even my "wealthy" friends refused to retire early despite having at least $2 million in net worth. Some people are just workaholics and actually believe they'll get "bored" in retirement.
We are planning retirement either in Mexico in the Baja area- land etc.. we like the la Paz area or San Felipe Cost of living just too much. But our son has severe autism so planing to make sure he will be ok is one of our musts. We are uprooting to Windsor Ontario - cheaper, safer and decent autism services
Mexico is so amazing! Wonderful country with such warm and generous people. We can imagine that it is a challenge to plan for your son, but it definitely sounds like he is blessed to have you as parents and looking out for him 😊🤗
Thank you for the support!! The answer is yes, you can still collect CPP and OAS if you live outside Canada. We believe the only one you wouldn't be eligible for is the GIS 😊
I am tired of winter, too. I have never been into winter activities. I also worked crazy hours. Thankfully, I started doing consulting work over 10 years ago to control where I worked. Before that, I missed a lot of time with my kids and missed milestones. Canada is similar to the US work ethic, although I think it's even worse there because they don't have family leave and very little vacation time. We won't be leaving because of our family obligations. We do plan to travel more especially in the winter to get a break from the weather
The consulting work is a huge benefit for sure! Gean found the same when he began it and would often say he wished he had known how great it was years before! I think you're correct about the US and the vacation time. Family is a huge reason to stay. But they best part is the ability to come and go as you please! 😊
Be mindful in your plans that you might be obligated to move back to canada. Ive heard of dual citizens Having to move back because hospitals/health care system in their other country lacks medical technology that is considered basic in Toronto and Montreal. Im a canadian who lives abroad, so i keep that in mind gor my FIRE #
That is always a possibility. If we need to move back for medical reasons, or in the future, we will, no problem 😊 we would stay in a lower cost area and probably rent rather than buy.
Hello again, as a fellow Canadian, how are you able to apply for IHG, Sapphire or any other american credit card? I really would like to sign up for the above cards especially IHG, but I do not know how to given the fact I am a canadian. Thanks for your help in this matter.
We are trying to put together a video about this, actually! The basics you need are a US address, a US bank account, and an ITIN number. Stay tuned, hopefully we will have one soon!
It does, for sure! Those can be deposited in any bank, Canadian or around the world. You just need to set that up. We would not receive the GIS if we were to qualify income wise, for that you need to be in Canada!
Built a concrete home for under CAD$100K in the Philippines. 2,000 sqft, metal roof, insulated walls, 4 bedroom, 2 full bath, 2 aircons. High quality tiles throughout, huge covered terrace outside. Impossible to get a house anywhere in Canada for this price, and this high quality. Expenses are super low compared to Vancouver. We too are tax residents of Canada, though we sold all our stuff and started a new life. The warm weather, sunshine totally got rid of my SAD symptoms. No nore hayfever either. Gives us a base to explore Philippines and SEA for now. Then maybe one day setup a homebase in Europe to explore those countries, perhaps even with an expedition truck.
Thus sounds fantastic! It's true that building, renovation, and construction costs in some countries are very affordable coming from North America. When we bought the items for our condo in Brazil, it was amazing how much less expensive things were. The overland truck sounds really interesting. We have seen a few videos with those! Where in the Philippines are you close to?
@@FIREWeGo We are in a municipality of Bayambang in Pangasinan province, about 3.5 hours north of Manila airport. Totally different than T.O. or Vancouver obviously but a good change of pace. How about you guys, where in Brazil?
It is no doubt a change from Toronto and Vancouver! We really hope to make it to the Philippines within the next year or two! We are in Joao Pessoa, Brazil. It is great here, a nice laid-back beach sort of lifestyle!
Did you consider the possibility of doing van life? There are several Canadian van lifers on TH-cam who spend a majority of the year in Canada at various free or low cost sites and then spend 4-5 months in the southwest US in the winter camping on free public lands.
We actually love watching those channels, but we feel like we like a little more space than a van or RV offers. We may try it for a few months here and there because it is a fantastic way of seeing Canada, the US and other countries as well!
I believe we are privileged that we were born or immigrated/lived in Canada where opportunities are easier to grab than in so many other countries. But I agree with you, if we want to retire earlier we just have to move elsewhere... So I finally retired last Friday, and there's 34 days left until I leave for SE Asia 🎉🥳. I don't know if it would be too private, but it would be nice to see your condo and the area?
