I still remember how it felt.
It was 2017. Late summer.
I had made the decision to indefinitely relocate to Thailand in order to live out my early retirement dreams and fulfill a lot of the potential that I believed FIRE could have.
A sense of relief had washed over me.
It was peace. Contentment. And even a little bit of excitement.
No fear. Not an ounce of concern over “failing”.
Coming to this conclusion now seems inevitable. I look back on it and kind of wonder what took me so long. I should have done it much sooner. But hindsight is always 20/20.
Just as well, we’re always stumbling forward, into the unknown future. We learn, grow, and change. It’s wonderful and beautiful.
Well, thinking back on what led me to this decision, I’ve come around to realizing that my mindset has definitely shifted over the last couple years of living abroad as an expat.
What led me to moving to Thailand is not quite the same as that which keeps me staying in Thailand.
I thought it’d be fun to share this realization with you readers today.
Let’s dig in…
Lower Cost Of Living
As I recall, it basically came down to a 50/50 split between two major themes.
The first theme was a lower cost of living.
This is the main benefit that people tend to think about when the idea of geographic arbitrage pops up.
It’s quite simple, really.
You continue to earn a healthy income (or spend down savings/investments) in a strong currency from wherever you came from. Then you spend that money in another place/currency where that money goes much further in local terms. It comes down to purchasing power.
If you can live in a place where the “big three” – housing, food, and transportation – are significantly cheaper, you’ve probably shaved many years off of your working life.
Because of this, geographic arbitrage could be the answer to your early retirement dreams.
Geo arb is a massive advantage that shouldn’t be underestimated. Indeed, I discussed it in detail in my most recent best-selling book: 5 Steps To Retire In 5 Years.
It didn’t take me long to figure out that Thailand was a very cheap country.
But the lower COL was only half the puzzle for me.
More And Better Relationships
The other half of the puzzle was the idea of more and better relationships.
I wanted to meet interesting people. Like-minded connections appeal to me, as they appeal to everyone.
To be honest, I’ve grown weary of the rat race mentality of the US. It’s a very grind-it-out place to live. Work hard, play hard. I find it exhausting to even exist there.
If money and the rat race are what you want, it’s a great place. Arguably the best place in the world.
But I’m not interested in grinding.
I’m interested in living.
In the US, one’s perceived societal value is often based on their job title, the amount of their paycheck, the size of their house, the brand of car they drive, etc.
Who works longer? Who’s got more money? Who’s got the bigger house?
Umm, okay.
Who cares??!!
It’s gross.
Even when you move beyond money, it then becomes all about political, religious, or other views.
Think, act, and live just like me…
The longer I lived in the US, and the more solidified/individualistic my worldviews became, the lonelier I felt.
The US is, in my experience, a very divisive place to live. This is especially the case when your thoughts differ from the groupthink. It’s an echo chamber where a different voice can be jarring.
And it’s only getting worse, in my view.
Social norms are breaking down, and large groups seem to have splintered off into adversarial competitors of other groups.
To each their own, though. The US is a great fit for millions of people. I’m happy about that. I wish for everyone to find their place in this world. But the US is just not a healthy place for my psyche.
Since I knew the Thai culture promoted the idea of having fun and working to live (rather than living to work), I felt like living in Thailand would naturally lead to a higher quality of life. This aspect of Thai culture is, in my opinion, epitomized by the concept of sanuk.
To put it plainly, living in Thailand is fun. Almost everything here is based around having a good time.
Thai culture is also tolerant. It’s a very free place to live. You do you. As long as you’re not hurting anyone, nobody really cares.
Plus, I also knew that Chiang Mai specifically attracted a global entrepreneur scene, which I thought would be neat.
Although I’ve come to see that there are mostly just wantrepreneurs here, there are still a few awesome people that come through the city. My Aussie mate, who I’ve shared some brutal workouts with, is a good example.
At the very least, many of the Western people who come here are thinking outside the box and willing to roll the dice on something exciting. Maybe the dice roll doesn’t work out, but they still give it a shot. I admire that. It’s obviously different than the job/mortgage/car/debt bubble.