🍾🥂🥳 CONGRATULATIONS!!!! We wish we could write this even bigger for you!! You have achieved your dream, amazing!!! We were talking about getting a video about this together today, actually, you read our minds!! Stay tuned!
Hi, we are fellow canadians looking at retiring and travelling full time next year. We will be selling our hourse, living on my penison and savings (RRSP,spousal rrsp and TFSA), do you have any tax tips? Are you a non resident as you travel? We were thinking of filing a section 217 , withiholding tax would not be tax effecient. Any feedback would be greatly appreciatd. Thanks and enjou your travels, looking forward to your next video!!!
Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! So exciting! In our case, we are remaining tax residents of Canada.we can't declare non-resident status as we won't be residents in any other country in order to pay taxes there! Where are you looking to head.first?!
@@FIREWeGo Thanks for your quick reply! We were thinking of treking through south east asia or eastern europe, we have not decided yet. We do not plan on being residents in any other country also. We do not mind remaining tax residents as well, but are you not consideted a non resident if you are out of the country for more than 6 months, as well as not having a permenant address in canada , etc...?
I moved to a lower cost of living area in the US. That increased my income by 30%. I use rental income how you two use dividends. I am now living on rental income.
It is definitely controversial, and people ask all the time about what we are planning to do. We have an international health plan for many of the vig things, and if we need to see a doctor for any reason we will pay out of pocket (healthcare is VERY affordable elsewhere in the world). If we ever decide to move back to Canada, we only have to be back in the country for 3 months, and the coverage is reinstated. Right now, this makes sense as the amount we are saving by living outside of Canada is easily offsets any healthcare costs that we may run into! 😊
No, we will lose our health care coverage because we will have been out of the country for so long. But if we decide to return, we only need to be back for 3 months for it to kick back in!
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Judging by those smiles there are no regrets!
Lol... zero regrets at all!!
I really appreciate your authenticity and sharing your story. I'm thoroughly enjoying all your videos.
Thank you so much for the nice comment! We are glad that they are helpful! 😊
I love Canada but I agree with all the reasons that you mentioned, especially the cost of living and the weather. When we first moved to Canada it was like a winter wonderland and we loved the snow. Now that we're getting older, we are dreading the winter months. My plan is to be a snowbird but I have yet to convince my husband 😃I'm looking forward to your visit to Canada so I can personally meet you both!
It will be fantastic to meet ip for sure! We should be back next summer! Leaving was bittersweet, but we don't miss all the much other than family and friends... and the variety of restaurants and food!!
Yes! We live in the GTA and the past few years have been so grey and gloomy during the winter! We are 56, just sold our home, and heading to Europe for a month, followed by spending the winter in the west hitting as many ski slopes as possible, while we still can!We plan to keep our costs low by travelling in a campervan for part of the year and then travelling internationally part of the year. Love your videos and hearing about your adventures. Enjoy your travels!
That sounds like an epic adventure!!! It would be fun to get Gean on a ski slope, and me too! I haven't skied in years! We are so happy that you're enjoying the video, and we will keep you posted on the travels as well...and we joke you do the same, keeping us updated! Enjoy your time in Europe! 😊
I loved this video! You both are clearly 'each others' person' 🙂 I am heading down to Brasil this week for a quick trip. I cannot wait!! The mornings here in Hamilton are cool now that we are in September. Wishing you both well and glad to hear all is well with you there in Brasil. Craig in Hamilton
You're heading here!?! Where too? Brasil is such a great place, such great people, culture food and nature!
@@FIREWeGo I leave on Thursday! Fly into SP but final destination is Belo Horizonte. A few days on the side in Ouro Preto and then sadly coming back home. It will be a quick trip but cant wait for the famous Mineiros hospitality and cuisine ☺ I wish there was time to take you both out to dinner in Joao Pesoa, but we can plan for that next time.....!!
That sounds like a great trip! Gean says to go to Mercadao in Belo Horizonte, try "feijao tropeiro", or "jilo for figado" at the Mercadao. Don't be intimidated by its look. It is delicious. Also, try "pao de queijo" and "cachaca" shots. In Ouro Preto, wear shoes going out due to the cobblestones. If you are into history, you will have a great time. I can't wait to make it there too!!
@@FIREWeGo Thank you Gean 🙂 I am an adventurous eater, and the Mercado Central is one of the first stops being planned! I will eat anything and of course, do a shot (or two ) of Cachaca. We love history and will be doing lots of exploring, so I appreciate the insight on the proper footwear! We have emailed back and forth before, so I will send you some pictures when back. Really looking forward to a good Caipirinha and the fresh fruit that we dont get here. Goiaba, Maracuja, Mamao, etc......cant wait.....for so many things.... Life is good and great to see both blazing the trail. I found you by accident. I had done a trans Atlantic cruise in April and I was watching youtubers and came across your cruise. So glad I found you because being Financially Independent in my early 50s was hard work, but such a blessing when I am finally able to pull the trigger in a few months. Love to see all your videos - Travel and Finance. And the fact you are Canadians makes it even more applicable. Saude 😊🍻
Lol, Gean is looking now at the Mercado Central and salivating over the food! He is suggesting Bar Da Lora is a good one at the market for figado com gilo! And yes, please send lots of pictures, we would love to see them!
Italy actually shuts down for August. Hard to find contractors or buy somethings etc. Our small town in Alberta still closes a lot of stores on Wednesdays. It’s wonderful for just relaxing. Cheers and Enjoy the slow pace of your travels.
Thank you so much! It's good to hear that there are places in Canada that still know how to take a day and relax 🤗😉
I totally get your reasoning. I live (and still work) in Canada and hate winter too. ready to do something like you are doing! Good for you both!!
Thank you so much! We will definitely keep you posted on how its going!
Great video as always. We like the idea of leaving Canada during the colder/winter months and coming back in the summer. After moving to the east coast you appreciate the summers a lot more. Growing up 1.5 hours south of Toronto those summers are too hot and humid. Hopefully one day we cross paths traveling the world!
The east coast is definitely a place that we want to visit. Neither of us have actually made it there yet! We would definitely love to meet up one day! Do you guys have plans to travel anytime soon again?
@@FIREWeGo When you make it this way let us know :) We just got back from 2 weeks in Ireland. Next trip will be in Nov or Dec and going to spend 3-4 months in Colombia!
We aren't sure yet, but we may head toward Colombia in the new year!
Great video! Thank you for sharing your reasons.
Thank you for reaching out! It's bittersweet, but like we said, we will be back to visit, and who knows what the future holds!
I couldn't tell that he is Brazilian, oiiii.
Here, another Brazilian who is enjoying freedom at 51!!
Amazing!! Congratulations! Are you in Canada or Brazil or somewhere else!?
@FIREWeGo , I am in Calgary heading to France on Tuesday for a month. We just got back from a 16 days camping in B.C. I love nature!!!
@@FIREWeGo , The FIRE movement opened up my eyes.
Wow! France for a month will be fantastic!
Same with us... gave us freedom again!
Another sweet part of your story is the life you have together. To have found each other…wow…you won the relationship lottery. All this early retirement stuff is icing on the cake.
That's such an amazing comment! Thank you so much, we definitely feel the same, like we wond the relationship lottery!
All power to you, best decision ever, you will see and time will tell. There's so many places that you can live so much better than here. Wish all the best.
Thank you so much!! We agree, so many places to see and experience! We will keep you all posted in how it is going!
I agree. I think a lot of Canadians are in your situation. We plan to do the same. In our "go-go" stage, we'll have extra money to travel.. and in our "no-go" years, we can even afford help or nursing aides with our savings in other countries. Not gonna happend in canada- because its expensive.
That is true. We have already decided that care as we age will e far too expensive in Canada, and in countries like Mexico, Thailand, and Brazil, are more affordable. When are you guys planning to head out and travel??
@@FIREWeGoyoure from Toronto, we are in Vancouver- 2 of the most expensive places in Canada. We're from the Philippines, we plan to settle there in our no-go days. But for now, we want to see as many places as possible- were still working now but were travelling a lot, recently in Europe. When we retire which is quite near, we are considering staying several months in Portugal, Panama or like you, in Thailand .
happy for you both! 🎉👏
Thank you!! 😊
I really enjoy all your videos !
That's such a great thing to hear!! Thank you! 😊
Weather is a big one! No judging here. ☀️
Lol, thanks, Tracy! 😉
Home is where the heart is.