In addition, I meet a few readers every month. There are clearly a lot of people traveling through the area. In comparison, I met less than five readers during my entire lifetime in the States!
Highest QOL, Lowest COL
So when I first conceptualized my life abroad, I aimed to move to the place where I could get the highest quality of life at the lowest cost of living.
I wanted to live at that intersection between high QOL and low COL, which is something I talk about at length in my podcast interview with Brett Dev.
Sure, there are cheaper places in the world. There are even cheaper cities than Chiang Mai right here in Thailand.
But I’m not after only living cheaply. The idea of competing on cheapness is just as gross to me as competing for paychecks.
I love a good value. I’m frugal. But I want the happiest life, not the cheapest life.
Researching just about every place in the world kept me coming back to Thailand as the best across-the-board choice for everything I personally wanted in my life.
After living here in Thailand for almost two years, I feel better than ever about my choice. I have absolutely no regrets, nor do I plan on going anywhere else anytime soon.
But I will say that living here for a couple years now has given me a new perspective on the 50/50 reasoning that led me here.
Moreover, what keeps me here is different from what led me here.
It’s no longer a 50/50 split.
80/20
It’s now an 80/20 split, favoring the relationships aspect of the equation.
Look, the low cost of living here is great. There is no way I could replicate my Chiang Mai lifestyle anywhere in the US for the same cost.
Living my same lifestyle, on an apples-to-apples basis, accounting for two people, would easily cost three times as much in a comparable US city. That’s why the plane ticket to Thailand is easily the best financial investment I’ve ever made. I’m a millionaire in local terms, which is neat.
But the longer I live here, as my passive income grows exponentially, and the more I experience Thai culture, the more I realize how important healthy and like-minded relationships are in one’s life.
The West has conditioned me to place an unnecessarily large priority on money, so it’s taken me some time to retrain my brain on this.
The thing about the US is, for me, I had a very difficult time finding anyone who found the value in what I espouse. Even just meeting people who find value in value itself is hard. Spending more money just to prove you can spend more is a very common form of incorrect signalling in the States.
I want to have fun. I want to have fun every day. And I want to have fun with other fun people who see intrinsic value in fun for fun’s sake.
I don’t want to wait until Saturday night so that I can get invited to some overpriced bar to get smashed with people who have enough energy for one night to live up their YOLO/play hard dreams. In the US, “fun” is a place you go to. It’s a place you save up money and time in order to visit before you go back to working hard. No wonder everyone seems overworked, overstressed, and overweight.
I guess I just don’t fit in over in the States. It’s a thing where I started to feel alienated. Even though there are people everywhere, I felt alone. It was crowded isolation.
A good example of this is in the way I prefer living without a car. It’s not even a financial choice. Even if I had unlimited money, I wouldn’t want/buy a car. I genuinely enjoy walking to places. To me, driving oneself around sucks. It’s a waste of money, time, and energy.
Well, I can live without a car in the States. Did it for many years.
But how many other like-minded people get it? Does it alienate me? Am I one of the only people around doing it?
Almost none. Yes. And yes.
Surviving is not thriving.
Outside of NYC (and perhaps a small handful of other uber-expensive enclaves), the US is suburban highway hell. It’s a low-density country where most people proudly own and drive cars.
This isn’t necessarily how it is in many other parts of the world. Vibrant urbanity is actually quite prevalent throughout Europe, Asia, and even South America. And it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to access it. If you want to live in a relatively large city, there are simply better choices outside of the US.
Another example of all of this is finding a partner.
Having a loved one that supports and appreciates you is invaluable.
I can still remember the last date I had before I left the States. When I vaguely responded to the initial line of questioning regarding what I did for a living, the condescending response was this: “Soooooo no job??”
Conversely, I remember Oh’s response to the same conversation. Her eyes lit up with interest and enthusiasm when she found out how free I was.
It’s not just about living a particular lifestyle, folks.
It’s about living a particular lifestyle around fun, non-judgmental, like-minded people who have a somewhat similar value system.
I want to thrive, not just survive.