This is so true! I feel like we will have many homes all over the world! 😉
All totally valid reasons, and I like what you said near the beginning, Canada is still a great place to come start a life, build wealth or a business or just to become successful. I really feel like there is a trend hating on Canada lately and a lot of people are leaving. There are lots of reasons to leave especially for those of us who have built our lives up to a point we can be self-dependent traveling or living in other countries. Hopefully one day Canada can turn around and become a little bit more of the place we all once knew and loved.
This is so well said, and we could not agree more. Canada has defiprovided both of us with the opportunities and ability to achieve what we have, and for that, we will forever be grateful for! And we may return part-time at some point... though definitely not for the winters!
Very interesting topic well explained
Thank you so much for such a nice comment. 😊
Love your channel. I will be retiring with a full pension in a few years at 52 years old and I have no financial worries. I hear 100% what you are saying and agree with all of it, but I still believe in this country and am not ready to give up on it yet. Just hoping new political leadership in another years will help bring Canada back to the great country it once was.
Thanks so much! It's great to hear from you 😊 We definitely will never give up on Canada, and we totally agree that it is an amazing place to live! One day, we may return, but we doubt that it will be full-time (mostly because of winter!)
No politics. But, Canada has always been expensive relative to other places and no change in gov will fix that.
I am the same as you. I am 54 and retiring in 2025. I am a born and bred Canadian and I have to get out of here to see the rest of the world but to escape the craziness of the last decade. I really hope we get a change in the next election. Best of luck with your retirement and happy to hear others think the same way I do.
True, it's always cost more to live here
@macdaddymgiarc congrats on retiring in the next few months!!! Those months are going to fly by, and you're right too, so many places to see and explore!! Best of luck to you as well!
Time Freedom OVER everything else. You both wanted to be free to spend your time however and wherever you want without the financial burden of a home. It all makes sense to me. It’s great to see you both living your best life 😁
What an amazing comment. Thank you so much! We love "Time Freedom"! It has a great ring to it!! We hope that you are having a great long weekend!
Olá! Eu sou brasileira e morando nos Estados Unidos. I am also passionate about retiring early, and living a life of balance now. I have been thinking of the possibility of retirement in Brazil because our money would go further there. So glad I came across your TH-cam channel.
We are so happy you did as well! It's true, our dollars do go far further here in Brazil than back home (the US is when better than Canada!) We are loving it in Joao Pessoa, have you ever been?
@@FIREWeGoI have never been to João Pessoa. Unfortunately, I never had the chance of traveling much in Brazil when living there because my family didn’t have extra income for trips besides going to visit family every year for the holidays. Now, when I do fly back home, I just have time to stay home and visit family because the time is so limited (2 weeks vacation per year, trying to split between visiting family in the US and in Brazil 🤷🏾♀️). I am a nurse, so I even thought about the possibility of only working per diem when I reach my magical FIRE number so I can spend half of my time in Brazil and in the US. I don’t know if you have a video on it, but how complicated is the process of purchasing a place in Brasil while living abroad? If we purchase a place in Brasil, we would prefer in a beach city…we love the ocean.
Great decision. Bummer you can't escape Canada's overtaking. Would like to see some Brazil videos.
There will definitely be some Brazil videos coming!
At 60, I am very close to retiring with my California teaching pension, and I am wishing I had known so much earlier about the possibilities I had available! Twelve years ago my daughter moved to Germany to be an au pair for a year after college and wound up marrying a Germany man and staying permanently. She opened my eyes to travel because it's so easy from there - we've traveled together and separately now about twice a year since then - and my retirement plans changed at that point. California is hard on a single-income wallet and I can't afford to live here on a pension. But I can elsewhere. And I can move where I can actually enjoy my life and still be able to travel! Or maybe I'll be a slow traveler - who knows? I will always call my state my home, but there's a big world out there that's waiting for me to discover it while I still can!
Travel has a way of opening you to new and wonderful possibilities! We can imagine that California can be very expensive as well. The fact that you are open to traveling around, seeing new and exciting places (at a lower cost than staying in California!), will definitely help you manage your expenses! We have already seen a massive difference since being in Brazil 😊 Thank you so much for reaching out!
You have to either embrace winter or move :) I personally like all four seasons and I have little time for those who complain. When I lived abroad I missed the seasons. So now I know that when I retire, I will have to mix things up by spending some time overseas and some time in Canada in all our wonderful seasons.