Arbitraging My Entire Life
Being unconventional in the land of conventional is, frankly, no fun.
I’ll soon have more than enough money to live an amazing lifestyle almost anywhere in the world. In fact, counting my active income, I can already do that.
But it doesn’t matter. I can’t unsee what I’ve seen. Now that I see what life is like away from the US, I could never go back.
This mindset has become less and less about the money for me.
Simultaneously, it has become more about living true to who I am as a human being. I want to unabashedly live authentically while simultaneously being embraced (or at least not be rejected).
It grew tiresome to stand out due to ideas, values, and lifestyle choices. I enjoy being unique and thinking outside the box, but being alienated because of that isn’t fun. Uniqueness, in my experience, is not celebrated in the States.
Now, I’m not at all saying that the average Thai person (or average person of any culture) is going to fully understand FIRE.
What I am saying is that I don’t receive the judgment, crab mentality, and condescension over here.
There’s no longer this overwhelming pressure in my life to conform to a herd mentality. I’m free to be me.
Even though I don’t place value on other people’s opinions, having opposing opinions aggressively and haughtily thrown in my face by others who confuse opinions with facts is bothersome and lowers my quality of life.
Speaking of quality of life, there are so many other aspects of living here that amplify my quality of life relative to the States.
For example, I’ve never felt unsafe here. I can walk around any area of Thailand at 1 a.m. and feel perfectly safe. I’ll even often leave my laptop unattended for long stretches of time at cafes and co-working spaces.
I would not feel safe doing any of that in plenty of large American cities. You don’t have areas like Brightmoor, Detroit (a neighborhood in my hometown) over here. The dangerous and decaying urban areas that are all too common in the US do not exist in Thailand.
It’s simple: geo arb is about arbitraging a lot more than just price differences. It’s about arbitraging your entire life.
Conclusion
It’s been a fun journey, living abroad for almost two years now.
And it’s allowed me to grow so much. I’m immensely grateful for the process and everything that’s unfolded in my life since I moved away from the States.
I can say, without a doubt, I’m far, far happier living in Thailand than I ever was in the USA. It’s not even close.
At first, the ability to kind of do whatever I want without regard for costs was super neat. Not thinking about money any longer was a big relief. I thought that was awesome.
But after living here for as long as I have, and as the passive income continues to grow like clockwork, it’s become less and less about the low cost of living for me. I’ve acclimatized to that.
Instead, it’s now an 80/20 split, where my quality of life has become more significantly impacted by like-minded and supportive relationships.
It comes down to a way of life. And that way of life comes down to the people you find yourself surrounded by.
The US has one way of life. Thailand has a totally different way of life.
I’m not at all saying one culture is better or worse than the other (neither is “right” or “wrong”), but I can say for sure that I personally prefer the way of life in Thailand, which is a way of life that I think could be approximated in a handful of other SE Asian countries.
I earn enough income and have enough wealth to live a very comfortable life almost anywhere in the world. But I still choose to base my life here due to personal lifestyle and cultural preferences. And I hope I can remain here in Southeast Asia for a very long time.
The rat racers can chase cheese. I’d rather chase feels.
What do you think? Ever feel isolated in the US due to lifestyle choices? Do you think living abroad would help alleviate that?
Thanks for reading.
P.S. If you’re interested in achieving FIRE and living life on your terms, which might include moving abroad, check out some fantastic products and services I personally used on my way to becoming financially free at 33!
Interesting! Could u talk some about what different places you were considering before choosing the city you live i?
Greetings from Sweden
David,
Yeah, I actually drafted an article a little while back on three other SE Asian cities that I think would be great for this lifestyle. I considered and researched all of them before ultimately picking here, but they’re fantastic alternatives in case I had to leave Thailand for some reason.
The article is in the hopper, but there are something like 50 other articles in there. Hope to get it published within the next couple months. 🙂
Cheers!
Isn’t it great when a plan comes together? Nice to hear that Thailand is working out so well for you.
I’d like to see the other locations too. That sounds like an interesting post.
I feel a bit isolated, but it’s not a big consideration. It’s probably a bigger issue for single people. My family keeps me very busy so I don’t really notice the alienation.
Joe,
Thanks, man. Couldn’t be happier. I’m sure you picked up on that when we met here in CM not too long ago. 🙂
There are definitely some other great spots here in SE Asia. I think Thailand is the best country across the board in this region, but this lifestyle could be approximated to a great degree in a number of other places. Like I’ve said before, I see myself bouncing between 2-3 different cities in the future. Having 2-3 different “homes” gives you some variety and ability to take advantage of the different pros/cons of each place. It’s a few years down the road, but I could see another city in SE Asia taking up a few months each year for me.
Thanks for dropping by!
Best regards.
Another excellent article, Jason!
Yes, I often feel very isolated here in the US in terms of my FIRE mentality. And even though I’m fully immersed in the FIRE mindset, I still feel this angst about having a different view than the masses here in the US. I oftentimes go from feeling proud/confident in thinking differently from everyone else to feeling anxious about how others view me. Sometimes I feel “less than” because I’m not doing what everyone else is doing while other times I mentally judge people or have condescending thoughts towards the mainstream/masses. Neither of those are healthy views for me to have and it’s tough for me to consciously get those thoughts/feelings out of my head.
My wife and I are currently content in living in an affordable apartment in a nice, but affordable part of town and working relatively enjoyable jobs that aren’t “fancy” or command high salaries but provide us happiness and flexibility. But as our close friends buy nice-looking houses with fancy furnishings to match, upgrade cars, hustle and put in long hours for promotions and raises, etc, I still find myself playing the comparison game and feel pressured to conform. “Maybe we should start looking at houses.” “Maybe I should just suck it up and keep grinding it out and work harder to climb the career ladder.” It’s quite exhausting and can be very stressful. It’s no wonder why so many people suffer from depression and anxiety in the US. Throw in the constant political noise and divisiveness (as you mention) propagated by the media, and it’s a miracle that everyone isn’t already completely crazy (or maybe they are). You hit the nail on the head above: “Being unconventional in the land of conventional is, frankly, no fun.”
Fortunately, I have a wonderful wife who is totally on board with the FIRE lifestyle and I have a handful of very good, close friends who share similar values.
Thanks for your message and for sharing your story with us readers. Your articles always bring me back to my “why” and help me to stay convicted on the course we’re on.
All the best!
Drew,
Thanks for sharing. Appreciate that!
I totally hear you. I guess I stopped feeling pressure to conform somewhere in my late 20s after I stopped caring about what others thought of me. As freeing as that is, it still leads to isolation because you’re the odd one out. I didn’t think I’d ever overcome this. Not until I moved abroad. Now I see what I was really missing out on.
The US is a great place for many people doing many things. I hope anyone and everyone living there is happy. But I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to go back there. Just not a good place for who I’ve become, and who I still want to become. I felt very constricted over there. Not a nice feeling at all.
Glad your wife is on board and supports the journey. That’s invaluable. 🙂
Best wishes.
Both the attitude and way of life there sound very appealing. And congrats on making a big decision that was so in alignment with your personal values that–even after money was taken out of the equation–you still prefer it!!! That’s excellent (and what FIRE is all about!). 🙂
I have gotten quite used to being “different” here in the US, but it’s still jarring how judgmental people can be about my personal choices. Most of the time, I just try to fly under the radar, but if it does come up, people are often quick to point out how my plans might fail me (I might get hit by a bus tomorrow, my companies may cut their dividends, etc). It can be a bummer to be surrounded by that kind of negative feedback on the regular. (I have attended some FIREy meetups and met some great, like-minded people recently, so that helps! But obviously, that doesn’t change the people in one’s work environment/etc.)
There is a part of me that would really love to live abroad ASAP in a place like Chiang Mai, but I also adore my side-hustle (teaching Pilates group classes and private lessons). It’s an absolute flow-state activity for me and a way I feel that I contribute meaning/help to the world. Obviously, I want to keep doing it in FIRE… but I realize that it may be less marketable in certain locations. Nevertheless, I really resonate with what you said in a previous comment: “[The US is] just not a good place for who I’ve become, and who I still want to become.”