Good for you for choosing to live life on your terms.
It's true! There's no point in complaining. Just change what you don't like 😊 The seasons are great, so we will be back to enjoy them for short periods of time, and then back to different places!
Life is too short for rain and snow when you can live in shorts for 10 months of the year. I haven’t had to wear pants in 5 months and have had maybe 20 days with some rain in them. Far superior than being in Canada 🇨🇦
Amazing! This sounds perfect to us!!
sounds like a great plan ... you can look into house sitting too, teaching ESL short term contracts and other side gigs to lessen you expenses as needed ... other than that as long as you are healthy, have decent health coverage etc it should be good ... after a quarter of century in Asia we came back to Canada so my daughter can finish high school and university .... also came down with Parkinson's Disease ...nonetheless so after my daughter finishes high school we shall see .... I can't handle Canadian winters either and it is expensive here ... in a few years would like to head back to Asia as a base and explore Europe more ....
The winters are tough for sure, and it is definitely expensive! We are sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but it sounds like you have a solid plan 🙂
And those ideas are great if we need to make a bit more to supplement, or even just fill some of our time! Thank you so much for reaching out!
We are relocating from NH to TN in the United States early next year to be able to shave 7 years off our retirement horizon.
Wow! 7 years sooner, that is amazing! Congrats! It's amazing what a change in location can accomplish!
Cool video. Making me think hard.
We're glad that it was useful!
You're right about the cost of living but in smaller cities it is still manageable.(at least her in Québec). I hope things goes the way that you dream of. :) Bravo!
Thank you so much! You right, it is far more affordable outside the main urban areas. There is always the possibility that we will return to Canada and stay during the nicer months and weather! 😉
Good summary and good points. Can you guys spend some time in future episods to expand on the topic of tax implications of non-resident of Canada and how you manage your Cdn brokerage accounts (assuming you still keep them in Canada) thanks. Love the big smiles on your faces😀
Ahhh, thank you!! In our case, even though we won't be in Canada other than to visit, we will remain tax residents of Canada for tax purposes. We actually did a video about this back in March, I think! 😉
New to your channel. I would be interested in additional tours of your Brazilian condo that you airbnb. My wife and I have 3 tiny home vacation rentals that will hit the market this year. These are three Central American countries water front tropical locations (Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize). I would be interested in financials, decorating, furnishings, and property management (etc). What is your expectations for the northern Brazil tourism market? I have been seeing some opportunities near Fortaleza BZ but haven't done anything there yet. We are early retirees but recently needed to pick up some gig work to make ends meet.
So, we were actually talking about making a few of these videos today! We are currently in Fortaleza, visiting family, and it is a nice area. But maybe we are biased now, but Joao Pessoa is great!
We will try to get these out soon! Thanks for joining the channel! 😊
Thank you guys for sharing this. I had a question about your last video, but I decided to comment here since it’s more recent. What are your thoughts on being so concentrated in stocks? I understand the dividend strategy, but aren't you concerned about volatility (vs fixed income) now that you've decided to end your traditional working phase?
Thanks for asking! We do have quite a concentration in dicidend stocks. However, we do have a significant amount invested into growth stocks. I guess for us, we plan to be in lower cost of living places more often, so if the market becomes extremely volatile we will just go where life is a little less expensive, and ride it out! 😊
@@FIREWeGo Great you have a clear strategy to navigate volatility. Thanks for answering and congrats on retiring early!
Thank you for saying positive things about Canada and keeping politics out of your video. I agree the costs to maintain a home in Canada affects your retirement plans. I’m nearing my retirement plan of 59 in two years time and I find myself often trying to make a decision of what I plan to do when I retire. I don’t think I will be able to afford the ongoing costs of home ownership while travelling. Anyways thank you for your video. Subscribed! From a fellow Ontarian!
Thank you for the lovely comment! Home ownership is so expensive. Perhaps you could look at a few different options, and see what you like! If you want to travel, see if you could rent your home for a year or two first, travel around, see if you find a location that you like! You can always sell later, or keep your home. Another option, a seasonal home in Canada (We have friends that do this, have a mobile home on the water in Prince Edward county in a three season park, then they head south to Mexico for the winter! The cost is much lower! You have many options, and your 2 years until retirement is going to fly by! Congratulations on that!
good video again. im in mid30s born and raised in GTA. Itching to get out and for most of my circle its the same. for reasons to leave like safety, inflation, cost of living, opportunities etc. the common thread is politics. i know you dont want to get the political side of the video but the reality is leadership determines the direction and growth of any country.