So my challenge has been trying to figure out the optimum plan that allows me to arrive at freedom promptly, puts me in a location that has a more friendly and laid-back way of life (as you describe of Chiang Mai), AND still maintain the ability to practice that particular method of flow. (I know I could teach virtually via digital platforms from anywhere, but it isn’t the same feeling/energetic rush as teaching in a classroom.) As such, I’ve been researching areas with low cost of living and a more appealing pace of life, that also have Pilates studios, in countries whose language I believe I could learn to relative fluency. 🙂
But it’s kind of sad, because Chiang Mai has had a special draw for me in the FIRE phase, because of all the wonderful ways you’ve described it… I’m just not sure that I would be able to fulfill this particular life goal of mine as fully there. And as you say in the article, it’s not ALL about the money, long term. Pursuing meaningful activities is a huge part of happiness.
Hopefully, I can at least travel to Chiang Mai more easily in the future (from wherever I end up), and be one of the readers who meets up with you for coffee! 😀
Juli,
I understand what you mean. Living abroad can be really, really tough. I was, perhaps unfortunately, put into a situation that made this much easier (e.g., no family), but it’s a big challenge for most people. Even for me, it took me a while to finally come around to it. There are “gravitational pulls” that kind of keep you near your home. Friends, family, job, entrepreneurship opportunities, etc. There are a lot of these potential roadblocks. I hear you there. In fact, I’ve noted before that one of the few things that would entice me to move back to the US (albeit highly unlikely) would be some kind of work/job in the physical realm (instead of the online stuff I do now). Your desire to pursue your side hustle could be something that’s worth the drawbacks of living in the US, which is totally fine. I’ve always aimed to share my personal perspectives as I navigate forward into this post-FIRE life, with the hopes that it inspires, but I’ve never thought that moving abroad is something that’s a good fit for many people.
It sounds like you’ve carved the right path forward there, by trying to find your own “intersection”. That makes sense to me. I’ll note that I don’t think Thailand is suited particularly well for Western entrepreneurs because of the idiosyncratic regulations here. But I’m confident your plan could work in a number of other locations around the world. You’ll find that place when the time is right, even if it ends up being closer to home than you originally had in mind. 🙂
Best regards.
Very glad to hear your life is going so well there. Your writing always give off a very positive yet realistic vibe which is why I like reading your blog.
I spent my first 20 yrs of life in Brunei, next 25 yrs in US (California) and now recently moved to Canada (Vancouver) to spend more time with family/aging parents.
I kinda know what you mean when you say thai people like fun, like living for now/today but in a good sincere way. I have a brother living in Chiang Rai and we love visiting them especially during Songkran.
My wife and I will fly south & east for winter more and more as we try to see / visit friends and family around the world :))
Shun,
Thanks. Appreciate that very much. I’m glad the writing comes across that way, because I do see myself as a realistic optimist.
I think you nailed it with “living for now/today”. That’s their attitude. Oh has this thing she says to me all the time: “Don’t think too much.” She keeps me grounded and in the moment. As someone who’s constantly contemplating, it’s wonderful.
Hope you guys enjoy your next trip to CR!
Cheers.
First time I comment but really enjoy reading your blog.
My wife and I visited CM last February. We loved it except for the pollution. AQI was crazy back then. We are currently working in China and aim to be FI in 5 years and relocate in cheap place. My wife is from Colombia so cheap enough but safety is not great in some areas.
I’m very interested in reading your article about SE Asia cities to relocate. Pollution is something I’d include in the list though.
Thanks for sharing your story!
Seb,
Yeah, I previously noted the air pollution as being a drawback to living here (because no place is perfect):
https://www.mrfreeat33.com/three-drawbacks-to-living-in-chiang-mai-thailand/
It doesn’t bother me too much, and it’s really more of a temporary/seasonal issue than anything else. But I will say that 2019 was undoubtedly worse than 2018. I actually wore a mask on a few occasions.
Everyone has their own priorities. I wouldn’t say pollution is a super big deal to me. But if it were something that bothered me, I’m not sure I’d be living anywhere in Asia, what with the various forms of pollution (air, noise, etc.). Certainly not in the cities. Definitely not in China, which routinely ranks among the worst countries in the world for air pollution.
Best regards.
Great story. What city and area in that city have you settled in? I’d be worried in general about government forces, so where are expats welcome and safe? tnx
Curt,
I’m in Chiang Mai. It’s referenced throughout the article repeatedly.
Cheers!
That is just truly awesome Jason. It’s your hard work paying off.
I was talking to a colleague the other day and he was saying there is no way he could retire unless he had 10 million dollars. I was dumbfounded. How does he expect to live when he retires because I know he only works 3 days a week… hmmm. All about keeping up with the Jones’!
BHL,
Wow. $10 million?! I’m not sure if that person has a very good grasp on money. But to each their own!
Thanks for the kind words. It’s worked out better than expected over here. I truly couldn’t be happier. I’d like to stay here in Thailand for many more years to come, if they’ll let me. 🙂
Best wishes.
Hi Jason,
I think you will find the conventional way of living in the entire western world and in main parts of Asia (China, South Korea and Japan) and Australia. Even in Bangkok you find a lot of people only chasing for money and status. I think this is a common way of live.
Regarding earning much money America is truly the best place. Germany not, we have much more taxes and they are getting more and more. As well much more social warfare which is extremly costly and so its not that easy to live from the dividends. But if you are flexible you can move to different other countries with differnet systems, so you have a lot of possibilities.
But I understand that you felt alone with your mindset not to impress people, get a lot of status and a good job. And only saving as much money as necessary, thats far away from the mindset of nearly 90% of the people outside.
I think you feel so comfortable now is, that you don´t have the pressure to earn money nowadays. This is a key point to follow a lot of new ideas, be open minded regarding new possibilities and that you don´t have the need, that every idea must be financial successful to live your normal live. If you have an environment which give you the room for these ideas and the possibilities to try them out, is a maximum gain for your live. And having these opportunities you will be a person which is much more attractive to other people. OK, this didn´t work too well for you in the US, but in countries where the people simple have more time and other main priorities in life will help you a lot. Thailand seems to be such a place. So you made a good decision.
I still live in Germany and I see that most of my friends are working so much, having so many responsibilities with family ad everything around that it is not easy to have a lot of time like they had when we were young. This is not a problem for me, I have a girlfriend and this takes it time and thats good. But on the other side if I were a single person I would also tend to move abroad. Why not, new challenges and new experience is always a good way to develop someone self.
I think in our western society the people are looking more and more only on themselves, on the own familiy and getting the money for all the nice things they like. This altitude is increasing, we are getting more individual. But the people are more alone then they were in the past. UK established a loneliness minister last year and I saw a short youtube video about this topc. Its disconcerting how many even young people feel themself lonely when I looked in the comment section. This is the biggest weakness of the western world. I think the US is not that different from Europe. May be Thailand is a bit further (which I hope) or not as far as the western society, what is also possible.
But it is good to know that you like it in Thailand and that you found so many people you like to stay together and have fun.
Regards Oliver
Oliver,
You’re right. The West is becoming a very isolated society. I remember covering this before, but the US is all about being in bubbles. You get in your bubble car (by yourself), go to your bubble office/cubicle (by yourself), then go back home to your bubble castle of a house (where it’s just you and the family). Americans like these big houses that act as kingdoms. It isolates them from society. They cook their dinners (or order in food), sit in their rooms, and live in these little bubbles.
To each their own, but it’s quite different over here. It’s a totally different way of life. The US and Thailand may as well be from different planets. I don’t necessarily think one is “right” or “wrong”. It’s not good versus bad. Really comes down to personal preferences. And I’ve come to learn what I personally prefer. It’s wonderful to find your place in this world and feel like you finally belong to a particular way of doing things. For me, that’s SE Asia. 🙂
Best regards.
I really enjoyed this article and the passion behind it. I would love to move to SE Asia:)
Alas, the hubby isn’t on board and I enjoy spending time with my family at least 4-6 times a year (they’re states away). SE Asia would be a tough, with that commute.