That's true. Politics does play a part. Another great thing about Canada is that every 3 or 4 years, we get to pick a government that we want, unlike some other places where even the choice of the majority isn't recognized. The GTA is such an expensive place right now. How are you finding it? Where would you like to go if you could?
@@FIREWeGo Yup, GTA is crazy expensive. Your point about those not in the housing market having a very difficult time owning a home is totally true. The mortgages people are taking on now is scary...considering Dubai/middle east or south east asia. Thailand has made a longer term visa easier albeit for a year.
I can understand your reasons for leaving your home country. The US currently has similar issues with inflation and cost of living. I'm in CA and was living in San Diego. It became the most expensive place to live in the state during 2023. I wouldn't retire there even as a multimillionaire.
We have heard that CA is VERY expensive. Are you thinking of moving to another state? We know you mentioned traveling as well for partner the year!
@@FIREWeGo I'm currently looking at Thailand, Portugal, and Poland. I plan to scout Thailand in probably 5 months from now. I'll likely be traveling alone and have to make new friends because I'm the only one among my friends who retired early. Even my "wealthy" friends refused to retire early despite having at least $2 million in net worth. Some people are just workaholics and actually believe they'll get "bored" in retirement.
We are planning retirement either in Mexico in the Baja area- land etc.. we like the la Paz area or San Felipe Cost of living just too much. But our son has severe autism so planing to make sure he will be ok is one of our musts. We are uprooting to Windsor Ontario - cheaper, safer and decent autism services
Mexico is so amazing! Wonderful country with such warm and generous people. We can imagine that it is a challenge to plan for your son, but it definitely sounds like he is blessed to have you as parents and looking out for him 😊🤗
Are you able to still collect cpp oas when you are outside of canada? Great video! And i am with you on all of the reasons you listed! Enjoy ❤!!
Thank you for the support!! The answer is yes, you can still collect CPP and OAS if you live outside Canada. We believe the only one you wouldn't be eligible for is the GIS 😊
I am tired of winter, too. I have never been into winter activities. I also worked crazy hours. Thankfully, I started doing consulting work over 10 years ago to control where I worked. Before that, I missed a lot of time with my kids and missed milestones. Canada is similar to the US work ethic, although I think it's even worse there because they don't have family leave and very little vacation time. We won't be leaving because of our family obligations. We do plan to travel more especially in the winter to get a break from the weather
The consulting work is a huge benefit for sure! Gean found the same when he began it and would often say he wished he had known how great it was years before! I think you're correct about the US and the vacation time.
Family is a huge reason to stay. But they best part is the ability to come and go as you please! 😊
@FIREWeGo if our circumstances were different, we would be doing the same thing as both of you!
😉
Be mindful in your plans that you might be obligated to move back to canada. Ive heard of dual citizens Having to move back because hospitals/health care system in their other country lacks medical technology that is considered basic in Toronto and Montreal. Im a canadian who lives abroad, so i keep that in mind gor my FIRE #
That is always a possibility. If we need to move back for medical reasons, or in the future, we will, no problem 😊 we would stay in a lower cost area and probably rent rather than buy.
Adoreiiii conhecer vcs!!! Moro aqui há 17 anos e estou viajando por aí 😂
Muito Bom! Nós também!
Hello again, as a fellow Canadian, how are you able to apply for IHG, Sapphire or any other american credit card?
I really would like to sign up for the above cards especially IHG, but I do not know how to given the fact I am a canadian.
Thanks for your help in this matter.
We are trying to put together a video about this, actually! The basics you need are a US address, a US bank account, and an ITIN number. Stay tuned, hopefully we will have one soon!
Does the Canadian pension plan or OAS still go to you guys if you no longer live in Canada? I was curious about that
It does, for sure! Those can be deposited in any bank, Canadian or around the world. You just need to set that up. We would not receive the GIS if we were to qualify income wise, for that you need to be in Canada!
Built a concrete home for under CAD$100K in the Philippines. 2,000 sqft, metal roof, insulated walls, 4 bedroom, 2 full bath, 2 aircons. High quality tiles throughout, huge covered terrace outside.