That said, I’ve been exploring the counter cultures in the US, more fully enabled by my husband’s business, as a traveling professional artist. The people we meet on the road, follow a different beat and have unique values compared to all my corporate comrades.
I share this because I know many would love to leave the US, but given competing values…can not.
Yet, there are many pockets of uniqueness here in the US…if you have time and openness to finding them. I think working standard 40-60 hours…doesn’t allow for the flex to do this…but if you can change the equation and work less…you can find some beautiful people and experiences, you never had the luxury to run into before.
Cheers to finding joy wherever you’re currently planted!
Nicki,
I applaud a move like that, if it’s possible. If you can find your tribe over there, that’s obviously the best solution of all for most people. Let’s face it, moving abroad is just not realistic for the majority of people. Even if you have the financial portion set up correctly, it can still be difficult to leave one’s homeland behind. I didn’t particularly like living there, and I didn’t find much of anything anchoring me to the US, so this was a lot easier for me.
I’ve always aimed to tell a story and inspire others to find their own paths forward. And that’s exactly what I wish for everyone out there. I want people to find their own happiness. A lot of the stuff I’ve done – FIRE in early 30s, moving abroad, etc. – is a lot to swallow, but the good news is that you don’t have to be extreme to be extraordinary. Toning things down and adapting bits and pieces that work for your own situation is the best way to go. 🙂
Thanks for dropping in!
Cheers.
Hey Jason, first time visiting your blog and found your article to be very thought provoking. I for one am an immigrant to the US and can very much appreciate all the incredible opportunities this country has offered me and my family. I’ve been on the journey to FI for quite a while and have never felt isolated. The wife is on board as long as we don’t take things overboard. Just like you we are valuist so it’s not about looking for the cheapest things in life but being intentional on things that bring happiness and spending on those things as we see fit. I have great friends in the area and overall are very happy here in Colorado. I’ve talked to my wife about geo-arbitrage but timing will be the key variable. I know people who’ve done it with small kids but that wouldn’t work for us. Once they leave to college then that’s a whole different story. We are aware of geo-arbitrage and will definitely consider it as an option to speed things up. We’ve never been to Asia but man it seems like we are missing out big time. Thanks again for a great post!
Journey,
I hear you and agree. I’m very grateful to have been born in the US and grow up there with all of those opportunities. Even though I was raised in a crack house in Detroit, it’s still better to have gone through that than be born almost anywhere else at any point in history. I’m very lucky. Won the “ovarian lottery”, as Buffett describes it.
All that said, it’s wise to make quality of life choices on a go-forward basis. I don’t let misguided nostalgia hold me back. If I thought I could live my best life in the US, I would have stayed there. But it’s just not the optimal fit for me. However, I do wish everyone living over there the best! 🙂
Cheers.
Your description of life and the general mindset in the U.S. is exactly how I feel about it.
Mystical,
Sounds like we’re on the same page.
It really is just that. It’s a general mindset. I’m not trying to criticize it, per se. Rather, I’m just expressing that I don’t personally like it or want to be around it.
To each their own, though. I genuinely hope that those who live in the US enjoy it much more than me and are happy. 🙂
Cheers.
Hello Jason! It is a great feeling to be at peace, in harmony with your world! I caught the headline in rockstarfinance.com which led me to your website. Wishing you well!
to @Mysticaltyger, try a backpacking trip to Asia for X amount of weeks. Stay in guest houses (motels as we know them) or hostels to get an experience of your lifetime. I backpacked in Asia for 6 straight weeks! It is just incredible! I planned the itinerary before I left America-I was only 52 years old when I did it- That is not a typo. If you are a female, I would recommend finding someone who would want to go with you. Sure, you could go alone like I did, but going solo might increase the safety risks for you. There are websites and books to help you learn about this type of inexpensive traveling.
Solitude,
Thanks. It’s awfully nice to find your place in this world. Better/easier if it’s where you were born, but it’s a big planet. Lots of places to try and enjoy out there. 🙂
Cheers!