Impossible to get a house anywhere in Canada for this price, and this high quality.
Expenses are super low compared to Vancouver. We too are tax residents of Canada, though we sold all our stuff and started a new life.
The warm weather, sunshine totally got rid of my SAD symptoms. No nore hayfever either.
Gives us a base to explore Philippines and SEA for now. Then maybe one day setup a homebase in Europe to explore those countries, perhaps even with an expedition truck.
Thus sounds fantastic! It's true that building, renovation, and construction costs in some countries are very affordable coming from North America. When we bought the items for our condo in Brazil, it was amazing how much less expensive things were.
The overland truck sounds really interesting. We have seen a few videos with those! Where in the Philippines are you close to?
@@FIREWeGo We are in a municipality of Bayambang in Pangasinan province, about 3.5 hours north of Manila airport. Totally different than T.O. or Vancouver obviously but a good change of pace.
How about you guys, where in Brazil?
It is no doubt a change from Toronto and Vancouver! We really hope to make it to the Philippines within the next year or two! We are in Joao Pessoa, Brazil. It is great here, a nice laid-back beach sort of lifestyle!
Did you consider the possibility of doing van life? There are several Canadian van lifers on TH-cam who spend a majority of the year in Canada at various free or low cost sites and then spend 4-5 months in the southwest US in the winter camping on free public lands.
We actually love watching those channels, but we feel like we like a little more space than a van or RV offers. We may try it for a few months here and there because it is a fantastic way of seeing Canada, the US and other countries as well!
I believe we are privileged that we were born or immigrated/lived in Canada where opportunities are easier to grab than in so many other countries. But I agree with you, if we want to retire earlier we just have to move elsewhere... So I finally retired last Friday, and there's 34 days left until I leave for SE Asia 🎉🥳. I don't know if it would be too private, but it would be nice to see your condo and the area?
🍾🥂🥳 CONGRATULATIONS!!!! We wish we could write this even bigger for you!! You have achieved your dream, amazing!!! We were talking about getting a video about this together today, actually, you read our minds!! Stay tuned!
@@FIREWeGo Thank you!
Hi, we are fellow canadians looking at retiring and travelling full time next year.
We will be selling our hourse, living on my penison and savings (RRSP,spousal rrsp and TFSA), do you have any tax tips? Are you a non resident as you travel? We were thinking of filing a section 217 , withiholding tax would not be tax effecient.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciatd.
Thanks and enjou your travels, looking forward to your next video!!!
Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! So exciting! In our case, we are remaining tax residents of Canada.we can't declare non-resident status as we won't be residents in any other country in order to pay taxes there! Where are you looking to head.first?!
@@FIREWeGo Thanks for your quick reply! We were thinking of treking through south east asia or eastern europe, we have not decided yet. We do not plan on being residents in any other country also. We do not mind remaining tax residents as well, but are you not consideted a non resident if you are out of the country for more than 6 months, as well as not having a permenant address in canada , etc...?
I moved to a lower cost of living area in the US. That increased my income by 30%. I use rental income how you two use dividends. I am now living on rental income.
You're living your dream, and we are so excited for you!!! How have the first few months of your new retired life been??
As a fellow Canadian, I totally feel you on the weather! But isn't it a bit controversial to leave behind our universal healthcare and safety net? ❄🍁💭
It is definitely controversial, and people ask all the time about what we are planning to do. We have an international health plan for many of the vig things, and if we need to see a doctor for any reason we will pay out of pocket (healthcare is VERY affordable elsewhere in the world). If we ever decide to move back to Canada, we only have to be back in the country for 3 months, and the coverage is reinstated. Right now, this makes sense as the amount we are saving by living outside of Canada is easily offsets any healthcare costs that we may run into! 😊
Guess you still have to come back to canada for 6months every year right?
No, we will lose our health care coverage because we will have been out of the country for so long. But if we decide to return, we only need to be back for 3 months for it to kick back in!
@@FIREWeGo Ah ok, that's pretty awesome then!! As having to fly home every 6 months can get sooo expensive. Love you guys videos!
Miss you😅
Lol...we will visit!
Only things guaranteed in life, death and taxes!
This is true! 😊
Why is the camera zooming in and out? It is distracting from when you are talking.
Thanks for the feedback!
Vote different
Not sure what this had to do with the video, but thanks for the comment.